Girlschool - Would You Buy A Used Washing Machine From These Girls?

Originally published in Rave-Up #4 (1982)

Interview by Devorah Ostrov

Ron Quintana showing issue #5 of Metal Mania to Girlschool
guitarist Kelly Johnson & drummer Denise Dufort 
during a record store visit in San Francisco.
Photo by Gil Weston (using Ron's Instamtic camera)

Still riding high on the UK chart success of Hit And Run and before the release of their third album, a short string of US dates (cheekily called the "Lock Up Your Sons" tour) brought Girlschool to the Old Waldorf in April. 

Following their soundcheck, I spoke to Kim, Kelly, Denise, and newcomer Gil about the tour, discovered what their parents think of their alliance with Motorhead, and uncovered scandalous tales of what went on at a real girls' school. Plus, Kim took the opportunity to quiz Denise and Gil about their work history experience! 

Q: With the massive success of Hit And Run, do the music papers tend to treat you with more respect?

Kim: I don't know. I think we got a bit of a backlash, didn't we? They built us up and built us up... We were always in the press for a while. And then we started doing really well, and the album started doing really well. Then suddenly, they thought they would start criticizing us!

Q: When you started out, did you have to prove yourselves to the audience because you were girls? Or didn't that matter to English audiences?

Kim: I don't know, really. We didn't think we had to prove ourselves, but I expect we did in a way. They [the audience] used to come along and pack down three drinks in the pub beforehand and then just come and have a good laugh. But a lot of them came back again because they liked the music.

Motorhead & Girlschool 
at Friars Aylesbury

Kelly: It's starting again over here because we don't know anybody and we're playing small clubs. 

Q: This is your first time touring America?

Kim: Yeah, it's been fab [sarcastically].

Kelly: Fun, fun, fun [also sarcastically].

Q: How are the mostly male audiences treating you here as opposed to England?

Kim: Really well, actually! We're quite surprised. A few of them know the songs. It's nice. We feel like we're at home!

Q: Have you been getting good reviews so far on the tour?

Kelly: Yeah! I don't know why. It's surprising.

Kim: I don't know why, either. But yeah, they've been really good. They think we've done these amazing things, like going way over the top, you know. And we're saying, "Wait, are they talking about us?" 

Q: Where have you played so far?

All Together: Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Trenton, New Haven, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland...

Q: New Haven? Trenton? No one ever plays there!

Kim: We'd never even heard of New Haven and Trenton.

Q: Did anyone come to see you there?

Kim: Yeah! I suppose because they don't have many bands there.

Q: They didn't care who you were!

L-R: Denise Dufort, Kelly Johnson, Kim McAuliffe and Gil Weston
(publicity photo)

Kim: Exactly! We did a gig in Portland [Oregon], and that was sold out — 3,000 people! We were looking at the city and there was nothing to do at night. So it must have been a big event. A gig!

Q: Is the Old Waldorf the smallest place you've played in a while?

Kim: We've played a few over here that have been about this size. But we've never played to people sitting down eating dinner!

Q: Motorhead played here last year. It was amazing! 

Kim: Yeah, right! Steve, one of our guitar roadies was with them. He said they didn't have any tables or chairs for them. But they knew about it in advance. If we'd known... Nobody tells us anything! [Note: Most of the tables and chairs were removed before the show started.]

Q: Did your parents warn you not to hang around with Motorhead because they were a bad influence?

Mercury/Polygram Records publicity photo

Kim: No, not really. They all really like Motorhead. My mum and dad went to their last concert at the Hammersmith. They're really into the band; they helped us a lot in the beginning. They never said, "Oh no, we don't want you to do this. We want you to become a secretary." They helped us all they could. We're pretty lucky, really. 

Q: Did any of you actually work as secretaries?

Kim: I worked in a bank, that's pretty close. [Pointing at Kelly] She was various things. What were you, Gil?

Gil: A skivvy.

Denise: I used to sell washing machines and fridges and stuff in a big chain shop. They sold kettles, tea sets, paint, posters...

Kim: Did you ever sell anything?

Denise: Yeah! I used to get wages, but I'd get a commission on top if I sold a washing machine. I sold four in a week once.

Q: Were you more influenced by male heavy metal groups or Suzi Quatro and other female rockers?

Kim: Neither! I used to love Led Zeppelin, and I suppose they influenced me quite a bit. But we...

Kelly: She actually loves them!

Kim: I do, yeah! I think they're one of the best bands ever in the whole universe! I don't know really, there's so many. I think David Bowie is a pretty common hero with this band. He's just terrific! He's my hero. [Gil was wearing a David Bowie t-shirt.]

Q: Did any of you go to a girls' school?

Kelly Johnson posing for my camera at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and walking
down Hollywood Blvd. before the show - Los Angeles, California, 2004 
(Photos: Devorah Ostrov)

Kim: I did, yeah. Denise did. They're good fun! I used to have great laughs at school. We used to cause riots!

Kelly: She used to beat people up!

Kim: I didn't beat people up! We just used to go out and get pissed at dinner time, go back and create havoc, you know. There wasn't much they could do with six or seven drunken girls. Our school had the highest pregnancy rate in London. We all had our own boyfriends who'd come and pick us up after school. I used to have this cute boyfriend with a motorbike who'd pick me up. But while we were at school it was just a lot of girls together. Like it is now, actually. From one girls' school to another!

The opening group, Stepmothers, start their soundcheck and everyone gets distracted...

Kim: Is this the support band? They're really good! They're heavy. I thought they were going to be punk rock. Or are they heavy?

Q: They're heavy metal punk rockers! The heavy metal kids don't like them because they're too punk rock. And the punks don't like them because they're too heavy metal.

Stiff Records advert for the US release of Hit And Run (a combination
of the first two UK albums) plus exciting tour information!

Kim: We had exactly the same problem. When we came out, it was the new wave era in Britain. So, when we used to play new wave clubs, they didn't like us 'cause we were too heavy metal. When we played heavy metal places, they didn't like us 'cause they thought we were too much like new wave.

Kelly: We got a little confused. We developed this neurosis.

Q: What did you finally decide you were?

Kim: The kids decided what we were.

Kelly: We wanted to be labeled!

Kim: We got labeled in the end 'cause Motorhead came along, saw us, and wanted us to support them on tour. We said, "Yes!" And then of course we started to play to all heavy metal audiences. After that, we were labeled as HEAVY METAL!

Motörhead: We Talked To Lemmy About "March Ör Die" & Got The Scoop On New Drummer Mikkey Dee For AMP #1

Originally published in American Music Press #1 (October 1992)
Interview by Devorah Ostrov & Schneider

Motörhead at the time of this interview

L-R: Lemmy, Würzel, Mikkey Dee, and Phil Campbell

March ör Die (WTG/Epic) is Motörhead's latest offering, but it comes with a new drummer.

Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor has been officially replaced by mighty skins-basher Mikkey Dee, whose claims to fame include stints with King Diamond and Don Dokken.

Although Philthy parted ways with the group once before (to work on a project with Brian Robertson; he returned a couple of years later), this time, his departure looks to be more permanent and not without some turmoil.

Philthy seems to have left/been sacked early on in the recording process, as he only appears on one track: "I Ain't No Nice Guy" (which also features Slash on lead guitar and guest vocalist Ozzy Osbourne). Tommy Aldridge — previously with Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers, and Whitesnake among others — plays drums on everything else except "Hellraiser," which features Mikkey. To get the scoop, we spoke with Mikkey and iconic Motörhead frontman Lemmy.

Back row L-R: Phil Campbell, Mikkey Dee & Würzel

Lemmy front and center!

AMP: Mikkey, what's the first thing you did when you found out you were Motörhead's new drummer?

Mikkey: I gathered my thoughts and thought about how I was going to approach the whole thing. I had to sit down and kick back for a while and think about it.

AMP: You didn't shout "Whoopee!" and get drunk?

Mikkey: Oh, I probably did — but it wasn't just because of being in Motörhead. I get drunk all the time! I was happy, don't get me wrong. I was super happy! But work comes first. After I got my shit together, of course, we went out and shot down a couple of tequilas... and fifteen beers!

AMP: How did you originally meet Lemmy and the guys?

Mikkey: I've known these guys for years! King Diamond opened for Motörhead in Europe in 1987. Lemmy actually asked me at that time if I wanted to join the band, but I turned him down.

AMP: Was this when Philthy had quit before?

Mikkey: No, this was when Phil was back in the band again!

AMP: What?! Phil was in the band and Lemmy asked you to join? This sounds like a big scandal!

Mikkey: Not really. They had problems with him. It's no secret. Not personal, but playing-wise. As Lem says himself [in someone else's interview] when Philthy came back, it didn't sound as good as it used to, and he didn't seem to have that much fun. When they toured with King Diamond, they kind of fell in love with my drumming, and we got along good. We were talking about it, you know, and we always kept in contact over the years.

AMP: Lemmy, tell us about the new album, March ör Die. Does it reflect your state of mind at the moment?

The classic three-piece Motörhead lineup (circa "Ace of Spades")

L-R: Lemmy, Philthy, Fast Eddie Clarke

Lemmy: It's not completely autobiographical. If it was, I'd be baring my soul to the nation — and I do that all the time! Basically, what I'm saying is that we're all fucking doomed, so there's no need to lay down and whimper about it.

AMP: "Cat Scratch Fever" was a cool choice for a cover song. Has Ted Nugent heard your version?

Lemmy: Yeah, he doesn't like it. Probably because it's better than the original!

AMP: Motörhead's last album, 1916, was killer! But if you weren't already a Motörhead fan, you weren't likely to hear about it. What happened?

Lemmy: No promotion. Our record company's got no budget. They're the low man on the totem pole. We're with WTG, which is a subsidiary of Epic, which is a subsidiary of Sony, etc., etc. We've got no chance.

AMP: Oh no! Does that mean March Ör Die won't get any promotion either?

Lemmy at the Omni in Oakland - 1988
Photo: Devorah Ostrov

Lemmy: We got a billboard on top of the Rainbow, but I haven't seen anything in the papers. I don't think Tommy Mottola [head of Sony Music Entertainment] is very interested in Motörhead. We've done a video this time, though. A real video — for the song "Hellraiser" with Pinhead!

AMP: Do you think MTV will show the video, other than on Headbanger's Ball?

Lemmy: Probably not, but I hope they do. It's a shame to make a video and have no one see it. The only thing that I can promise you, is that this band delivers and always has delivered!

AMP: Mikkey, are you worried about the fan reaction to your replacing Philthy?

Mikkey: No, not at all. I know they're gonna be skeptical. They're gonna watch me. But I'll tell you, they're not gonna be disappointed.

AMP: Do you get to change any of Phil's drum parts when Motörhead play live?

Mikkey: I get to do whatever I want. Philthy did some cool shit and he did some goofy shit. There's drum fills, like in "Ace of Spades" — that little break. I could do something incredible in there. But I don't wanna do that. I wanna keep it as simple as he did because that's the way the kids wanna hear it. Certain trademarks have to be there. Actually, what I might do is add more drums. I don't think Philthy really built up to some of the choruses. I think a song should lift, and that's where I think his weakness was. He was pretty monotone over the songs. I wanna make it more exciting! Give it a kick in the ass!

AMP: What are the similarities and differences in playing with King Diamond and Dokken, as opposed to Motörhead?

Lemmy and Pinhead from the video for the "Hellraiser" single. 
The song was also featured in the film Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth.

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com

Mikkey: They're all very, very nice guys. But musically, there are no similarities. Being in Dokken, I entered a different kind of music scene than what I was used to in King Diamond. I was suddenly up against Slaughter, Warrant, Poison...

AMP: The MTV hit-making machines!

Mikkey: Exactly! MTV, money — the business, crap, bullshit! And that was a very big difference. That's what I like about Lem and Wurz [Würzel, guitarist] and Phil [Campbell, guitarist]. By playing with Motörhead, it was suddenly fun again. I'm back with a really heavy band, and that's where I belong. I realized that playing with Dokken.

AMP: Lemmy, do you listen to your own records?

Lemmy: I listen to 1916 quite often. I hadn't listened to any of the others for years. But when they were reissued on CD, they sent me a box and I listened to 'em. They were really good!

Lemmy & Würzel (with Philthy on drums) at the Omni - 1988

Photo: Devorah Ostrov

AMP: Mikkey, do you have a favorite Motörhead song?

Mikkey: I've got tons of 'em! "Ace of Spades," of course... "Killed by Death," "Traitor," "Metropolis"... The whole new album is a smash to me! I wouldn't have joined the band if I didn't like what they were coming out with today.

AMP: Were you guys in LA during the riots?

Lemmy: We were right in the middle of recording "Hellraiser."

Mikkey: We were in the studio while Wurz was putting down the guitars. We had to get out of there. We were just a couple of blocks away from where Reginald Denny got beat up — where it all started. We were seeing people on the street with fucking baseball bats, and pickup trucks with 15 guys in the back. I had my new Corvette parked right out front, and I said, "I'm outta here!"

AMP: With the political climate at the moment, we're wondering which presidential candidate you might vote for — Bush or Clinton?

L-R: Würzel, Lemmy, Phil Campbell & Mikkey Dee

Lemmy: I wouldn't vote for either of those mealy-mouthed bastards! Tipper Gore [wife of Clinton's running mate Al Gore, and founder of the P.M.R.C.] has ruined the last chance for anything good. And I can't believe Ross Perot has dropped out. He probably got a phone call in the middle of the night with someone saying, "It's your ass." And the next day, he dropped out.

AMP: One final question, Lemmy... Motörhead is supporting Ozzy Osbourne on what he says will probably be his last concert tour. Do you have any retirement plans yourself?

Lemmy: No plans yet. You fuckers stick with me. You'll get what you deserve!

* You can find my 1989 interview with guitarist Phil Campbell here: devorahostrov.blogspot.com/2019/02/Motorhead-Phil Campbell

Motörhead: It Took Three Of Us To Ask Phil Campbell Four Questions

Originally published in Rave-Up #16 (1989)
Interview by Devorah, Michelle & Scotty

Motörhead (circa 1988) - Metal Hammer magazine

L-R: Phil Campbell, Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor, Lemmy & Würzel

Before the Motörhead extravaganza at the Omni (December 17, 1988), three of us cornered lead guitarist Phil Campbell to ask a few (four) spur-of-the-moment questions.

Q: How did you and Würzel go about joining Motörhead? Did you have to pass any tests?

Phil: Haha! An Olympic endurance test to handle loud volume! No, actually... I read in a music paper that the other guitarist, Brian Robertson [who replaced original guitarist Fast Eddie], had left. I had supported Motörhead with my band, Persian Risk, about four months before that. So, I contacted the record company and auditioned. They got in 80 tapes, auditioned eight of us, and it came down to me and Würzel. They couldn't decide which of us to pick, so we were both hired.

There are no photos of Phil Campbell from our interview,

but here's a pic of me (L) and Michelle (R) with Lemmy (obviously!)

Q: We've heard that this has been a real zig-zag tour. One night you're in the South, next you're up North, then back down South again...

Phil: It's been a crazy schedule! It's also been a real party tour. Last night we played in Santa Monica and hired a British pub for a drinking party!

Scotty bonded with Würzel!
Photo: Devorah Ostrov

Q: You guys took over a pub?

Phil: Yeah, we were there for hours and drank ourselves stupid! I think everyone is hungover today. I think I can just about get through this show. It's the last one in America.

Q: Now that people over here have finally discovered Motörhead, are you guys more serious about conquering the States?

Phil: We've got a new record company [Enigma] who seem to be pushing the new album [Nö Sleep At All]. We've always wanted to break America; start selling more albums so we can tour less often, play bigger places, and bring the whole stage show out here.

* Follow this link to read my 1992 interview with Lemmy & new drummer Mikkey Dee:  devorahostrov.blogspot.com/2020/01/motorhead-lemmy-&-mikkey.html