She Got The Beat

Although not a big reader of non-fiction, I do like my biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs.  I enjoy reading about the lives of politicians, actors, authors, and musical artists, particularly if they are ones who have shaped me in some way.

As a young boy, I was a huge fan of a catchy pop single called "Mad About You," by a singer named Belinda Carlisle.  At one point, it was my favorite song, and I remember buying the single and playing it on my stereo while looking at the picture of Belinda on the cover photo.  Kids don't do that anymore, do they?  Not in the era of digital songs and instant gratification.  The next year, Belinda came out with another hit song, "Heaven Is A Place On Earth," and again, I was a big fan.  Little did I know at the time that she had already had a successful career as lead singer of the pioneering band The Go-Go's, but I soon figured that out.

It was with great interest that I sat down to read Belinda's recent memoir, entitled Lips Unsealed in homage to the Go-Go's hit "Our Lips Are Sealed."  A clever title for the book, as she would at long last be unsealing her lips to reveal the inside story behind her life and career.

You might not think that Belinda Carlisle's memoir would be a riveting read, unless you are a huge music buff and interested in the formation of one of the first all-female bands to write and play their own songs.  A casual fan of Belinda's might debate reading this book, feeling that it couldn't possibly be as interesting as the recent Pat Benatar autobiography, or that her story couldn't be as scandalous as that of Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson, Madonna, or other 80s superstars (wow, I can't wait until Stevie Nicks writes an autobiography).  Trust me, though, this is a quick and interesting read, and quite well-written (that can sometimes be a problem with memoirs, because a talented actor or singer does not necessarily have to be a talented writer).  And Belinda Carlisle was a true punk, a real rock rebel, who partied as hard and outrageously as any of her male counterparts.

For me, the main selling point of this book are the stories about the Go-Go's: how they formed, the writing process of their bestselling first album, Beauty And The Beat, and Belinda's thoughts on the success of that effort, which was the first album by a female band who wrote and played their own songs to hit Number One on the Billboard album chart.  And I got all that from this book.  Belinda goes into considerable detail about the night the band formed (basically, three girls were sitting on a curb in Venice, CA and decided to start a band), their initial rehearsals and first concert dates, and the wave of excitement surrounding the success of their songs "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got The Beat."

The book follows her through all of the Go-Go's' albums, their eventual breakup, her successful solo career, the fizzling out of said solo career, the various Go-Go's' reunions, right up to 2009 and her stint on the reality television program Dancing With The Stars.  Along the way, we learn of her heated affair with the late Michael Hutchence, lead singer of INXS; her jealousy over Madonna's thinness in the "Papa Don't Preach Video"; her excitement upon meeting Elton John; and a night of non-stop partying that the Go-Go's, then in their mid-40s, did with the young men of Green Day.  In other words, there are lots of famous people and musical moments for rock history buffs.

However, the main theme throughout Lips Unsealed is of Belinda's incredible lack of self-worth, which started at a young age and resulted in horrible food issues and a devastating cocaine addiction.  Her problems might not seem worse than those of any other rock star, but the way she details them is striking: she never blames anyone other than herself, and she calmly relates the manner in which, time and time again, she refused the help she needed and continued to jeapordize not only her own health, but her marriage, and her son's well-being as well.  Her ability to take ownership for her mistakes is refreshing, and she comes across largely sympathetic, even if you roll your eyes by the twentieth time she refuses to go to rehab and takes up on another cocaine binge.

Her issues with food were almost as crippling as her drug addiction; in fact, they may have caused her to turn to drugs.  It's a touching story, beginning with the kids who cruelly called her Belimpa as a child, but she never comes across as begging for sympathy.  In fact, I was throughly impressed with her tone throughout the memoir, simply giving her life story, certainly adding commentary but never embellishing that much.  Straightforward, that's how I would describe her style.

Eventually, Belinda Carlisle was able to admit that she needed help, and she quit drugs and drinking for good.  When I finally reached that point in her story, I felt genuinely happy for her.  There were many touching moments throughout Lips Unsealed, including the moment when her teenage son comes out to her; and several passages involving her husband Morgan, who has to be one of the most patient men on Planet Earth.  And it was extremely inspiring to read the story of their marriage and his undying love for her.  They have been married for more than twenty-three years, and that is a lot more than you can say for most Hollywood couples, including those with a lot less problems than these two had.  Kudos to Morgan Mason, for his upstanding character and true devotion to his wife.

And hats off to Belinda Carlisle, for her role as lead singer in one of the most important bands in rock history, and for writing a genuinely good rock and roll memoir.