:: The B-52s ::
Welcome to Funplex, the first record of the 21st century from the B-52s. "It's loud, sexy rock and roll, with the beat pumped up to hot pink," says guitarist Keith Strickland. Eleven fresh new songs, crafted by the groundbreaking band that put Athens, GA on the musical map in the late '70s, and conquered the world with its savvy hooks, unconventional approach to music-making and original style. “Funplex sounds like us, updated," adds Fred Schneider. "It's the B-52s now – or fifteen years from now."

From the opening burst of "Pump," with Keith’s garage-rock guitar and Kate, Fred and Cindy's one-of-a-kind vocal interplay, Funplex is instantly recognizable as prime, yet contemporary, B-52s. Vibrant selections including "Keep This Party Going," "Ultraviolet," and "Hot Corner" reaffirm the quartet's status as "the world's greatest party band." Yet they continue taking risks, too, yielding future favorites such as the transcendental "Juliet of the Spirits" and "Love in the Year 3000," where atmospheric introductions unfold into multi-layered harmonies and burbling beats. On the propulsive title track and first single, the three vocalists adopt distinct characters, running amok on diet pills and slinging tacos in a sprawling shopping center. "It's the seedy underbelly of the mall," chortles Fred.

The creative odyssey of Funplex began with Keith Strickland, who composes the music for the group. "I had been listening to a lot of electronic dance music and early rock and roll. I was inspired to use these two aesthetics together with our own sound to write some shameless dance-floor party music." At home in Key West, FL, he commenced crafting new tracks that retained iconic features of the band's sound – such as their primal guitar   hooks – while also emphasizing grooves. What emerged were originals like "Eyes Wide Open," with its throbbing low-end and oddball percussion, and the chugging, unvarnished "Too Much to Think About." Songs that can stand (or shimmy) shoulder-to-shoulder with the best work by newer contemporaries like LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture and the Killers.

The B-52s have come a long way since their revolutionary 1979 self-titled debut, featuring the evergreen "Rock Lobster." Following the loss of founding member Ricky Wilson in 1985, the group rebounded with their triumphant 1989 smash Cosmic Thing, which spawned the Top 10 hits "Love Shack" and "Roam." Although their last recordings to be made commercially available were the songs "Debbie" and "Hallucinating Pluto" for the 1998 anthology Time Capsule: Songs for a Future Generation, the band has remained a popular and active live touring act.

Looking back at band’s pioneering fusions of punk, new wave, and vintage rock, it would be tough to imagine the contemporary musical landscape existing without having encountered the intersected spirits of Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, and Cindy Wilson. "We all cross-pollinate, and create a wonderfully crazy blossom," explains Fred. Botanists don't need a name for this stunning specimen, though. It already has one, known around the world: the B-52.

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Official Website: theb52s.com/