If you’re hoping to be a rockstar, you’ve got to have drive, ambition, a sense of luck, faith and—perhaps, most importantly—you’ve got to have a great sense of humor. Gina Schock has all of those attributes, and more, and she needed those tools to hold down the backbeat for the most successful all-female band of all time, The Go-Go’s.
If you saw the recent Alison Ellwood directed documentary, The Go-Go’s, you’ll know that the band soared to the highest showbiz highs and sank to some pretty lousy lows. Witnessing the entire rock and roll rollercoaster from the drum throne was Gina Schock who joins me to talk about many things currently buzzing in the world of The Go-Go’s, but specifically the 20th anniversary and reissue of their 2001 reunion album, God Bless The Go-Go’s which will be released on May 14 (Eagle Records).
Gina and I discuss the making of that album, including Billie Joe Armstrong’s contributions. You’ll hear Gina rifle through her vinyl collection and pick out some of her favorites. We also chat about a book that she’s currently completing about her experiences in The Go-Go’s. Most significantly, we talk about the band’s nomination for this year’s roster of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
If you want to be a rockstar drummer, you’ve got to be in tune with your heartbeat and keep the tempo tight and unwavering. If you walk away from our chat learning nothing else about Gina Schock, it’s that Gina doesn’t just have the beat, she’s got the heart.
Evan Toth is a songwriter, professional musician, educator, radio host, avid record collector, and hi-fi aficionado. Toth hosts and produces The Evan Toth Show and TVD Radar on WFDU, 89.1 FM. Follow him at the usual social media places and visit his website.
