FROM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/LATHUM NELSON 

KATHY VALENTINE

                                             TO RELEASE SOLO DEBUT

‘ LIGHT YEARS ‘

SEPTEMBER 6 ON HER OWN ALL FOR ONE MUSIC LABEL

KATHY VALENTINE, best known as bass player and songwriter for the Go-Go’s, will release her solo debut LIGHT YEARS September 6 on her own All For One Music label via Redeye Distribution. With seductive rock grooves and a catchy pop energy, KATHY has taken over vocal and lead guitar duties to illuminate themes of life, passion and mortality. Guest musicians on the self-produced album include drummers Clem Burke (Blondie) and Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello & the Attractions), plus backup guitarists Craig Ross (Lenny Kravitz), Gilby Clarke (Guns N ‘  Roses) and Ace Frehley (Kiss).

As a member of rock’s most successful all-female band–for which she co-wrote the hit songs “Vacation” and “Head Over Heels” as well as the popular anthem “Can’t Stop The World”–the self-proclaimed “Texas rocker chick at heart” never found the time to record a solo album until a few years ago when she was pregnant with her daughter. She says, “I have always been most comfortable as a band member, but I was not working with any band when I was pregnant, and I decided to give recording solo a shot. It felt like I was making two babies at once! The night before going in for a scheduled delivery, I was putting vocal overdubs on a couple of songs, knowing it might be awhile before I got back into the studio. “Continuing, she adds, “Being in a band is like any democracy, very frustrating and imperfect! For LIGHT YEARS, it was great to try whatever I wanted, however I wanted, whenever I wanted. No committees approving your ideas! No lobbying! No special interest groups!”

KATHY produced LIGHT YEARS in Los Angeles, writing 11 of the album’s 12 songs, which includes a cover of Gary Myrick’s 80’s hit “Guitar, Talk, Love and Drums.”   “Before, I always liked to write with the singer in mind. I did this with my own album too, knowing that I had to write songs I could feel comfortable singing.” KATHY explains, “I want people to listen to the song with all the elements in mind–the arrangement, musicianship, harmonies, and especially lyrics.”

LIGHT YEARS not only places KATHY centerstage as lead vocalist, but also allowed her to pick up her trusty Stratocaster to handle most of the album’s blazing lead and rhythm guitar chores. “It’s fun to play bass in the Go-Go’s, and putting down the guitar to play bass with the Go-Go’s certainly turned out to be a wise choice. With them, I focus on making the ‘whole’ sound better–playing to enhance everyone else and add to the song. Guitar is a different experience entirely. It is a much more expressive instrument, and I love coming up with cool guitar parts and hooks for songs. I especially love improvised solos–it’s fun to just let it fly and either fall on your face or soar!”

According to KATHY, the songs on the do-it-yourself album “cover a lot of ground: experiences, observations, and thoughts I have chosen to try and convey musically.” 

“Getting By ” expresses heartbreak and healing–“It dies, it grows/It fills your soul and when it goes/You get by”–with chiming guitars and layered harmonies. KATHY lets her guitar set the groove by showcasing her bluesy roots on the title track, while the supercharged pop of “Retouch Me” and “Shooting Star” give away her Go-Go’s bloodline. “Win” opens quietly with KATHY singing over an acoustic guitar–“I woke up to who I am/Shook the clouds out of my head/Don’t know where I’m going to/But it won’t be where I’ve been”–before exploding into an all-out rocker that showcases the artist’s ability to blend sweet melodies with raw emotion.  

“I feel that I have made a record that has a voice,” says KATHY, “rather than one searching for a voice. I am happy that I waited until this new chapter of my life to take this chance and put myself out there because…’I have traveled light years to be right here.'”

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