Suzi Quatro: Hell Bent in Leather
Anyone who knows me well knows that I have two great loves – music and television, and it is rare that these two loves get to cross paths. When they do, however, it is generally something of a phenomenon, and something that I will be terribly passionate about. Suzi Quatro is one of those phenomena.
I remember from my earliest her interviews on Saturday evening “Hey Hey It’s Saturday” almost every couple of months or so it seemed, her presence on Happy Days (which were always my favourite episodes), and this genuinely awe-inspiring feeling that this was how women in rock did it – they were totally cool, could work a pair of leather pants to no end and took no guff from no one. I wanted to be Suzi Quatro when I grew up.
While this dream never really came to fruition (my guitar is awfully dusty and I am resigned to the fact that I will never be able to pull off leather pants, let alone get them on in the first place), my passion for the role she played and continues to play in music has never waned, and when an opportunity arose to throw some questions her way, I jumped at the chance.
Below, is the result of this barrage, in Suzi’s own words, as only they could do her the justice she deserves. And so – strap on that bass, zip up that jumpsuit and enjoy a few minutes with the high priestess of rock and roll.
I’ve read that you have been credited over the years with inspiring the careers of everyone from Joan Jett to PJ Harvey. Is this identification as a trail blazer for women in rock a heavy burden to bear?
A heavy burden? You must be joking. The only thing heavy is the bass guitar. This is what I was born to do. ‘Somebody’ had to break down the door, and that job was given to me - happy to have done it and happy to have inspired others to do the same. We ‘needed’ to have a voice in rock and roll.
Do you feel that women’s role in rock is becoming diminished by the offstage antics of performers like Britney Spears or Amy Winehouse, or starlets taking a pop turn like Lindsay Lohan?
Sometimes, yes. Although, the people you mentioned are very talented. Britney can sure dance, Amy can sure sing, but it seems a lot of girls these days are in the ‘let’s get undressed’ club – definitely not ‘my’ club. I even refused to wear make up for years because i wanted to be taken seriously. Oh well, time marches on, and so do trends and fashion. Me, I will stick to my timeless leather suit – zipped ‘up’.
Is the present state of women in rock how you would have imagined it would have been in the 21st century? Are we represented enough or appropriately?
The boundaries have changed. I did an interview on radio the other day and somebody rightly pointed out ‘why has nobody taken up ‘your’ banner’? That is true. Whatever it is I do, [it] is only done by me. It isn’t an easy job – women are not queuing up . I mean you have to get your hands dirty. I’ve loaded the van, set up the stage, driven the truck, played that bass since 1964, lost my voice, got sick on stage, throwing up on the side into a bucket, done every gig God sent, etc. Maybe that’s why nobody wants the job – but has it made me happy? Oh yes!
Do you get sick of people considering you an aficionado on women in rock? [and apologies for all the girl power questions!]
No. No problem, after all that is what I am - a girl rocker. But I must explain, I have never seen gender as a problem. Not the way I was raised. Maybe therein lies the key to my success.
Wikipedia is a gem for little known facts about rock stars – can you set the record straight on these:
- Your real surname is Quatrocchio?
Makes me so mad - why don’t they get it right? I was born Susan Kay Quatro. That is my birth name and my father’s. [The]reason for confusion is my grandfather emigrated at the turn of the century from Italy. His name was Quatrochio, but at Ellis Island they rubber-stamped him “Michael Quatro”, and there you go. It’s a good name – everyone thinks it’s a stage name, strong.
- Sherilyn Fenn (Audrey Horne from Twin Peaks) is your niece?
Yes. She is my neice. Daughter of eldest sister Arlene.
- You live in a house with a moat?
True. It’s an old Elizabethan manor house, with a moat, surrounded by three and a half acres. Beautiful. Been here since 1980.
As a female bass player, how do you respond to the often bandied about (but clearly false) belief that girls only play the bass because it’s easy? And do you think this is the sort of stigma that women in rock face on a regular basis?
YOU …..MUST…… BE ….. JOKING! If anything is easy it’s piano. Or guitar. Bass weighs a tonne. The strings when you first start give you blisters, sometimes even bleed. I have huge arms – big oversized bones on my wrist, and a backbone so strong. When having my second caesarean, the nurse was on top jabbing into me for 45 minutes - [they] could not find the lumbar space. To play bass properly you need to understand the instrument. I do. I was never a failed guitarist, like many females ’and’ males are. I started on bass. The question angers me. I still do a 15 minute bass solo every night on stage to prove my point.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Many. First Elvis Presley from age five. Otis Redding, Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan. And on bass, Bobby Jameson from the Funk Brothers (Motown house band).
Your career has obviously transcended music, with a reasonably long list of television and movie appearances credited to you, as well as hosting your own radio show and the recent release of your autobiography. How important is it for you to diversify and to explore new or different career paths?
I always wanted to be in the business for a lifetime, and always wanted to try everything this business had to offer. And I have done that. It’s important to keep the creativity alive. I do love a challenge.
I read that you turned down an offer from Happy Days producer Garry Marshall for your own spin off show based on Leather Tuscadero because of a fear of getting type cast in the role. Do you feel that, even despite turning down this offer, this has still remained an albatross of sorts?
Yes, I felt that I had given enough to Happy Days. Still to this day when I am in the States people come up and say ‘Hey, it’s Leather’, and that was 30 years ago. But it is not an albatross. I have done many roles since then, on various TV shows and in the theatre. That was my first and my fondest. I am honoured and proud to have been in such a great show with such a great group of people.
Regardless, do you ever kick yourself for turning this offer down?
No, I don’t. This was not my path. If You Can’t Give Me Love was flying high in the charts all over the world and I was back on tour. Everything happens just as it should.
On the eve of what I believe to be your 23rd tour Down Under, how do you explain your massive and enduring success in places like Australia and the UK, while success in the States was both a long time coming, and (in many ways) pales in comparison?
Re the States, this is a misconception of sorts. I was based here in the UK, so spent more time touring this half of the world. Also, we have more single success over on this side, but saying that, we toured at least 10 times in America in the seventies - huge tours, and sold a lot of albums. All Shook Up was in the charts, and others, albeit not as high.
Also, Stumblin' In was a huge million seller there. If you read my book it explains deeper [Suzi’s autobiography “Unzipped” was released in 2007 and is available from Amazon and other good book retailers]. Mickie Most put us with too many different labels in the States – kept chopping and changing. This did not help.
Anyway, Australia (could be more than 23) is my second home. We understand each other. We have grown up together. Re UK – I don’t differentiate. I live here. My popularity in Europe is pretty much the same all over and I work festivals constantly in all the countries.
What can we expect of the upcoming tour?
A little from each phase of my career - something for everyone. All the hits and more. You will always get 150% of me live. I don’t know how to do it any other way.
Is there ever going to be a time when Suzi Quatro will be content to call it a day?
Not in the foreseeable future, but hopefully when the time comes I will recognise it and let it in….just like I did when opportunity knocked.
Suzi is touring nationally in September 2009:
11 Sep- Schweppes Centre VIC
14 Sep- The Arena VIC
16 Sep- Civic Theatre - Newcastle NSW
18 Sep- Twin Town Resort NSW
19 Sep- Twin Town Resort NSW
20 Sep- Empire Theatre QLD
22 Sep- Challenge Stadium WA
23 Sep- Thebarton Theatre SA
25 Sep- Enmore Theatre NSW
26 Sep- Royal Theatre ACT
