Lita Ford is known as the Mother of Metal. From her start in the iconic all-female band The Runaways, Lita has influenced pretty much every other female guitarist in rock and metal since the 70s. After her days in The Runaways, Lita rose to fame as a solo artist in the 1980s and continues to tour today.
To celebrate the Mother of Metal’s 60th birthday today, here are 5 moments she totally rocked…
The Runaways
Lita Ford joined The Runaways as their lead guitarist at the age of 16! Soon after forming in 1975, the rebellious all-female group became a global sensation. With an aggressive punk rock sound, and with hits like “Cherry Bomb,” “Queens of Noise,” and the cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Rock & Roll", they were a force that changed the shape of Rock and the path for all Women in music.
Cherry Bomb
The Runaway's first song ever released, and still remains their most popular recording. Their signature song reached #2 on the UK Billboard Top 100, and #6 on the US Billboard Top 100. The track also reached #1 on music charts in Japan and Scandinavia.
Four albums later, the legendary group split, leaving us in a hard-rock heartbreak. The breakup lead to Lita’s solo career.
Kiss Me Deadly
Lita’s solo rise to fame came with the release of her hit single, “Kiss Me Deadly,” which appeared on her third album Lita (1988). The rock and roll track was a commercial success, peaking at #12 on the US Billboard Top 100 pop charts. Mick Smiley wrote the song, and we can thank him for the incredible opening vocal: “I went to a party last Saturday night, I didn't get laid, I got in a fight.”
Major Influencer
Lita Ford has paved the way for future generations of female rockers. Before The Runaways, all-female rock bands didn't exist. Female guitarists were uncommon, and most Women in music were singers or simply ornamental. Since then, Lita Ford has changed the face of rock n’ roll. We can thank her for so many other legends, one that springs to mind is the incredible Lzzy Hale, lead singer and guitarist for hard rock band Halestorm.
She's Still Going Strong
In her recent memoir Living Like a Runaway, Lita tells us exactly what her wild rock'n'roll life has been like – from her early days in The Runaways, to her successful career as a solo artist in a male-dominated industry. She also discusses her most recent album Time Capsule, a collection of songs taken from analogue tapes, which includes appearances from members of Kiss and Cheap Trick. The Mother of Metal is back on the road and touring around the US now, still kicking ass.
Read more: Women Of Rock
