Out of frustration, she and Laguna founded Blackheart Records in 1980, making Jett the first female artist to own and have direct control over an independent record company. Jett tried to get a record label to distribute her new album, but she was rejected by 23 different companies. Both men helped her with her first solo album. Around this time, Jett met producer Kenny Laguna and songwriter Ritchie Cordell. She also tried acting, appearing in a film based on the story of the Runaways entitled We're All Crazy Now. She then returned to Los Angeles where she worked as a producer for the first album of the L.A. Joan Jett in 1977 Photo: Michael Marks/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Imagesĭeciding to pursue a solo career, Jett spent some time in England working with Paul Cook and Steve Jones, both former members of the legendary punk band the Sex Pistols. It's like a death," Jett later explained to Esquire. A breakup is like losing a very good friend. "When the Runaways broke up, I didn't know what I wanted to do. The band struggled through two more albums before they were dropped from their record label. She was already a powerful force behind the scenes, writing most of the Runaways' songs. The following year, the Runaways released their sophomore effort, Queens of Noise, which featured such tracks as "Born to Be Bad" and "Neon Angels." While the album performed poorly in the United States, the Runaways received a warm welcome in Japan, scoring three gold records there.Īfter Currie and Fox left in mid-1977, Jett emerged as the group's lead singer. Still, the song "Cherry Bomb," with its rebellious and raw edge, which Jett wrote with friend Kim Fowley, became a punk hit. In 1976, the Runaways released their first self-titled album, which failed to impress critics and music buyers alike. The musicians' fashion choices also alienated them from mainstream fans Currie chose to wear lingerie on stage, and Jett often appeared in her trademark red, leather jumpsuit. They also felt dismissed by audiences and critics because of their young age and their gender the public didn't seem to know what to do with five girls who sang about sex, rebelling and partying. The band was ahead of its time in many ways, with its hard-rock sound emerging during an era when disco music was king. The final line-up included Jett on guitar and vocals, Sandy West on drums, Cherie Currie on lead vocals, Jackie Fox on bass guitar and Lita Ford on guitar. Jett started her musical career as a teenager, forming her first serious band, the Runaways. "I learned to scream from Marc Bolan of T. There, she found inspiration from the glam rock stars of the day. Moving to Southern California, Jett began frequenting a popular youth club known as Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco. Her passion for music began early, and she received her first guitar at the age of 14. Jett was born Joan Larkin on September 22, 1958, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her early career was portrayed in the biopic The Runaways. She went on to become one of the most influential women in rock recording hits like "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" founding Blackheart Records and producing Riot Grrrl acts Bikini Kill and L7. Joan Jett is a singer, songwriter and producer who entered the music business as a teenager in the punk-pop band The Runaways.
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