For those who haven't heard of Lita Ford, Ford is a British-born, American-raised rock guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, who was the lead guitarist for "The Runaways" in the late 1970s before embarking on a successful solo career in the 1980s.

It has to be noted that Lita Ford had an awful divorce but let's take things from the very beginning... 


Lita Ford started dating former Nitro vocalist Jim Gillette in 1994. The pair were married after knowing each other for only two weeks. They have two sons, James and Rocco Gillette. The family moved to Turks and Caicos, where Gillette operated a successful building and real estate developing business.

In a February, 2011, radio interview, Ford acknowledged that she and Gillette were divorcing. The family were in negotiations for a reality TV show, tentatively titled: "The Gillettes: An Extreme American Family" on TLC. The couple's impending divorce ended any plans for the television show. In a March, 2011, interview on the Classic Rock Revisited website, Ford stated that she had taken a business trip to Los Angeles to tak about the reality show with TLC executives and came back home to find her husband and sons not speaking to her. She also claimed that her sons physically attacked her, encouraged by Gillette, which was when she made the decision to divorce him.

Lita Ford has even compared her marriage to ex-bandmate Jim Gillette to the tumultuous affair between Ike and Tina Turner  and believes her new lease of life is a gift from God because she survived.






Ford told Sleaz Roxx: "It really was like Ike and Tina, completely. It was incredibly awkward for me. I believe in working with your spouse, in supporting your spouse in whatever they want to do."

In a recent interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Lita discussed the reasons behind the divorce and her concerns for her children.








Lita revealed to Jeb Wright that she had become afraid of Gillette, who is a bodybuilder and martial artist. "Yes, he’s big and yes, he’s scary and it is real," Lita was quoted as saying. "There is nothing phony about him at all and I don’t like it. When you’re that big, and you’re that scary, then you need to pick on somebody your own size.

"I wanted to get a divorce because he was hurting me," Ford continued. "You see how big he is; it’s not right. I got an attorney and I asked her: "How do I get out of the house?" She said: "Wait until there is nobody around and then get your stuff and get out." I said: "I can’t leave my kids." I don’t know why, or how the hell he knew, but he knew I was going to try and take my kids and he wouldn’t let them out of his sight. He changed them. I don’t know what he said to them but right now my kids are scared to death of me." 

Speaking to Decibel magazine, Ford explained: "My kids (sons James and Rocco) are with their dad (Jim Gillette, former frontman of the band Nitro). There was a huge divorce that went down. Basically, he brainwashed them and took them from me - not legally, (but by saying): "Oh, you don’t want to go with Mommy, Mommy’s bad. Don’t go with Mommy."

Ford tells that her life is massively different from when she released 2009′s "Wicked Wonderland", which she now describes as "more of a Jim album".

Lita Ford has a song on her new album written to her kids - but her former bandmate husband won’t let them hear it.

"Living Like A Runaway" is her first record since divorcing from Jim Gillette, a prominent force in her comeback release "Wicked Wonderland". 





It has to be mentioned that there is one track, called "Mother", which is a personal message to her two sons with Gillette - and Ford is worried they’ll never be allowed to hear it.

Ford revealed: "My kids are with their dad. He brainwashed them and took them from me, telling them: "Oh, you don’t want to go with Mommy. Mommy’s bad." He put the entire weight of the divorce on my kids, which is the worst thing any parent could do to their child.





"It’s like losing your child to some sort of freak, like in the mall, or somebody hanging out in bushes or at a bus stop. You hear all these horror stories. Only, I know where they are - that’s the only difference" Ford added.

Talking about the track she wrote for her children, Ford says: "He won’t let them hear it. He won’t let them have anything to do with me. He won’t let them look at any photographs. It’s the worst thing that’s ever happened in my life.

Ford says her older son James has a knack for guitar. She explains: "We did this tour in 2008. They didn’t go to school - I was their teacher. When we came back from these shows I was in the other room and I heard my guitar solos coming out. First thing I thought was: "They’re listening to a tape or a performance on YouTube." But it was James - he was playing my solos. I couldn’t believe it.

"I bought him a gold-top Gibson Les Paul for his tenth birthday. My ex-husband was saying: "He doesn’t want that. You’re buying that for yourself." And I said: "No, I’m buying it because he’s going to play it." Sure enough, he picked it up and he was playing the solo to "Close My Eyes For Ever". It blew me away."

Reflecting on her situation, Ford claims the biggest lesson she’s learned is: "If you ever get angry at your spouse, don’t take it out on your kids. Keep them out of it. They don’t need to know. Just let them be a kid." 





Source: Classicrock.magazine.com and Classic Rock Revisited.

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