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Hard to believe now, but once upon a time there were very few females playing metal, let alone an all female band. Rock Goddess was one, and Girlschool was the other. Hard rock had a handful of female artists, but metal, as a genre, was mainly testosterone-fuelled. Helped during the early stages of their career by Lemmy and Motörhead, the four Londoners took their rightful places alongside peers during the much-lauded New Wave of British Heavy Metal (or NWOBHM, if you can’t be arsed typing it). Four decades later, Girlschool are still playing, three of the original foursome still gigging away. Original guitarist, Kelly Johnson, sadly died from cancer in 2007. Jackie Chambers joined the band in 1999 and is still there today. The NWOBHM was a much needed kick to the nuts, and became the largest “gang” in Britain, hence Girlschool weren’t really seen as a female band… they were a band, simple as that. One of us, or four of us to be precise. The legacy that they produced is immeasurable. Even today, their influence can be heard in bands like Tequila Mockingbyrd. A hybrid of metal, rock, and punk that is timeless. So here we have three cracking reissues, from the guys at Dissonance Productions, that stir the memory bank into action. ‘Demolition’ is the 1980 debut album which gatecrashed the top 30 album charts, back when sales, rather than streams, actually counted towards chart placings. The songs are short, sharp, and don’t hang about. Johnson was a player of immense talent, and her solos throughout the album are played with real emotion. ‘Demolition Boys’ is your traditional up-tempo opening track, punkish, but with more quality. Likewise, ‘Emergency’ has a very punk vocal from bassist Enid Williams. Punk… with guitar solos. The sound is very much of the era; very raw, as is the cover of ‘Race With The Devil’ (originally recorded by The Gun in the late 60’s). It’s easy to see why Lemmy loved the band so much, as mixed in with the metal and punk, are some scorching rock n’ roll moments. ‘Take It All Away’ in particular has some fantastic Chuck Berry-like riffing from Johnson. The band mix it up on ‘Midnight Ride’ which shimmers like early Blondie, before Johnson comes in with more stunning lead work. As well as the original album, there are also a handful of extra tracks, made up of B-sides, single versions, and demos. ‘Hit And Run’ was released in 1981, and quickly became Girlschool’s most successful album to date, reaching the giddy heights of number five in the album charts. The earlier punk vibe had lessened considerably in favour of a more traditional metal/rock sound, a sound developed over countless miles on the road throughout the UK. The influence of The Runaways could still be heard, especially on the gang vocals during opening track ‘C’mon Let’s Go’. The title track entered the top 40 singles chart upon release and showcased a more commercial side to the band. Johnson’s lead vocals had come on leaps and bounds, and at times remind me of Chrissie Hynde… the same cool, stand-offish attitude. When the band locked into a groove they were fearsome. ‘Kick It Down’ is a great example. Kim McAuliffe handles the lead vocals on this one, which echoes Motörhead’s ‘Bomber’. Speaking of Motörhead, producer Vic Maile had the genius idea of pairing Lemmy and Co with Girlschool on a single, hence the band Headgirl was born. The ‘St Valentine’s Day Massacre EP’ featured a cover of the old rock n’ roll chestnut ‘Please Don’t Touch’ with both Lemmy and Kelly Johnson sharing lead vocals. Peaking at number five on the singles charts, it was a decent success that found the seven members on Top Of The Pops! The remaining tracks on the EP featured Motörhead covering ‘Emergency’ and Girlschool returning the favour by covering ‘Bomber’. Both ‘Please Don’t Go’ and the cover of ‘Bomber’ are featured here as bonus tracks. Without sounding nostalgic… damn these were great times for British metal. ‘Screaming Blue Murder’ was the first album to feature a change in line-up, with original bassist Enid Williams departing to be replaced by Gil Weston. The formula didn’t change much, short, catchy songs with some delicious guitar work still the order of the day. The gang vocals worked well for the band, and helps the songs sound fresh even thirty years later. As with the previous albums, Girlschool are not shy of a cover version, this time taking on The Rolling Stones classic ‘Live With Me’ from the ‘Let It Bleed’ album. Kudos for covering The Stones, but extra marks for avoiding ‘Gimme Shelter’ or any other numerous staples that have been covered to death. The cover works well, and it sounds re-energized, but the original material stands out much better.’Take It From Me’ is a highlight, as is the Thin Lizzy-tinged ‘Wildlife’, which features some rather nifty twin guitar work. ‘When Your Blood Runs Cold’ is another hidden gem. Bonus track, ‘Don’t Stop’ is worthy of a mention, as I believe that it features departed bassist Enid Williams on lead vocals. Good stuff indeed. These reissues are fitting reminders of a band that perhaps never got the praise that their output deserved. Reacquaint yourself by heading over to the Dissonance Dissonance Facebook page for more information. Review: Dave Stott]]>
