Suzi Q

I attended the Melbourne premiere of this flick, which director Liam Firmager and Suzi Q herself attended and did a 1 hour q&a. The film was incredible, it traversed her entire career right up until now. It depicted her struggle gaining fame in the USA, her drama with her family and her projects after music. The film included interviews from Debbie Harry and Alice Cooper and had some really funny moments and gave us a deep insight into the life and music of Suzi Q. Hats off to Liam Firmager for getting the rights to all the archival footage shown in the film (over 400 pieces) of interviews and pictures and video. Most in high definition. This film is truly a joyful insight into Suzi and a great rock documentary in general. Check it out!

Greetings again from the darkness. "Home is where the heart is." That's a two thousand year old phrase whose sentiment has multiple interpretations. It's the phrase that came to mind while watching Liam Firmager's profile of Suzi Quatro, the pioneering female Rock 'n Roller. She started as a middle-class Detroit girl who went on to have a huge international career, though her music never really clicked with the U.S. audience. The emotions from and towards her family are even more complicated.

Playing a bass guitar that made her look even smaller than her diminutive 5 foot frame, Quatro was quite the stage presence in her leather jump suits (inspired by Jane Fonda's character in BARBARELLA) and constant motion. Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go's admitted that she had never even thought about women playing instruments in a rock band until she saw Suzi. Most of the interviews here have a similar thread: Suzi Quatro was a main influence for such female rockers as Cherie Currie and Lita Ford of The Runaways, KT Tunstall, Debbie Harry, Tina Weymouth of The Talking Heads, and of course, Joan Jett. We hear from each of these musicians as they pay tribute to their trailblazer. When Suzi is described as "the quintessential rock 'n roll chick", it's obviously a term of respect.

The film has a bit of a disjointed structure and uneven flow, but that doesn't diminish the message. Suzi Quatro was a daring ground-breaker. We get some of the backstory regarding her family, as she credits her mother for instilling Catholic morals, and her dad for passing along his performing gene. But it's the sisters who provide the most insight. These are the type of sisters who didn't tell Suzi about an offer from renowned music producer Mickie Most, because they didn't want her to quit their band and have success without them. It's these same sisters who, almost 50 years later, refuse to give Suzi the respect she so craves.

Alice Cooper speaks to her influence, and Henry Winkler recalls her time as Leather Tuscadero, a recurring character on "Happy Days." We also hear from Len Tuckey, Suzi's guitarist and first husband, who offers insight to the band and the person. There is also a segment (with a clip) on her success in the stage musical "Annie Get Your Gun", and, on a personal note, we learn Suzi is the aunt to actress Sherilynn Fenn ("Twin Peaks").

Suzi Quatro has sold over 55 million records in her career ... and she still plays live gigs today (well at least prior to the pandemic). The driving ambition that motivated her to pursue her dream is still there, although she admits "most girls gave up music to have a life." We see her in 1973 and in 2019. The leather and the energy are still present, as is the mystery of why she was so much more popular internationally than in her home country. The film touches on the male-oriented business and the sexism that occurred. There is footage of a stunning moment on a British talk show where the host actually slapped her on her leather-clad derriere. Imagine that moment today! Was Suzi Quatro ahead of her time, or did she come along at just the right moment? Either way, the professional success contrasted with the unresolved family issues, make this more than a standard rock bio. It's a history lesson with a moral to the story.

This film is one of those rare music doco's that captures the heart, talent, pathos and humanity of the subject without becoming a froth and bubbles, feelgood promo video. It's warts and all here. The director ( Firmager ) masterfully meshes all the elements of ' talking heads', archival footage, interviews with Suzi, and family history, together in a way that never becomes pedestrian. It's constantly moving towards the next adventure, much like it's wonderful subject, Suzi Quatro. Love your work all involved. It's a 9 for me.

Long-overdue documentary on rock pioneer Suzi Quatro, an integral part of the glam rock scene of the 1970s, bass player and all-around badass raised in the Detroit suburb of Grosse Point. Quatro had only marginal success in her native US but scored a succession of hit records throughout the rest of the world (it's only briefly touched upon, but America simply wasn't progressive enough to embrace a female rocker of this volume in the early-'70s). Singled out from her musician sisters in the band Cradle by British producer Mickie Most, Suzi had to leave her hometown for England to achieve her first taste of success, though the seeds of familial discontent were planted firmly behind her (she's still trying to win her sisters' love and approval). Motherhood changed audiences' perception of Suzi in the 1980s (and brought her marriage to guitarist Len Tuckey to a close), though she nevertheless stayed busy appearing on stage in "Annie Get Your Gun" and the musical "Tallulah Who?" based on the life of actress Tallulah Bankhead. This is a very well-researched document on a rock-and-roll icon who never quite got her due Stateside, despite one Top 5 single ("Stumblin' In") and a handful of guest appearances on TV's "Happy Days" (even this film is foreign-born, produced in Australia where Suzi is considered a legend). With terrific commentary from a wide assortment of musicians, admirers, friends and family, it's an entertaining journey. *** from ****

Suzi Quatro is the Queen of Rock, she not only opened the door for women to pick up guitars drums and any other instrument they could find and just get out there. She blew it open.

This documentary is fantastic and honest and showed how America was not yet ready for Suzi Quatro in 1973.

Suzi paved the way for Blondie The Runaway's Joan Jett and many others, so that they could go off into the world of show biz with their great material and give us their music from the influence of what Suzi Quatro had already achieved.

Suzi is spoken very highly of throughout this documentary, except for her some of her sisters, sibling rivalry oh well. Even though she was not all that well known in the states, the American public came to know her as Leather Tuscedero and her huge hit with Chris Norman from Smokie Stumblin In.

Her career has had many twists and turns doing acting and UK TV and musicals as well as the odd pantomime. Such a great career, but the best thing was about Suzi Quatro was her music, great songs great albums, and being a kid living in Australia watching the whole Suzi Quatro experience unfold it was great, and it still is she is still working very hard, a new album out next year and another book out this year.

A movie in the works of her life my god there is just so much to this powerhouse of a little lady there was never anybody who told her no you can't she would say watch me.