Suzi was born in Detroit, June 3, 1950 one of 5 siblings, 4 girls and one boy to an Italian father (the name is real) and a Hungarian mother. She was raised in a musical family and was trained on piano and percussion.
At 14 , with her eldest sister, they formed the Pleasure Seekers , an all girl band. Suzi was ‘given’ the bass to play because nobody else wanted it! They started to play gigs very quickly, finally going on the road, which meant Suzi had to leave school, with her father’s blessing. Eldest sister Arlene joined on keyboard, and her husband managed the band. This band ran from 1964 to 1969, changing to Cradle at which point youngest sister Nancy joined.
Mickie Most came to Detroit, saw this band, but only wanted Suzi and invited her to come to London to record an album. She arrived in the UK , Oct 1971.
After a year of recording and stalling, nothing happening, she finally formed her UK band. The band started to gig, doing all Suzi’s original material. They were the opening act on Slade’s first ever national UK tour.
Mickie arranged for Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn to watch the show and try and come up with the magical hit single.. which they did.
Can the Can became’s Suzi’s first hit and sold more than 2 million records around the world. Between 1973 and 1980 she featured in the British charts for no less than 101 weeks, and to this date has sold over 55 million records.
77-79, she landed a part on Happy Days playing Leather Tuscadero. She has also appeared in Minder, Dempsey and Makepeace, Midsomer murders, and Absolutely Fabulous.
1986 She made her west end debut playing the leading role of Annie Oakley, in Annie Get your Gun.
1988 Suzi hosted her own talk show call Gas Street on ITV which ran for a year.
1991 She co wrote the music/lyrics with Shirlie Roden , book by Willie Rushton, her own musical called Tallulah Who? And played the leading role.
1991 Suzi began her radio career on BBC radio 2 which ran for 15 years, even being nominated for Sony Radio award, ‘radio presenter of the year’. She was also honoured on t.v. with the famous red book, ‘this is your life’.
2006 saw the release of Suzi’s autobiography UNZIPPED, which you later turned into a one woman show in 2012.