Lita Ford, the renowned hard rock musician from the 1980s, recently gave an interview to Meltdown on Detroit’s WRIF 101.1 FM radio station. During the conversation, she was asked whether she considers pop icon Madonna to be one of the sexiest performers in the industry.
“Madonna never held back—she just let everything fly,” Ford commented. “There was a time when she’d get on stage and simulate intimate acts in a bed in front of the audience. That was pretty wild. I don’t think I could have done that—maybe just pretended—but she definitely deserves the trophy for being number one when it comes to expressing sexuality on stage, in her songs, and in her videos. She was always incredibly sexy.”
Reflecting on how times have changed, Ford continued, “Back then, what she was doing was ahead of its time and hard for some people to accept. But now, we talk about these things openly, and I love that. It should be that way—it’s a part of human nature.”
Ford also discussed the strong connection between sexuality and rock music. “Rock and roll is inherently sensual,” she explained. “When someone is performing rock music, people are like, ‘Wow, he’s so hot!’ Even if he’s just wearing a turtleneck sweater. Why? Because he’s singing rock and roll.”
Recalling the wild atmosphere of the 1980s, she mentioned that she and other musicians fully embraced the sex and drugs often associated with the rock-and-roll lifestyle. “Everyone was going crazy with the sex,” she reminisced. “Look at bands like Poison—they’d have rooms full of girls after shows. Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, and the rest of the guys would pick a few—sometimes two or three—and the others would be sent back. They’d have their fun, and the girls loved it; they had the time of their lives. It was a really crazy time.”
She added, “As for me, I was interested in fellow rock stars. That was my thing, especially since everyone else was hooking up with groupies. Here I was, one of the only women out there, touring and working with these guys, meeting them at nightclubs and parties. It was awesome.”
When asked if she gravitated toward other rock stars because they had a lot in common, Lita responded, “I think people naturally connect with those in similar situations. If you’re in school, you’ll probably be attracted to someone else at that school. In your job—whether you’re a doctor or an attorney—you’ll likely connect with colleagues or others in that environment. It’s just how it goes. In a rock band, you’re drawn to other singers or guitar players. And that’s what happened with me. I had relationships with many guitarists and lead singers in the music industry.”
