This post will no doubt be seen as either a desperate attempt to ensure some gender balance or an exercise in unrepentant sexism.
Quite frankly Cats, I couldn’t give a rodent’s.
The definitive “Rock Chick” when I was growing up was one Suzi Quattro. All that leather and attitude, as well those heavy guitar chords blasted out (by her all male band) very loudly. A path followed by the likes of the Runaways and one Joan Jett, whose definitive contribution to Rock’s canon was “I love Rock and Roll (so put another dime in the jukebox, baby)”.
Otherwise, I’ve not really got any favourite “Rock Chicks” as such, my preference for women in contemporary music being more about their magnificent voices and (any) physical desirability as an added bonus.
An aspiring Rock Chick should however recognise there is a “uniform”, undefined as it is. Some essentials might include tight jeans, tight tops, suede jackboots (black or tan) and a Brando, topped off with just about any possible edgy female hairstyle you could imagine (with additional points for the mighty Femullet).
Anyway, here’s this month’s two intro tracks.
Suzi Quattro – Can the Can
Zepparella – Kashmir
Again, barely scratching the surface here, Cats. No doubt there’s a whole heap of Rock Femmes that you’re just waiting to nominate in the comments thread. So, go for it Cats, you know you want to!
The mighty Pia Morris – her love of the music is just infectious.
I tips me hat for a fine idea for a radio show! Yes, I did like Susi Q too when I was younger!
Can do no more than put up the rock chick. She’s a babe.
Rapture (1981)
Joan Jett
I don’t think she was exactly a chick, Rabz, but Mumma Cass was quite the go in her day, before she stuff that fatal sandwich into her amble mouth.
Janis Joplin though, now there was a real rock chick. Early days, an a fine screamer.
Also died early.
These girls could play.
Two rock chicks are better than one.
Veruca Salt – Volcano Girls (Live, 1997)
The Bangles.
A very good interpreter of other’s songs when she wanted to be.
Here she is with her rendition of a Bee Gees classic, live in a TV studio, which is a notoriously unfriendly environment for live music, which is why most just lip sync.
Can’t beat four rock chicks. I doffs me hat. And a serenade of our bloglord too!
Anne and Mary Heart – Barracuda …
Sacré bleu – Je suis ta bombe cerise! 😕
Hard to conceive that Ann Wilson is 72. What an amazing voice. I’ll put this one up because some kind person recorded it off Rage, which almost makes me forgive the ABC for being a pack of arseholes.
HEART – Magic Man (1976)
More pop than rock, but this Brit managed for find her way to Australia on a Women’s Weekly discovery cruise, managed to stay here through a marriage of convenience* and managed to forge a career with a blaze of fame in a mid-tier local group.
Groove.
The one with the eye candy (something for everyone).
Miss Polly Jean
Or, the definitive Aussie rock chick.
More “folky” than “rock chick”, but I’ll sneak her in regardless.
Great, great song : Who knows where the time goes?, Sandy Denny & Fairport Convention.
Oops, forgot my *.
* From her memoir. Cannot recall how explicitly it was stated, but the impression was clear in my recollection.
Two green-eyed gals.
Hole – Celebrity Skin (1998)
One of the first female singers I can remember mentioning Rock and Roll,
Kay Starr with her big hit of the mid fifties (1956 here in Aus) –
Rock and Roll Waltz
As the title suggests this novelty song is a waltz in triple metre, but it also contains a bass riff that is reminiscent of typical boogie woogie and rock and roll riffs. Wiki
Speaking of Rock Chicks – Miss Ellie is just magnifique …
Although she’s more of a Siren than a Rock Chick, despite her Telecaster* wielding pretensions.
*Her Black Tele was inspired by Miss PJ.
I love this lady, every one of the tracks from her self-titled album is great.
Alannah Myles
Taking more liberties with the genre….
If we’re going for vocals, how about Cindy Wilson? Unique voice.
That whole album is something else. Many many hours listening to the CD, especially on long car trips.
Let’s not forget Pat Benatar.
The first joke I remember my younger sister cracking… updated to take advantage of a nuance not available to her at the time.
What do you call a wardrobe malfunction?
A 48 Crash
Want Want
Pure Pop Perfection.
This young lady was “where it’s at” c. June, 1967.
And unlike a lot of psychedelia, Surrealistic Pillow is still worth listening to nearly 60 years later, such is the quality of the songwriting & musicianship.
The ultimate rock chick:
Debbie Harry
Electric Pandas
The rock chick track.
Robert Palmer – Simply Irresistible (1988)
So sue me…
How about the mighty Kate P and Iggy?
Speaking of pure pop perfection, Love Shack is a definitive example.
What about Duffy?
Then there is Marie Fredriksson from Roxette who sadly is no longer with us.
The Look
More R&B than rock, but I think I’ll be forgiven.
And an early example (c. 1966) of the pop/rock music promo video clip.
NKP – The Eurogliders were excellent.
Eurogliders – City Of Soul (1985)
Chrissie H and the Rent a Riffers
Hey, Rabz – Stop your sobbing …
Nina Hagen
White Punks On Dope
No one has put up these fine ladies so I will rectify the error.
The Breeders – Safari (1992)
I made a wish
I said it out loud
Out loud in a crowd
Everybody heard
’twas the talk of the town …
Superb.
Here’s a modern rock chick who lived the quintessential rock chick’s life and went out at the same age as Janis.
Amy Winehouse. Valerie
Belle Stars
Nothing dates your output by putting the year in the lyrics, Bruce! 😀
Annie Lennox – Eurythmics
The Runaways !
Cherry Bomb !!
Chrissie H. definitely deservers her place in this company, Rabz.
Pleasure and Pain … when woman were allowed to sing about any topic they liked, not having to support the feminist elite party line.
Detroit Cobras.
Sadly the singer Rachel Nagy is no more. I heard the two girls interviewed on the radio in Sydney after they had been out for a night drinking with the Cosmic Psychos, a pair of real diamonds, in rough. Apparently rice for dinner is a killer as far as hangovers go.
Like walking onstage.
I’ve done this one before: C. Amphlett amping up Icehouse.
Suzi Quatro and her sisters in their first band
The Pleasure Seekers
What A Way To Go
Again with more of the previous since maudlin is the theme for the evening at castle Frank.
So hard to pick a favourite Blondie track…
I love that Texas is from Scotland.
I don’t want a lover – Texas – live 1990
speaking of Breeders … The Pixies
BoN – The Hush …
H/T to young Cats – play this if you’re trying to impress a goil.
“Rabzsays:
March 4, 2023 at 7:41 pm
Sacré bleu – Je suis ta bombe cerise! ?”
“Dragnetsays:
March 4, 2023 at 9:03 pm
The Runaways !
Cherry Bomb !!”
Guys, I still have my “unscratched” vinyl copy of The Runaways I bought when I was sixteen. nyah nyaaaaaah!
Crossie, I also have Parallel Lines on vinyl.
Portishead
I was looking to see if someone mentioned Cherry Bomb.
Susan Tedeschi doing The Letter by the Box Tops. Notable for the exuberance of the trombone player at the end.
There is not a Rock Chick alive, dead or composting that will ever out rock chick Chrissie Amphlett.
Spellbound …
Etta James
Spellbound …
Have always loved these ladies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5rjYNLn0PA
Speaking of the Pixies…Ms Paz Lenchantin, rock chick in two epic bands.
Pixies – Gigantic (Paz Lenchantin vocals) – Tulsa, OK March 27, 2019
A Perfect Circle – Judith (2000)
Fine bass guitarist!
Kiss them for me …
Suze di baby animal
Early Warning
Imelda May (with a dude named Jeff Beck guesting on lead)…
Stunning performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF5mtyPo-Wk
We have to include the late, great, sexy Renee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x92Trn2pMBs
Not exactly Hard Rock Chicks, but Bloody Hell they could sing and they were definitely easy on the eye.
I first heard this singer and guitar player when my granddaughter gave me a lift, it was on her playlist.
Orianthi
chicks on bass … Southern Culture on the Skids
Excellent
Suzi Quatro appeared on the very first episode of Countdown. Showing my age now, but I watched it!
She lost a bit of street cred though when she portrayed “Pinky Tuscadero” on Happy Days.
Oops!, Suzi Quatro was “Leather Tuscadero” on Happy Days. My bad. Still stands though, she lost street cred.
Too many G & T’s tonight.
At the age of 37, she realised …
Supremes (top fillum clip)
On the hot and crazy matrix this lady is off the scale.
Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl (US Version)
Tori Amos – Cornflake Girl (UK Version)
The UK version is surreal, whoever did it I think was on interesting mushrooms.
Rabz, that girl can’t sing Kashmir for nuts!
The Supremes in Paris in 1965, singing their first # 1 hit: Where Did Our Love Go? – Dancing and skipping through the streets of Paris.
Pogs – they were sisters, apparently.
Suzi Q as Leather Tuscadero.
Suzi Q – Johnny B Goode
For some reason known only to my hindbrain Marianne Faithfull always reminds me of Jerry Hall.
Bryan Ferry – Let’s Stick Together (1976)
It’s fun that Rupert Murdoch made an honest woman of her, at age 60.
For a while at least. 😀
Rabz, in my yoof I liked Suzie Quattro but now I appreciate the pure voice. Think Judith Durham, Karen Carpenter, or Doris Day, to name a few.
https://youtu.be/z4ZipKdI1sY
https://youtu.be/wc7g96GYBx0
Hot Crazy Awesome
Fiona Apple – Not About Love
she’s banned from polite society like Ryan Adams is
Three music producers one day got sick of the bland stuff coming across their desks. They thought they could do better. There was a small problem though…none of them could sing. So they found a rock chick by watching television.
Garbage – Stupid Girl (1994)
They’re still going 30 years and 17 million album sales later.
Marianne Faithfull and Godard girl with large excursion eye movements
As tears go by
Wow – how awesome is Di Ross’s voice. Honey is nowhere near as sweet.
Crossiesays:
March 4, 2023 at 9:47 pm
+1 for that one!
Speaking of honey, Gladys – just bloody magnificent … 🙂
Slow Like Honey
The Ronnettes
https://youtu.be/AhzZIXvspI4
If you could attached a copper cable to Ms Apple you could power a whole civilization.
Some ladies are live wires.
Fiona Apple – Sleep to Dream
Speaking of Rock Chicks, as introduced by Angry of Mayfair – “She is the sickest thang in this whole damn woild”
Look at that Stupid Goil …
Ms Apple has been haunting me for about 15 years
Ryan Adams
These chicks aren’t singing but they do qualify as “rock chicks”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcATvu5f9vE&ab_channel=RobertPalmerVEVO
Rogersays:
March 4, 2023 at 8:23 pm
Roger, that goil looks like she’s straight out of The Handmaid’s Tale!
Ryan gets a raw deal from industry
you fight the system and the best you get is to be anti-hero
vale Jonny Cash
Sweet Carolina
Ashes and Fire
Makka – I think the guitar solo is by a guy in a dress.
I saw Robert Palmer in Sydney; the Eurogliders were the intro!
She’s no spring chicken, but when younger Margo Timmins was a knock out.
Truly, she has the voice of an Angel;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9D2yvD9Frk&ab_channel=dafnitin
Geez, don’t spoil it Bruce!
Linda Ronstadt…
https://youtu.be/MeQyoTIQOOM
When will I be loved?
https://youtu.be/wYGK3GvgaII
Back in ’86, it was THE flick, with the hottest chick;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx51eegLTY8&ab_channel=BerlinVEVO
My older sister had this record – I loved it!
https://youtu.be/8LhkyyCvUHk
I fell for Debbie;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU&ab_channel=BlondieVEVO
milt posted Joan upthread, she’s so good she deserves another run;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQh6heYYOU0&list=RDZQh6heYYOU0&start_radio=1&ab_channel=djitras
R.I.P Judith;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZf41UudAbI&ab_channel=rich963
Does Kate Bush qualify?
On Rage just now,
Heart, Alone
Awaiting Knuckle Dragger
Still a rock chick
Voice of an angel: Linda Ronstadt, Blue Bayou (original studio version with those gorgeous country guitar licks).
Great post Rabz.
Still have a place in my heart for the great Suzi Q.
thanks Rabz- great fun
Kim Wilde still rockin’ it in Paris last year.
Note the huge difference between Kim and Mad Donna re their looks. Kim is a super hot woman of a certain age, Mads is Alien Resurrection.
Lana Del Ray.
She might be the greatest of all except I can’t play any of her songs when the young’ns are around.
Del Rey even.
As she would say “**** **** ****”
It’s old, it’s grainy, and it’s 1967 baby!
Here’s amazing Grace.
Here in Briz Vegas, we had “Railroad Gin”, fronted by Carol Lloyd.
A bunch of us used to go to their gigs in the original Brisbane Botanical Gardens. Early / mid 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-KCzJ2ZTro
The late Renee Geyer? More “soul and blues”? Maybe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuwlXlb5AFM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoXsluwOKPg
Speaking of Grace Slick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7dJ3a-U6WQ
Duetting with Mickey Kantor, 1981:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwxCqrpucR0
That is a very tasty bit of guitar work from Craig Chaquico.
And now; a playlist of others:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwrnQxZQAAs&list=PL8aIynMubrGJqAHS2_n07jymfrqklYX9b
I have most of their albums on the original vinyl; very few seem to b available on CD. They get an occasional “outing”, but not everyone appreciates the music.
Couple of rock chicks in this band.
Fleetwood Mac – Rhiannon
Does twisted sister count?
About as much as Alice Cooper.
Hell, yes.
Any point linking to the greatest video of all time?
You know what it is.
Jayne ‘Man enough to be a Woman’ County?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSd6QjCDY9g
Stiletto and Jane Clifton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWPzT5c3Jg
Victoria’s greatest horse-racing tipster, Deane Lester, who was born with spina bifida and lived most of his life in a wheelchair without complaint, died last week, aged 54, after his final health battle with cancer.
On Deano’s deathbed, surrounded by friends and family, he requested the timeless classic composed by Fleetwood Mac’s Christie McVie, Songbird. Rest in peace, Deano: your legacy for me was planting this beautiful creation in my mind.
As usual, I was not around for Saturday night – standing engagement, and it is rude to be playing on one’s phone while your hosts/friends are being hosts and friends.
But my goodness, what a wonderful array of Rock Chicks. Cats and kittehs have that genre well and truly covered. 🙂
I was delighted to see plenty of Chrissie Hynde, Janis and Grace. And more.
Another favourite is Kim Carnes, most famous for Bette Davis Eyes.
But I prefer this one. Draw of the Cards.
That is hawt!
More to come.
Someone mentioned Nina Hagen, which is right and proper. But the thread lacks her astonishing evocation of New York. Once heard, never forgotten.
Glad to see the recognition of Heart, who were both talented and driven, especially out of Canada. It used to be a place where talented musicians got out there and made a career. There were plenty of them. k d lang, Gordon Lightfoot and Heart. Oh, and that terminaly depressed bloke.
Nowadays, it seems to be all about self pity and blaming others.
Oh, and those black gels. The Divine Diana, and many others.
Maybe Rabz should consider doing a post about The Brill Building.
Red Dress
White Dress
🙂
Where pure pop was manufactured … 🙂
The mighty Kate belting out one of the most beautiful love songs of all time, assisted by Dave G of the Punk Floyd …
Linda Day George – I can’t link her greatest hits here – her voice is brill.
She used to teach voice in Melbourne . This life seemed idealism. Teach voice and then tram it home in the suburbs.
Stacré bleu … 😕
P. Smith 25th floor
Dusty introduces Martha and the V’s Nowhere to run
But WAIT!
There’s MORE!
Patti Smith
Carolyn Mas
Thelma Houston (with “Pressure Cooker)
Annie Lennox
Pat Bennatar?
Ann and Nancy Wilson
I’ll see if I can find some of my “Euro” stuff. There was a Berlin-based “rock musical” called “Linie Eins”, set in the carriages of the Berlin subways. The show toured Oz in 1988 (pre the fall of the wall), as part of the “Expo on Stage” activities in Brisbane. The main female protagonist / vocalist knew how to work a song or two.
Who remembers The Beatles before they were big?
Suzi Quattro’s old man used to use her as a private punching bag until a group of … motorcycle enthusiasts intimated they would not be too happy if he did it anymore.
Laura Brannigan
and stretching the definition of a rock chick slightly … Maria Callas
Definitely NOT “Rock Chicks”, but this is how to keep a big crowd happy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFpZFnJ6ZT8
How about a modern Aussie Punk Chick?
Amy Taylor from “Amyl and the Sniffers”
Freaks To The Front (Live)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V65Ot9vuJc
Rabz,
I would have thought Babuska would be more to your liking. You get to see a LOT MORE of Miss Bush! 😉
There’s no doubt Suzi Quattro was a total honey in her day – I well remember her performance (as a support act) at a Union Ball (Hull Uni, longer ago than I like to think).
A Pocket Rocket, no question.
Does anyone remember a TV show called Rock Follies (mid 70s) – the manufactured band was called the Little Ladies and was led by Julie Covington (also Charlotte Cornwell, Ruka Lenska) who really did turn the power up.
Slightly more recently, it’s hard to go past Jenny Lewis who fronted Rilo Kylie early this century.
Yep, overlooked Annie. She definitely deserves a place on this page.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhpu2N4rQZM