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Ricky Wilson to AIDS in 1985 at the age of 32. So much so that the band took an extended hiatus from their musical careers, regrouping to releaseCosmic Thing in 1989.] It’s hard to explain to people what it was really like, it’s so different now. This whole PrEP thing has changed it too. I don’t
know that much about it, but it seems like a catch all. There are still so many other things that you can get. Apparently, it’s not completely foolproof, so I’m like, “Oh boy, what the hell’s next?” Now we have such a crazy political climate, it kind of reminds me of those early days of the ‘60s and ‘70s too. It’s such a strange moment in time. Oh god, I keep thinking, “What in the hell?” Now
it’s like some bad reality show. Kind of a “how low can you go” kind of thing. Maybe unreality is more accurate or a better way to describe it. It’s pretty awful. It’s such a challenge to all the gains that the LGBT community has made. It’s a challenge to everybody, really. Environmen-
talists, African Americans, the LGBT community, people with disabilities, it’s a bad time and affecting everyone. Well, maybe except for Russia. The man makes fun of disabled people, it strikes me as so awful. He’s so retarded emotionally and spiritually. He’s an asshole. (Laughs) They drained the swamp and found all of the frog’s skin. Do you find that your audiences reflect the insecurity and discomfort out there? We keep our politics out of performing. We’re
here to entertain on stage, it’s a place for people to have fun. People are there to get away from their lives, they don’t want to be hit over the head with a social message. We rant and rave in interviews and if you read my Facebook page, you can see my fans go at it and I’ll give my opinion about things. What we do though, is to have different organizations and people on tour with us to promote their messages. Things like the Student Conservation Association and Planned Parenthood, we’ll announce that they are there and they’re set up to take donations and things like that. That’s so cool. I read somewhere that you have a pretty huge personal collection of LPs. I do and I’m going to have to start purging because
I realized it’s sort of taking over my life. (Laughs) It’s cool though, I belong to the ARChive of Contemporary Music, which is sort of like Noah’s
You know I really never planned to be in a band in the first place. Suddenly I’m in one and a couple years
later we had a record contract and 40 years later, I’m still shaking my tired old ass on stage!”
Arc, they have two of everything for rock and roll. It’s a great and such an important place. And boy do they have a great record sale, let me tell you!
things at the radio, but that’s about it. Any more thoughts about the LGBT world and what’s going on with it these days? I think it’s stronger than ever and everyone
SPECIAL NOTE:(ARC really is an amazing place. They preserve copies of every recording they can, in all known formats, electronically cataloguing more than 300,000 sound recordings of popular music of all cultures and races throughout the world, produced from 1945 to the present. More than any other public university or private library in America. They’ve also preserved more than three million pieces of support materials, ephemera and memorabilia that include things like photographs, videos, DVDs, books, magazines, press kits, sheet music... It’s fascinating, check it out
atarcmusic.org.)
is pulling together right now as they should. I just at- tended a benefit for the LGBT Youth Center here in New York. Hillary Clinton and Arianna Huffington showed up and they let the kids speak, it was very touching and very emotional. Tell us a little about what readers can expect from your upcoming shows. We’re doing a residency in Las Vegas at the
House of Blues early next month and we’re basing a lot of the shows off that right now. We have a ton of new merchandise for it that’s really cool. Kate has new music from her solo album and Cindy has hers and I’m out there promoting my other band called the Superions. We just came out with a new record too, calledThe Vertical Mind. What’s that adage? The one about a rolling stone gathering no moss?
I’m curious as to what kind of music you’re listening to these days? I have such a huge collection, currently I’m listening to striptease music. (Laughs) I’m into ‘30s naughty things, there is a lot of double-entendre stuff. For some reason I’ve always been so into the music from the ‘20s and ‘30s. I don’t play the radio, so I have to admit I’m not that up on current bands. I listen to things like MPR and get angry and throw
The B-52s have several Southern California stops for you to catch a glimpse of the band’s fabulous “Cosmic Thing.” OnThursday, July 20 they’ll be atCosta Mesa’s O.C. Fair and Event Center, on Friday, July 21 they will be at San Diego’s Pala Casino (who graciously arranged this interview) and onSaturday, August 12 they’ll be appearing at Downtown Los Angeles’ Per- shing Square. And, as Schneider mentioned, they’re doing a residency at Las Vegas’ The House of Blues fromFriday, July 7 through Sunday, July 9.
For tickets and more information, go
totheb52s.com.
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RAGE monthly | JULY 2017
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