Pleasure was the first all-female Go-Go band, based in the Washington D.C. area.

History

Pleasure featured all female musicians from the D.C. area, who were in, or recently graduated from, high school when the band began in the late 1980s. The group was known as "D.C.'s only all-girl Go-Go band". Michelle Peterson was lead singer/rapper,[1] though other members also provided vocals, Claudia Malcolm played keyboards[2] and Genny Cruz played guitar. Charlie Fenwick was an early manager [3] and the group released their first PA tape in 1989, called Party Tape-Boom Box Edition.[1] Later, after Peterson and others left the band, Liza Figueroa Kravinsky played keyboards for Pleasure.[4]

Some members of Pleasure were chosen to back Salt-n-Pepa as their band, as the trio explained on an appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show in late 1990/early 1991, which contributed to opening up the reputation of Go-Go to a national audience.[5]

Founding

Pleasure was founded in 1988 and Fenwick helped organize them. They played many of their early gigs with another group managed by Fenwick called Hot, Cold, Sweat. Lead vocalist Michelle Peterson cited Slick Rick as an early influence on her style.[6]

Members

  • Melissa Matthews- vocals/percussion
  • Michelle Peterson - vocals
  • Natarsha "Little Boogie" Proctor - congas
  • Claudia Malcolm - keyboards
  • Lashawn "Shawney" Dandy - drums
  • Liza Figueroa Kravinsky - keyboards
  • Genny "Jam" Cruz - guitars

References

  1. 1 2 Mills, D. (July 8, 1990). "Go-go: Still grooving and moving; the live sound lives on the 'PA tapes'". The Washington Post. ProQuest 307290324. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  2. ↑ Harrington, R. (October 20, 1989). "Catching go-go's get-up-and-go". The Washington Post.
  3. ↑ Lornell, Kip (2001). The beat : go-go's fusion of funk and hip-hop. Billboard.
  4. ↑ "Go-Go Symphony: A Melodic Interview Session with Liza Figueroa Kravinsky". Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  5. ↑ "Salt N Pepa Spoke Up for Go-Go 30 Years Ago". TMOTTGoGo Magazine. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  6. ↑ Lornell, Kip, 1953- (2001). The beat : go-go's fusion of funk and hip-hop. Stephenson, Charles C. New York: Billboard. ISBN 0-8230-7727-6. OCLC 47648299.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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