Side note: Today is my grandmother's birthday. Happy birthday, Grandma! However, this publication does not care too much about my nana. And while they are not entirely heartless, they would prefer it if I wrote about music and/or musicians, which we all know my grandmother is not. But still, we will celebrate strong women!
Regina "Gina" Schock rose to prominence with the pop-punk outfit the Go-Go's in the late '70s after replacing original drummer Elissa Bello. The girl group went on to become part of one of the most easily recognizable bands of the new-wave era. Even while shedding their grimy L.A. punk roots, they were still a little better than even their look, and nothing solidified that better than Schock's rock-steady drumming.
Born in Maryland in 1957, Gina Schock would have some local success with other Marylanders before migrating to the West Coast. If you're a punk, you should get off the grass after the jump.
Schock's first taste came as drummer for the wild sensual stylings of Edith Massey's Edie and the Eggs, an all-female punk-rock act manufactured under the guidance of John Waters to capitalize on the burgeoning allure of the Dreamlander. Schock held down the skins for their numerous live engagements before relocating to Los Angeles in '79 to join the first ladies of new wave.
With the Go-Go's, Schock found success through the mid-'80s before disbanding and pursuing a solo career that yielded a 1988 album on Capitol under the moniker House of Schock when she teamed up with Ellen DeGeneres' older bass-plucking brother, Vance. There, she traded the majority of the drumming and provided the vocals, doing a solid job.
Since disbanding, the Go-Go's maintained an intermittent existence through the '90s but have been steadily more engaged since the beginning of the millennium. While they might not be the media and spotlight darlings they were 30 years ago, Schock's influence on a few generations of female musicians is undeniable. That's one powerful lady.
The Go-Go's - "Our Lips are Sealed"
House of Schock - "Middle of Nowhere"
The Go-Go's - "We Got the Beat"
The Go-Go's - "Unforgiven"
House of Schock - "This Time"
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