Decades after the New Wave of British Heavy Metal first swept the globe, the bond between two of its most iconic bands—Girlschool and Motörhead—remains legendary. In a recent retrospective, Girlschool singer and guitarist Kim McAuliffe opened up about the wild history shared between the two groups, detailing everything from their first meeting to the recording of their chart-topping collaboration, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre EP.
The relationship began in the late 1970s, fueled by a recommendation from legendary DJ John Peel. After Peel played Girlschool’s single “Take It All Away,” Lemmy Kilmister personally reached out to offer them a support slot on the Overkill tour. McAuliffe recalled the band’s humble beginnings, stealing her parents’ Bedford van to tour Europe for a pound a day, often choosing between buying a sandwich or a pint of beer.
Despite Motörhead’s reputation as the “toughest” band in rock, McAuliffe described the original trio—Lemmy, “Fast” Eddie Clarke, and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor—as “pussycats” who looked after the younger all-female group, often providing crates of beer when funds were low. However, the tour wasn’t without its pranks.
McAuliffe recounted a specific incident where Lemmy lingered backstage before their set, only for her to open her guitar case and find half a pig’s head inside. “Cheers Lem, I’d got brains all over my guitar!” she noted.
The professional collaboration deepened when Motörhead “nicked” Girlschool’s producer, Vic Maile, for their own work. Maile and Lemmy bonded over a love for classic rock ‘n’ roll, leading to the idea of the “Headgirl” collaboration. They settled on covering Johnny Kidd & The Pirates’ “Please Don’t Touch” for the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre EP. The recording sessions were chaotic; drummer Phil Taylor had broken his neck and couldn’t play, and Eddie Clarke was reportedly throwing guitars in frustration.
Despite the studio turmoil, the project was a massive success, reaching number five in the UK charts and earning a Silver certification. The bands even appeared on Top of the Pops together, an experience McAuliffe remembers fondly for the sheer excitement of the Motörhead members, who acted “like little kids” in the prop warehouse.
The retrospective serves as a reminder of the genuine friendship that underpinned the noise and leather of the era. McAuliffe maintains that the original Motörhead lineup was unique in music history, stating, “There’ll never be another band like Motörhead.”
