Tune In, Turn On
By Doug Deutsch
The North To Shore Festival, launched in 2023 to showcase the arts in all their glory, returns to Atlantic City June 17-23 with a slew of music, cultural and arts events happening throughout Atlantic City.
One of the top headliners performing during N2S week is the iconic rock group, The B-52s. Formed back in 1976 after playing at a Valentine’s Day party for friends, The B-52s is one of the many great pop and rock acts to emerge from Athens, Ga., during that time. (R.E.M. is probably the best-known act besides The B-52s).
All four members: Fred Schneider (vocals/percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals/bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals/percussion), and Keith Strickland (guitarist, multi-instrumentalist), have been with the band since their beginning. Wilson left in 1990, but returned full-time in 1996; while Strickland retired from touring with the group in 2012, but has remained in a songwriting/composing capacity.
The B-52s are known not only for their offbeat hairstyles (Pierson and Wilson wearing their hair in a beehive), but of course their many dance-oriented pop hits – “Roam,” “Rock Lobster,” “Private Idaho,” “Deadbeat Club” and “Planet Claire” topping a long list. They have sold more than 20 million records during their 40-plus-year career, and their songs still sound as fresh today as they did back in their breakout years in the 1980s.
We recently interviewed B-52s band-members Kate Pierson (KP) and Fred Schneider (FS) Here’s how it went.
DD: What’s your secret for being able to keep the group together and touring after all these years?
KP: Laughter and creative juices mixed with an intent to deliver truly original dance music has kept us pumping all these years. Plus a genuine love of the music and each other.
FS: Well, we always cared deeply for each other, despite having some ups and downs, and we’re interacting more than ever now, and it’s a lot more fun to be on stage for me.
DD: Traveling the world on tour as you do, what are some of your all-time favorite cities and/or venues?
KP: We love all our fans who come from all over the globe to see us, even when we played in small clubs (once we even had our stage on a table top). Now our residencies at the Venetian Theater in Las Vegas have allowed millions more to see us. Come on down.
FS: That’s a hard one because we played major cities in so many countries and there’s always so many amazing things about each one.
DD: Any plans for any new B-52s music in the future?
KP: We have an exciting documentary and a book on the way and maybe… more music.
FS: Possibly…
DD: What do you think about our lovely town by the ocean, Atlantic City, where you’ve performed many times?
KP: Fred and I are New Jersey natives and I’ve always loved Atlantic City. We played there last summer by the famed Stone Pony and we had a blast at the local pinball arcade. Fred is actually from the area – South Jersey shore – so he’s part of its charm.
FS: (laughs) my mom and dad spent their honeymoon there and I came out nine months later. I remember it in the ’60s and ’70s with all the wedding cake hotels and everything was sort of magical.”
The B-52s will perform with special guests The Weeklings at Ocean Casino Resort’s Ovation Hall Saturday, June 22 at 8 p.m., part of North To Shore Festival week in Atlantic City. Info: www.theoceanac.com; www.northtoshore.com. N2S also happens June 10-16 in Asbury Park, and June 23-30 in Newark.
Doug is the owner/operator of Doug Deutsch Publicity Services, which since 1995 has been servicing nationally touring acts, and working record release campaigns for clients. Doug also hàs experience writing for the one time shore-based weekly publication, Whoot! He also was a team member with Chip Braymes Advertising. Doug loves bicycling and aspires to bring the Blues to Atlantic City. He can be reached at ShoreLocalDoug@gmail.com and www.facebook.com/dougdeutschpublicity.
