Born on September 19: Lita Ford (Runaways), female rock rebel

Hard rock icon and female figure of the guitar scene, Lita Ford was born in 1958 in London to an English father and an Italian mother.

At a very young age, she emigrated with her family to Long Beach, California, and it was there that she built her career. Nourished by glam rock, heavy metal, and the rebellious spirit of L.A. at the age of 11, her mezzo-soprano voice could have led her towards more classical music, in the truest sense of the word, but it wasn't her cup of tea!

She was only 16 when she was recruited by the slightly lustful producer Kim Fowley to join The Runaways, an all-female band that would become a legend. While English girl bands like The Slits and The Raincoats were unleashing feminist punk, The Runaways instead tried to satisfy the fantasies of teenage boys (like them) with songs like "Cherry Bomb" and "You Drive Me Wild." Alongside Joan Jett, the other guitarist, and Cherie Currie, the twirling guitarist, Lita Ford imposes a stage presence of unsettling sensuality but also of an almost macho strength. Water and fire, then. With sharp riffs and flamboyant solos on her trusty Gibson, she never misses an opportunity to get noticed. And their self-titled debut album from 1976 remains undeniably a model of the genre. In three years, the "Queens of Noise" (to borrow the title of another of their records) released four albums in quick succession before bowing out. "We wanted to prove that girls could do as well – or even better – than guys with a guitar. We weren't afraid to set things on fire," recalls Lita Ford, eluding the influence of their devious mentor Kim Fowley.

After the Runaways disbanded in 1979, she began a solo career marked by a more heavy metal style. Her 1980s albums, such as "Out For Blood" (1983) and especially "Lita" (1988), elevated her to the pinnacle of hard rock. On that album, "Close My Eyes Forever," her duet with Ozzy Osbourne, remains her greatest hit to date. "When Ozzy and I sang together, it was like two torn souls responding to each other. The song wasn't calculated; it came from our hearts."

After a decade of withdrawal, her eighth album, "Living Like A Dunaway" (2012), clearly reveals a certain nostalgia for her early days. It's also the title she chose for her 2016 autobiography. A pioneering figure in (strong) female rock, Lita has also been invited to play herself on numerous occasions, notably in the musical series "Big Time Rush" (2015). Let's give him the last word: "I've been told a thousand times that this is no place for a girl. But my guitar is my weapon and my freedom. Nothing and no one can take it away from me."

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo : © Etienne Tordoir)

Photo: Lita Ford backstage with her band at Heavy Sound in Poperinge (Belgium) on June 10, 1984