To be or not to be

Girl was an English glam rock band. Their lead vocalist was Phil Lewis, who later sang for L.A. Guns, New Torpedos, Torme, Filthy Lucre, The Liberators, and several other bands. Phil Collen, who later joined Def Leppard, and had previously been in the bands Lucy, Tush, and Dumb Blondes, was one of Girl's guitarists, except for a brief time near the end of the group's career. Gerry Laffy was the other guitarist in the band. Girl were first discovered by journalist Jon Lindsay who was seeking out potential recording projects for legendary The Who manager Kit Lambert. Lindsay secured a publishing deal for the band with Simon Napier-Bell and after seeing him perform at London's Blitz club, persuaded guitarist Phil Collen to join the band. Girl decided not to sign with Napier-Bell's company and joined Jet Records instead.

Girl recorded several studio albums including Sheer Greed, Wasted Youth, and Killing Time. Sheer Greed is also the name of a band Gerry Laffy, Simon Laffy, and Pete Barnacle played in, and Phil Lewis and Phil Collen guested with, after Girl. Gerry Laffy's brother Simon Laffy was Girl's bassist on their albums, though Mark Megary played for the band briefly before then. According to Simon Laffy, Mark Megary played on a single version of "My Number". Girl went through several drummers, including Dave Gaynor, Pete Barnacle, and Bryson Graham. Despite being equally adored and despised at the time, Girl still has 6 albums available through Sanctuary Records (previously released by Don Arden's Jet Records). Sheer Greed, Wasted Youth, Killing Time, Live At The Marquee, Live At The Exposition Hall, Osaka, Japan, 37 track anthology My Number: The Anthology, Bootleg - Live in Toyko 1980 and Girl-Sheer Greed-Gerry Laffy - The Rare DVD collection.

Girl recorded a pre-L.A. Guns version of the song "Hollywood Tease". Gerry Laffy, Simon Laffy, and Pete Barnacle's post-Girl band Sheer Greed, who Phil Lewis and Phil Collen also guested with, also recorded two versions of "Hollywood Tease", a studio one on Sublime To The Ridiculous and a live one on Live In London.

Pete Bonus replaced Phil Collen in Girl, though the band broke up soon after.

Former Girl bandmates Phil Collen and Simon Laffy are currently in a band called Man-Raze, though Phil Collen is still also in Def Leppard.

[edit] Discography

* Sheer Greed (1980)
* Wasted Youth (1982)
* Killing Time (1987)
* Live At The Marquee (2001)
* Live At The Exposition Hall, Osaka, Japan (2001)
* My Number: The Anthology
* Live in Tokyo 1980 (Bootleg)
* GIRL - The Rare DVD Collection (2006)