|
All news is attributed to the source from which it was received so that readers may judge the validity of the statements for themselves.
Have Joan Jett news to report? Email us at jettfc@aol.com, and please include the source of the information so it can be validated.
... and rock 'n' roll still loves you, JOAN JETT
Move over Courtney - the queen of rock 'n' roll is back for her crown
from: argusleader.com
by Robert Morast
American Express likes to remind people that "membership has its privileges." Apparently that doesn't apply to the world of corporate sponsors.
Despite lending its name for this week's RibFest at the Sioux Falls Arena, the Argus Leader and Link were denied an interview by the food and music festival's featured act, JOAN JETT, who takes the stage tonight.
Considering most rib festivals highlight nostalgic or unknown musical acts who will take any press they can get, Jett's refusal to speak is surprising. Perhaps it's the vegetarian's silent protest for being booked at a function that celebrates meat.
Though, more than likely it's because Jett's too busy launching a campaign to reclaim the title of "queen of rock."
Remember, during the male-dominated run of the '80s there were no female rockers with more clout, attitude or leather than Jett and her "Bad Reputation."
"Joan wasn't afraid to let it out. She wasn't dainty. That really turned me on," says KENNY LAGUNA, Jett's longtime producer and songwriting partner. "She just had this thing, this rock 'n' roll thing that was pure. She wasn't contriving anything."
That was evident in her hits "I Love Rock-N-Roll" - the stomping song is still a party anthem more than 20 years after its release - and "I Hate Myself for Loving You" - a self-flagellating love tune that's so robust the tough guys can admit relating to it.
It's undeniable that Jett is one of rock's preeminent female figures - dating back to her days in the all-girl punk group The RUNAWAYS. Yet, she's been mostly off the radar since 1990 when her cover of AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds" became a rock radio staple.
Since then, rock has had an influx of femme-rockers, from Kim Deal to Karen O, challenge Jett's royal standing. But there's only one woman who actually took the crown away: Courtney Love.
And though Kurt Cobain's widow is more famous for her drugged-out weirdness than her music, Ms. Love's mix of juicy rock tunes and in-your-face attitude has made her rock's contemporary queen.
This past April, producer and former Non-Blonde Linda Perry told MTV, "My dedication right now is to bring back the queen of rock 'n' roll, and that's Courtney Love."
Perry, who provided the magic production for hits by Pink and Avril Lavigne, said her work with Love is in the early stages of development.
"I think that Linda Perry should have said that JOAN JETT is the queen of rock," Laguna says from a cell phone in New York City.
Jett will have her chance to reclaim the title.
After playing RibFest, Jett and her band, the BLACKHEARTS, will release "SINNER," it's first album in a decade, released on June 8. After that, Jett and her band will spend the summer co-headlining The Warped Tour, which has made a habit out of featuring punk's influential heroes - like Billy Idol or The Misfits - on main stages.
"A lot of the bands today cite Joan as one of their influences," Laguna says. "It's not just the girls like The Distillers and The Donnas, it's bands like MXPX."
On "SINNER," Jett's fans will hear her typical edge, but there's a little bit more rage and politics than in the past. The record opens with "Riddles," Jett's first overtly political song, about President Bush.
"I've wanted to write about political issues and the state of our country, but how do you do that without coming off being preachy," Jett recently told Billboard. "I think a lot of that fear stopped me from even trying."
Another compelling track is "ACDC." The raucous track seems to reference Jett's, supposed, gay lifestyle with lyrics that say "she's got some other lover as well as me."
Yet, despite it being widely reported in past years, Laguna says Jett has never gone public about her personal life.
"People write what they want to write," Laguna says. " 'ACDC,' it's a song. It wasn't like an official statement. The song is about a bisexual girl."
Either way, this is the summer Jett attempts to reclaim her throne.
|
| |
This Week:
No shows scheduled this week.
Click on the LIVE DATES link for upcoming shows |
Item Of The Month:
|
