Funplex Explained

Funplex
Type:	studio
Artist:	the B-52s
Cover:	Funplex.jpg
Border:	yes
Released:	March 25, 2008
Recorded:	September 2006 – November 2007
Genre:	Rock pop rock dance-pop electropop new wave
Length:	48:17
Label:	Astralwerks
Producer:	Steve Osborne
Prev Year:	2002
Next Title:	With the Wild Crowd! Live in Athens, GA
Next Year:	2011

Funplex is the seventh studio album (eighth overall) by the B-52s, recorded during 2006 and 2007. The album was released on March 25, 2008, by Astralwerks Records.^[1] It was the first album of new material the group had released since Good Stuff in 1992, although the band did record two new songs for their 1998 compilation album .

Single releases

The first single from the album was released on January 29, 2008, and is the title track, "Funplex". A music video was filmed in West Hollywood on March 1, 2008, and featured a cameo appearance by RuPaul, who had previously appeared in the video for "Love Shack".^[2]

Funplex debuted at number 11 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling about 30,000 copies in its first week.^[3]

The second single from the album was "Juliet of the Spirits".

Alternate versions

The CD, packed in the Digipak format, was released in three, front cover color variants of the lettering in the album title and the band's shadows: the original (shown above) in gray, multi-colored, and hot pink. In the colored versions, the coloring covers the band's instruments while the band members themselves, along with the band's logotype, retain their original rendering throughout all versions.^[4]

Exclusive, limited-edition autographed copies were offered by Newbury Comics and FYE, as well during the Funplex 2008 tour, and a special limited-edition double-disc set of Funplex was available only at Target stores in the US. The bonus disc features five live tracks recorded at the band's November 16, 2007, concert at the Roxy in Los Angeles. Two additional live tracks from that same concert were available exclusively on iTunes.^[5]

Track listing

All songs written and arranged by the B-52s, music by Keith Strickland and lyrics and vocal melodies by Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson.^[6]

1. "Pump" – 4:53
2. "Hot Corner" – 3:24
3. "Ultraviolet" – 4:25
4. "Juliet of the Spirits" – 4:22
5. "Funplex" – 4:07
6. "Eyes Wide Open" – 5:35
7. "Love in the Year 3000" – 4:14
8. "Deviant Ingredient" – 4:50
9. "Too Much to Think About" – 3:47
10. "Dancing Now" – 4:02
11. "Keep This Party Going" – 4:31

iTunes-exclusive deluxe version bonus tracks

12. "Private Idaho" (Live at the Roxy) – 4:00
13. "Planet Claire" (Live at the Roxy) – 5:28

Target-exclusive bonus CD: Live at the Roxy in L.A.

1. "Party Out of Bounds" – 3:45
2. "Channel Z" – 5:26
3. "Roam" – 5:13
4. "Strobe Light" – 4:38
5. "Rock Lobster" – 5:33

Personnel

The B-52s

• Fred Schneider – vocals, cowbell (track 6)
• Kate Pierson – vocals
• Cindy Wilson – vocals
• Keith Strickland – guitars, keyboards, programming, bass (tracks 1–2 & 11)

Additional musicians

• Tracy Wormworth – bass (tracks 1, 3, 8 & 11)
• Zachary Alford – drums (tracks 1, 3, 5, & 8–9)
• Sterling Campbell – drums (tracks 2, 6–7 & 10–11)
• Steve Osbourne – organ (tracks 1 & 3), bass & timpani (track 9)
• Pete Davis – keyboards, synth programming (tracks 2, 4, 6–8 & 10–11) drum programming (tracks 4 & 7)
• Dave McCracken – programming (tracks 5 & 9)
• Damian Taylor – effects programming (tracks 1, 3, 5, & 8–9)
• Sharon Adl-Doost – intro vocal (track 1)

Production

• Producer: Steve Osborne
• Engineers: Dan Austin, Rick Morris, Pete Davis, Keith Strickland, Kris Sampson
• Mixing: Steve Osborne
• Mastering: Bob Ludwig

Artwork

• Art direction and design: Jeri Heiden & John Heiden
• Photography: Joseph Cultice
• Music: Gerard Kelly, Kristofer Buckle
• Stylist: Robert Molnar

Chart performance

Album

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[7]	93
US Billboard 200 Year-End^[8] ^[9] ^[10]	NA

Singles

Year	Single	Chart^[11]	Peak position
2008	"Funplex"	US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play^[12]	14
2008	"Juliet of the Spirits"	US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	8

Notes and References

1. http://www.theb52s.com/news.html Release Date
2. http://www.rupaul.com/news/2008/03/cosmic-thing.html 1
3. Katie Hasty, "Day26 Upends Danity Kane To Debut At No. 1", Billboard.com, April 2, 2008.
4. Web site: Last.fm - Listen to free music with internet radio and the largest music catalogue online . www.last.fm . 2 February 2022 . https://archive.today/20130213073036/http://www.last.fm/user/shadowtrails/journal/2008/04/06/eowqw_funplex_finally . 13 February 2013 . dead.
5. Web site: The B-52s - Funplex . www.astralwerks.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20080423053003/http://www.astralwerks.com/b-52s/default.asp . April 23, 2008 . dead.
6. Album liner notes
7. Book: Ryan, Gavin. Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. 2011. Moonlight Publishing. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia.
8. Web site: Album artist 423 - the B52s.
9. Billboard 200 Albums . .
10. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2008/BB-2008-12-20.pdf
11. http://www.billboard.com/charts/dance-club-play-songs/2008-07-19 Dance Club Songs: July 19, 2008
12. The B-52's Chart History: Dance Club Songs . . July 24, 2020.