GIRLSCHOOL To Release New Album For 50th Anniversary In 2028

The longest-tenured all-female rock band and NWOBHM legends GIRLSCHOOL are planning to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2028 with the release a new studio album. The upcoming effort will be the follow-up to "WTFortyfive?", which came out in July 2023 via Silver Lining Music.

Speaking to Stevie J of TotalRock at this past weekend's Maid Of Stone festival at Mote Park, Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom, GIRLSCHOOL guitarist Jackie Chambers stated about the band's plans for the coming months (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we have a new album we're sort of... Well, we're supposed to be writing. [Laughs] We will get round to it, we promise. But we have got a new album coming out, well, for our 50th, 'cause obviously we're aiming now for 50 years. So next year — what is it now? 48? 48 now, so we've got two more years, and it's our 50th, so, of course, we're planning a big tour for that, and a new album… Our record company's here today, so we'll be chatting to them later to see what else they've got lined up for us."

GIRLSCHOOL originated in the U.K. during the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and is frequently associated with contemporaries and friends MOTÖRHEAD. They are the longest-running all-female rock band, still active and rocking hard after more than 40 years.

Formed from a school band called PAINTED LADY by Kim McAuliffe and Enid Williams, GIRLSCHOOL enjoyed strong media exposure and commercial success in the U.K. in the early 1980s with three albums of "punk-tinged metal" and a few singles.

In the 1990s and 2000s, they concentrated their efforts on live shows and tours, reducing considerably the production of studio albums. During their long career GIRLSCHOOL toured all over the world, performing at many of the biggest rock and metal festivals as well as co-headlining with or supporting some of the most important hard rock and heavy metal bands in the genre.

They maintain a worldwide cult following and are considered an inspiration for many succeeding female rock musicians, such as THE DONNAS.

Original members McAuliffe and Denise Dufort (drums) are still in the band to this day. Original lead guitarist Kelly Johnson died of cancer in 2007 and was replaced by Jackie Chambers in 1999.

In January 2019, GIRLSCHOOL parted ways once again with bassist Williams, making way for the return of Tracey Lamb (formerly of ROCK GODDESS and GIRLSCHOOL 1987-1991 and 1993-2000). Five years later, Tracey left GIRLSCHOOL once again and was replaced by Olivia Airey, the niece of renowned DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW keyboardist Don Airey.

GIRLSCHOOL 2026 is:

Kim McAuliffe: rhythm guitar, lead and backing vocals
Denise Dufort: drums
Olivia Airey: bass guitar
Jackie Chambers: lead guitar, backing vocals

Image and video credit: Yiannis Kakavas