Lita Ford, Doro Pesch And Betsy Bitch Featured In Women In Metal Book

Music journalist and band manager Jill Hughes Kirtland has self-published a book entitled ‘Not Just Tits In A Corset: Celebrating Women In Metal’. German vocalist Doro Pesch wrote the foreword to the book.

Told in their own voices — through a series of intimate interviews and photographs of prominent and influential women in the metal industry — ‘Not Just Tits In A Corset’ details the unique history, challenges and triumphs women have encountered throughout their careers in metal music, while also celebrating the compelling global community these women have created amongst each other and the fans. It’s not just musicians featured, but the women behind the scenes also tell their stories, all of them offering inspiration and support to the up-and-comers.

Featured women include: Lita Ford, Ann Boleyn, Doro Pesch, Betsy Bitch, Leather Leone, Anneke Van Giersbergen, Elize Ryd, Sharon Den Adel, Alissa White-Gluz, Angela Gossow, Maria Brink, Floor Jansen, Tarja Turunen, Cristina Scabbia, Charlotte Wessels, Roxy Petrucci, Linda McDonald, Lzzy Hale, and Simone Simons, to name just a few.

The book is now available as a hardcover or softcover printed book or e-book on the author’s website at www.thewomeninmetal.com and will be available through other online retailers soon. A book launch party open to the public (all ages) will take place on Thursday, April 3rd (6:30pm) at Roxy & Duke’s Roadhouse in Dunellen, New Jersey. Female-fronted metal bands Mindmaze, A Sound Of Thunder, and Flames Of Fury will be performing that night with other special guests.

Excerpts from the book:

“We just wanted to play metal in the boys’ club. We were metal. And the music represented us. I remember early on at shows when I saw females in the audience I’d try to bring them in so they’d get it. I don’t want to f*ck him. I want to be him.” Leather Leone (Chastain)

“A lot of the male fans say it is so hard to even find a girl who likes Iron Maiden, how on earth did we find 5 girls who like Maiden so much they want to play it?” Linda McDonald (ex-Phantom Blue, The Iron Maidens)

“Ten years ago I heard [from women], “Since I saw you in a metal band, I thought ‘okay, I can do this as well.'” Sometimes we need a little bit of an example.” Anneke Van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering, solo artist)