A Close-up Look at Joan Jett, and the Runaways: The Group and the Movie

This Indy flick "The Runaways," featured at the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, is causing quite a stir. Released on March 19 in selected cities, it opens nationwide on April 9 to waiting audiences. (See my review:www.associatedcontent.com/article/2810760/movie_reviewthe_runaways.html). It's a movie about teen angst, and the wild and rocky road to recognition by an all female band coming out of the Los Angeles/Hollywood punk rock scene back in the 70's. Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Sandy West, Lita Ford, and Micki Steele made up the original roster lead by their impresario manager, Kim Fowley. Joan Jett was 15 years old and loving the sounds of David Bowie and TRex when she got the inspiration to put together a groundbreaking, all girl band.

Joan Jett: Guitarist/Vocalist/Songwriter
Joan Jett hails originally from right outside Philadelphia. She ended up in West Covina, California, where she could cultivate her passion for music and acting. After receiving her first guitar from her dad at 12, she was hooked on rock. She also plays the bass, sings, and writes and produces songs and movies. In 1980, Jett started her own label, Blackheart Records. In her lucrative career, she released 21 albums, eight went platinum and gold. She had a dozen top 40 hits, such as "I Love Rock 'N" Roll," and "Crimson and Clover." "I love Rock 'N' Roll" topped Billboard's singles chart for seven weeks and ranked in Billboard's list of Greatest Songs of All Time.

Sandy West: Drummer/Songwriter
Huntington Beach native Sandy West gave up surfing and skiing to pursue music. She connected with the drums and excelled. Co-founder of The Runaways with Joan Jett and Kim Fowley, she co-wrote a couple of hits with Jett. After the break up of The Runaways, she formed the Sandy West Band and continued touring and playing. Unfortunately, West died of cancer in October of 2006 at 47 years old.

Lita Ford: Guitarist/Bassist/Vocalist
Lita came to the US from London at age 4 and started playing guitar at age 11. By her teens she was already playing gigs in all boy bands. She showed up to audition for The Runaways at 17, with her guitar and bass, that she also learned to play proficiently. She ended up as lead guitar while Jett played rhythm guitar. Ford stayed with the group to the end. Ford recorded several albums and went on to solo success. Her duet with Ozzie Osbourne, "Close My Eyes Forever," (produced by Sharon Osbourne), reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She released a disc in October, 2009, "Wicked Wonderland," her first in 14 years, and will be performing in Vegas in April.

Cherie Currie: Vocalists/Songwriter/Author
Manager Kim Fowley played up the Brigitte Bardot looks of this Encino "valley girl" to promote the band. Cherie, with her twin sister Marie, were left with their grandmother to raise while dad split and mom ran off to Indonesia with a new man. She was not quite 16 when she auditioned for The Runaways. After practicing a Suzi Quatro song, Fowley nixed that, Jett and Fowley came together and almost instantly the infamous song 'Cherry Bomb" was written for her. She rehearsed it, nailed it, and became the new lead singer they were looking for. She put her vocals on three albums before deciding to leave the group to pursue a solo career. She recorded two solo albums, one with sister Marie, then hit the Hollywood circuit to do movies. She appeared in several flicks, including "Twilight Zone, The Movie." She penned the book the movie "The Runaways" is based on, which reveals the life of a teen growing up in Califorinia, circa 1970's. In it she talks about her struggles with alcohol and drugs. She is currently a "chain saw" wood carving artist.

The Movie: "The Runaways"
Joan Jett serves as executive producer of the film and says this was a film that took 12 years to make. She said she worked hard with her now deceased longtime manager Kenny Laguna to get the film on the big screen but it was snubbed by Hollywood studios. The timing for this movie couldn't be more poignant: it opens April 9 nationwide, which happens to be the 35th anniversary of the founding of The Runaways in 1975. Every one of the actors for the movie were handpicked and Jett was on the set daily working with actress Kristen Stewart who portrayed Jett in the movie and nailed the role. Jett says,"I couldn't be happier. I'm absolutely thrilled with her as a person, as an actor. I've gotten to know her a bit over this time, I can't speak highly enough of her."

The Group: The Runaways
There is no doubt that this all female band was groundbreaking and historic in their accomplishments. From their first public show in1975 at the Whiskey A Go Go on Sunset Blvd, to 1979 when the last note was played and the group disbanded over creative differences, they were the "Queens of Noise" and broke the rules. They certainly suffered their share of growing pains, going through six bassists in their meteoric short four years of rocking. One bright note: they did dump Fowley in 1977 as their manager. However, Currie left in 1977 after only two years with the group, and Jett took over lead vocals, keeping the group to four members form this point. At the end of the day they had four albums to their credit.

In my mind there is no doubt that Joan Jett will one day be in the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame, along with her band mates. It is a fitting tribute for blazing new musical trails, especially for young girls to follow, and opening doors in the music industry for talented female artists. If you are a Joan Jett fan, go check out the movie 'The Runaways."

For more about the The Runaways go to therunaways.com.

Rhonda Manning, www. californiachronicle.com, www.sundance.bside.com, www.therunaways.com, Associated Content.