The Toy Box: Lita Ford

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Retro Spins: Lita Ford - Lita

Between 1985 and 1986, Lita was hard at work recording her third solo studio album, The Bride Wore Black. Unfortunately, it would ultimately be shelved by her record label, Mercury. Further complications at the label involving internal management shakeups would result in her being dropped. Not to worry, Lita would sign with Sharon Osbourne Management and obtain a new deal through RCA.

Her misfortune would turn out to be Mercury's loss. With the supervision of Sharon, and producer Mike Chapman, Ford would go on to record her most successful album in her career, 1988's Lita. It was led by hits, Kiss Me Deadly, Back To The Cave, and the massive duet with Ozzy Osbourne, Close My Eyes Forever. The latter remains her most successful single, peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. As a whole, the album would peak at number 29 on the Billboard 200.

Music videos for Kiss Me Deadly, Back To The Cave, of course, Close My Eyes burned up airplay on MTV, further launching the album into mainstream success. Kiss Me Deadly would also go on to be crowned number seventy-six on VH1's list of best hard rock songs.

For how long this album's been in my life, I'm disappointed with myself to say I've never actually listened to it in its entirety. While I wasn't denying myself a perfect masterpiece, I was missing out on some solid gems.

Back To The Cave, Blueberry, Broken Dreams, Kiss Me Deadly, and yes, the song I bought the album for, Close My Eyes Forever, were all fantastic additions to my shuffle list. With the exception of the latter, the album keeps up a consistent hard rock sound with awesome guitar solos, and wonderful synthesizers.

Hearing Close My Eyes Forever really hit me hard. Hearing Ozzy in his prime coming through the headphones was almost too much. I think it may very well be the first time I actually mourned his death and not just acknowledged mentally that he was gone. It's an epic track, and one which will forever live in my personal rotation.

Lita would be at her peak with the album, and its success allowed her the ability to continue on throughout the 90's. However, before doing so, she'd part ways with Osbourne, citing a love-hate relationship. She'd release two more albums for RCA: Stiletto (1990), Dangerous Curves (1991). The last would provide her final career charting single, Shot Of Poison. Prior to taking an extended hiatus, Ford moved to German label, ZYX, and released 1995's Black.

By this time, she had shifted her priorities to raising her kids. It wouldn't be until 2008 that she'd reemerge with a new band and release Wicked Wonderland in 2009. Though she label hopped from this point on, she would release two more studio albums to date, Living Like A Runaway (2012), and Time Capsule (2016).

Speaking of the Runaways, while Ford has long advocated for a reunion, it's all come down to holdout Joan Jett. Though she loves rock and roll, Jett has held the stance that the Runaways legacy should be left untainted. She sees no reason to recreate it decades later. As of 2006, it's become a rather moot point with the passing of Sandy West.

As for Lita herself, she continues to perform live, with her most recent being in March of 2026. At sixty-seven, she seems to have no interest in slowing down, and hey, why not. She's still physically fit and able to rock a stage. So, if the fans keep coming, why stop now?

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Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.

Retro Spins: Lita Ford - Dancin' On the Edge

Wither her debut a commercial failure, Lita Ford was in need of a hit record. This would be somewhat achieved with her 1984 follow-up, Dancin' On The Edge.

The album itself would feature Randy Castillo on drums, who would later join Ozzy Osbourne, and Hugh McDonald, who would go on to join Bon Jovi in 1994, replacing founding bassist, Alec John Such. Singles, Fire In My Heart, and Gotta Let Go, would become international successes, and the album as a whole would peak at sixty-six on the Billboard 200.

Both Gotta Let Go, and Dressed To Kill would receive music video, and receive extensive airplay on MTV. The latter would feature a cameo from her then fiancé, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath. The two, however, would not ultimately wed, and actually break-up in the mid-80's.

Dancin' On The Edge is definitely a better album than 1983's Out For Blood. Whereas her debut suffers from mediocrity, and no hits, her sophomore release offers better material, and though not perfect, a decent listening experience. It also feels a bit more polished.

Gotta Let Go, Dressed To Kill, Hit 'N Run, Fire In My Heart, and Don't Let Me Down are all decent tracks. I don't know that I'll necessarily remember them by tomorrow, but for now, they're pretty okay. Like I said above, it's a better album, but it's not amazing by any means.

What I will say is that so far, I haven't heard anything that would necessarily make me a fan, nor would any one album keep me invested to keep buying, nor listening if I didn't already own them. Like I've said before, I check a lot of boxes in the vast era of 80's music.

Lita would spend most of 1984 touring extensively in support of the album, and wrapped this up with an MTV recorded special concert. However, this tireless effort would not save her from her label, who dropped her in 1985.

This would be cited as a combination of her continued lack of commercial success, as well as a major management internal shakeups at the label. Ford would say that the new manager brought in o oversee the label didn't know how to market female pop-metal artists, and was more of a country fan. Though this has only been clarified from her own perspective.

Prior to being dropped, Ford did record a third album, The Bride Wore Black, produced by Tony Iommi. It was ultimately shelved, and unfortunately, is considered lost media at this point. Well, to an extent. Lita has stated she has a copy of the album on tape, but that it's never been released, nor do any bootlegs exist.

She would eventually find new management ~~Satan~~, er...Sharon Osbourne, and sign with RCA records between 1986 and 1987. Teaming up with legendary producer Mike Chapman, and working alongside Osbourne's husband for the duet, Close My Eyes Forever, Ford would soon release her most successful album in the entirety of her solo career. That's where we pick up tomorrow, as we close out her 80's era discography.

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Retro Spins: Lita Ford - Out for Blood

Who's ready for more hard rock?

Born Lita Rossana Ford to her British father, and Italian mother, the Ford's relocated from the UK to the USA in 1965, eventually settling in Long Beach, California. Drawing inspiration from Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, she began learning guitar at the age of eleven.

At the age of sixteen, she was recruited by Kim Fowley to join The Runaways, serving as lead guitarist. They would release their self titled debut in 1976, and make a fairly significant impact on the heard rock scene. However, by 1977, lead singer Cherie Currie, and bassist Jackie Fox would quit. Currie would sight burnout as her reason for departing. Fox, unfortunately, would face far worse circumstances prompting her to leave, citing sexual assault from her manager.

The band would part was with manager Fowley, and continue on, bringing Vickie Blue in on bass. Lita Ford and Joan Jett would share lead vocal duties. However, by 1978, the girls found themselves disagreeing on their musical style. While Ford and Sandy West wanted to continue on as a hard rock band, Jett pushed for a more punk sound, influenced by The Ramones. Unable to compromise, The Runaways disbanded in 1979.

It wouldn't be until 1982 that Lita would sign with Mercury Records, and record her solo debut, Out For Blood (1983). Unfortunately, the album would prove unsuccessful for her, garnering very little, if no attention.

Upon its initial release, the cover featured a leather clad Ford standing in front of a spider web, and holding a bleeding guitar. However, being deemed too controversial for the label, this would soon be changed to a cleaner version, having her stand before a purple backdrop, still in leather, and still holding a guitar, but free of blood. She would quip in an interview how the label was worried about blood on a guitar, but made no comment about her wearing a leather g-string.

Personally, I was never a big fan of her work, mainly because I don't know much of it. I picked up her 1988 released Lita, but really only to get the Ozzy Osbourne duet. With the exception of a handful of tracks from that record, that's about the extent of my knowledge on any of her music.

If you're not new to this Blog, and you've read my Retro Spins before, you know that I often end up with albums I initially have no interest in, and simply obtain them to check an 80's box. That's where we're at with Lita Ford. This album, and her 1984 follow-up, Dancin' On The Edge, ended up in my collection on a whim while completing my Alice Cooper 80's discography.

Playing through Out For Blood, it definitely had a hard rock sound to it. It even reminded me a bit in its overall presentation as a Runaways album. However, what it lacked was anything which stood out as good. For the most part, it was just mediocre and forgettable.

Her second album would fair a bit better, bringing with it two hits in multiple countries, but sadly, not the USA. Despite this, she would soon find herself without a label, and it would be another four years before she released her third album. But we're getting too far ahead. First stop tomorrow is 1984's Dancin' On The Edge.

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