Formed in south London in 1977 by the sisters Jody (guitar/vocals) and Julie Turner (drums), Rock Goddess recorded three albums before splitting a decade later. In 2013 the Turners reunited with co-founding bassist Tracey Lamb and have just issued a three-track EP, It’s More Than Rock And Roll, their first new material in three decades. Jody fills in the gaps.
After a near miss in 2009, why did the band reconvene four years ago?
It was all about getting Julie on board. Her kids were grown up, it was then about her agreeing to it. I wanted it to be the originals for many reasons, but the fact we learnt to play together as children is quite special. We experienced all of those ‘firsts’ together.
Didn’t Julie have a premonition that the re‑formation was about to happen?
Yeah. When she saw the email, she had a feeling of what it was about. And when I called Tracey, she had dreamt about RG reforming the previous night. Bit of band telepathy going on there, I think.
Why has it taken so long to release any new music?
Ultimately, we’re looking for a record deal. Offers are out there but it’s a slow process. And, quite frankly, I made a decision [to do something independently] and give a taster of what we’re about now.
The new EP includes two tracks about rock’n’roll and metal. Isn’t that clichéd?
To me it’s only clichéd if you don’t mean it. One journalist commented that it’s cheesy but he loves it, which made me smile. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
What does rock music mean to you?
It’s everything: why we get up in the morning and what makes life bearable. I couldn’t imagine life without it.
Has the issue of sexism in rock changed much during the band’s hiatus?
At a recent gig [supporting Ratt] a heckler demanded I get my pussy out. I replied: “Do people still say this shit?” and told him to get his pussy out. It raised a laugh. But it’s rare, I’m happy to say.
So are Rock Goddess back for good?
Short of something dreadful, of course. Now let’s get an album done.
Rock Goddess play London Borderline on June 23.
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