The Go-Go's playfully pose in 1985. They're, from left: Belinda Carlisle, Kathy Valentine, Charlotte Caffey, Gina Schock and Jane Wiedlin.
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The Go-Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine’s memoir is filled with bombshells from the rocker’s time within the highlight.
In her e book “All I Ever Needed: A Rock ‘n’ Roll Memoir” — out this week within the UK after a two-year delay following its US launch — the 63-year-old detailed her experiences as a part of the favored all-girl band, her robust Texas childhood and partying with Rod Stewart.
She additionally shockingly revealed that she did LSD and obtained pregnant as a pre-teen.
Valentine wrote that whereas she and her group have been revered by their male friends, music executives gave them the moniker “pop sweethearts” and refused to take them severely.
“If ‘pop sweethearts’ did acid at Graceland, threw up on the ground at fancy eating places, cheated on their boyfriends, took nasty Polaroids, made out with women, watched fringe porn, and stayed up all night time writing songs and enjoying guitars, properly, possibly their silly label may match,” she wrote in a single passage.
Valentine was born in Austin and was raised by a single mother. Drug sellers would typically sleep over at her dwelling, she claimed.
“It was LSD named like loopy sweet: Orange Sunshine, Windowpane, Clear Gentle,” she described of the medicine she took in her youthful years. “We may pool our lunch cash to purchase a couple of hits.”
When the musician was simply 12 years outdated, she was discovered drunk in her neighbor’s backyard, in accordance with one other anecdote from the e book. That very same yr, she misplaced her virginity to the 14-year-old older brother of a good friend — and subsequently turned pregnant and had an abortion. Simply two years later, at age 14, she was raped.
Valentine additionally described the epiphanic, life-altering second when she realized she beloved music. In 1973, she went to go to her mother’s household within the UK. It was there she found “High of the Pops” — a British music chart present — enjoying on tv. She recalled watching “Can the Can” singer Suzi Quatro performing, and the “Satan Gate Drive” singer would go on to grow to be Valentine’s inspiration.
“I used to be 14 years outdated, and there she was: Suzi Quatro, a bass participant fronting a rock band of men,” mentioned the “We Received the Beat” crooner.
“Seeing her doing what I had seen solely males do modified all the things,” she continued. “From that second, I had one purpose: to be in a kickass band with a gang of like-minded women and declare the life I wished for myself.”
She later moved to Los Angeles in 1978 to pursue music after studying how one can play the guitar from one in all her mom’s boyfriends.
She joined the Go-Go’s in 1980, two years after the group had fashioned. The unique band consisted of Belinda Carlisle, Charlotte Caffey, Jane Wiedlin, Gina Schock and bassist Margot Olavarria. Nonetheless, after the group reportedly grew aggravated with Olavarria’s “punk” angle, Valentine was introduced in as a substitute.
“Gentle Years” soloist Valentine left the band in 1985, and subsequently handled alcoholism as she fell onto arduous occasions. Valentine has been sober for the final 33 years and has since reunited with the group a number of occasions, together with for his or her present worldwide tour.
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