Women in Metal History Goes Viral
A detailed International Women's Day thread celebrating pioneering women in metal went viral, starting with Girlschool — formed in 1975 as the first women in heavy metal and the longest-running all-female band in rock history at nearly 50 years. The thread covers their evolution from a cover band and moves to Vixen, an all-female glam metal band from 1973 that faced record label rejections despite completing their classic lineup.
Before Girlschool, there was Painted Lady, a cover band formed by Kim McAuliffe and Enid Williams in 1975. Their lineup was fluid, and for a time included Kathy Valentine, who would later go on to join The Go-Go's. They decided to get serious about their music, and after recruiting a permanent lineup, rebranded as Girlschool in 1978, inspired by the B-side to Paul McCartney and Wings' single "Mull of Kintyre." Vixen's struggle for a record deal in the 80s highlighted the industry's resistance to all-female rock bands. Executives would dismiss them with excuses like, "we already have an all-girl band," or suggest they adopt a softer sound similar to The Go-Go's or The Bangles. This was despite the fact that the popular cartoon "Jem and the Holograms" featured a fictional all-female rock band, yet record labels were hesitant to sign a real-life equivalent. Long before Girlschool and Vixen, the American rock band Fanny was breaking ground. Formed in the late 1960s, they were one of the first all-female rock groups to achieve major label success and land a Top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Their 1972 album, "Fanny Hill," was recorded at Apple Studios with Beatles' engineer Geoff Emerick and is considered by many to be their strongest work. The perseverance of bands like Girlschool and Vixen paved the way for subsequent generations of women in metal. Their presence and success in a male-dominated scene challenged stereotypes and demonstrated that women could rock just as hard. They became an inspiration for many female musicians to follow, contributing to a growing and more inclusive metal scene.
