Suzi Quatro
I always found the road exciting. I liked stinking hotels and freezing dressing rooms.
Music has always been in my family, but it was mainly keyboards. I learned to play classical piano, but when I first heard the amazing bass guitar of James Jamerson, who played on all the big Motown hits of the '60s and '70s, I knew bass guitar was my instrument.
Age isn't a barrier to playing the bass, and I've definitely improved over the years, although maybe I'm not as flash as I once was. But looking back, I can't imagine a life without a guitar.
I'd always been insecure. Being the fourth of five kids means attention is divided five ways, and to do this equally is impossible. I grew up feeling like the little orphan in the family, the one who didn't fit in.
When I was seven, I decided to buy all my friends some ice cream, but the problem was where to get the money. Sneaking into church, I went to the side of the altar where you can light a candle for your loved ones and took the money from the collection boxes.
My own musical ambitions were born when I was five, watching the Ed Sullivan Show on TV. When Elvis Presley burst on to the screen, singing 'Don't Be Cruel,' I felt my first sexual thrill, though I didn't know what it was at the time.
I joined an all-girl band in Detroit and, although I was a pianist and drummer, I was asked to play bass because no one else wanted to. When I strapped it on, it fit me as good as my leathers. At the first gig we played, I looked out at the audience and thought, 'This is what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life.'
'Rolling Stone,' my first single, was only a hit in Portugal, but when we recorded my second single, 'Can The Can,' I got that hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck feeling, and I knew it would be huge. It topped the charts in the U.K. and Australia in 1973, and I got my first gold disc.
I miss America because it's where I grew up. I miss the size of the roads, the size of cars, the malls, the choices of radio.
Guitar is for the head, drums are for the chest, but bass gets you in the groinCollection: Guitar
Nothing heals like love and timeCollection: Like Love
When you are famous, you never can be sure why somebody's being nice. You just have to develop a very good sixth sense. I call it my bullshit detector.Collection: Nice
The bass and drums are the engine, and the key to good bass playing is it's not what you play, it's what you DON'T play that counts. You leave the spaces, they're more important than anything.Collection: Keys
I made up my mind that I was going to be just like Elvis. It never occurred to me that Elvis was a man. I just wanted to be him. He had a huge impact on me, right down to that black leather jumpsuit he wore on the 68 Comeback Special.Collection: Men
Shame on those artists who aren't proud of their achievements.Collection: Artist
I was raised in a musical family - 5 girls and 1 boy - so all of us girls don't do gender. We were all made to believe that we could do anything we wanted and so we did. One of my early bands was with my sisters. I didn't really come across a lot of problems because I just didn't see it. I took myself seriously and so everyone else did too - this is my mantra.Collection: Girl
I feel that whatever you put out is what you'll get back. I always put out, 'hey, hi, I'm a bass player, no bullshit,' and that's what I got back. I got the respect.Collection: Player
Down in devil gate drive. I led the angel pack on the road to sin. Knock down the gates, let me in.Collection: Angel
My feet never touched the ground. Lots of good groups with crazy and unique images. It was wild. I spent all of my time doing gigs, TV appearances, interviews, or recording. I could write a book -- and probably will.Collection: Crazy
Love is the best part of lifeCollection: Love
I do think fame can distort reality. I've always felt that.Collection: Reality
The hardest instruments for women to play are bass and drums. Drums because of the physicality needed and bass just because its heavy and it's not an easy instrument to play.Collection: Play
I don't know, I don't pay attention to critics anyway. They either like me or they don't, you know what I mean? I am too long in the tooth to worry about that.Collection: Mean
I do love acting. It's my second love and I would love to do more.Collection: Acting
I've seen it [Australia] go from a lot of small towns to big towns, but I think it has found its identity in all this time... it's a very special country, I could easily live here.Collection: Country
I've always done a bass and drum solo that lasts about 10 minutes. The main thing is to use it only when you need to.Collection: Needs
What stood me in good stead was my upbringing. I had a musician father, a very religious mother who totally supported us. My mom gave me my moral code which, even if I was bad, I wasn't bad for very long. If you're born and raised Catholic, it stays with you a lifetime. It's a good thing to have. My dad gave me a very professional attitude to the music business, and for that I thank them 100%.Collection: Mom
I am busy touring all over Europe, Japan, and Australia.Collection: Japan