Here's the video for "Funplex"

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoid=31009351

Great album. Makes me wish I still owned a car.

So far, my favorites are "Hot Corner" and "Juliet of the Spirits".

Cool video. Keith=

I've listened to the album properly now at least 10 times. And it's definitely top heavy. The filler "forgettable" throw away songs are definitely towards the end. Specifically 8-10 ("Deviant Ingrediant", "Too Much To Think About" and "Dancing Now"). These songs are just so sub-par. And not even worthy of a B-side IMO. Thankfully "Keep This Party Going" closes the album out nicely. I know most of the stuff the B-52's have put out has had one or two "eh" songs. This is no exception. I didn't even love "Cosmic Thing" when it came out. Thought it was a little above average. So it took some time for me to really enjoy and appreciate the entire thing. Still, today, "Wild Planet" is my favorite album of theirs. All in all, I'd give "Funplex" an 8/10.

Hey Trip,

I agree with your grade: 8/10. My favorite B's album is still their first.

Their first album is my favorite as well but this album is a lot of fun to listen to. I'm really glad it turned out so well. I still need to get Cosmic Thing. I only own a couple of their albums and that isn't one of them (surprisingly).

This is my new favorite album.

Hey, he's mine.

I can't believe he's 55. It's seriously disturbing.

Like I said in an earlier post, I was in the front row at their Wolf Trapp Vienna Virginia show last August and Keith was right in front of us, and the guy looks like he's in his 30's. Not a line on his face. I can recognize plastic surgery on anyone, even Botox, but this guy has not had anything from what I can see. Just good genes. He looks exactly the way he did during the "Cosmic Thing" tour. Which is disturbing. Kate looks pretty damn good in the video too. Also like she did during the "Cosmic Thing" era. She didn't look very good in the "Debbie" video though. So, welcome back Kate!

We can arm wrestle!

I swear, this is the laziest band I've ever seen. One week after their new album is out, their official website still hasn't launched. Taking 16 years to come up with said album. Sure, they toured every year and a half. But it was turning into just a nostalgic thing with the same old songs. And it was getting really tired. Which is why they finally did another album. But come on guys, you should be out there doing whatever you can to let people know you're still around and where they can see you. And your website is a good start.

Hello everyone!

Sorry for my questions but I don't know much about Newbury or Target.
So I have 2 questions:
Concerning Newbury, did they send real signature on autographed booklet, or is it just a pre-print?
And concerning Target, can you tell me which one is the limited edition with 5 live tracks?

Thanks in advance

Not sure if this was what you were looking for but I found this easily via Google:

The B-52's Funplex

And, off of that site, found this:

B-52's Official Site

No, I knew of the official site (www.theb52s.com). Which just recently turned into www.atralwerks.com/b-52s. My remark was how long it took to update the site.

Ah, okay. You had mentioned it hadn't launched yet.

After checking out both sites, they need some sprucing up. Maybe they just don't care.

Anyway, been listening to the new CD and can't wait to see 'em in June.

Finally got this and listened to the whole album in my car. Twice!

Funplex is a great album! Although not really as good as the nearly perfect album (IMO) Cosmic Thing, I think it's a much, much better release than their previous album Good Stuff. Excellent guitar hooks and typically funny B-52 lyrics (the title track particularly). Very impressive that the band could pick up again and still have "it" after so many years off.


And I have finally started to realize just how vitally important Keith Strickland is to the band. When guitarist Ricky Wilson died tragically in 1985, the B-52s could've easily disbanded then after losing such an important member and his distinctive style of guitar-playing that was so crucial to the band's sound. But Keith Strickland, then the drummer, taught himself how to play guitar in Ricky's style and the band stayed together. And now the idea of coming out with a new album was his idea and he put all the pieces together to get it done. Without Keith Strickland, the B-52s would've probably ended in the mid-'80s and just be some long defunct "Old Wave" band that a few people remember (and others would have no idea who they were and would probably think that "Rock Lobster" was written for Family Guy). Instead, now the B-52s (quite rightly) call themselves the "World's Greatest Party Band."

Yeah, "Good Stuff". An album they probably shouldn't have made. It was rushed to cash in on their new found popularity ("Good Stuff"). But without Cindy, they should have waited. The material was the weakest they have every put out. And besides "Revolution Earth", and possibly the title track, absolutely nothing stands out. Cindy was sorely missed on this production. As were some killer songs and riffs. When they rebounded with "Debbie", I knew they still had greatness in them.

My two favorites on that album are "Revolution Earth" and "Dreamland".

I received the booklet in the mail today... so pretty much right on with the 5 week mark.

congrats! I still haven't received mine but I'll be watching the mail next week!

Just saw them tonight at the 9:30 Club in D.C. and their new material was hands down the BEST live. Seriously! The older songs just sounded soooooo dated and tired. And I've said that for years. This band has needed to record some new material for a long long time. And it showed tonight. Because the new stuff definitely eclipsed the older stuff. Which is rare for most older bands when they put out a new album.

I saw them on Friday (front row and center!!! made eye contact with Fred and Kate, and shook Keith's hand after the show) and thought it was one of the best shows I've seen.

I agree with Daytripper. The old stuff is classic, but the new stuff is fresh. I just hope that after this album and tour, they're inspired to do another album before 2024.

I was surprised they did nothing off Whammy or Good Stuff. I understand that Bouncing Off The Satellites brings back bad memories for them so it makes sense why we won't hear Summer Of Love or Girl From Ipanema Goes To Greenland, but while Whammy and Good Stuff weren't the best (actually Good Stuff was pretty bad but there were some good songs on it), I thought we might get to hear Legal Tender, Good Stuff or Is That You Mo-Dean.

I love Funplex and hope this album launches a third chapter in their career (like Cosmic Thing gave them a second chapter)

Whammy is one of their best, if not the best, songs ever. They should play it.

Just want to make one small clarification. I love their older studio material. But it has become lifeless live over the past few years. "Give Me Back My Man" is one perfect example. What once was possibly THE best live B's song was absolutely limp on this tour. Which sucks because it's a killer tune.