The theme of female rock musicians who write, sing and play bass – as yesterday’s post featuring Savannah Sly was so obviously about – gives me the perfect excuse to feature Suzi Quatro. Her string of hits in the 70’s made her signature leather jumpsuit look famous. I’d always assumed it was chosen specifically for its sexy and fetishistic overtones, but according to this Guardian article it was originally because she thought Elvis looked good in leather and a jumpsuit would be practical for leaping around on stage. Only later, after she was photographed, did the other aspects because obvious.
Her main hits were all before my time, but I do remember as kid in the 80’s having my attention caught by her photographs. This early image is probably the most well known, but I prefer the later shot shown below. This was taken by famous rock photographer Allan Ballard in 1981 and is now in the UK’s National Portrait Gallery collection.
Odds are good she was having the interviewer on a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddDHPWJIfEY
Band was named ‘Pleasure Seekers’.
That was a great track! Thanks for sharing. I also liked their track ‘Good Kind of Hurt’, which seems appropriate in this context.
Entirely possible she was having the interviewer on. Although not sure why she’d do that, given the history.
-paltego
Probably just that it was her story at the time, and she’s sticking to it, as sensible people do with one that’s worked.
In the sixties (and early seventies) the wisest course, especially for a woman, was to disavow any knowledge of, let alone appreciation of or affinity for, sadomasochism, and especially in its female dominant form.
In ‘free love’ circles it was considered a terrible ‘hang-up’, and in general culture ‘female sadism’ was viewed as contrary to nature. Femininity was held to include a degree of decently sublimated masochism, and masculinity to require a decent degree of sublimated sadism. Variation from was this was considered unnatural and in some degree abhorrent. This was the doctrine to be found in most any popular psychological literature
Coming of age with a sadomasochistic orientation then was quite different than it seems to be now. If you did not feel isolated, and expected anything but disgusted disapproval, you were an idiot. And if you found anything else you were damned lucky.
If it was not something in your nature, you did not want the least brush of it upon you. Understand, it is not my contention Ms. Quatro is a kinkster of any sort or in any degree, merely that it seems unlikely to me any person moving in musical and artistic circles at that time was actually unaware of the sexual overtones of a leather catsuit, and that the claim of ignorance was a reasonable precaution to be expected of anyone with any sense who was hoping to have a successful career in popular entertainment.
Interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing that detail. I don’t have a great deal of knowledge of the sexual politics of the 60’s and 70’s (outside coverage in mainstream literature), so it’s enlightening to get that angle on it. I really should read up more om the different strands of culture from then.
I generally think – given her subsequent career – that Ms Quatro was not a kinkster. But I also generally believe that decisions are often emotionally driven and not single simple logical steps. So most likely, it’s a bit of all elements. She did like Elvis in leather, did think it’d be practical, but also thought it might be sexy and attract attention. And then leaned into that when it worked out. And of course, memory is a fickle thing.
-paltego
This photo of Joan Jett in her bedroom might also be of interest https://www.instagram.com/p/BenmwxYlfTW/?igshid=a3rttucq2cfv
That’s great! What a good wall of toys. I’d heard that Joan Jett was definitely kinky, but normally seems pretty private about it. Outside her song lyrics and the odd sticker on her guitar, she doesn’t appear to talk about it. Interesting that she posed for this.
-paltego
I get the feeling if you ever asked her about it, she’d stare you down until you pretended that you asked a different question.