Sex, Groupies and Rock and Roll

The word “groupie” is likely to conjure up a stereotypical image in the imagination of the reader. A groupie is thought to be an empty-headed “goose” who favours practically any celebrity, and who presents his charms behind the scenes, and behind the concerts.

Of course, reality is not always that simple. This description may not be far from the truth, but there are also significant differences among groupies, depending on who the fans of the scene are and in which era they live, and, of course, whatever other special circumstances there are. The “classic” groupies appeared early in the ’60s. We all remember those screaming, heated teenage hordes who chased the Beatles. By the end of the decade, bands such as The Doors, the Rolling Stones, or world-famous performers like Jimi Hendrix could have said that they had slept with a huge number of these “chicks”. There were girls who got close to the musicians and became almost as famous as their idols, and many of them became muses. They inspired artists and travelled with them. Among their trophies are Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger, Keith Moon, Jim Morrison, Waylon Jennings, Don Johnson, Denis Hopper, Terence Trent D’Arby, Dave Navarro and many others. Nobody knows if they are proud of their relationships, or the fact that one of the girls has written detailed stories about her affairs and escapades in three books. In the ‘70s, groupies became an integral part of the “sex, drugs and rock and roll” lifestyle. The success of a rock band could be measured by the number of women that were bundled into their dressing room.

“I remember when I got in behind the stage. I just wanted to get an autograph, but almost all of the other girls wanted more—if you understand what I’m saying. I just remember that one of them, after a Skid Row party, went to Rob Affuso, asked his name, and did not even know that he was the drummer of the band. She did not really care who he was—he was famous, and she would have gone to bed with him,” said a fan from the ‘80s who talked about this period.

In the ‘90s, the picture radically changed. A musician himself was eating brown rice before the concert, drinking mineral water on the stage and rushing home to his friends at the end of the party — or at least not putting himself at risk of AIDS and choosing a permanent partner (or partners). Although the popularity of hip-hop culture was re-established by girls who liked to join P. Diddy in the limousine, the story was not the same as in the previous decades. The guitar was somewhat replaced by two turntables and a mixer, and club culture spread around the world like a virus.

Today, groupies are still sharing their experiences, not only after parties and in the clubs, but also on the Internet. For a long while, www.groupiecentral.com was the best source for those who found this way of life attractive. Unfortunately, the website doesn’t work anymore. The site hosted a number of well-known amateur and renowned amateur fans, all existing stars, and provided tips for those who sought advice. The most frightening part of it was the message wall, where incredibly fresh rumours could be read about who the members of a band wanted to sleep with, how a member of the band loves in or out of bed, and who is the one who only receives the special sex.

What does the future will bring? Who knows! One thing is sure: where there is money, power, fame, and music, there will always be people who want to be a part of it.

Famous Groupies

Connie Hamzy – Connie was one of the most famous groupie of the 70’s. Her list of rock stars includes members of ZZ Top, The Who, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, the Allman Brothers Band and the Doobie Brothers. When Connie turned 19, she submitted a detailed story for Cosmopolitan, and in 1992 she wrote her escapades for Penthouse too.

Lori Maddox – She was the youngest groupie of all times, only 14. Her biggest trophy was Jimmy Page – although they tried to keep their relationship in secret due to the young age of Lori.

Pamela Des Barres – She was the “supergroupie” of the ‘60s and ‘70s, whose intelligence was above average. She has her own all-female band, The GTO’s, which released a record with Frank Zappa. The album is now one of the most sought-after treasures of collectors. Her first book, inspired by her own biography, was entitled “I’m With the Band: Confessions of a Groupie”. It was released in 1987, followed by “Take Another Piece of My Heart: The Groupie Grows Up and Rock Bottom: Dark Moments in Music Babylon”. Pamela can tell the story of a true groupie career: she married a singer, Michael Des Barres (whom she has since divorced), is currently working as a journalist, and has also written a screenplay.