LITA FORD Says New Live Album 'Was Put Together By The Fans And Created By The Fans'

Mark Dean of Myglobalmind webzine recently conducted an interview with '80s hard rock queen Lita Ford. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Myglobalmind: "The Bitch Is Back" is your first live release since 2000. What prompted this? Was it due to record company contractual obligations or a personal decision?

Lita: There was no special reason. We just wanted to dedicate an album to the fans, coming back into the music industry after being gone for so long. We just wanted to give the fans something. This was an album that was put together by the fans and created by the fans. In particular, for the artwork, they all submitted photographs and their names are listed inside the artwork. It's pretty cool and the actual recording of the album was taken from a single show and totally live. Have you had a chance to listen to it at all?

Myglobalmind: I think it's great. Good balance between the hits and also the new material from the most recent studio release.

Lita: It's meant to be intimate and in your face. It's not a record that we recorded different shows from different venues and pieced them together. It's all one show, there is no backing tracks, there is no overdubs afterwards. We didn't go back in the studio and re-record anything. It's just a raw live, high-energy record. We wanted the audience, the listeners to be able to feel like they were in the audience when they listen to the record. That's really the main goal behind a live record — you want the people to feel like they are there. We recorded it in a little club in the canyons, in California, rather than record it in a large arena. We went into the Canyon Club, so the band really sound like they are in your face.

Myglobalmind: Do you still have full creative input into your work as the role of the record company has changed significantly in recent years?

Lita: Well, in this situation, I do have full creative influence, because SPV allows the artist to be the artist. They allow me to do my job; it's what we do. We are the artists and not just someone sitting behind a desk that is better with publicity or something on that level. It was good to make this record, and when we came down to picking the name for the record, I would give the record company a couple of choices. They would say, "This one doesn't work, we like this one," and I would say, "OK, sounds good to me." They help with the artwork, they are just really, really great.

Myglobalmind: How have you personally changed since you first started out in the music business as a sixteen-year-old member of THE RUNAWAYS?

Lita: Well, I became a mom, a mother and that changed me in many ways. It made me understand what it is like to be a mother or a parent. I'm speaking for men as well; it's something you can never really understand until you are a parent yourself. That is mainly how I have changed.

Myglobalmind: Do you ever wish that you had more privacy, or does public recognition come with your job?

Lita Well, I could always have a private life. I lived on a deserted Caribbean island for ten years. There was nothing — no shops, restaurants. It's very private. I am happy where I am right now, I don't need to be surrounded by boyfriends. I have enough dates right now. I enjoy being with my animals. [laughs]

Myglobalmind: What has been the biggest challenge for you personally over the years?

Lita: I'm trying to think… Being a female is a challenge in this business and being taken seriously. Now I think that I am being taken seriously as an artist, coming back with "Living Like A Runaway" and "The Bitch Is Back". It only took since 1975, but somebody has to do it. Somebody has to carve that path. I am proud and glad to say that THE RUNAWAYS were the ones to do that. We weren't just women, there were women before us that played musical instruments. There were no girls, and we were the first girl group.

Read the entire interview at Myglobalmind.