Sunday was the one-year anniversary of the induction of The Go-Go's into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That same day, I finished the audiobook of bassist Kathy Valentine's memoir of her time with the band, "All I Ever Wanted".  The book was with me for a while, because I had to take a break to get through her harrowing, harrowing teenaged years - she was raised by a mother who was more of a peer, or drinking-and-drug buddy, and there were points when I wanted to reach into the book and get young Kathy and tell her, "Just come live at my house for a while."  She credits her mother and her upbringing, though, with making her strong, independent and determined.

The book is a story of Kathy finding her musical family, and briefly flying on top of the world when they hit the big time, but it is even more a sobriety story. The band's break-up, followed by a violent home invasion, together shattered everything stable in her life. It takes her a few years and several blackout experiences to finally wake up one morning and find herself, with a confident clarity. For the first time since fifth grade, she faced her life without alcohol. 

Despite the pain she experienced with both her family and her band, she maintains relationships with forgiveness and grace. The book includes descriptions of several Go-Go's reunion shows over the years but ends before the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, so after you finish it, go watch their acceptance speeches and performance, these strong, beautiful women who became a family, made history and touched our lives.