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Apr 07, 2020 By Frank Valish

All I Ever Wanted, the memoir from Go Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine, is as good as rock and roll memoirs get. For one familiar with the pop tunes of The Go Go’s, All I Ever Wanted will enlighten, making one realize how much more went into the bubbly tunes you heard on the radio growing up.

Valentine’s early life was hard, and she details it with unflinching honesty and openness that is refreshing. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll, not necessarily in that order, were present for her in startling fashion from a very young age. One will marvel at the resilience it must have taken for her to overcome such a rocky beginning.

Once joining the Go Go’s, after time with other lesser known but locally popular bands, Valentine was rocketed into the celebrity stratosphere of fame and fortune. Her time as part of a global sensation is detailed in all its ups and downs.

Of course, when singer Belinda Carlisle and guitarist Jane Wiedlin left the band, things took a turn for the worse, a home invasion proving a traumatic detour from musician life. But Valentine’s resilient spirit ultimately prevailed, and the rollercoaster ride here ends on a high note.

Old wounds heal, and the Go Go’s still tour, the band that saved Valentine ultimately proving her salvation still in the end.

(utpress.utexas.edu)

Author rating: 7.5/10