Rock'n'roll is part of life, and it’s still alive—just like these girls who became a part of history
over 30 years ago. When they first appeared on the scene, there had hardly been any all-female bands apart
from The Runaways, so it's undeniable that Girlschool played a pioneering role. At the time,
they stormed the NWOBHM movement with albums like “Demolition,” especially “Hit and Run”
and “Screaming Blue Murder.” There was even the iconic Headgirl collaboration with Motörhead,
and Girlschool have long been known as the “sisters” of Lemmy’s crew. In memory of Kelly Johnson (R.I.P.)
and in celebration of the band’s 30th anniversary, they released “Legacy” with a lineup of
incredible guest musicians. Recently, we reached out to both Denise Dufort and Jackie Chambers,
and they accepted our interview request without hesitation. After our chat with Denise,
we spoke with Jax, who kindly gave us her time. We thank both her and Denise sincerely.
No need for more introduction—here’s our lively interview with Jax!
MORBIDZINE: Hi, thank you so much for accepting this interview and taking time for Morbidzine. It’s an honor to speak with you! Let’s start with what Girlschool is currently up to. Any plans for a new record in 2010?
JAX CHAMBERS: There’s no new album planned but there is a single of “Emergency” being released to raise funds for Haiti with various other guests such as Lemmy, Ian Gillan, Steve Vai, Tracii Guns, and Graham Bonnet. The song uses our backing track recorded in 2005, with the kids from the LIVEWIRE charity playing too.
MORBIDZINE: You celebrated the 30th anniversary two years ago with a massive lineup on “Legacy.” It was also a tribute to Kelly Johnson (R.I.P.). If you could include any other legendary musicians who are no longer with us, who would you have liked to see featured on the record?
JAX CHAMBERS: Everyone we asked actually played on there with us. I suppose if we had asked everyone Girlschool worked with over the 32 years, there wouldn’t have been enough tracks on just one album!
MORBIDZINE: How long did it take to write the songs on “Legacy”? And wouldn’t it be amazing to see this incredible lineup—Girlschool, Lemmy, Tony Iommi, Fast Eddie, Dio, J.J. French, and others—in a documentary one day?
JAX CHAMBERS: Now that would be fun! The album came together very quickly. In July 2007 Kelly died, and at that point we hadn’t been thinking about writing—apart from one song I had started, “The Other Side,” which Kelly was supposed to appear on. After she passed, emotions were running high and songs came together quickly. Denise and I jammed a couple out, I had some music written already, then Kim and I got together and wrote, and Enid had some songs too. It came together fast. We wanted it to be an unforgettable album, and when the guest appearances started lining up, it really took on a new life!
MORBIDZINE: I know it’s early, but have you started thinking about the 40th anniversary? Maybe with guests from younger all-female bands?
JAX CHAMBERS: LOL, we haven’t even finished touring the 30th anniversary yet, so not thinking much about the 40th—but who knows? We meet a lot of female bands on the road and have made great friends, so we’d have a few to call upon if needed.
MORBIDZINE: Can you tell us how you joined Girlschool? What were your early musical experiences before joining the band?
JAX CHAMBERS: In 1995 I placed an advert in a music paper looking for a band. Kim responded—she wanted to start a side project alongside Girlschool. We met that night for drinks and became friends. We wrote a few songs together while I was still playing in punk/rock bands. Around 1998, Kelly asked if I’d take over from her because she’d had enough. I didn’t play lead guitar, but both Kelly and Cris Bonacci (who lived just two streets from me) said they’d help teach me. After lots of practice, I officially joined in 1999. We didn’t do any gigs that year, but in 2000 Enid rejoined and we started gigging again. My first ever gig with the band was filmed, and we had a live radio interview beforehand—it was overwhelming but also exciting. Loads of fun!
MORBIDZINE: Are there any musicians who have influenced your playing style?
JAX CHAMBERS: I grew up in the punk era and never really wanted to be a guitarist. I picked up a guitar to write songs and sing—it just happened from there. I always loved guitarists like Brian May for his melodic solos, Steve Stevens (from Billy Idol) for his exciting style, and Billy Duffy from The Cult.
MORBIDZINE: What was the place of Girlschool in your life before you joined? After becoming a member, especially with 2004’s “Believe,” what do you think you personally contributed to the band’s sound?
JAX CHAMBERS: I mostly played in punk bands, and had a couple of signed bands like Deja Vu and Bleech. Around 1997 I formed an all-girl band called Virago, which did okay. The first Girlschool recording I played on was “Not That Innocent,” which was initially recorded with Kelly around 1998/99 but shelved. When Enid and I joined, we added new songs to the 21st Anniversary album, which finally got released in 2002. I think we brought in a whole bunch of new influences that added diversity to the band’s newer albums.
MORBIDZINE: What usually inspires you to write riffs?
JAX CHAMBERS: I usually jam in my studio with cool drum loops. Sometimes Denise and I jam for hours to spark new ideas. If I need inspiration, I might throw on some Alice Cooper or Rammstein—it all depends on my mood. Inspiration can come from anywhere.
MORBIDZINE: What are your thoughts on today’s rock'n'roll scene? Some labels keep re-releasing old records over and over in different editions. What do you consider unethical in today’s music industry?
JAX CHAMBERS: Rock is alive and well! There are new festivals popping up all over the world featuring rock bands. With games like Guitar Hero, a new generation wants to ROCK! Unfortunately, we don’t own the rights to our own songs anymore, so we decided to re-record a few classics and release them ourselves. Everything has changed since digital downloading. These days, unless you're hugely successful, it’s hard to make a living. But it has also made it possible for musicians who aren’t signed to release music online, which is a big win.
MORBIDZINE: I’m sure people have called you “the female Motörhead” or “Motörgirls” after hearing “Hit and Run,” one of the greatest heavy metal albums in history in my opinion.
JAX CHAMBERS: Yep! Practically every write-up mentions us alongside Motörhead—usually as their little sisters. We don’t mind at all—we love those guys and always have fun on tour with them.
MORBIDZINE: Are you interested in football? What’s Denise Dufort’s favorite team? Do you do any sports to stay fit?
JAX CHAMBERS: I’m a Leeds United fan—proud of it! We’re doing great this season—onward and upward!
MORBIDZINE: When you want to unwind and get drunk, what’s your go-to drink? :)
JAX CHAMBERS: Jack Daniels with cranberry juice—it’s called a Tennessee Rush… yummy!
MORBIDZINE: Thank you so much again! We hope to see Girlschool—and Motörhead—in Turkey one day. Any final messages to the rock’n’roll addicts out there?
JAX CHAMBERS: I hope we can come too. If we do—see you there! And THANKS everyone for supporting GIRLSCHOOL all these years.
http://www.girlschool.co.uk