And now here they are, Nick and Sue on Chatterbox.
When the stars talk, they talk to Nick and Sue.
to the Chatterbox Redux podcast with Nick and
Sue. On this edition, our special guest is Susie
Quattro. Shatterbox giving you all you need to
know about music Now in chatterbox UK, we're
just lucky enough to welcome back Suzy Quattro
Suzy. Hi welcome. How are you Suzy? I am in promotion
hell at the moment Yeah, as much as I I like
to communicate and talk about whatever I'm working
on Okay I believe it was Germany yesterday and
you flew back to appear in this yet quite and
you got a full day today I know after I say I've
got a full day today than tomorrow. I'm doing
something else in the evening. They got the Jeremy
Jeremy Vine show the next morning. Cracker Don.
It's just it's just been on gigs and my feet
don't touch the ground. June, July, August. I'm
flying and gigging, flying and gigging fly is
crazy. And in October, I go back to Australia
for my forty first tour. Wow in Austria in Australia.
I hold the record. I hold the record That's brilliant
Okay, we could always mention what you're doing
next towards the end but Okay, we have we're
basically here to talk about say a new book that
you brought out We've been chatting well going
back. Yes. There we are grave undertakings a
novel grave undertakings Well tell us about that
it's better coming from you it's a collection
of epitaphs but there's a lot more to it all
yours. There is it started off as a child i was
one of those and it's funny because since i've
been doing these interviews so many people have
gone oh me too i found graveyards fascinating.
I like i like wandering through them and reading
the tombstones and you know my imagination runs
right you know the ones that are crumbling and
the falling over and the ones that don't look
tended to the ones that do look tended to and
you make up stories in your head i wonder if
they had kids and other so. Lifelong thing of
mine wandering through graveyards so when i was
in my twenties i was in england and i came up
with this. Great title grave undertakings what
a great title and i went. This can be. My hobby
i can start asking all my famous people i know
what they would like on their tombstone. So that's
what i did and i did that for thirty five years
so a lot of these. Graveyard inscriptions a lot
than i hear anymore but they have to be given
to me but a lot of them are here so as i'm assembling
the book. It's my second novel and my second
published book. I'm sorry, my second novel and
my seventh published book. And I was typing it
out, typing up the quotes and all that and putting
the information next to the names, what year
they were born and if they were dead, what year
they died. And then I thought, no, oh my God,
no, this is a story. This is a now. Waiting to
be written. So then my brain started to work
and I'm very Very psychologically minded. I actually
could have gone into that as a profession I'm
good at it. I can I can I can work you out. I
can help you it I've always been that way since
the child. I want answers to everything So I
thought okay, let's get six psychology students
meeting up for a tutorial with an Austrian professor
then I named them. Right. And once you named
them, like a song, once a song has a name, you've
got the song. So once I, once I named the characters,
I had the characters. So then I made them all
six completely different types, you know? So
out of 20 classes, With the austrian professor
you go you go through their lives you go they
discover stuff about themselves there's entanglements
romantic involvements with some of them and you
get their back stories you get their damage you
get their baggage you get the triggers you get
everything so right through their lives you go
in these twenty classes and then i don't want
to give it away but then at the end the payoff
is you think it to because that's what it is
you live your life. You live your life. And then
after that, all was, we're all so important,
aren't we? And then after that, you're six foot
under with a few words on a gravestone. So the
whole thing fascinated me. So the, this story
gives you the reason why the ending is all the
gravestones, because that is how we end, you
know? And I was able to paint on this big wide
canvas. I gave myself all my psychological ideas.
And I actually had to be one of the students
because In the twenty classes you know you're
talking serious stuff here that the professors
teaching them. Psychology so if there was something
i worked out what i wanted my twenty classes
to cover and then i had to find out what those
things were called that i was talking about cuz
i'm not a professional psychiatrist at all so
i had to go to school myself i had to google
learn. Digest it and bring it out as a teacher
bring it out as one of the students so you get
real. Insight in this book and everybody that
has read it I said the same thing but two different
ways to me they go You really made me think or
they go you've really made me question So he
either way is fine Either way is fine. If you're
questioning or you're just thinking whatever
it's touched you. So this book is touching people
Amazing I never I never expected The response
I'm getting for this book. What are we say? I
guess it's an unusual idea isn't it? It is different
I mean, I'm sure there's something a bit with
gravestones in but there's not anything that's
taken it to the angle that you have And, of course,
we must also remember that you appearing on Top
of the Pops was your first hit, which was number
one here as well, 1973. So that was a lot of
people you were bumping into on Top of the Pops
from 1973 onwards, probably as you were getting
known here as well. But the examples that have
been sent, I'm not going to say the names, but
it gives people a... These are all still with
us. Alice Cooper, Sir Cliff Richard... nice little
religious touch from him but it's what he you
can imagine that's what it will have on his side
and i trust you know what with cliff um there
were a few there were some people that if they'd
been maybe a little bit sick or something above
us a few of them said to me i'd rather not tempt
fate and i said absolutely fine but a few people
uh leo sayer was one and cliff richard was one
there were more but i can't remember cliff said
can i have a few days okay he wanted time and
when you read his quote he really did think about
that and it's very it's very cliff isn't it yes
definitely it's what people would expect yeah
yeah and um go on i was going to say and it's
probably now what he's probably updated his will
that's probably what will go on it when no that's
what what he said quite probably yeah i like
mine you like yours um are you going to go or
Yours is obviously in the book. Are you going
to give us the little snippet of what yours says
or people got to buy the book to find out? No,
I'll tell them mine, but then they have to buy
the book to find out what the story is. Because
I'm a Gemini, so I get two sides. And if you
know any German eyes or if you're our Gemini,
you know that two sides is the absolute minimum.
So one side says, now I get it. And the other
side says, too many dreams, too little time.
Well, it's funny to say that. Now, I've had mine,
as soon as you look at me, so I've got to share
it with you. It's something I've never even said
on the live shows. But my one, out of interest,
is it's what he would have wanted. Oh, interesting.
Because everyone says that at Awake and everything
else. And of course, it's not what anyone ever
wanted. I've just heard it so many times. It's
what he would have wanted. That's it. Interesting
interesting yeah i've had some some people who
i thought were gonna be funny with serious and
vice versa. You know you never know you know
some some people would so deep important people
who i have a laugh with over dinner and they
went they went down the distance. I'm trying
to think i like brian bennett the drummer from
the shadows he said he said if you want to make
god laugh tell him your plans. But I'm not going
to give everything away, but I'll tell you the
funniest one. You can't beat this one. David
Hamilton. Here lies David Hamilton, stiff at
last. My husband said to me yesterday, just before
I came home from Germany, he said, only you could
write a book. Based on tombstones only you could
do that. I said, yeah, but it's a story said
but only you would think of that. Is that okay?
Fine fine. This is Nick and Sue with Cheddar
box giving you all you need to know about musical
entertainment We've got to go and buy it, darling.
It sounds very interesting. Don't you worry.
We are. We'll even get the odd quote out. Just
the odd one, because we want people... This is
on our live shows, by the way, Susie. In fact,
you've been on R &I, Radio Northie International.
You did come on it in our early days of doing
shows together. I remember one Sunday you came
on and you were so generous with your time because
you talked about the past, which you don't really
like to do, but... It was so jealous of your
time. We'll never forget it. So we have a few
snippets. So yes, a few little tasters for our
listeners. That would be wonderful. Susie, with
this book, now we've said you've been collecting
it and we've already established that you had
your first number one here in 1973. There's quite
a lot of years of collecting epitaphs. So there
must, in my opinion, be quite a lot left over
that you may be... Have perhaps you know where
i'm going with this i don't leave alone i always
want to know what's next is there enough left
over or will there be a second volume well i
might collect again but but they're everybody
who's again everybody who's read their book wants
a sequel because they want to know what happens
to these students after the story and say they
because you get involved in the characters so
there might there might be a reunion yeah I might
be asking a few more people i know a lot of people
so yeah. Oh you know i gotta mention i'm doing
a big big tour in april. It was just announced
last week tickets on sale they're going amazing
ten big shows in april in the uk in the uk yeah
i'm getting i'm getting everywhere i'm going
to. Glasgow gateshead manchester watford oxford
south end london palladium bath birmingham and
born with. and all all good shows all big shows
so that's that's great uh well the best well
the best one nearest to i think london palladium
would be the best because that's right in the
center as well because sue doesn't like the tube
but we can get to the london palladium without
the tube um not a problem however uh is there
any side of because we our nearest big city would
be brighton any chance of anything being added
on to that maybe Anything and the chance of 10
dates so far is a lot like to be a few more.
Could there be a bright and ending up there in
the end? I don't know. I'm not doing it. So I
do. I do what I'm told. Well, actually, that's
a complete lie. My nose is growing as I speak.
I don't do what I don't do what I'm told. I do
take direction. And as Mickey Mouse said, always
remember that he said nobody tells susie what
to do you may suggest strongly i've heard that
well listen the formula works doesn't it you're
still here we go i'd like to mention music in
a moment as well because yeah and i've got two
things to me you got two things you want to ask
susie okay nothing to mention and one question
right okay okay um because i recall the last
time we spoke and it was during the lockdown
and you were having your album yes you know and
i think what we did we spoke about the album
and then the single one of the singles came off
i think it was the first one and we spoke about
that right i remember it's in my first week or
two of ever using zoom and we lost half our time
because it was all new to me and i was an idiot
i thought you and i told you before we speak
next time i will master zoom and i have now so
it's all now you have Good. We got broken in
very good, didn't we? We did. Oh, God, we did.
So, talking about that, you were working with
your son. He was co -writing and playing with
you. How's that developed over the last half
decade? I mean, we're five years... Well, yeah,
we've had... One two three four projects out
together they've all charted no control was the
first time the devil in me was the second album
then he produced uncovered my six track EP and
he also and played and wrote with me and everything
and then the face to face album that i did with
katie he produced that and i'm now working on
my next solo album which is producing. Writing
with me and playing guitar. Definitely something
natural in the gene pool. A bit like the Wilde
family with Marty and Kim and that. It's a natural
gene pool there, isn't it? Because your son sounds
so spot on. It's not something you could sit
him down one day and teach him. He's obviously
got it. He's got it completely. He came to me
in 2019 and he'd been advanced since 14. And
he just came to me out of the blue and he said,
Mum, I need to write some songs with you now.
And I went, OK. He was that meant he was ready.
So we sat down we did three demos We wrote I
said, I like that. I like that So we wrote the
songs went in making demos and then as we're
making the demos I remember turning to him and
the engineer and I said We're making an album
and they said and they said we are So it went
from there and he's he's turned to me back He
gave he's given rebirth to me because he's turned
me back on to me I won't is your son He's 40.
Good age. Um, Suzy, is there any plans for you
to do a second autobiography? Oh, yes. Everybody
asks me that. I could. I actually could do one.
So, yes, Suzy Quattro Unzipped 2007 was the,
uh, we'd like to say the first volume. But, you
know, we're audio presenters. We interview people
like yourself. Of course we want the, the, the,
the duty bits for, for, you know. I've been asked
many times to do Unzipped 2. I have to think
about that. I got so many projects going, you
know. There's certainly a lot to add. I mean,
I've done twice as much since that's been done.
But I have to have the feeling for it. If I want
to do it, I will. The first one was very, very
good. I'm about to publish my eighth book in
the summertime, which is my third poetry book.
And this is my second novel and my seventh book.
And I'm working on the album. I mean, oh my God.
I just don't stop. I have to either create, entertain
or communicate and then I'm happy. I love that.
And the poetry we got through my words, through
my thoughts, through my eyes? Yeah, Through My
Words was a lyric book, Through My Thoughts was
during Covid and I really used all those things.
My two poetry books are Through My Eyes and Through
My Heart. And the third one, which is going to
complete the triology of poetry, not that I'm
going to stop, but the three, but the three go
together through my ass, through my heart. The
third one's called through my pain. So it's so
it's life. Life. Yeah. Yeah. Beautiful. Fingers
crossed. As you say, you're so active. Since
we've been speaking to you, I appreciate it's
only been a small part of your career, but you
haven't stopped in that time. If anything, I'd
say it's sped up and escalated, to be honest
with you. It has. It's gone crazy. I'm 75. I
think they may have put the wrong date on the
birth certificate. I like that. Well, the front
bit looks absolutely perfect and the years have
been very kind for you. Now, I've aged a lot
more in those since 1973. I've aged a lot more
than you have, although I was younger in age.
But one thing's for sure, it's the aging process.
And I remember you saying, you're not going to
be the first person to halt the aging process.
It happens. Is this true? Of course. So you just
accept it. And I actually don't care. I announced
my age from the stage. I always have done. I'm
proud to be seventy five. I'm happy with the
way I'm aging. I'm happy with my energy. I'm
happy. I'm happy with me. That's the whole key.
That's such a find out in the book. The book,
the book shows you how to get back to you. You're
looking like you're not going anywhere anytime
soon. No, not me. Yeah. As I say, the front looks.
Brilliant and perfect, but it goes back to something
you've said to me a couple of times in the past
Uh, and you basically said it was about you continuing
touring and you know, and you basically said
something along the lines I will continue Turing
until the time comes that I turn my back on the
audience and I shake my ass and they don't go
mad Something along those lines. Yeah, I have
I have I'll tell you them. It's a good way to
end Okay, so I said that when I was 35 because
to me it was a glib Question to ask a 35 year
old the guy said when are you gonna retire and
I thought what an idiot what an idiot So I said
when I go on stage and I turn my back on the
audience and I shake my ass in their silence
Then I slightly I slightly altered it when I
got into my 60s and I said I'll retire when I
go on stage turn my back on the audience and
my ass shakes by itself which was even better.
But now I've got my third and it's my serious
one. It's my serious one. Only one time it has
to happen. I go on stage and I don't deliver
to my standard. Now I will know it in my heart
and maybe they won't get it but I will and I
will say goodbye. Thank you. It's been wonderful.
Nowhere near that yet. I'm getting the best reviews
of my life. So, but those are my three stages.
This is Nick and Sue with Chatterbox giving you
all you need to know about musical entertainment.
Chatterbox, Chatterbox, Chatterbox. Before we
let Susie go, we do want to do social media before
we let you go. I thought you had something else
for Susie. Yeah, go ahead. Susie, my proper name
is Suzanne. Everybody calls me soon, but most
people always call me Susie. And every time I
get called Susie, I always remember Susie Cotter.
Always. There you go. I was called everything.
I was called Susan. I'm Susan. I was called Sue
at school. I was called Susie K in the neighborhood.
I was called Suze. I was in fact so many different
spellings of my name and it drives me nuts that
I had part of my merchandise is a T -shirt with
seven different ways of spelling Suzy all wrong
and then my name properly all crossed out and
then my name. Fantastic, fantastic. And of course,
one thing that people may not realize, you do
have the most amazing surname. Quatro is your
birth name. What more would you want? When I
got first here too, if everybody asked me that,
what's your real name? That's my real name. When
I first got to England and Mickey and I were
discussing my career, I hadn't made it yet. I
said, Mickey, what should my stage name be? And
he went, are you kidding me? He said Susie Quattro
is one of the best names I've ever heard. It
does sound like a stage name, doesn't it? Yes,
it's amazing. I mean, obviously before we spoke,
the first time I looked it up because Certain
things an interviewer or presenter needs to know
about who they're interviewing of course But
of course we have to leave some of it wide open
for I said be no questions to ask Sure, I was
I just be doing a link in between records. So
yeah, sure sure It's the first time we've asked
you that but it is yeah, I know it's it's your
real name is Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Like
basically everything you do. But I know you're
a person. You are perfect in your standards.
You've got very high standards. But I think if
the time ever came that you couldn't improve,
whether it be technology or whatever it may be,
I think you would stop. I would. I would know.
And I would be very honest with myself. And I
would say I've done my best. I've hit my peak.
And I'm done. And thank you. Sure. Thank you.
yeah sure it's been great chatting to you about
amazing interview thank you yeah it's been great
chatting to you about your literary side at last
and uh susie quattro and grave undertakings a
novel has already been published and it's been
published by new haven publishing correct thank
you and susie you mentioned your tour april next
year yes anything else let's do your website
and social media so people can go and take a
look and do what they want ordering tickets and
so on yeah Okay, the official site man, I'm on
Facebook official and Facebook private www .susiequattro
.com I'm on Instagram Susie quattro real Like
I said official Facebook. I'm on everything.
Hmm Okay, Susie. Well, it's been absolutely wonderful.
It's been a delight to chat to you again and
chat about you too and there's got to be another
time and I can just see things escalating in
your career so it definitely won't be five years
when we chat next time. I think last time you
were doing something I think sadly I lost both
my parents one year after the other so we took
a break and that was a time to gather thoughts
then Yeah, you need to be 100 % there to do a
second series. Yeah, you've got your dad's gravestone
to do yet, don't you? We have. We have. Yes,
thank you. We have, so put something great on
there for him. OK. Thank you, Susie. It's been
great, and I know the listeners are going to
love it. And continued success, and we'll chat
again sometime. Take care. Thank you. Thank you
both. Thank you both very much. Take care. Bye
-bye. This edition of the Chatterbox Redux podcast
was presented by Nick and Sue and our special
guest was Susie Quatro All inquiries please to
nickelbum at myyahoo .com Our postal address
is P .O. Box 26 The Old Observer Building Telford
Road St Leonard's -on -Sea East Sussex England
TN389LZ We thank you for your company and look
forward to welcoming you again next time Where
now special guest is Tony Christie. This is Nick
and Sue with Chatterbox giving you all you need
to know about musical entertainment. Oh yeah!
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