Suzy Jaguar & the Mechanics

According to Suzy Barocas Perler: "The band started in '81...a few weeks after I just arrived. Charlie Lenk, our drummer, saw I had an electric guitar and a much needed car and immediately introduced me to Michael O'Brien, our brilliant lead guitarist. He was my guitar hero. Michael wrote most of the songs but I got to write one of our more popular songs 'Boyfriend Material.' That was fun to sing...I mean scream out. A little R rated so definitely not a song to share with my kids around the campfire. I'm never good with categorizing music so I'd say our music was a combo of new wave, punk, rock. Innovative, to say the least. I have dim memories of us in our black leather jackets practicing in a dark barn-like room and Abdi, our bass player, constantly singing out 'oy, oy, oy' whenever he could. We played at school and around town-mostly at The Whaleback. We didn't get paid much but always got free drinks. I loved being the only female. These guys were so unbelievably cool. They graduated before me so I sure missed my boys when they were gone!" Quoted from email 2008]

Suzy, a mom and artist, stills plays that same Fender Strat in a successful New Jersey all female rock band, The Mood Swings.