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JOAN JETT Live In Oklahoma City
from: Classic Rock Revisited
by Jeb Wright
Over the last quarter century, JOAN JETT has gone from a bashful, guitar slinging teenager to a rock icon. She has influenced countless women to follow their musical dreams. She might be all of 5'5 in heels but don't be fooled, JOAN JETT is huge person. She has strong beliefs, infectious energy, a brawny persona and a focus that has led her to overcome countless obstacles and challenges. Joan has proven her talent as a performer with a string of Top 40 albums and singles. She remains on the road, year in and year out, giving spirited performances that prove you can have punk rock attitude into your 40's -- even if you are a woman!
Joan had the look and talent to be a star but being just a teenager she did not have the business savvy needed to survive the music business. Onstage, she worked a crowd but she was vulnerable to being worked over by music lawyers and agents. Perhaps it was divine intervention that KENNY LAGUNA was placed in her life. Originally Laguna, a former member of Tommy James & The Shondells, was going to produce the next RUNAWAYS album but fate intervened and the band split up. Laguna knew Joan could be a star. "Sometimes you are wrong about these visions and these feelings, in fact you are usually wrong. But I felt Joan was unique. She could be poppy and still be angry and have menace. She had the angst that you need." Laguna felt so strongly about Joan he invested his life savings into her career; an investment that continues to pay high dividends to this day. After 23 major label rejections, Laguna and Jett founded BLACKHEART RECORDS and continue to release albums to this day. In addition to producing Jett, Laguna has taken on the role of manager, keyboard player, protector and all around big brother to Joan.
Fast forward the clock 25+ years to Frontier City amusement park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and KENNY LAGUNA is still on the road with Joan, keeping a close eye on every aspect of her career. Laguna kept a close watch on the radio station meet and greet people and you could feel that he was not going to let anyone near his star that did not deserve to be there. Laguna can play the role of protector all the while making everyone feel like they are hanging out with him in their living room. Joan appeared from her trailer and we discussed politics, music and life in general. She is the victim of a bad reputation as underneath the tattoos, the black hair and the leather is a sweet, kindhearted person. She made sure to introduce herself to my daughter and made everyone around feel welcome. Watching her go through a meet and greet with fans was interesting. Joan greeted everyone, posing for pictures, personally autographing everything thrust in front of her and taking time to actually speak to her fans. Joan feels passionately about her political views and is not afraid to tell you she is a democrat and that she wants change now! However, she does not impose herself upon people. Instead, she is very pleasant and you literally want to reach out and hug her. While she opposes the war, she has played to the troops many times and will always support the men and women in uniform.
Onstage, however, Joan becomes a punk rock goddess. The band plays with energy, fury and raw power. She hammers out power chords with passion and slams the crowd with her rough and tumble vocals. The guitar looks huge on her small frame yet she slings her axe around and jumps and moves with the music mixing sexy swagger with Mick Jagger cockiness. The solos are not breathtaking and I not sure if anything but a root fifth power chord was played all night long but JOAN JETT is not about musical virtuosity. Instead, Joan is about delivering well written and arranged songs with punk attitude and a great pop hook. She does this better than anyone. Some she wrote and many she re-arranged from the original, but all of the music performed had the undeniable stamp that is JOAN JETT.
The set list was stellar. The hits included "Bad Reputation," "I Love Rock N Roll," "Crimson And Clover," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," "Do Ya Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)," "Everyday People," "Cherry Bomb," "Light Of Day" and "Victim Of Circumstance." The punky version of "Love Is All Around (the theme to the Mary Tyler Moore Show) was a surprise and crowd ate it up. "Androgynous" from the new album, soon to be released in the USA titled Naked was classic JOAN JETT proving good music transcends age, time and space. Young and old alike were dancing and cheering throughout the entire night.
Joan still sounds the same vocally-- maybe even better. She looks great as well. A JOAN JETT concert proves that you can have attitude yet still spread a positive message and leave a concert feeling good. JOAN JETT gives 100% and is surrounded by people who care about her and her music. She has been and will remain an inspiration to women, punkers and everyday people as well. Her honestly, both on and off stage, is refreshing to see. She has survived and thrived in a male dominated environment and lead the way for those who have come after her. Joan's influence can best be summed up by what my daughter told me on the way home from the concert. She said, "I have a new hero and her name is JOAN JETT."
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