Suzi Quatro on the perfect anthem to close the 1960s
Back in the 1960s, many women didn’t even think it was possible to become a rock musician. It was an arena dominated by men, many of whom didn’t believe that women were capable of playing guitars and drum kits. Yet, when Suzi Quatro’s sister Patti developed a love for The Beatles, she instantly formed a band, The Pleasure Seekers, recruiting her younger sibling to join her.
Quatro had been exposed to music from a young age, and luckily, her family encouraged her to play instruments, such as the drums, as a child. With The Pleasure Seekers, Quatro rose to prominence in the Detroit garage rock scene, and subsequently, her music career began. She then left the band in 1969, seeking out a solo career instead.
She found success in the glam rock scene, a rare female act among countless all-male bands. Quatro remains a highly influential figure, one who refused to be moulded into a certain kind of artist that she didn’t identify with. Defiant and authentic, Quatro has inspired many women to become rock stars, making it a little easier for women to break through into the industry by showing that female musicians are just as capable as their male counterparts.
The ‘60s was a turning point for the music industry, with plenty of bands emerging with innovative sounds which carried rock and roll into a new experimental period. For all of the era’s progressive achievements, such as welcoming more women (although still few) into the rock genre, the decade was tumultuous, too.
The dangers of rock and roll’s alluring appeal proved to be tragic in some cases, exemplified by the death of Brian Jones and the birth of the ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll’ lifestyle. Then there were the Manson murders which shocked America, the Vietnam War was still raging on, and protests were seen all across the world as civil rights were being demanded by more and more people.
It was a decade full of highs and lows, but immense change certainly came from the violence, unrest and chaos that erupted. For Quatro, there was one song that perfectly summed up the end of the ‘60s: ‘Let It Be’ by The Beatles. She once told Louder Sound, “I really like ‘Let It Be’ by The Beatles. A great anthem to close the sixties. It’s just a great, great number.”
The song was featured on the band’s final album, which was the same name, with Paul McCartney taking charge of the lyrics and vocals. He was inspired to write the song after having a dream about his deceased mother, Mary. He told James Cordon, “I had a dream in the sixties where my mum who died came to me in a dream and was reassuring me, saying: ‘It’s gonna be OK. Just let it be…'”
The song is a calming and hopeful number that certainly feels like an apt end to the 1960s. McCartney opens up the ballad by singing: “When I find myself in times of trouble/ Mother Mary comes to me/ Speaking words of wisdom/ Let it be/ And in my hour of darkness/ She is standing right in front of me/ Speaking words of wisdom/ Let it be.” The song certainly spoke to Quatro, who considers the song ‘her anthem.’ It seems as though The Beatles have had a significant impact on Quatro’s life.
