Suzi Quatro
Jon Freeman
[email protected]
suziquatro.com
Suzi Quatro is a bonafide legend. Bran-dishing her signature leather outfits and bass guitar, she broke out in the early ‘70s as one of the first female rock star singer-instrumentalists. She went on to play the character Leather Tuscadero on the classic TV series Happy Days and had a string of international singles, including “Can the Can,” “You’re Mama Won’t Like Me” and “Stumblin’ In.” Celebrating 55 years in the business, the Detroit dynamo shows no signs of slowing down, with a vibrant touring schedule and the release of a new album No Control on SPV/Steamhammer.
First Rock Performance
That would’ve been at The Hideout in Detroit in 1964 with The Pleasure Seekers. We played three songs and that was my first time in a rock & roll band on stage. It was like coming home. It was just brilliant.
Early Vocal Inspirations
I was raised in a musical family. I saw Elvis on TV and decided I was gonna be him at the age of six. And then we saw The Beatles on TV and we formed The Pleasure Seekers. We were the first all-girl band. Everybody grabbed an instrument in that group and I wasn’t quick enough so I got the bass. But it worked out to be perfect for me.
Eclectic Taste in Music
I’m a Jackson Browne fan and a huge Bob Dylan fan. I love Dory Previn. That may be a weird one for you. I grew up with classical piano, and Beethoven is one of my favorite composers.
Tips for Taking Care of Your Voice
I’ve always been very strict with my voice. You have to rest your voice. I try to get a minimum of 9 to 10 hours sleep because of the vocal chords. And I also do a warm-up, which is a 20-minute tape of some serious vocal calisthenics. And you should never sing the wrong way. Don’t ever strain for a note. You’ve gotta use your voice from the bottom up. I’ve always tried to sing properly.
Tips on Tracking Vocals in the Studio
What I like to do is take a first pass at it and then get everyone’s opinion. But I know myself when it’s feeling right and I will say, “This is it.” If there’s a high chorus, sometimes I might do the verses first and get them done, and then I’ll do the ball-busting high notes. Each song is different.
No Control
I think it’s one of my finest albums. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I was flying free and nobody was telling me anything. And I was doing it with my son and he has a very clear vision of what he wanted to accomplish. It’s the most fun that I’ve had in the studio.
Career Highs and Lows
There have been many. You never forget your first #1 song. I played the River Creek Casino last year and I hadn’t been to the States to play in about 25 years. I didn’t know what to expect and wondered if they were gonna clap for me and all that. It sold out for two nights and we had standing ovations. I was never so shocked in all my life. A low would probably be my first 18 months in England. I left my band in Detroit, my family and was all alone. Nothing came overnight. I had to stick to my guns and it was a bad period for me. But I wasn’t gonna go back home. Failure was not an option. That was probably the lowest point. I had to survive to get to where I wanted to go. •
Be Sure to check out our interview with the Godfather of Funk, George Clinton, in “Singers Sound Off 2018”
