Chatting with Pop Icon Belinda Carlisle about A Capitol Fourth, The Go-Go's & More!

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,760 Welcome to Pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon from I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:12,400 Your Pop Culture News, Views, Reviews, and Celebrity Interviews on all the movies, TV, music, 3 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:15,280 and pop culture you crave weekly. 4 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:16,880 Here's Kyle McMahon. 5 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,720 Hey, what's up? 6 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:22,120 It's Kyle McMahon. 7 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:23,880 Welcome to Pop Culture Weekly. 8 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:25,200 It's a very special episode. 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:29,560 I am out of studio in New York right now for a project. 10 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:38,920 But I did have the pleasure of interviewing Belinda Carlisle, the one and only a trailblazer 11 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:41,600 in the music world. 12 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:48,360 And I talked to her about her brand new EP, as well as performing at a capital fourth, 13 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:53,120 and if the go-go's will ever make a return. 14 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,480 Let's get right into my interview with her. 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,120 Here she is, Belinda Carlisle. 16 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,400 All right, well first of all, thank you so much for speaking with me. 17 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:02,720 I really appreciate it. 18 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:04,560 My pleasure. 19 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:10,840 And so I want to talk to you about the new EP, Kiss Mid, as well as capital fourth. 20 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:16,440 But for a moment, if we can, I'd like to go back to the beginning of your career with 21 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:17,720 the go-go's. 22 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:24,760 You as a band, you were the first theme, all female, act that went number one, playing your 23 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:25,760 own instrument. 24 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,760 So that, I mean, that's really history-making and it still stands today. 25 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:35,600 What is that like for you, you know, 30 some years later, that that record still stands? 26 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,400 Well, it's amazing. 27 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:42,120 I mean, we'd not only played our own instruments, but we wrote our own songs. 28 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:47,000 And it was a complete female operation, female management, female roadies. 29 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,520 And, you know, we started off being a girls club. 30 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:54,640 And the fact that we made an album, that first album considered to be such a classic 31 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:56,800 like that, of course, it's amazing. 32 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:05,000 I mean, the whole story of the go-go is amazing, you know, against all odds, forming in 1978, 33 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:10,080 not knowing how to do a thing, to having the number one album in America three years later. 34 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,600 I mean, when does that happen? 35 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,240 And you, you know, you of course went on to dominate. 36 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:22,920 You went off on your own and did a soul, you know, had an extremely, have a extremely successful 37 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:28,520 solo career and then you were nominated with the go-go's of two years ago and inducted 38 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,960 into the rocket and roll hall of fame. 39 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:32,440 What was that like? 40 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,360 Well, it's an incredible way to cement the legacy of the band. 41 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,800 I mean, it doesn't get any better than that. 42 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:46,200 It was a night full of like love and celebration. 43 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:52,160 And, you know, I mean, it was, it was, I think it probably was the most incredible evening 44 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,280 professionally of any of our lives. 45 00:02:55,280 --> 00:03:00,640 And if it hadn't been for the documentary that came out a year and a half prior, we might 46 00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:02,880 still be waiting for that induction. 47 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:04,200 Okay. 48 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:10,960 And, you know, for you now, obviously again, have had this incredibly successful solo career. 49 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:19,480 You did a song recently for 80 for Brady with Cindy Lauper and Dali Parton and Gloria 50 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,800 Stefan and Debbie Harry. 51 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:29,200 Like, and I believe it was written by Diane Warren, what, you know, that's an incredible 52 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,520 group of powerful women. 53 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,280 What did that moment, what did that song mean to you? 54 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:40,280 Well, I mean, I would have to pinch myself that I was actually working with these, these 55 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:41,960 women that I admire. 56 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:43,480 I don't know. 57 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:52,480 I mean, it was kind of surreal for me, nothing like that's ever happened to me in my life. 58 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:58,160 I mean, we all recorded our parts separately. 59 00:03:58,160 --> 00:03:59,480 But I don't know. 60 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:04,720 For me, it was like, I'm a fan of these women, you know, I've met them throughout my 40-odd 61 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,320 year career. 62 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:12,280 And yeah, I mean, it was, it was a weird, incredible surreal moment. 63 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:17,720 And for the film, you know, what, what a cast with that film with 80 for Brady. 64 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:24,480 Yeah, it worked because it was funny because everybody in their families in their 80s, 65 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:28,080 in their or near their 80s or late 70s. 66 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:36,400 And then Diane's concept of getting together women from the 80s, I mean, she's very clever. 67 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,440 So I would never have thought of that. 68 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,040 So yeah, it all worked really, really well. 69 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,520 And it's, I'm proud to be a part of the project. 70 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:44,720 I love that. 71 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:52,280 And you have a brand new EP out called Kiss mit, which is completely written, if I'm not mistaken, 72 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:53,280 by Diane, right? 73 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:54,280 Right. 74 00:04:54,280 --> 00:05:00,360 I mean, I was, I was planning to slow down some of my retirement. 75 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:01,880 And out of the blue, I get this call. 76 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:07,080 My son ran into Diane in a coffee shop in LA and introduced him something. 77 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:08,760 He's like, ah, what your mom doing. 78 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,880 So they face timed me and I was like out of the blue. 79 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,120 It was so weird. 80 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:15,120 Get down to the studio. 81 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:16,920 I have some hits for you. 82 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:24,320 And I had to really, I think whether I wanted to do it or not because it's a big commitment. 83 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:29,560 And, you know, I wasn't really in that headspace, but you don't say no to Diane Warren. 84 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:34,320 So I went, I went to the studio and she played me big, big love and I fell in love with the 85 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,200 song instantly. 86 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:37,200 And so I said, okay, let's go. 87 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,520 I had no idea what it was going to be. 88 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,800 I don't think any of us really knew what it was going to be. 89 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:48,400 And they ended up being a five-songy P. And yeah, all these weird coincidences like her 90 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:53,120 writing big, big love a couple days before she ran into my son and not knowing who it was 91 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:54,120 for. 92 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,040 And then immediately she was like, bingo. 93 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:01,320 So yeah, you know, it was kind of meant to be. 94 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,040 And yeah, you know, it was a very joyful experience. 95 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:11,680 And this is your first pop English language album in 27 years? 96 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:19,440 Yeah, it was only because I never really thought that a good pop songs of any kind of quality 97 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:25,920 would come to me because usually they go to younger artists or artists that are charting. 98 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,440 So I, and I was totally fine with that. 99 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,520 I mean, that's just the way it goes. 100 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:37,440 So the fact that she gave these songs to me as like a gift, you know, I mean, and they're 101 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:42,000 on par with the material that I was doing in the late 80s or early 90s. 102 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:44,520 So I'm not going to do something just for the sake of doing it. 103 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:46,000 I mean, I have to really love it. 104 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:53,560 So it was a very, like I said, very joyful and quite a surprise to me of all people to 105 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:54,960 be doing this. 106 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:59,280 Well, it's a great collection of songs and, and I, you know, I love Diane Warren. 107 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:00,280 I love you. 108 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:07,520 And so the two is, is to have a whole EP of Diane Warren's songs with you singing is so 109 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:08,520 great. 110 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:14,680 And you're hitting the road on the decades tour, supporting both the album and your career, 111 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:15,680 right? 112 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:16,680 Right. 113 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:17,680 I start. 114 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:18,680 It's kind of a continuation. 115 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,880 I did some American dates in November last year. 116 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:26,560 And it's a continuation of that on the East Coast, West Coast. 117 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,960 And then I finished in Australia at the end of the year. 118 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:33,960 So yeah, it's a celebration of all my albums. 119 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,280 I'm doing material from most of my solo albums. 120 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,520 Of course, I always do a few go-go songs. 121 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,800 That's my roots. 122 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,960 And I'll be doing a couple of songs on the case of my EP. 123 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:45,960 Awesome. 124 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:46,960 Awesome. 125 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:54,000 And, you know, with the go-go's, you have re-enighted, taken hiatuses, broken up, re-enighted again. 126 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,960 You know, where are you now? 127 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,760 I don't, the go-go's are finished. 128 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:06,960 We decided that after the rock haul, that was a great way to cement the legacy of the band. 129 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:10,000 We did a few dates after that that we had to make up. 130 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,360 And everybody kind of went their separate ways. 131 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:20,560 Some of us felt that it was a perfect way to, you know, to say goodbye. 132 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,440 And I think you can go on too long. 133 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:31,400 And, you know, it was like a perfect way to just buy a little bow. 134 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,360 And like I said, cement the legacy of the band. 135 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:35,360 I love that. 136 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:40,560 Now, so, July 4th, you're going to be at the west lawn of the United States Capitol for 137 00:08:40,560 --> 00:08:43,600 a Capitol 4th on PBS. 138 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:47,760 What do you, what can we look forward to you doing there? 139 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:48,760 Singing. 140 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,000 Besides that, I don't know. 141 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:53,360 I'm really excited about it. 142 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:57,360 For me, it's kind of like a dream come true because I've never done anything like this before. 143 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:02,280 You know, I've been to DC, of course, to the years on tour. 144 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,760 At about 15 years ago, I actually went out of the tour of the Capitol building. 145 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:13,240 And I was just so fascinated with just the city and the history and the buildings and just 146 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:14,240 like so much. 147 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,240 So, yeah, I'm excited about it. 148 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:22,160 I'm looking forward to playing with all these other artists that I'm a bands of. 149 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,280 I think it's going to be great. 150 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:27,600 And you're going to be performing three songs, right? 151 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:28,600 Three songs, yes. 152 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,880 It's short and sweet, yeah, with an orchestra. 153 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:33,640 So, it'll be great. 154 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:34,640 That's awesome. 155 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:36,640 Have you ever played with full orchestra before? 156 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:37,640 Yes, I have. 157 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:42,520 I just, the go goes to two nights at the Hollywood Bowl with the L.A. 158 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:44,640 Simpil Harmonic. 159 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:45,640 You can't mess up. 160 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:47,640 It's like high pressure. 161 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:51,440 You can't mess up because you're a mess up if there was everybody off. 162 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:57,200 I did one last year in the UK and I've done the pops before years ago. 163 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,360 But so, I always like doing, it's a whole different thing. 164 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:02,160 It's kind of high pressure. 165 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:03,160 Yeah, yeah. 166 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:05,040 Well, I'm sure you will do amazing. 167 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:06,440 I'm really looking forward to it. 168 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:13,080 It's such, I go every year to Capitol fourth and it's such a just feel good party celebration 169 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,040 of America. 170 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:21,760 And all the things that, you know, all the various us's that live in this country. 171 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:29,600 So I'm looking forward to seeing you perform and people can go and get the EP right now, right? 172 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,080 Yeah, it came out May 12th. 173 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:36,280 It's streaming now and it'll be out on vinyl and CD very soon. 174 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:38,240 I don't know the exact date, but soon. 175 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:39,240 Awesome. 176 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:40,240 Thank you, Belinda. 177 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,240 I really appreciate it. 178 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:43,240 Thank you so much. 179 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:44,240 Of course. 180 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:50,880 There she is, Belinda Carlisle, what an awesome person, an awesome talent. 181 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:58,640 And, you know, I was, I really liked her answer relating to the go-goes. 182 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:03,920 You know, the, just what she said about that was the perfect time to end it and they're all 183 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,160 fine with that. 184 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,160 That's just interesting to me. 185 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:14,200 In any event, I'll have a very special episode coming out in just a few days from 186 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:15,840 Capital Fourth. 187 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:26,920 Alfonso Ribeiro is hosting and babyface will be performing boys to men, Elmo, Cookie Monster, 188 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,640 and Chicago and of course, Belinda. 189 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:37,960 And it's just always, every year, a great, great way to celebrate, you know, America's birthday. 190 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:43,880 And you'll be able to listen to that on the 4th of July and then watch a Capital Fourth 191 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:47,400 Live on PBS that night. 192 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:52,320 And then it'll be in repeats or on demand for two weeks following. 193 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,400 So let me know what you think of today's show. 194 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,240 Let me know what you think of Belinda. 195 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:58,240 Hit up my socials. 196 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:04,760 I'm doing such a bad job of promoting the socials here and promoting the show on the socials. 197 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:06,920 So I've been told I need to do that. 198 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:08,800 So I am doing that. 199 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:15,800 You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter @kmechmusic or Facebook, Real Kyle McMahon, YouTube, 200 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:16,960 wherever you want. 201 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,360 Just hit me up and let's talk pop culture. 202 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:21,360 All right. 203 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:22,360 I will see you very soon. 204 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:24,360 I love you. 205 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:25,360 We up. 206 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,360 Thank you for listening to Pop Culture Weekly. 207 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,120 You're all the latest at popcultureweekly.com. 208 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:36,120 [Music]