“I opened my guitar case and nearly fainted – I thought there was a human hand in there”: Motörhead and Girlschool were leading the charge for British heavy metal in the ’80s – guitarist Kim McAuliffe reveals what touring with Lemmy was really like

British heavy metal powerhouse Girlschool have been active for nearly five decades – no mean feat – and released their latest album, WTFortyfive?, in 2023.

Back in the ’80s, their unique brand of punk-tinged metal cemented them as a band leading the charge of the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) scene – capturing the imagination of audiences and none other than Lemmy.

This quickly led to a creative Girlschool/Motörhead kinship that culminated in the release of the joint EP, St. Valentine's Day Massacre, in 1981. Turns out, the team-up was just what the charts needed, as the record managed to clinch the number five spot in the UK charts.

“Girlschool had been going for two years before we linked up with Motörhead on the Overkill tour,” guitarist/singer Kim McAuliffe tells Metal Hammer of the band's early days.

“We basically stole my mum and dad’s Bedford van and drove it into the ground, going all around these little clubs in Europe.”

Motörhead & Girlschool – Please Don’t Touch (Official Top Of The Pops Performance) - YouTube

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As for their relationship with Motörhead, McAuliffe says they got along “like a house on fire” – but there was one night when Lemmy’s love of practical jokes got a little… weird.

“They’d always come wish us luck before we went on, because it was our first time on big stages,” she continues. “One night Lemmy lingers around a bit longer than normal, so we’re like, ‘That’s a bit odd.’

“I opened my guitar case and nearly fainted because I thought there was a human hand in there. It turned out, it was half a pig’s head. Cheers Lem, I’d got brains all over my guitar!”

In a 2021 interview with Guitar World, McAuliffe gave us a peek into the behind-the-scenes of those heady Overkill touring days. “After we had the introduction with Lemmy and all the rest of it, we clicked,” she said.

“It was brilliant. We were sharing a tour bus with them. They hadn’t done a big tour like that either, and the fans just took to us. It was incredible. The two bands worked so well together. And partied. Oh, when I look back now I think, ‘How the hell did we do that and get up the next day and play a gig?’”

Elsewhere in the Guitar World interview, the guitarist dishes on the rig she was using at the time, getting electrocuted onstage, and working with legendary producer Vic Maile.