What Being A Groupie In The 1970s Was Really Like

Understanding the 1970s-era groupie really starts with coming to terms with a very uncomfortable fact: Age really didn't matter, to the point where some were known as "baby groupies." When she sat down to talk to Thrillist, groupie mainstay Lori Mattix (also Maddox, pictured with Jimmy Page) described being in junior high when a friend introduced her to Sable Starr, who was already popular on the groupie scene by the time she was 14 years old. "She was so glamorous, totally one-of-a-kind, wearing scarves for shirts and going topless without hesitation," Mattix said. She continued, "I had not yet turned 15 and [David Bowie] wanted to take me to his hotel room."

She says she wasn't ready then, but five months later Starr and her sister were both involved with Iggy Pop yet lusting after Bowie, and this time, Mattix says that when Bowie's bodyguard says that he'd requested her presence at dinner — and afterward, in his bedroom — she agreed.

As for Starr, it was Iggy Pop who famously wrote about their relationship: "I slept with Sable when she was 13, Her parents were too rich to do anything, She rocked her way around LA," he sang. By the time they were together, Starr had already been in a sexual relationship with Spirit's guitarist. By 14, she was a staple at Whiskey A Go Go, and a favorite of Jimmy Page. And for Iggy Pop? He also hooked up with her younger sister, Corel.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

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