Kathy Valentine is best known as the Go-Go's bassist, but her 2005 solo release, Light Years, showcased her versatility as a multi-instrumentalist with a strong songwriting-first mindset.
That album was bolstered by appearances from esteemed musicians like KISS guitarist Ace Frehley and Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke – and in a new interview with Guitar World, Valentine has revealed how they got involved.
“Gilby is a friend since my early days in LA and is just a sweetheart. I adore him and his family. It felt safe to work with him, mutual respect and genuine friendship,” Valentine says.
“Ace was gentle and kind. I met him at a birthday party of mine he came to. He offered to play on my solo record, and I thought, ‘Sure, he'll never show up.’
“But he did, and he was amazing. We recorded at Gilby's studio. He came in and noodled some solo takes on Bad Choice, and after a few, Gilby and I looked at each other slack-jawed and said, ‘That's it.’ He wanted to do more, so I said, ‘No, this is the one. Thank you.’”
In a 2005 interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Valentine spoke at length about her experience working with these two high-profile collaborators.
“I was friends with Gilby when he was in a band called Candy. We go back for years and years. We live in the same neighborhood and we have always been in touch,” she said.
“In 1990, we did a tour together with a bunch of people called The Wild Bunch. We stayed in touch and he was actually the first person I asked to help me. I trusted him to be supportive.
“I really like that Ace is playing on a track that is not anything like a KISS song. It is more like a Blondie song. He really did a great solo that is in a really different context than people are used to.”
The Go-Go's were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, just a year after Kathy Valentine released her memoir, All I Ever Wanted, which chronicles the band's wild journey.
Guitar World's full interview with Kathy Valentine will be published later this month.
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