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Suzi Quatro
Detroit & London
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Suzi Quatro, how did you start in the
music business?
I was born in Detroit in 1950 and I
started played bass at the age of 14,
after seeing The Beatles on the Ed
Sullivan Show. My sisters and some
friends decided after that TV show to
start an all girl-band. Everyone chose
an instrument, the bass was given to me
cuz no one wanted it! I played bongo's
with my dads band aged 7, then took
classical piano for a few years, then
played percussion, (I'm a multi
instrumentalist) but once I started on
bass . . that was it.
What was your first band?
The Pleasure Seekers - my sister Patti
on guitar, me on bass, Nan Ball on
drums, Marylou on rhythm guitar and
Dianne Baker, whose father was in my
dad's band, on piano. Later on my eldest
sister Arlene replaced Dianne on the
piano and her first husband managed us.
What's your current band?
My current band still has no name. It is
a 7-piece unit including myself with a
line-up of guitar, bass, piano, drums,
saxophone, trumpet and trombone. I have
flirted with having girl singers on the
stage now and again but really do prefer
Suzi and her boys...feels more natural.
What bass so you use most?
It's a Status with a graphite neck,
rosewood finish with a headstock. I have
played this for about 15 years, it's a
wonderful bass, smooth and durable and
cuz I bash it around it's amazing how it
stays in tune. It's got a full size neck
as I had cut down versions but didn't
like the headstock missing. I have the
first one they did with the headstock
back and can't see myself changing for
stage anyway. In the studio of course
it's my Fender Precision..you can't beat
it with a stick!
Which strings do you prefer?
Picato gauge 45-105; I have them changed
every six shows.
What's your current backline bass
amp?
Mesa Boogie Bass 400 Plus.
Apart from rock 'n' roll, what
other types of music do you like?
Rock and roll mainly but I can play
passable jazz also. On a challenge I did
a gig with my father's band playing
popular music from the '20s, '30s & '40s
and what a challenge it was. Although I
knew the songs from childhood, I had to
stand behind the piano player's sheet
music and read the chord structures and
they were not your usual three changes
thing. In fact, in the old style music
there were passing chords in every
phrase - very difficult but lots of fun
- and my dad booked me again! As well as
bass, I read and write classical piano
and percussion, also guitar.
Of all your gigs, which one stands
out as a favourite?
In Philadelphia, one sponsored by a
radio station to over 60,000 people. We
played in the middle of the lake on a
boat - quite an experience - talk about
making waves!
What was your worst moment ever
onstage?
In Finland at a big outdoor festival, I
was doing my ego thing - waving a
triumphant goodbye wave to the audience
ala Spinal Tap. There was a monitor in
front of the exit stairs that shouldn't
have been there and I fell into it - and
I mean into it - head first, upside down
with the bass still on, feet waving in
the air! What a shock! My ex-husband
(guitarist) thought someone had thrown a
blow-up doll on stage! We all still
laugh about this. Luckily I wasn't hurt.
Someone should put that in a movie!
Having achieved so much Suzi,
what's your ambition now?
To do a movie. This is the only medium
in 'show business' that I have not yet
worked in. |
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