Girlschool

Background

Although The Runaways preceded them by several years, Girlschool was one of the first all-female outfits to emerge in the male-dominated world of heavy metal/hard rock, helping pave the way for similar groups of the future. Originally formed in South London during 1977 by bassist Enid Williams and vocalist/guitarist Kim McAuliffe, the group was first known as painted lady. Eventually the pair came across permanent members Kelly Johnson (guitar, vocals) and Denise Dufort (drums), and switched their name to Girlschool in 1978. England was just about to be swept up by the massive heavy metal movement called the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, so Girlschool picked the perfect time to release their debut single, “Take It All Away,” which caught the attention of Motorhead’s manager, who in turned signed on as Girlschool’s manager (Prato).

Their 1980 debut was called Demolition and reached the U.K. Top 30. It was a bit after this time that changes began to plagukite the group, starting off when Johnson left the band following the release of Play Dirty. Further albums were issues (Running Wild, Nightmare at Maple Cross, Take a Bite), but Girlschool was unable to replicate their early succes, leading to their breakup shortly after the release of Take a Bite. In the wake of the split, McAuliffe teamed up with punk singers Beki Bondange and Toyah Willcox, worked on a U.K. television show, and toured in 1991 with former bandmates Dufort and Williams under the name Strange Girls. Throughout the 90’s, Girlschool would reunite sporadically for tours and albums with several complications issued (Prato). By 2000, Girlschool’s original lineup had, for the most part, been reassembled, though Johnson, fighting a cancer diagnosis, eventually gave her former lead guitar duties to a newcomer Jackie Chambers.

Their Legacy

Girlschool is an inherent component of the formation of a stronger presence of women in heavy metal -- mainly because they are the longest running female metal band in history. Over the years, Girlschool has continued to tour, becoming a festival star around the world as well as being more active in the studio. Released in 2004, Believe found Chambers asserting her role in the band as both a songwriter and player. In 2007, Johnson, who had always remained closely associated with the band, finally succumbed to spinal cancer. Girlschool saluted their fallen friend and guitarist with a series of tribute shows and a 2008 studio album called Legacy that also coincided with their band’s 30th anniversary -- something nearly unheard of (Prato). To this day, Girlschool retains their legacy as the most influential all-female heavy metal band. Not only have they maintained their reputation as talented and dedicated, but also as a strong icon of what it meant to succeed as a group of women in the eyes of a male-dominated metal subculture.