Bebe with Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks (click on picture for full image):
With Steven:
With Stiv:
Todd:
David Johansen:
Todd & Bebe:
With Jimmy Page:
'70s Rock Queen Bebe Buell was born Beverle Lorence Buell on July 14, 1953. A native of Portsmouth, Virginia (a town in the southern part of the state located close to Norfolk), Bebe was accepted as a Ford model only three days after her mother submitted her photos to the New York-based agency. One year later, in 1972, she officially moved to New York City to pursue her career as fashion model. She was living in a women's home run by nuns at age 18 when she first met rocker Todd Rundgren, former Nazz founder and solo artist (although he released albums under the group name Runt, it was pretty solely his vision and credit). They promptly embarked on a relationship and moved in together in the city. In 1974, Bebe was the famous Miss November centerfold in Playboy magazine, which cost her her contract with Ford. She was one of the first fashion models to be featured in Playboy, and while the modeling world may have temporarily snubbed her overt display of sexiness, rock royalty did not. I have yet to read Rebel Heart, so I am uncertain as to the exact 'arrangement' she and Todd had concerning fidelity, but Bebe became a famous rock star girlfriend in the mid-70's, and her list of lovers is certainly impressive: Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Jimmy Page and (of course) Steven Tyler with whom she has daughter Liv. She later went on to date Rod Stewart, Stiv Bators (the Dead Boys, who wrote the song later covered by Gn'R, "Ain't It Fun"), and Elvis Costello. She lived with Todd until 1977, the same year she gave birth to Liv. Todd raised the child as his own daughter, although we all know that at age 11, she found out that her real father was Steven Tyler (it's difficult to deny the likeness between them). Steven probably would have been an unfit father; he had recently married another legendary New York band-aid, Cyrinda Foxe, and had a daughter Mia, although he was deeply addicted to heroin at this time. In the 1980s, Bebe fronted several of her own rock bands, and in the 90's began managing Liv's budding modeling and acting career. The two remain close, and Bebe became a grandmother in 2004.
I have always admired pictures of the young Bebe, and it's easy to see why so many men with their pick of beauties chose to spend time with her. She had amazing liquid blue eyes, a tall curvacious figure and epic cheekbones. I don't know much of her personally, though I've been told she's quite crazy. Still, I admire her for pursuing her passion of singing for a band; even though she has earned no commercial success, she still performs and makes her own way in a business that she of all people know is very much a men's world.
