Em 1964, formou sua primeira banda, que contava com sua irmã na formação. Suzi Soul And The Pleasure Seekers era o orgulho da família, apesar de todos não levarem muito a sério aquela história de banda feminina. A banda realmente não rendeu...
Em 1971, Suzi já era uma contrabaixista conceituada na cidade, e além de cantar e tocar muito bem, era deslumbrante... Durante uma apresentação ela foi notada por Mickie Most que resolveu ajudar a jovem musicista.
Ele a levou para a Inglaterra, visando gravar algumas músicas pelo selo Rak records, do qual ele era responsável. A banda dela consistia em Britons Alastair McKenzie (keyboards), Dave Neal (drums) e Len Tuck (guitar, que no futuro se casaria com ela).
Suzi tinha um visual incrível e chamava a atenção enquanto o glitter rock surgia.
O single “Can the Can” fez um enorme sucesso e tornou a musicista bastante conhecida no Reino Unido. "48 Crash", "Daytona Demon" and "Devil Gate Drive" viriam depois e também se tornariam sucesso.
A carreira de Suzi nos 70 foi marcada pela incríveis versões que ela fazia de clássicos de Little Richard e Elvis Presley, entre outros... Além dos covers ela lançou os álbuns "Suzi Quatro" (1973), "Quatro" (1974), "Your Mama Won't Like Me" (1975), "Aggro-Phobia" (1977), "If You Knew Suzi" (1978), "Suzi And Other Four Letter Words" (1979).
Nos anos 80, Suzi se manteve do prestígio adquirido nos anos 70. No início da década a música “American Lady” ainda foi muito executada nas rádios e rendeu bons frutos.
A entrada da década de 80 trouxe o fim da parceria com a Rak Records. Apesar de ficar meio esquecida ela ainda lançou mais três discos nos anos 80: "Rock Hard" (1981), "Main Attraction" (Polydor, 1983), "Rock 'Til Ya Drop" (Biff, 1988).
Em 91 ela ainda apareceria com o disco “Oh, Suzi Q” que não trouxe uma grande perspectiva. A cantora percebeu que não havia mais público no cenário, infelizmente.
O trabalho de Suzi hoje é lembrado através das milhares de coletâneas lançadas no mercado. Poucos aqui no Brasil sabem da importância que esta linda baixista teve para o rock n´roll.
She was the original leather-clad girl rock'n'roller, inspiring a host of wannabes, appearing in seminal TV show ‘Happy Days' and selling 50 million records in the process. We caught-up with Suzi Quatro to find out if she will ever stop rocking.
That was then...
Born of Italian and Hungarian descent in Detroit, Michigan in June, 1950, Susan Quatro's surname is said to have been shortened from that of her paternal grandfather, Quattrocchi. She made her professional music debut at eight, playing bongos in father Art's jazz band, before forming an all-girl rock band, Suzi & The Pleasure Seekers (Watch them here), with sisters Patti, Nancy and Arlene, aged 14.
The group went on to entertain troops at US military bases in Vietnam, before changing their name to Cradle. Suzi was then spotted playing a Detroit venue by influential British producer Mickie Most, who persuaded her to move to the UK. However, debut single, 1972's ‘Rolling Stone', only made an impact in Portugal.
Most enlisted the help of ‘70s hit-makers Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, scoring a number one across Europe and beyond with their first collaboration, ‘Can The Can' (Watch it here). Follow-ups '48 Crash' (Watch it here), ‘Daytona Demon' (Watch it here) and ‘Devil Gate Drive' (Watch it here) also fared well, with her eponymous debut album and a second, ‘Quatro', showcasing a raunchy, glam-pop idol seemingly with the world at her feet. However, she failed to make the UK top 10 again until 1978's ‘If You Can't Give Me Love' went top 5.
Similar stardom in her homeland also eluded Quatro, although a guest turn on much-loved US TV show ‘Happy Days' (Watch it here), where she played Leather Tuscadero for seven episodes, boosted her profile, culminating in 1979's ‘If You Knew Suzi' album and ‘Stumblin' In' (Watch it here), which peaked at number four in America, becoming her only US top 40 hit. However, by the turn of the decade and her first ‘Greatest Hits' collection, Suzi's time in the spotlight had begun to fade both at home and abroad.
This is now...
Although she has been unable to match the success of her heyday, Quatro, who recently turned 60, continues to make music and has carved out a new role as a DJ on the BBC, chronicling her career in the 2007 autobiography ‘Unzipped'. She appeared at the ‘Elvis Forever' concert in London's Hyde Park in September, and recently went into the studio with her original producer, Mike Chapman, to make a "back to basics rock album", which is due for release in January.
Alongside raising two kids, Quatro has been busy with a host of other projects. She speaks fondly of her time on ‘Happy Days', and remains in touch with the likes of Henry Winkler and Ron Howard, and has appeared in ‘Minder', ‘Dempsey & Makepiece', ‘Absolutely Fabulous', ‘Midsomer Murders' and been a guest on ‘Countdown', ‘Gene Simmons' Rock School' and 2009's ‘Australian Idol' (Watch it here).
After almost half a century in the music business, Suzi is well aware just how big a challenge it is to remain relevant and successful. "It is pretty easy to have the initial success. But to sustain it is the hard part," she told Yahoo! Music. "Luckily though, my image was/is timeless. So I didn't have to change that. Although I do sometimes wear ripped jeans and leather jackets. The leather remains," she said.
NYROCK Interview...
Some people don’t get older, they just get better. Do you remember Suzi Quatro? If not, don’t worry, it’s always better the first time.
A ground-breaking veteran of the music biz, Suzi’s unfettered wildness can be heard in the lyrics of many of her tunes. For example, in “The Wild One” (included in her 1995 greatest hits release What Goes Around), she sings, “I’m a blue-eyed bitch and I wanna get rich.” In reality, however, Suzi Q is a seasoned professional, well-spoken and decidedly gracious.
by Mason Hawk, October 1998
_.NYROCK: With worldwide sales of 45 million records and 16 hit singles, many that date back to the seventies, you have quite a track record. Yet many young fans may not be familiar with you. What would you tell them to expect from Suzi Quatro?
___.SUZI Q:
Always expect the unexpected. Lots of rock’n’roll, emotion, and diversity including acting, musicals, radio shows, and lectures on spiritual matters.
Confused? Don’t be. Just look in a book about Geminis and you’ll have all the answers.
_.NYROCK:
You’re clearly a progenitor for female rockers like Donita Sparks of L7, Joan Jett and others. How does it feel to have influenced these women? What do you think of their work?
___.SUZI Q:
I am flattered to have been the woman to have opened the door for female rockers to be accepted into the mainly male industry. Joan was one of my biggest fans, as was Chrissie Hynde. I always listen to and do my homework on any up-and-coming females. I do take my musicianship seriously! Enough said.
_.NYROCK:
What was it like being one of the first real women rockers? How did people react to you in your early days? Do you think you should be getting more recognition for your ground-breaking work today?
___.SUZI Q:
Initially, it was more of a case of learning my craft and with it came self-respect. As far as more recognition goes, I am happy with the amount of love and respect I have received from other artists and the public. Of course, I would love more, and think I deserve it.
_.NYROCK:
The ’70s were a pretty wild time for you, I imagine, touring with Slade and hanging out with Marc Bolan of T-Rex. What can you share with us from this period?
___.SUZI Q:
My feet never touched the ground. Lots of good groups with crazy and unique images. It was wild. I spent all of my time doing gigs, TV appearances, interviews, or recording. I could write a book -- and probably will.
_.NYROCK:
Could you tell us about your recent recording efforts? I heard you have a couple of uncompleted albums waiting for release.
___.SUZI Q:
The last released album was What Goes Around. It includes re-recordings and four new songs.
I have recorded nine tracks for a new album which I financed myself and am looking for a home for. Producers include Mike Chapman, Mickie Most and Sunscreen. All except two tracks were written by me and two by Mike.
_.NYROCK:
You took a bit of a hiatus from rock and roll in the ’80s to pursue an acting career. Could you tell us about that?
___.SUZI Q:
In addition to Happy Days from 1977 to 1979 [in which Suzi played the part of an up-and-coming rock’n’roller named Leather Tuscadero, a character based on herself], I did Annie Get Your Gun in the London West End in 1986. Also, the TV series Dempsey and Makepeace [a British crime drama] where I played a psychotic murderer. Then my own TV chat show in England in 1989.
Between 1980 and 1990, I was very busy doing all of these things -- lots of TV shows. In 1991, I wrote and starred in a musical about Talullah Bankhead. I am about to start my own radio show on the BBC, beginning January 1999, to run for 13 weeks every Saturday night at 9 pm. Remember I said to expect the unexpected...
_.NYROCK:
What made you return to rock and roll?
___.SUZI Q:
After I got divorced [from Len Tucky in 1992], I rediscovered my music. Len and I had parted musical ways and this was one of the problems. I now have the band of my dreams and am able to do (besides rock and roll) more musical material. I play piano and drums, which were part of my training as a musician.
_.NYROCK:
How’s touring going?
___.SUZI Q:
I am busy touring all over Europe, Japan, and Australia. There are serious negotiations going on for a movie of my life [a New York film company is interested in this venture, with Suzi making the soundtrack for the movie -- look for a possible tour of the States after its release].
This is a dream of mine and hopefully will include some up-to-date material and bring me back home [to the States where Suzi was born and raised, she currently resides in England and Germany].
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