Hear Girlschool's 'Nothin' To Lose (Live In Reading 1981)'

Cleopatra Records have shared "Nothin' To Lose (Live In Reading 1981)", which is the title track to the forthcoming Girlschool live album that is set to be released on September 25, on CD and striking red and white spatter vinyl.

The label shared these details: Girlschool never did things the easy way. In August 1981, little more than two years after the all-female south London metal band launched itself onto the UK club scene, they were firmly established among the very few New Wave of British Heavy Metal acts either capable of, or deserving to, top the first night bill the annual Reading Festival - the first female rock band ever to headline the festival and, all these years later, still the only one.

They were fabulous, as well; indeed, by the end of the festival, filing out drunk on 26 bands' worth of music, more than a few voices reckoned that Girlschool should have headlined the entire event. No-one could better have wrapped things up late on Sunday night.

But first, the band's hired car - a pink Caddy said to have belonged to actress Jayne Mansfield - was involved in a fender bender and arrived at the venue "broken and rattling." Then, one of the roadies restrung lead guitarist Kelly Johnson's guitar with two D strings; and, finally, the band's flashing neon backdrop was sabotaged by one of the other bands on the bill.

But did Girlschool care? No. Not even Kelly. As vocalist/guitarist Kim McAuliffe explains, ""The thing with Kelly is, she was such a genius and natural player, you could put anything in front of her and she could play it. She had an instinct. I used to watch her onstage sometimes, and I was quite amazed by her. She was such an incredible presence on stage. [The roadie] could probably have handed her a guitar with four strings and she'd still have been brilliant. I don't think having two strings the same would have bothered her at all."

Previewed today by a single of its earthquaking title track, Nothin' To Lose (Live In Reading 1981) hits the streets on September 25, on CD and striking red and white spatter vinyl.

The first of five archive Girlschool live albums scheduled for release over the next few months, it is an utterly coruscating reminder of just what a powerful live act they were. And just how lucky Reading was to get them - the band was at its primal peak, still young enough to remember the tribulations of the years that preceded their breakthrough.. sleeping in the van, living on fast food, using the ladies room as a dressing room; but experienced enough to convert even the most cynical observer.

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