Kathy Valentine, a member of the groundbreaking, all-female rock band – The Go-Go’s, is set to release a captivating memoir on April 9th, 2020 — “All I Ever Wanted – A Rock ‘N’ Roll Memoir.”
Kathy Valentine’s story is a roller coaster of sex, drugs, and of course music; it’s also a story of what it takes to not only find success but, find yourself, even when it all comes crashing down. At twenty-one, Valentine was in the iconic venue The Whisky in Los Angeles when she met a guitarist from a fledgling band called the Go-Go’s and the band needed a bassist. The Go-Go’s became the first multi-platinum-selling, all-female band to play instruments themselves, write their own songs, and have a number one album. Their debut, Beauty and the Beat, spent six weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 and featured the hit songs “We Got the Beat” and “Our Lips Are Sealed.” The record’s success brought the pressures of a relentless workload and schedule culminating in a wild, hazy, substance-fueled tour that took the band from the club circuit to arenas, where fans, promoters, and crew were more than ready to keep the party going. For Valentine, the band’s success was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream but, it’s only part of her story. All I Ever Wanted traces the path that took her from her childhood in Texas, where she all but raised herself, to the height of rock ’n’ roll stardom, devastation after the collapse of the band that had come to define her, and the quest to regain her sense of self in the aftermath.
Valentine also speaks candidly about the lasting effects of parental betrayal, abortion, rape, and her struggles with drugs and alcohol—and the music that saved her every step of the way. Populated with vivid portraits of Valentine’s interactions during the 1980s with musicians and actors from the Police and Rod Stewart to John Belushi and Rob Lowe, All I Ever Wanted is a deeply personal reflection on a life spent in music.
Pre-orders available, here. See below for full itinerary with more events to be announced shortly.
“All I Ever Wanted” Book Events with Kathy Valentine & Special Guests where noted:
March 28 – Woodstock Bookfest – Woodstock, NY
April 3 – Book People – Austin, TX (with John Doe)
April 4 – SABF – San Antonio, TX
April 7 – Book Soup/W. Hwd Library – Los Angeles, CA (with Kathleen Hanna)
April 8 – Green Apple – San Francisco, CA (with Gina Schock)
April 15 – NY Public Library – New York, NY (with Anthony DeCurtis)
April 20 – Greenlight @ St. Joseph’s – Brooklyn, NY (with Lizz Winstead)
April 26 – Cactus Music – Houston, TX
May 2 – Books in the Basin Festival – Odessa, TX
May 7-8 – Mom 2.0 Conference – Los Angeles, CA
May TBA – Parnassus – Nashville, TN (with Ann Powers)
May TBA – Lark & Owl – Georgetown, TX
May 17 – Antone’s – Austin, TX (with Jody Denberg)
May 19 – Nowhere Books – San Antonio, TX (with Jenny Lawson)
May 22 – Fabled Books – Waco, TX
May 28 – Once Somerville – Boston, MA (with Tanya Donnelly)
August 15 – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Cleveland, OH
More Events TBA!
Follow Kathy Valentine on Social Media:
Twitter — Facebook — Instagram
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