Suzi Quatro - still giving 150%
Sixty-two years in the music business. Sold-out venues. New material still charting. Suzi Quatro is, quite simply, a phenomenon. Ahead of her show at The Glasshouse on 8 April, we caught up with the rock icon to talk longevity, legacy and what keeps her coming back for more.
You’re marking 62 years in the music business in 2026. When you step on stage now, what still gives you that buzz?I love what I do. I am a natural born entertainer. Stepping onto a stage is like coming home, and that has never changed. Every audience is a different animal, so it’s always a challenge to win them over. I guess that is the buzz that never goes away.
Your early success in the UK shaped so much of your career. What does it mean to still be touring and playing venues like The Glasshouse all these years later?
It’s wonderful because I am 75 years old, 62 years in the business, still selling out venues, still releasing and charting with new material. I still have the same energy and the same voice, and to have all this at my age means I am blessed. Every show I give 150% and that will never change.
You broke through at a time when rock was overwhelmingly male-dominated. Did you see yourself as breaking new ground or were you simply focused on the music?
I don’t do gender and never have. It never occurred to me that being in a rock ‘n’ roll band with my sister and playing bass guitar was anything strange. I never referred to myself as a “female” musician. I was simply a musician and have been that way my whole life. My dad was a musician. He had four daughters and one son. I went to him at 14 and said, “Dad, Patti and I are starting an all-girl band.” He said, “Good.” I said, “I’m playing bass guitar.” He said, “Good.” Then he gave me his 1957 Fender Precision, the Rolls-Royce of basses. When you have that kind of reaction from your father, you won’t grow up thinking you were doing something unusual. That’s my secret.
What advice would you give to young artists trying to find their voice today?
If you want to be in this business, make sure you have the talent and the staying power. It’s not an easy job. It’s full of disappointments and rejections. If you’re going to sing, use your voice properly. If you’re going to play an instrument, play it – don’t just play at it. Be prepared to give everything, because that’s what it takes.
You’ve worked across music, radio, television and theatre. Has moving between those worlds changed how you approach performing live?
It is all born from the same instinct of performing and communicating, whether it’s on the radio, on television down the camera, or saying lines in theatre. You must touch people, whichever medium you are appearing in. If you don’t, then that medium is not for you. I have walked down many roads and have been successful doing it.
You’ve seen the industry change dramatically, from vinyl to streaming. What’s been the biggest shift from your perspective and what’s stayed the same?
Music will always be music, thank God. The main thing that has changed is that music is now purchased digitally. The days of making money out of record sales are over. All musicians and singers must make their money on the road now. That is the main change and one that needs to be addressed by the industry so it becomes fairer. After all, these are our creations.
What can audiences in Gateshead look forward to in April?
My solo two-hour show with an interval. I will take you on a musical journey through my life. You will hear all your favourite hits and favourite album tracks. You will hear music from 1973 to 2026, with a few surprises along the way.
And finally – what’s the most surprising thing on your rider?
My rider is very simple: a bottle of champagne for after the show, which I share with the band (one glass only, and never before the show), a cheese platter, some fruit, water and one Diet Coke. Easy peasy.
