Suzi Q: An Insightful Documentary About An Overlooked Rock 'n Roll Legend
From Australian filmmaker Liam Firmager comes Suzi Q, the definitive, unexpurgated story of Suzi Quatro, a girl from Detroit City who redefined the role and image of women in rock ’n roll when she took the world by storm in 1973. Although Quatro’s legacy is often overlooked within the pantheon of rock stars, this insightful documentary fills in the gaps with a fine-haired brush, exposing audiences to her pioneering influence, white-hot talent, and fiery hits.
The Story of trailblazing American rock singer-songwriter Suzi Quatro, who helped redefine the role of women in rock 'n' roll when she broke out in 1973.
It’s pretty crazy how Suzi Quatro’s became obscured and eclipsed by other rock ‘n roll icons — especially when you consider the female figures in early 70s rock music. When Quatro launched her career in 1973 (a year prior to Patti Smith’s debut single, "Hey Joe" / "Piss Factory"), she was one of the few prominent women instrumentalists and bandleaders. With the exception of Janis Joplin or Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick, there were no women standing front and center in the rock industry, and Quatro took things with a guns-blazing demeanor. It’s unfortunate that her history slid under the radar, but fortunately, Firmager’s latest, Suzi Q, sets out to tell her story and highlight the important mark she left on rock music.
The film covers Quatro’s personal introduction to rock ’n roll (from Elvis to The Beatles), her early musical attempts (in Pleasure Seekers and Cradle), and the highs and lows of her influential solo career, which sent a jolt of electricity through the industry and still continues to this day. The film illustrates how much of a trailblazer Suzi was within the rock sphere and celebrates her career which paved the way for female figures to become a permanent resident of an otherwise male-dominated genre. Her reach and impact is amazing, and part of the joy of this documentary is seeing a lot of well-known rock legends (like Debbie Harry, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett) discuss the influence Suzi had on them.
Even at an early age, Suzi seemed destined for stardom; she came from a musical family with siblings all in the industry (her brother, Michael, was the go-to music promoter in the late 60s), and she had the skillful chops and tenacious attitude needed to be a rock ‘n roll star. Quatro was small in stature — and her size is brought up many times throughout the film— but she is proof that big, explosive things can sometimes come in the most surprising and petite packages. Her bass playing is vicious and her wail is soul-shaking, and when you consider her size, her power becomes all the more immense. Her blend of roots rock and glam (similar to Mark Bolan’s T-Rex) still feels vibrant and fresh today as it was in the 70s, and now that we’ve been turned on to Quatro’s hits (like “Can the Can,” “Devil Gate Drive,” or “Stumblin’ In”), we have some new old tunes to add into circulation.
Suzi’s incredible story is told with clear eyes and sharp focus; it’s cleanly presented and neatly assembled. The film traverses a lot of ground and delivers an expanse of information while maintaining a brisk, even pace. Conventional in approach but engaging in its exhibition, Firmager combines archive footage, photographs, and interviews in a rich, textured way to engage the audience and give the documentary some solid production value. Stylistically, it bears certain resemblance to the docs from Rodney Ascher (Room 237, Nightmare, Primal Screen) but isn’t quite as masterful or ingenious with regard to approach.
Overall, Suzi Q is pretty eye-opening. It provides some great information for the uninitiated while also functioning as a long overdue celebration for those longtime fans. It kinda runs out of gas as it pushes to its close, but it leaves a resonate mark. It made us wonder what other influential Detroit musicians (like Quatro or Death) have yet to get their due recognition.
Recommendation: If you love rock ‘n roll, you’ve got to check this one out! Utopia Distribution will host a virtual event on July 1st featuring the film and an exclusive Q&A featuring Suzi Quatro and a special guest (available for 24 hours only) in advance of the film's traditional release on VOD and DVD on July 3rd.
Rating: 3.5 rock ‘n roll looks outta 5.
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!