I see many folks are getting all up in arms regarding Pharrell’s comment regarding GoGo music and parts of Maryland. (see video clip below) But I think they’re so busy getting offended and yelling that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, that they’re not paying attention to what he’s actually saying and referring to.
First of all, folks need to watch the entire interview to understand the text of what they were talking about. This was not a discussion about Go-Go music. The entire discussion was somewhere around 48 minutes. Only in this few minutes piece did they even talk about Go-Go music.
Secondly, I’m not sure if many people here realize who the white guy in their beard is. That’s Rick Rubin. He is one of the people who were responsible for bringing the legendary go-go band Junkyard to Def Jam records and recording the songs “Sardines” and “The Word”.
Third, you gotta assume that apparently when Pharrell mentions it being very little in Maryland, he is referring to the northern parts of Maryland, such as Baltimore, Towson and further up in that direction. In which case, I agree with him.
Forth, Outside of the campus events at such schools Morgan State, Towson, Maryland Eastern Shore, etc (where there were many students from PG County), there were no GoGo spots? Yes, GoGo bands have played at Towson State and Morgan State and Maryland Eastern Shore and even Delaware on special occasions. Hell… I’ve played at those spots before. But those neighborhoods that those schools reside in didn’t fuck with it like that.
Fifth, Go-Go bands have always played really heavily in Virginia… in areas such as Front Royal, Culpepper, Fredericksburg, Warrenton, Petersburg and Richmond… and of course Alexandria, Arlington and spots throughout Fairfax County. Hell… some of those areas even had GoGo bands of their own playing on the regular. Spots like Jimmy’s Lounge. There was one spot in Richmond called the Alley Katz… and the band from that spot was called New Dimension. Backyard, Fatal Attraction, and many other bands always played at that spot. [CHECK THIS CLIP OUT HERE]
take a look at this map of Maryland and tell me all the parts where GoGo is heavily popular. And when I say heavily popular, I mean on the regular. i.e., where bands are playing heavily on the regular. Or even where GoGo bands have formed.
But the biggest part that folks seem to be missing is that even for those brief few minutes, he’s talking about how powerful and potent the music is and has influenced him. In a nutshell, all he was basically trying to explain that the largest support of GoGo comes more so from the southern areas than it does from the northern parts. Now whether you agree with him on that term or not, that’s on you. But he was basically speaking from his perspective…his point of view. And for the most part, I agree with him.
WATCH CLIP BELOW:
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