Brief Kathy Bio

Kathy Valentine was born Kathryn Valentine on January 7th, 1959 in Austin Texas.

Kathy's mother (Margaret) lives in Austin. She has no brothers or sisters. Kathy is married (Steve) and has a daughter Audre, born October 8, 2002.

(See a more recent Kathy interview here.)

Kathy began playing guitar at age 16 in her hometown of Austin. Kathy's mom is English and Kathy spent time in England while growing up. In 1975 she briefly joined the British all girl band called Girlschool. The lineup changed many times over the years. 

Girlschool included Kim McAuliffe (vocals and rhythm guitar), Denise Dufort (drums), Kelly Johnson (lead guitar) Enid Williams (vocals and bass) and Kathy on guitar.

Friend Carla Olson and Kathy got together while still in Austin. They formed a band called the Violators. The Violators included Carla, Kathy, Marilyn Dean on drums and Jesse Sublett on bass guitar. 

Austin's first punk show was at Raul's Redux located at 2610 Guadalupe, Austin Tx. It featured the Violators and the Skunks (with writer Jesse Sublett) and soon to be Plimsoul Eddie Munoz. 

Carla Olson, Marilyn Dean, Jesse Sublett and Kathy Valentine

Jesse Sublett at this time was playing bass for both the Violators and the Skunks. 

Excerpt from Austin Chronicle article 

Young, Loud and Cheap - The Skunks, the Band that Broke Austin Out of the Seventies

by Ken Lieck

In 1976 a musical revolution was just beginning to change the face of popular music. First engulfing the UK, then spilling over onto american shores, 'punk hands and bell-bottom-draped knees past its midpoint, acts like the Ramones and the Damned started coming through Austin.

Raul's, a small, unassuming little club on the drag, opened its doors to this new, irreverent form of entertainment, just as young, individualistic types like Turner started cutting off their long hair and praying to the gods of rock for an end to the long drought.  In 1977, when the Skunks formed, those prayers were answered. 

Formed in 1977 and disbanded after enough lineup changes to render the local trio all but unrecognizable to its earliest fans in 1983, Austin's Skunks managed to straddle then then-important punk/New Wave fence without calling themselves one or the other.  Austin Chronicle: music

After their stint with the Violators, Kathy and Carla move to Los Angeles to be part of the music scene happening here at the time. In 1980 Kathy was 18 years old.

They advertised in the Recycler seeking other similar type musicians to join their band. This way they met drummer Mike Cuff. Kathy met bassist David Provost at a record swap meet. They formed the Textones.

The Textones were the first to record the future GoGo hit Vacation. They also recorded but never released We Don't Get Along and Can't Stop the World. 

The Textones were: Kathy Valentine (guitar), Carla Olson (vocals), David Provost (bass and piano) and Mark Cuff (drums).

The Textones absorbed the LA sound of the Byrds, Gene Clark, Love, the Leaves and the Doors. 

Kathy joined the GoGo's on New Year's Eve 1980 as a substitute for ailing bassist Margot Olaverria. She was asked to remain as a permanent member shortly thereafter. 

photo source: Catherine Sebasian - Kathy Valentine's Myspace page

Note: The Hong Kong Cafe closed it's doors for good after New Year's Eve.  The Hong Kong Cafe had been the focal point of L.A.'s rock renaissance since early 1979 and the local new-wave movement.  When the larger more established Starwood and Whiskly clubs began luring such acts away, the Hong Kong could not compete. 

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