All I Ever Wanted

A Rock 'n' Roll Memoir

By: Kathy Valentine

Narrated by: Kathy Valentine

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

At 21, Kathy Valentine was at the Whisky in Los Angeles when she met a guitarist from a fledgling band called the Go-Go's - and the band needed a bassist. The Go-Go's became the first multi-platinum-selling, all-female band to play instruments themselves, write their own songs, and have a number one album. Their debut, Beauty and the Beat, spent six weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 and featured the hit songs "We Got the Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed". The record's success brought the pressures of a relentless workload and schedule culminating in a wild, hazy, substance-fueled tour that took the band from the club circuit to arenas, where fans, promoters, and crew were more than ready to keep the party going.

For Valentine, the band's success was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream - but it's only part of her story. All I Ever Wanted traces the path that took her from her childhood in Texas - where she all but raised herself - to the height of rock n' roll stardom, devastation after the collapse of the band that had come to define her, and the quest to regain her sense of self after its end. Valentine also speaks candidly about the lasting effects of parental betrayal, abortion, rape, and her struggles with drugs and alcohol - and the music that saved her every step of the way. Populated with vivid portraits of Valentine's interactions during the 1980s with musicians and actors from the Police and Rod Stewart to John Belushi and Rob Lowe, All I Ever Wanted is a deeply personal reflection on a life spent in music.

©2020 Kathy Valentine (P)2020 Hachette Original

Enjoyable listen, with music interludes

Well written, easy to follow, but we seem shortchanged at the end. After AA rehab, we are rushed through an ending that includes Another break-up of the band, a dismissal, assorted adventures, a marriage and child rearing...a paragraph of words. Would read/listen to Part 2, which is given a short shrift

Absolutely enjoyed Kathy's story

Arriving in L.A. in 1982 in my 20s, I loved hearing about the many L.A. clubs and places Kathy highlighted, the rise and fall of this iconic L.A. based band who I got to see perform many times, and the reunion tours they all needed to have in their later years to remember the great legacy of music they left for all to enjoy! Also liked the songs she wrote and performed at the end of several chapters. I know she has another book of stories in her to share even more personal band members experiences!

Amazing

Loved it!. Filled in many blanks of the story of Kathy and the Go Go's .

The message I received is...JUST KEEP GOING!

Thanks Kathy.

Great story and storyteller

I most enjoyed ‘All I Ever Wanted’ as an audio book. With the writer vocalizing the story, I get a much more in-depth feel for it. This is the second Go-Go’s-related book I got into. Kathy does a great job telling her story. It’s interesting to learn about each individual’s band mates perspective. I love the rise and she started playing, writing and performing. Well done.

A rock n roll memoir like no other!

I love this audio book. Aside from being read by the author it comes with a soundtrack, written and performed by her as well. This adds a unique experience to this version of the book that is truly special. What a terrific idea to include a soundtrack. Not only do you get KV’s story as a Go-Go but my favorite chapters are those before and after the Go-Go’s—the band that she helped make famous. Those chapters tell of a life filled with struggles, disappointments, cheers and love. The arc of redemption at the end is not only satisfying but leaves you wanting more! I read the book before I listened to it, and each version gives new insights into a woman’s life that we’ve never experienced before. I’ve known Kathy for 25 years and much of what was in this book I did not know. It’s a fascinating read. I know you will enjoy it.

Very inspiring and heartbreaking

Great look inside Kathys tumultuous upbringing and making it big in the LA punk scene. There are a lot of heartbreaking events throughout the book but Kathys perseverance and love of song writing and playing in bands helps her overcome it all. There are musical interludes between portions of the audio book that add an emotional element to this experience.

A Must!

If you are a fan of the Go-Go's, you will love this book. Kathy takes you along for a ride through her past, which will surely stir some of your own memories of "I was there!" and "I remember that!" along with plenty of shocking "OMG, I never knew". You will smile to yourself as she recalls her triumphs, and probably feel some heavy empathy for her as she recounts her struggles. Above all, you'll be grateful she felt compelled to tell us about it all.

Part of something special

I’ve read books by other musicians that are frustratingly vague about their passion for music, playing in a band, the business side of things and touring. Kathy Valentine by far goes more into these things than any other book by any artist that I’ve yet come across. She has an honest passion for music. The entire book is her being honest and detailed about being a musician in the Go-Go’s, and that is what I was looking for when I purchased this. She manages to tell a very detailed story about her youth, her journey into music, her bands and what they went through. It’s cool that she narrates it as well, as some famous authors do not, and she is a good narrator. Certainly, there’s reckless drug and alcohol use, foolish behavior, family trouble, abortions, and other details that might be difficult for some, but she’s telling her story and she isn’t being shy about it. There are sexual encounters in the book, but none of them are exciting. Quite the opposite, really, as many of the encounters that she shares are joyless, to put it mildly. There’s also a frightening recount of a home invasion that could have ended terribly, and her difficulties after the Go-Go’s were for real. It’s an excellent book for fans, and her story can be an inspiration to everyone who is passionate about music because she never gave up and ended up being part of something special.

A treat for Go-go's fans and 80's aficionados

This autobiography of the bass player from the Go-go's is a treat. The rise of the band and the 3 IRS albums are well documented, with delightful smatterings of mentions of other acts of the time (also enjoying their rise to fame and demises, ultimately, too). I had no idea Kathy and Clem Burke from Blondie were an item, and looked on Google before I reached the end to find out if he was the dad to her daughter Audrey!! The account is very personal and very heartfelt, more than most rock n roll memoirs that I have read. I really felt I got to know the artist herself and appreciated her candour and honesty - some of these accounts would have been challenging to decide to include. I wanted more of the Go-go's story past the Greatest reunion, and was disappointed that the mysterious 4th album was not mentioned. I would have enjoyed hearing how she met her husband and the genesis of the life as a mum and wife that ensued. But hey - there is a lot packed in here, and I guess you can only fit in so much. It's an enjoyable and wonderful read.

Rock and Roll Queen!

I loved hearing Kathy's story. her highs, lows, and her determined spirit. very humble and honest. definitely a must for any fan of rock and roll.