Kathy Valentine

Kathryn "Kathy" Valentine (born January 7, 1959) is an American musician (guitar and bass) and songwriter. She made music history as a member of the Go-Go's, the first all-female band to have a #1 album in the U.S.

Kathy Valentine
Valentine in 2011
Background information
Birth nameKathryn Valentine[1]
Born (1959-01-07) January 7, 1959[2]
Austin, Texas, U.S.
GenresPop rock, blues rock, pop punk
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, producer, writer
InstrumentsGuitar, bass
Years active1978[3]-present
Associated actsThe Go-Go's, the BlueBonnets, The Impossible, The Delphines, the World's Cutest Killers, the Textones, the Violaters, Johnny Goudie
Websitewww.kathyvalentine.com

She has maintained a career in music through songwriting, recording, performing and touring as well as additional academic and creative pursuits.

Early life

Valentine was born on January 7, 1959 in Austin, Texas, an only child who was raised by her single mother, an English expatriate. She dropped out of public school in 9th grade to attend Greenbriar, an alternative school where she began playing guitar. In 1973, while visiting England with her mother, she happened to see Suzi Quatro on Top Of The Pops, and said it "blew her mind". It had never occurred to her that a woman could be a rock star.[4]

She returned to Austin, got an electric guitar and amp, and began looking for bandmates. She credits the Austin, Texas music scene for her diverse musical roots, in particular Jimmie Vaughan and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, as well as Texas icon Doug Sahm who let her onstage to sit in with his band on the Chuck Berry song “Little Queenie".[5]

In 1975, on a subsequent family visit to London with her mother, she answered an ad in Melody Maker and joined the fledgling Girlschool. She missed a gig due to illness and was replaced by Kelly Johnson, with whom she would later work. Inspired by the punk scene and bands like the Ramones and Blondie, Valentine returned to Austin and formed the punk band, the Violators, alongside Carla Olson, Jesse Sublett and Marilyn Dean. The band played at Raul's, Austin's first punk club, in February 1978.[6]

In late 1978, aged 19, Valentine moved to Los Angeles and co-founded the Textones with Carla Olson. The Textones released two singles, including an unreleased Tom Petty song, before Valentine left the band in 1980. During her time in the Textones, Phil Seymour recorded "We Don't Get Along", a song she'd written. The Go-Go's would later record this song as well as other songs she'd written during the Textones period, such as "Vacation" and "Can't Stop The World".[7]

Career

The Go-Go's (1980–1985)

Valentine was asked to play bass, an instrument that she had not played extensively, as a substitute for the Go-Go's ailing bass player. She says she learned their songs over four days and rehearsed with them twice before hitting the stage on New Year's Eve 1980 at Whisky A Go-Go.[8] Valentine was asked to remain as a permanent member shortly thereafter. The Go-Go's were signed to I.R.S. Records in March 1981. "Can't Stop the World" was recorded for the Go-Go's debut album, Beauty and the Beat.

The second album featured Valentine's previous Textones song "Vacation" as the title track and first single, after re-working the arrangement with Go-Gos' guitarist Charlotte Caffey. On the Go-Gos' third LP, Talk Show, Valentine also co-wrote with Caffey the hit single "Head over Heels," and played lead guitar on several songs, including the single "Turn To You", album cuts "You Thought", "Beneath The Blue Sky", and "Good For Gone".

The band struggled with internal difficulties during the recording of Talk Show, and tried to stay together after the departure of rhythm guitarist Jane Wiedlin. Valentine moved to guitar duties, and Paula Jean Brown was hired to play bass. The Go-Go's broke up in May 1985.[2]

Post Go-Go's (1985–1990) and Go-Go's reunion

After the break up, Valentine said that she felt lost and that her identity had become absorbed into being a Go-Go.[5] Returning to her rock roots, she formed the World's Cutest Killers, a line up she thought would be successful, featuring former Girlschool guitarist Kelly Johnson, her old friend Jesse Sublett on bass, drummer (future A&R man) Craig Aaronson, and keyboardist Jebin Bruni. The group attracted the attention of producer Mike Chapman and recorded demos, which were scrapped, and the band split up.[5][9] Several other bands and line ups went nowhere, and Valentine returned to school.[10] In 1990, the Go-Go's reunited for concerts and a CD of greatest hits, but split again soon after.

The BlueBonnets (1992–1994), The Delphines (1995–2002), and Go-Go's second reunion (1994–2013)

In 1992, Valentine began her longest collaboration and partnership with singer and bassist Dominique Davalos. They formed the BlueBonnets, a blues-based group. With high-profile guests sitting in with the band, club goers lining up to see them, and performances at celebrity wedding receptions and parties, record company scouts took notice but the band went through line up changes and eventually morphed into the Valentine/Davalos band The Delphines early in 1995.[11]

The Go-Go's began working together again, with Valentine co-writing "The Whole World Lost Its Head" on Return To The Valley of The Go-Go's, a song which became the band's highest charting U.K. single. The band released a new CD God Bless The Go-Go's in 2001, toured extensively for many years, and appeared in a popular DVD live concert, The Go-Go's Live In Central Park. Determined not to let the Go-Go's define her this time around, Valentine kept The Delphines going, and the band released two albums, The Delphines (1996) and Cosmic Speed (2001).[12]

Light Years (2005)

In 2005, Valentine released a solo recording, Light Years, that she co-produced, wrote, arranged and performed the guitar and vocal tracks. Light Years featured musician friends, including Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, Guns and Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, Lenny Kravitz, guitarist Craig Ross, and drummers Clem Burke and Pete Thomas.[13] She began the record while pregnant in 2002 and wrote several songs with then husband, attorney and musician Steven Weisburd.

Return to Austin (2006-present)

In 2006, Valentine returned to her hometown to reside. She has been featured on the cover of the Fall 2010 issue of Texas Music, a February 2007 issue of the Austin Chronicle,[5] and the February 2009 issue of Austin Woman.[14]

In March 2014, at South by Southwest she was inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame by members of Blondie (Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Clem Burke ).[15] She and Davalos re-formed The BlueBonnets with a Texas line up, including Austin guitarist Eve Monsees.[11]

The band has released two albums, Boom Boom Boom Boom (2010) and Play Loud (2014), and were invited to open for The Waterboys American tour in Spring 2015. Their third album, “Tonewrecker” was released on April 1, 2017. Valentine and Davalos also perform in the band Lady Band Johnson with front man Johnny Goudie.

On March 21, 2016, The Go-Go's announced plans for a farewell tour. However Valentine would not be part of the lineup.[16]

A number of her songs were featured in the 2018 debut of the Broadway musical Head Over Heels, with a story suggested by Philip Sidney's Arcadia set to the songs of the Go-Go's and Belinda Carlisle.[17] As a result, Valentine rejoined the band to perform their first show together as a quintet in six years at New York's Bowery Ballroom on January 31, 2018.

In February 2018, posts on the group's official Facebook page confirmed that Valentine had rejoined the band. A summer tour is planned for 2020.

The original version of Kathy’s Textones song Vacation will be the theme song of the Starz cable series Hightown set to debut May 2020.

Bibliography

Valentine's memoir, All I Ever Wanted, was published by the University of Texas Press in March, 2020. [18] The book has received universal praise and was #1 on Amazon's Rock Biography chart.

Other activities

While working to complete her inter-disciplinary degree in English and Fine Arts, Valentine has also begun taking writing jobs and public speaking engagements. She was the keynote speaker at The American Heart Association's Go Red For Women annual event,[19] and for the MEOW Conference, where she also presented a Valor Award to her early inspiration Suzi Quatro.[20]

In 2014, Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems presented Valentine as part of its Game Changers promotional campaign.[21]

In 2013, she put together an all-female, all-star band for the Experience Music Project's Women Who Rock Exhibit.[22]

Valentine recruited underground influential musicians and Seattle-based singers to front the band and was musical director. She has also been hired to write music reviews for The Talkhouse, an online site devoted to music and music lovers. In 2016, Valentine was the featured speaker at Kids In A New Groove annual fundraiser. The same year, Valentine signed with U.T. Press to write a memoir.[23]

Go-Go's lawsuit

Valentine's last full show with The Go-Go's was on May 9, 2012. A broken wrist led to her being replaced on a 2012 summer tour. On March 8, 2013, the Go-Go's official website said "irreconcilable differences" had led to her departure.[24] On May 24, 2013 she sued her former bandmates for "breach of fiduciary duty and abuse of control...in an attempt to deprive [her] of her position and interest in the group, including her right to receive her full one-fifth, 20% share of the benefits and revenues generated by the group's substantial reputation, fame, and goodwill."[25][26][27] In early 2014, the lawsuit that Valentine brought against her former bandmates was settled out of court. Valentine rejoined the Go-Go's in 2018 and toured with them in summer 2018.[28]

Personal life

Valentine is divorced from Steven Weisburd. Valentine and Weisburd are partners in The Townsend, a bar and performance venue in downtown Austin.[29][30]

Discography

Solo albums
  • 2005: Light Years (All For One)

With The Go-Go's

With The BlueBonnets
  • 2010: Boom Boom Boom Boom (self-released)
  • 2014: Play Loud (self-released)
  • 2017: Tonewrecker (self-released)

With The Delphines

With the Textones
Singles
  • 1980: "Some Other Girl" / "Reason To Leave" (I.R.S. / Faulty)
  • 1980: "I Can't Fight It" / "Vacation" / "The Time Is Right" (Chiswick)
  • 1982: "Vacation" / "The Time Is Right" (Big Beat) - with Kathy Valentine

As composer
  • 1980: Phil Seymour - Phil Seymour (Boardwalk Entertainment) - track 8, "We Don't Get Along"
  • 1989: Chemical People - Ten Fold Hate (Cruz) - track 14, "Vacation" (co-written with Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin)
  • 1993: Doc Hopper - Aloha (Ringing Ear) - track 8, "Head Over Heels" (co-written with Charlotte Caffey)
  • 1998: One Eighty - Crackerjack (BEC) - track 14, "Vacation" (co-written with Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin)
  • 1999: Blondie - No Exit (Beyond) - track 13, "Divine" (co-written with Clem Burke)

As producer
  • 2001: Motorbaby - Rise (Ten Wings)

Also appears on

See also
  • Music of Austin

References
  1. "Kathy Valentine". IMDb.com. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  2. "The Go-Go's Biography". Musicianguide.com. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  3. "BIO - The Go-Go's". Gogos.com. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  4. Hamlin, Bradley Mason; Lucy Hell. "Kathy Valentine Interview". Mysteryisland.ne. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  5. Moser, Margaret. "Every day is (Kathy) Valentine's Day". Austinchronicle.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  6. "RAUL'S CLUB | The Handbook of Texas Online| Texas State Historical Association (TSHA)". tshaonline.org. September 14, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  7. Gimarc, George (October 15, 1997). Post Punk Diary:1980-1982. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 39. ISBN 031216968X.
  8. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Go-Go's". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  9. Gaar, Gillian (November 29, 2002). She's a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock and Roll (Live Girls) (2nd ed.). Seal Press. p. 339. ISBN 1580050786.
  10. "Kathy Valentine". Thenewrevolutionists.org. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  11. Seida, Linda. "The Delphines - Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  12. "The Delphines | Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  13. Mason, Stewart. "Light Years - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  14. "9th Anniversary Panelists". Austinwomanmagazine.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  15. Rodriguez, Donny. "Austin Music Awards at SXSW, A Local Showcase For The Masses". Texasrockreport.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  16. "The Go-Go's Recruit Best Coast for Summer Farewell Tour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  17. "Go-Go's Musical Head Over Heels Eyes Summer Broadway Bow at the Hudson Theatre". Playbill.com. January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  18. https://utpress.utexas.edu/books/valentine-all-i-ever-wanted
  19. Godwin, Robert. "2013 Go Red For Women Summit". Keepaustingiving.org. Archived from the original on May 29, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  20. McDonnell, Evelyn. "Rock 'N' Role Models". Populismblog.wordpress.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  21. "Rainbow Light Launches Circle of Care Program to Celebrate 30 Years of Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility". Prnewswire.com. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  22. Gaar, Gillian. "Concert review: a bounty of hits from female artists at EMP "Blow Out" concert". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  23. "Announcing new memoir by former Go-Go Kathy Valentine". University of Texas Press. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
  24. "Update from Go-Go's HQ". March 8, 2013. Retrieved March 18, 2013.
  25. "Valentine v. Carlisle et al" (PDF). The Hollywood Reporter. Case BC510027, Los Angeles County Superior Court. May 24, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  26. Couch, Aaron (May 25, 2013). "Kathy Valentine alleges the other members of the iconic girl band are attempting to reduce her share in the group". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  27. Heller, Matthew (May 28, 2013). "Axed Go-Go's Member Says Band Blocked Her From Profits". Law360.com. Portfolio Media, Inc. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  28. https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/06/29/review-the-go-gos-reunite-for-sold-out-show-in-oakland/
  29. Campbell, Elizabeth. "THE TOWNSEND - Great Drinks, Food, Music, Art in an Elegant Space in Downtown Austin". Glittercop.blogspot.com. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  30. Swiatecki, Chad. "New live music bar to open in iconic Congress Avenue space". Austin Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
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