Search - Girlschool :: Hit & Run

Finally on CD!!! But...

Ernesto Catalan Valdez | Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico | 02/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"GIRLSCHOOL were a sadly overlooked heavy metal band made up of (guess what!) girls! But despite what you might think of a band with girls playing their instruments, GIRLSCHOOL played with such an intensity and a knack for hooky, catchy songs that some of their male counterparts twisted in shame. Despite being spawned during the NEW WAVE OF BRITISH HEAVY METAL's peak, GIRLSCHOOL's sound owed much to fellow punks like DISCHARGE and GBH and of course, MOTORHEAD, with whom they made a friendship that lasts even to this date. The guitar sounds are decidedly brutal, making any of DEF LEPPARD's records of the time (1980-1983) sound positively tame in comparison. HIT AND RUN is GIRLSCHOOL at its most intense, heaviest and fastest, yet the songs were really memorable and had this had a more "subtle" production it would have been an international hit. Songs like "Yeah Right", "Come on Let's go" and the punkish "Watch Your Step" were melodic yet utterly heavy. The press at the time labelled them "MOTORHEAD with breasts" and to a certain extent they were the female equivalent to that influential band. No other female band has sounded any better. Someone said something about the DONNAS here, and, just for the record, the DONNAS' "spend the night" actually sounds very close (production and song wise) to what GIRLSCHOOL were aiming at here. Of course, 25 years later a band like the DONNAS can get away with doing this stuff, but back in the very early 80's we only had GIRLSCHOOL.

One more thing: this cd seems to have ommited the song, "Race With The Devil". As far as I can remember, it was cover song but it really gelled well with the band's original material. It's a shame that song was not included for it would had made this CD a truly complete re issue.

For fans of thrashy british heavy metal and MOTORHEAD. Buy or die!!!"

Girlschool's strongest early LP

Tom P. the Underground Navigator | Park Forest, IL USA | 01/02/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Recorded during December 1980 and January '81, Girlschool's second release "Hit and Run" remains the group's strongest outing to date and it seemed the British record buying public at the time seemed to agree, as the album went all the way to #5 in the U.K. national charts. (It even proved to be a popular seller in Canada, eventually earning gold status.)



The band is faster and more aggressive here than on the debut, reflecting the tide of the day in England, as Saxon had charted equally high in 1980 with two classic early speed metal LPs. Girlschool duly took note, as opener "C'mon Let's Go" is somewhat reminiscent of the former musically and lyrically. Several of the tracks here are played at equally fast and furious tempos, most notably "(I'm Your) Victim," "Watch Your Step" and my favorite song, the classic "Yeah Right." The band's delivery is tighter than a noose throughout and vocalist/guitarist Kelly Johnson exudes the same youthful vigor and commanding air of confidence that she did on the debut, making "Hit and Run" an unsung classic of the NWOBHM era. One final track deserving of note is the band's high energy cover of ZZ Top's "Tush." Totally catchy and vintage.



This would unfortunately prove to be the last early Girlschool album to feature dazzling (and beautiful) bassist Enid Williams, who departed to further her studies. Her mastery of her instrument is evident throughout and would be missed.



Girlschool's early LPs are insanely rare to find on CD, as is most old NWOBHM. I had to settle for the Japan mini-LP sleeve CDs that were issued by Universal Japan in 2008, and even those are quite pricey, but the lesser of two evils when you consider what the out of print Castle pressings from 2004 are currently commanding here on Amazon. But get this band's music any way you can. Their early releases come highly recommended to any fans of vintage NWOBHM."

Kick It Down

Bloodbath_and_Beyond | usa | 07/28/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Girlschool were one of the lost nuggets of heavy metal, as with any NWoBHM band from the time, they made some of the best hard rock albums around, and were the main influence on what would become thrash and speed metal in America. Though Girlschool may be a bit far down on the list (behind Diamond Head, Venom, Maiden, Motorhead, Jaguar, Tank, Saxon etc), their first 3-4 albums are essentials, the first 2 being real classics. While their first album Demolition is a must have, the follow up Hit And Run is almost just as good.



The most immediate thing about this album is the opening track Cmon Lets Go, a first rate pre thrash rocker that will get you up and moving unless you're braindead, these are chicks playing double bass and fast rock. The Hunter a more lurching rocker along with (I'm Your) Victim and Kick It Down, Watch Your Step, the excellent title track and the anthemic Yeah Right are all top notch early 80's British hard rock/metal at it's finest. One stand out track must be Back To Start, more mid tempo but still has an irresistable bass groove under the layers of bone crunching guitar. Probably the most "known" song here the cover of Tush but isn't their best song. The ending rocker Future Flash is right up alongside Cmon Lets Go as the major stand out for the album.



the remastered edition with bonus tracks is the one to pick up although the album is rare and usually fetches hefty prices, if you come across it, and have a taste for rare rock, do not miss the album. Though Girlschool's later albums after HAR were a little more inconsistant they're also worth checking out but Demolition and Hit And Run are classics. Hit And Run is just a hint below the debut album because there aren't quite as many memorable hooks as that album but even still, the band's energy is there, they are inspired and rocking throughout the whole album, and of course that raw production is there which is makes it and the NWOBHM so unique and special. Nothing coporate and mainstream going on. Girlschool may not be the heaviest all female band but they rock better than any others."