Girlschool are a British rock band that formed in the new wave of British heavy metal scene in 1978. Frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead, they are the longest-running all-female rock band, still active after more than 40 years. Formed from a school band called Painted Lady, Girlschool enjoyed strong media exposure and commercial success in the UK in the early 1980s with three albums of “punk-tinged metal” and a few singles, but lost their momentum in the following years.
The band achieved their greatest commercial success during this period, marked by the “classic” lineup of Kim McAuliffe, Enid Williams, Kelly Johnson, and Denise Dufort. Their first two albums, Demolition (1980) and Hit and Run (1981), are considered essential heavy metal records. Hit and Run reached number 5 on the UK charts. In 1981, they teamed up with Motörhead under the name Headgirl to release the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre EP, which reached the UK Top 5. The cover of “Please Don’t Touch” became one of their most famous recordings.
Raw, fast, and punk-edged. They didn’t lean into the “glam” aesthetic early on; they wore leather and denim, focusing entirely on high-energy live shows. As the decade progressed, the band’s sound shifted to keep pace with the changing landscape of heavy metal, particularly the rise of “hair metal” and a more polished American sound.
As the decade progressed, the band faced internal shifts and evolving trends. In 1982, founding bassist Enid Williams left and was replaced by Gil Weston. After lead guitarist and vocalist Kelly Johnson left the band in 1984, Girlschool shifted toward a more “commercial and American FM-friendly” sound for albums like Running Wild (1985), expanding to a five-piece with lead singer Jackie Bodimead.
By the late 1980s, after releases like Take a Bite (1988), the band lost their initial commercial momentum and briefly folded in 1988 before reuniting in the early 1990s.
Girlschool’s importance in the 1980s can’t be overstated for several reasons. They proved that an all-female band could be just as heavy and successful as their male peers without relying on “gimmicks.” Unlike many new wave of British heavy metal bands that fizzled out by 1983, Girlschool stayed active, toured relentlessly, and maintained a loyal cult following. They paved the way for future generations of female rockers and metalheads, proving there was a seat at the table for women in extreme music.
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