SUZI QUATRO - 70S AND 80S SONGS AND ALBUMS

by Mark Nobes, chief editor

The Early Years

Before she was even a teenager, the American-born singer/songwriter, Suzi Quatro, played percussion for her Dad's jazz band. In 1964 Suzi joined her older sister, Patti, in an all female band called The Pleasure Seekers. They released two singles - neither were commercially successful - Never Thought You'd Leave Me and Light Of Love. 

Suzi Quatro - the debut album from 1973
The vinyl LP sleeve for Suzi Quatro's self-titled debut album

During the 70s (1971 to be precise), Suzi moved to England and was signed up by RAK records. Her first single release, Rolling Stone, reached NO.1 in Portugal but failed to chart in the UK or US.

The rock singer went on to achieve eleven Top 40 singles in the UK, but just one top 40 hit in the U.S. with Stumblin' In (with Chris Norman) which peaked at #4 in 1979. 

As well as being a vocalist and songwriter, Suzi is also a mean bass player and taught herself to play. She is still releasing material and has so far released fifteen studio albums.

Can The Can was Suzi Quatro's second solo single and spent one week at No.1 in the UK during June 1973. However, in the U.S. the song wasn't released until 1976, where it reached #53 in February of the same year.

Can The Can also topped many charts across the globe and was lifted from Suzi's self-titled debut album. The B-side included the track Ain't Ya Something Honey

As well as being a vocalist and songwriter, Suzi is also a mean bass player. She is still releasing material and has so far released fifteen studio albums.
48 Crash - vinyl - Suzi Quatro (1973)
Suzi's third single from her self-titled debut album, 48 Crash,  reached #3 during July 1973, and also topped the Australian charts. The B-side was a track entitled Little Bitch Blue.
Daytona Demon - Portugese Vinyl Sleeve (1973) - Suzi Quatro
The vinyl sleeve photo above is of the Portugese release of Daytona Demon. The song was originally only included on the British version of the album Quatro, and the single reached #14 in the UK and #4 in Australia, but was not released in the United States. The B-side was a track called Roman Fingers.
Suzi Quatro - Quatro - her second studio album (1974)
Lifted from Suzi Quatro's second studio album, Quatro, Devil Gate Drive single topped the UK charts for two weeks in February 1974.
The Wild One is a personal favourite of mine,  and to say "this rocks!" would be an understatement. "I'm a blue-eyed bitch and I wanna get rich" Damn, why don't they make rock music like this anymore?

The video clip in the playlist has the best audio quality I could find on Youtube, and although it's far from perfect, it's better than all of the other uploads which were truly terrible!

The single reached #7 in the UK and was lifted from Suzi's second album Quatro. My Mum bought The Wild One on 7" vinyl which I remember listening to quite a lot as a kid, and seeing that RAK label with the tall sailing ship (further down this page) again makes me realise how old I am! The B-side featured a track entitled Shake My Sugar which I also played many times during the seventies.

By the way, does anyone else think that Suzi looks like a sexy version of Linda Hamilton from the Terminator films? okay, so it's just me then!
Suzi Quatro - Your Mamma Won't Like Me - 1975 vinyl LP
For her third album, Your Mamma Won't Like Me, Suzi and her band decided to experiment with a funk rock sound - actually, my Mamma does like you Suzi!

No less than four saxophonists played on the album and these were Chris Mercer, Mick Eve, Bud Beadle (great name!) and Steve Gregory.

The change in style wasn't to the taste of the British public, though, and when the title track was released as a single it only manged to reach #31 in the UK.
Aggro-Phobia (1976) vinyl LP sleeve - Suzi Quatro's fourth album
Aggro-Phobia was the first (and last) album to be written RAK boss Mickie Most.

Released in 1976, tracks included cover versions of Elvis's Heartbreak Hotel, Steve Harley's Come Up And See Me and Wake Up Little Suzie which was written by Felice Bryant and became a chart-topping hit for The Everly Brothers in 1957.

American county musician Dallas Frazier also penned one track, The Honky Tonk Downstairs.

If You Knew Suzi - Vinyl LP - Suzi Quatro (1978)

If You Knew Suzi became Quatro's most successful album in the states, reaching #37 in the Billboard 200. The album includes the singles The Race Is On and If You Can't Give Me Love. Newer CD releases include three bonus tracks, including a cover of Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run.

Sumnlin' In - Chris Norman & Suzi Quatro - Vinyl single (1979)
The single Stumblin' In, a duet with the lead singer of British glam rock band Smokie, only reached #41 in the UK, but became Suzi's biggest US hit reaching #4.
Suzi Quatri Mama's Boy
Rock chick Suzi Quatro was at her peak in the 70's, but still managed a #34 hit (UK) with Mama's Boy in January 1980. This was the rock singer's last single to break into the British Top 40.
Suzi Quatro Mama's Boy (single sleeve)
Featuring an energetic and interesting mix of hard rock, piano rock, country and even disco, Suzi...And Other Four Letter Words included the International hit singles I've Never Been In Love, She's In Love With You and the aforementioned Mama's Boy.
Suzi Quatro - Rock Hard - album sleeve (1980)
Suzi's 7th studio album, Rock Hard, saw a return to the heavy rock sound (an many would argue a return to form), with some 80s pop rock thrown in for good measure.
Suzi Quatro - Rock Hard - vinyl 45 single
Rock Hard was Suzi Quatro's third single release of the 80s, and the lead single and title track from the album, reaching #9 in Australia but only #68 here in the British Isles.
Suzi Quatro Concert Sept 28, 2007
Suzi Quatro in concert during 2007. Photo Credit: sawhitley
Studio Album Discography

Suzi Quatro (1973)
Quatro (1974)
Your Mamma Won't Like Me (1975)
Aggro-Phobia (1976)
If You Knew Suzi (1978)
Suzi...And Other Four Letter Words (1979)
Rock Hard (1980)
Main Attraction (1982)
Annie Get Your Gun - 1986 London Cast (1986)
Oh Suzi Q (1990)
What Goes Around (1996)
Unreleased Emotion (1998)
Free The Butterfly (1998)
Back To The Drive (2006)
In The Spotlight (2011)

The Very Best of Suzi Quatro