"Can you believe it? I only found out in January." Suzi Quatro discovers she's been breaking the law for over half a century

Suzi Quatro seated, holding a bass guitar
(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)

Glam rock icon Suzi Quatro has admitted that she's been breaking the law for decades. The Detroit native, whose 18th solo album, Freedom, will be released next week, has revealed that she isn't officially qualified to drive on UK roads, despite living in the country since 1971.

"I was told when I started to drive in this country that my American licence was fine," Quatro tells The Mirror. "And over the years I was insured, I had speeding tickets."

Unbeknownst to the diminutive hitmaker, a US driving licence is only valid for 12 months after the holder enters the UK, meaning that she's been driving illegally for over half a century and now has to sit a UK driving test.

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"Can you believe it?" she ponders. "I only found out in January because the US laws changed too, and they won’t renew your American licence unless you can prove you have been in the particular state your license is from for the last six months, and of course, I can’t. I live here. So I needed a British licence."

"I’m 75, for god’s sake," she adds. "I’ve been driving since I was 16."

Quatro's Freedom album, which includes a duet with fellow Detroiter Alice Cooper on a cover of the MC5's Kick Out The Jams, is followed by a UK tour. Full dates below.

Suzi Quatro is interviewed in the current issue of Classic Rock.

Suzi Quatro - Freedom (Official Music Video) - YouTube Suzi Quatro - Freedom (Official Music Video) - YouTube
Watch On

Suzi Quatro: Freedom UK Tour 2026

Apr 07: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Apr 08: Gateshead The Glasshouse International Centre for Music
Apr 09: Manchester Opera House
Apr 11: Watford Watford Colosseum
Apr 12: Oxford New Theatre
Apr 14: Southend Cliffs Pavilion
Apr 15: London Palladium
Apr 17: Bath The Forum
Apr 19: Birmingham Symphony Hall
Apr 20: Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre

Get Suzi Quatro tickets.

Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.

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