‘‘Alyssa'' doesn't want to reveal her real name. She doesn't want to say where she works. But she's certainly not hiding. The 25-year-old Tempe woman has been a familiar face in the Valley music scene for the past four years, following bands such as like Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, the Gin Blossoms, Mink Rebellion, Redfield, The Black Moods, Strange Young Things and Opiate for the Masses.
She hoists shots with the bands, grooves to their music and parties with them until the sun comes rises.
And she's got plenty of company.
‘‘They're everywhere,'' she says of ‘‘groupies,'' women who often are infatuated with musicians. ‘‘A lot of them just don't want to admit it. It's not the most flattering title.
‘‘But it's a cool lifestyle. It's cool to be the girl on the arm of a hot band guy that every girl wants, knowing you're the one he's going to take home. It's cool to get backstage and have all access at concerts. It's cool to have other girls envy you.
‘‘A lot of people make fun of groupies, but most girls really just want to be them.''
Danielle Manning, 22, of Chandler, has dated several guys associated with local bands. She admits she was a full-fledged groupie.
‘‘There were things I did that I thought that I would never do, but that comes with the territory, though, of hanging out with rock stars,'' she says. ‘‘I was sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll. ... I was living my life to the full extent.''
Manning, who has been dating the cousin of Strange Young Things singer Corey Gloden for four months, still tries to attend two or three shows per week, but says her groupie days are behind her.
‘‘I think I kinda earned the status of someone who was there to support (bands) and enjoy the music,'' she says. ‘‘I care about these guys. I would do anything for them. They're my friends. I see it as beyond that.''
PASSION FOR MUSIC
Of course, not all female fans are interesting in hooking up with musicians. Hootie Longhurst, a divorced 40-year-old Chandler woman with two teenagers, says she's simply passionate about music.
The mortgage loan officer assistant has been following the East Valley music scene since the early '90s. Her favorite group is Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers — she attended 29 of their shows last year, traveling as far as New York to see her beloved Americana band.
Longhurst says she's been called a groupie, but she laughs off the label.
‘‘I want to support (the bands),'' she says. ‘‘I'll buy their merch; I don't want free stuff. I don't want to be on the guest list; I want to pay to get in. I want that support there for them so they can continue to share their music and enrich my life.
‘‘They need the other benefits too, so I'm glad that there are girls out there who are happy to do that. That's just not me.''
Longhurst says it's amusing to watch the more aggressive groupies in action.
‘‘There are some people that I would see in a band that I would think, ‘If most girls saw them on the street, they would never give them the time a day.' But because they're in a band these guys can get a different girl every week.''
CRAZIER THAN EVER
Lance Wilson, manager of The Black Moods and Let Go and the younger brother of Gin Blossoms singer Robin Wilson, says groupies' behavior has changed over the years.
‘‘Girls are much crazier now than back in the early '90s,'' he says. ‘‘The AIDS scare has really gone by the wayside and after the whole ‘Girls Gone Wild' phenomenon happened, I'm amazed at things girls do now.''
Naturally, most musicians don't mind having groupies around, Wilson says.
‘‘It's always good to have good-looking girls hanging around,'' he says.
‘‘That's half of the attraction to being in a band or being involved in the promotions end of things.
‘‘Who wouldn't want to get lots of attention from girls?''
Famous groupies
Pamela Des Barres
Self-proclaimed ‘‘super groupie'' had liaisons with Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison, Keith Moon and Waylon Jennings before writing a pair of tell-all books.
Cynthia Plaster Caster
First gained notoriety — beginning in the 1960s — by persuading musicians, ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Jello Biafra, to have their genitalia cast in plaster.
Bebe Buell
In addition to bedding Aerosmith's Steven Tyler — producing actress Liv Tyler — former Playboy Playmate dallied with Jagger, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Jimmy Page, Todd Rundgren and Elvis Costello.
Rachel Hunter
Supermodel married rocker Rod Stewart, 24 years her senior, when she was 21. Since their 1999 divorce, she's been linked to Wes Scanlon (Puddle of Mudd) and Robbie Williams.
Heather Locklear
Former “Melrose Place” actress was married to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee and recently announced she's divorcing Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi).
Pamela Anderson
Buxom “Baywatch” blonde also was married to Tommy Lee, and dated Kid Rock and Bret Michaels (Poison).
Winona Ryder
Actress has been linked to Pete Yorn, David Pirner (Soul Asylum), Evan Dando (Lemonheads), Connor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Ryan Adams, Adam Duritz (Counting Crows), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) and Beck.
Movies about groupies
“Almost Famous” (2000): Kate Hudson stars in Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical take on a teenage music writer, a rock 'n' roll band and lots of groupies.
“The Banger Sisters” (2002): Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon portray a pair of retired groupies who were christened by Frank Zappa in their 1960s heyday.
Want to find out how to get up close and personal with a local band hottie? Check out www.groupiecentral.com, a gossip Web site for groupies, where women offer detailed accounts of who they've hooked up with in the music world.
