The queen of glam was in Toon 45 years ago
SHE was the 1970s glam rock singer with a voice like a foghorn.
On this day 45 years ago, Suzi Quatro was on Tyneside, and meeting the sailors of submarine, HMS Orpheus, which was docked in the River Tyne.
Born in Michigan, Detroit, in June 1950, she was the first female bass player to become a major rock star, breaking a barrier to women’s participation in rock music.
As a child she’d listened to the likes of Elvis Presley and girl group the Shangri-Las - and managed to teach herself bass guitar.
Moving to the UK in 1971, she was spotted by music entrepreneur Mickie Most who signed her to his new RAK Records label.
After touring as a support act to the likes of Slade, by 1973 she was a star in her own right, and she would go on to make several gig performances in our region.
Her big hits that year included Can The Can and 48 Crash. She would have further singles success in the UK, Europe and Australia with the likes of Devil Gate Drive, The Wild One, If You Can’t Give Me Love, and Stumblin’ In.
Quatro has also done a fair amount of acting work.
She is best known in the United States for her role as girl bass player Leather Tuscadero in the 1970s television series Happy Days.
By the late 70s-early 80s the hits had run out and, on a visit to the region in 1979, Suzi told the Chronicle: “This is not a comeback. I’ve sold 31 million records around the world. I’ve been having hit records since 1973, and I always will.”
Today, 68-year-old Quatro continues to perform live around the world. She has 50 million record sales to her name.