Ah, Girlschool. Here’s yet another example of the longevity of the New Wave of British heavy Metal as these London ladies came out of nowhere to be right at the forefront of the NWOBHM movement around 1980 and are still active today over thirty years later mostly with the original line-up. Indeed – they’ve recently finished a tour with the legendary Anvil.
As a youngster in South Yorkshire I recall bouncing around record shops seeking out early Girlschool stuff looking for the band’s singles – three of which I just found in the loft. Emergency, Race With the Devil and Nothing to Lose – all in pretty much mint condition and picture sleeves. I think I bought the Hit and Run album on blue vinyl though can’t be sure. Mists of time and all that.
Here’s the promotional video for the Emergency single from all the way back in 1980:
Girlschool were a breath of fresh air back then and something a bit different even though the Motorhead influences are slightly obvious. And they always looked like they were having huge fun on stage. And in Kelly Johnson they had some serious “eye candy” to keep us boys amused. She could play as well. Underrated guitarist for years in my book and sadly lost to cancer in 2007.
They started out on South London in the late 1970s gigging here and there like so many before (and after) them. A couple of independant single releases brought them to Motorhead’s attention and Girlschool got the support slot on the outrageous Overkill tour. Links forged the would see the two bands almost inter-twined and they even released a joint-single as Head Girl (geddit….?).
Snapped up by Motorhead’s record company Broxz, Girlschool soon released their maiden album and a couple of singles in 1980. Another album (Hit and Run) followed which put them in the spotlight with gold status sales and sell out tours.
Screaming Blue Murder came next with more big name support slot tours sharing the road with the likes of Iron Maiden, The Scorpions and Blue Oyster Cult. You couldn’t get much more high profile than that at the time and their sales and popularity continued to grow.
A few line-up changes ensued with both Kelly Johnson and original bass player Enid Williams leaving. Denise Dufort Kim McAuliffe remained “constants” as the replacements came and went and albums were recorded though it could be argued after Johnson and Williams went the “classic” Girlschool period was over. Dufort even departed for a while and it looked not great for ‘School though soldier on they did with fate working things out and Johnson returned in the 1990s as the band started to get active again and toured much.
The sporadic reunion of the “old guard” continued with Enid Williams coming back as did almost-original guitarist Jackie Chambers so add in Dufort and McAuliffe and you have the line-up which still stands, tours and records over three decades on.
Their last album was Legacy in 2008 and the girls still tour and as mentioned earlier recently came off tour with Anvil. Fantastic achievement. Writing this and finding those old singles makes me of a mind to Amazon up and get some Girlschool in. Perhaps you should too!