‘About A Girl’ honors the women in rock who were eclipsed by their famous partners
“About A Girl” chronicles the lesser-told stories of the women whose journeys have been long eclipsed by their famous partners – each legends in their own right, whose spotlights took a backseat to their legendary partners musical careers. From Double Elvis and iHeartRadio, this scripted anthology series is about the women who changed our musical landscape.
There are many women that music today would be very different without. Not only did they inspire the music that Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Freddie Mercury wrote, but they created the most celebrated and enduring art of all time.
David and Angie Bowie
“About A Girl” kicked off their series in 2020 with the story of Angie and David Bowie. And while the latter is without a doubt one of the giants of the industry, without Angie Bowie, there would have been no Ziggy Stardust. Sure, David would have still existed – he would have created music and worn eye-catching outfits. But it was Angie who influenced the glam-rock culture that David brought to the stage, ushering in the era of ’70s fashion. She assisted him in conceptualizing the costumes for his alter-ego, creating his iconic look that has transcended him even in death.
The episode paints a picture of their collaborations. While he wrote his Ziggy Stardust album, she sewed the costumes for him and his bandmates. A believer in aliens herself, at a time that men were landing on the moon, she knew what he would become. While their marriage was out of convenience rather than love, they had a transactional agreement.
“About A Girl” shines a spotlight beyond her time as David’s wife. They divorced in 1980, and she was blackballed by the entertainment industry. She gave full custody of their son to David, believing that he could give Zowie, now Duncan Jones, a better life. She’s written books and songs, and had a smattering of film and television roles. Despite being four decades divorced, she never gave up the last name Bowie. Not in an effort to ride his coattails, but because she made that name. She worked for that name. She created Ziggy Stardust, thus propelling David Bowie into the stratosphere of legendary musicians.
Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger
One of the great women of rock and roll found her downfall in one of the great men of rock. In the 1960s, Marianne Faithfull was the most famous woman in Swinging London, her singing career paired with her much-publicized relationship with Mick Jagger made her part of an iconic musical duo. “About A Girl” shares her incredible story.
She had a number of successful singles, “As Tears Go By,” “This Little Bird,” “Summer Nights,” and “Come Stay With Me.” She can be heard in The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” and is considered to be the inspiration behind Rolling Stone classics like “Sympathy For The Devil,” “Wild Horses,” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
But being wrapped up in The Rolling Stones careers resulted in the end of her. She became addicted to heroin and cocaine, and a drug raid by police at Keith Richard’s house found her high in just a fur rug. Her reputation was tarnished and she said in a later interview that the drug bust fur rug incident had ravaged her personal life.
After a series of bumps that caused her career to continue to tailspin, she recovered. Her voice changed, now raspy from years of drug use and severe laryngitis, and she re-recorded one of her biggest hits “As Tears Go By” two decades after it’s original release. The song still stands today as a symbol for rebirth and endurance.
About A Girl
“About A Girl” is a documentary podcast series about the women in rock music, the women that, without them, modern music would not be what it is today. The host of the first season, Eleanor Wells, says, “The women featured in ‘About A Girl’ have made an impact on music that is often overlooked.” And we couldn’t agree more. So, check out “About A Girl” to hear about the most incredible women who shaped rock and roll.
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