Pamela Des Barres

Talks Exclusively to SoundCheck

The decade was known as the swinging Sixties and it's easy to understand why.
There was the summer of love, the sexual revolution and the Whiskey A Go Go, America's first disco. The world was experiencing a cultural and political shift, swinging from the conservative stronghold of the 1950s to a youth set counter culture revolution.

Pamela Des Barres came of age at that colourful time along with her group of girlfriends Miss Mercy, Miss Christine, Miss Cinderella and Miss Sparky, collectively known as the GTO' s (Girls Together Outrageously). The world's first, and most famous, groupies were born.

After a chance meeting with Captain Beefheart, who then introduced them Frank Zappa, Miss Pamela became Mr and Mrs Zappa's babysitter. Through Frank Zappa's Straight label, home to avant-garde icons like Beefheart, Alice Cooper and Wild Man Fischer, the GTO's released their album 'Permanent Damage'. Pamela's list of rock'n'roll lovers, friends and beaus, as immortalised in her best-selling biography 'I'm With The Band' reads like a who's who of rock history. She has since become an accomplised writer and teacher.

Having followed Pamela's adventures in rock'n'roll since the age of 15, and been lucky enough to fall into that world myself, I was delighted when she agreed to do this interview with me.

Talking to the lovely Pamela I felt I had met a kindred spirit.

For me, seeing 'A Hard Days Night' at the age of nine made up my mind that I was going to marry a rockstar ( like you, my heart was set on Paul ) .
Do you remember the moment in which you knew that was going to be your destiny in life.

I believe it had to be Elvis at age nine as well! I heard him sing Treat me Nice, and I said OK!

In 'I'm With The Band' you describe becoming involved with the local scene, that included Beefheart, Zappa & The Doors etc, during your teens. Was there any sense for you at that time of the legendary quality those names would later take on?

I knew exactly where I was, smack dab in the middle of a musical/life altering revolution and I wrote about it every day and night as it was happening in my diaries.

Frank Zappa was clearly a big part of your life at that time. Do you feel your association with him was instrumental in your introduction to the inner sanctum of the LA scene?

He made the GTO's a very valuable asset around town. Being aligned with the coolest freakiest most disciplined man in Hollywood had awesome perks, and he made me feel very special and important with something unique to share with the world.

Frank Zappa was obviously the key figure in bringing the GTO's together. Did you feel that being part of a group, and one with such a new, inspired idea behind it, gave the
girls involved a certain unique appeal among the musicians
you met and dated?

They all wanted to come over and meet The Maestro. It gave us great prestige and acceptance. We were invited to everything and welcomed heartily. Frank gave us an
important place in history, even while it was going on!

In 'I'm With The Band' you certainly seem to spent a lot of
time making cowboy shirts for Gram Parsons amongst
others, Country Music seems very traditional next to the
hippie flower power revolution, what was it's appeal?
How did you see the two different musical scene's as
relating to one another?

Gram Parsons convinced me that country music had real heart by playing me the giants, Merle, George Jones, Waylon, Willie Nelson, Ray Price. I was closed-minded to twang before the Burrito Brothers redefined music forever. Real country music tells it like it is, no holds barred.

You had an amazing impact on rockstars - I mean Mick Jagger would be the holy grail for many groupies! What do you think it was about you that gave you such success?And what advice would you give to other aspiring rock courtesans?

I was in the right place, no doubt, right time, no doubt. But I also LOVED what they were doing, and no man can resist someone who genuinely admires their creativity. Seep yourself in their music and the music that THEY love.

How do you think the climate on the rock scene has
changed with time? Do you think that the days of the
supergroupie are at an end?, as in my experience many
rockstars of this generation seem very tame in comparison to what I experienced back in the day. Anthony Kedias writes in his Biography that many Film and Record companies set up these celebrity relationships for Publicity.
We were the girls next door who were extremely lucky to
have been in the right place at the right time. I for example married one of the Guys in Hanoi Rocks and travelled the world on tour with him but I wasn't a movie star just an ordinary girl who has always hung out and gone out with musicians.

Sadly, It's easier for celeb's to meet and hook up with celeb's these days. I'm sure there were some set ups for publicity, but yes, it certainly is harder for the 'average' music loving doll to connect with her heroes. The supergroupies today are Winona Ryder, Heather Locklear, Drew Barrymore, Jessica Simpson and her sister, etc. Models, actresses, singers have easier access to the rock gods and they relate creatively. It does make it harder for the regular girl!

It's obvious from your writing that you've experienced many ups and downs in your life, do you have any regrets?

I don't believe in regrets, but there are a couple of things I could have done that I wish I had done, like go on the road with the Stones in 1970, and sleep with Jimi Hendrix when he hit on me!

Are you still heavily involved in the music scene and still go to gigs?

My last boyfriend, Mike Stinson is a huge country fave around here and I never missed a gig. I always see Dylan, Prince, Springsteen, the Stones and and the country gods and will always check out a new band. I love the Old 97s, Rhett Miller, Todd Snider, Jakob Dylan...Lucinda WIlliams.

Goldie Hawn's character in 'The Banger Sisters' was
allegedly based very much on you and your account
of the groupie lifestyle in 'I'm With The Band'.
Do you think the film accurately captured the lifestyle
and mood of the times?

Not really. Neither did Almost Famous, although
mother and daughter both did a pretty good
job playing me!

Would you ever have imagined at the time the GTO's would become so legendary, to the point of modern groups like The Plastics basing themselves on you?

Ha ha. I always hoped so!

You held on to your virginity for a long time. Do you think that to be a 'groupie' a girl necessarily
needs to be sleeping with musicians, Or just to be born with rock'n'roll pulsating
through her veins? for instance Miss Christine didn't indulge as some the rest of you did.

No, you don't have to sleep with musicians to be a true groupie. Intimacy takes it (hopefully) to another level though. And Miss Christine had her share...Alice Cooper, Todd Rundgren...

Your attentions as a groupie shifted from musicians to thespians for a time,
how and also why did you come to make that transition?

Don Johnson is also a great musician, so was Brandon de Wilde. he was very influential in turning Gram onto country music.

You talk in 'I'm With The Band' about your own acting
ambitions, do you ever regret having not
pursued these further?

I don't have regrets. I gave it the royal try!

I've been wanting to write a book about my own
experiences but haven't a clue where to start!
Did you find writing came easily to you?

I was an English major and always thought I'd fall back
on writing. I do love it. But I have to kick my own ass
sometimes. Just sit down and do it! Start anywhere,
you can always start again.

Many of the stars you refer to are no longer with us, i.e Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones Gram Parsons & Keith Moon to name but a few. Would you say that true artistic genius always has a tormented side to it?

True genius CAN be tormented, but not always stoned. Look at Zappa and Prince.
Creative people are always searching, sometimes what they find is frightening, going deep inside, not ready to face certain things.

Finally can you give us an insight into plans for your forthcoming documentary?

I'm going to interview a lot of girls in 'Let's Spend the Night Together', and hopefully hangout backstage with some modern groupies. I want to get to the real beating heart of the matter. It's all about the deep and abiding love for music.

Thank you Miss Pamela for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.