Editing The B-52s (section)

===1976–1979: Formation and early years===
They formed as "the B-52's" in 1976 when Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson (her elder brother), Pierson, Strickland, and [[Cowbell (instrument)|cowbell]] player, poet, and lead vocalist Schneider held an impromptu jam session after sharing a [[flaming volcano]] drink at a Chinese restaurant in Athens, Georgia. When they first jammed, Strickland played guitar and Ricky Wilson played congas. They later played their first concert (with Wilson on guitar) in 1977 at a [[Valentine's Day]] party for their friends.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Azerrad |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Azerrad |date=March 22, 1990 |title=Mission Accomplished |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |issue=574|page=46 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-b-52s-mission-accomplished-231021/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241006085106/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-b-52s-mission-accomplished-231021/ |archive-date=October 6, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The name "B-52's" comes from a particular [[Beehive (hairstyle)|beehive]] hairdo resembling the nose cone of [[Boeing B-52 Stratofortress|the aircraft]], which Pierson and Cindy Wilson wore in performances during the band's first decade.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/homestyle/07/20/bad.hair/index.html |title=A history of bad hairstyles |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=July 20, 2007 |first=Ransom |last=Riggs |access-date=August 12, 2016}}</ref> Other names the band considered were the Tina-Trons and Fellini's Children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tcolerachel.com/b-52s|title=B-52s|website=T. Cole Rachel|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-05}}</ref> Strickland suggested the name after a dream he had of a band performing in a hotel lounge. In the dream, he heard someone whisper in his ear that the band's name was "the B-52's".

The band's quirky take on the new wave sound of its era was a combination of [[dance music|dance]] and [[surf music]] set apart from their contemporaries by [[Thrift store chic|thrift-store chic]] and the unusual guitar tunings Ricky Wilson used.

The band's first single, "[[Rock Lobster]]", recorded for [[DB Records]] in 1978, was an underground success, selling over 2,000 copies, that led to gigs at [[CBGB]] and [[Max's Kansas City]]. Both this version of "Rock Lobster" and its B-side, "52 Girls", are different recordings from those that appear on the band's 1979 debut album, and the early version of "52 Girls" is in a different key.

The re-recorded version of "Rock Lobster" was also released as a single and in the UK and Germany was backed with an instrumental version of "Running Around", a non-album track at the time. (A vocal re-recording of this appears on the band's second album, 1980's ''[[Wild Planet]]''.) The buzz the record created in the UK meant their first show in London at the [[Electric Ballroom]] was packed and attended by UK pop stars, including [[Sandie Shaw]], [[Green Gartside]] from [[Scritti Politti]], and [[Joe Jackson (musician)|Joe Jackson]]. In Canada, released on the [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros. label]], the single went from cult hit to No. 1 on the ''RPM''-compiled national chart on May 24, 1980.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.0169a&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=kjerdnvbvl3a8p4jfufutrc7u6 |title=Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada |publisher=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=December 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121192335/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.0169a&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=kjerdnvbvl3a8p4jfufutrc7u6 |archive-date=January 21, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> [[John Lennon]] credited the song with returning him to writing music.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/episode-386-pipeline-theatrics-racism-at-starbucks-the-b-52s-cindy-wilson-record-store-day-and-more-1.4626551/40-years-of-rock-lobster-and-how-the-b-52s-revived-john-lennon-s-career-1.4626560|title=40 years of Rock Lobster and how the B-52s revived John Lennon's career|website=Cbc.ca|access-date=June 27, 2024}}</ref>