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Vans Warped Tour lines up JOAN JETT
from: deseretnews.com
by Scott Iwasaki, Deseret Morning News
JOAN JETT had never been to the Vans Warped Tour before this year.
"I knew about it but never was able to attend," Jett said by phone from an airplane as it taxied on a Sacramento runway. "But I'm having a blast. It's exactly what I thought it would be. It's like a punk-band circus, full of summer fun."
Jett, the one and only who wrote and recorded "I Love Rock and Roll," said she's comfortable playing the 30-minute set. "We've got a lot of songs that people will recognize. And we play a few new songs. But it's fast and quick and gives me time to check out the other bands on the bill."
The woman rock pioneer said she's taken a shine to Warped vets NOFX. "These guys have the routine down," she said with a laugh. "They have their BMXs out and ride from stage to stage. And they're incredible live."
Jett isn't too bad live herself, said her tour manager, KENNY LAGUNA. "Joan is in her element on Warped," he said. "Throughout her career she's toured with everyone from the Ramones to the Kinks to Foreigner. And she's done arenas, but this tour is what she was made for."
Jett is touring in support of a new album, "SINNER," which was released earlier this year on her Blackheart Record label. The first single was the double-edged "AC/DC." "It took a long time to record the album," said Jett. "We've been working on this for years. And we've had different record companies wanting to distribute it, but there was always something that got in the way. But that's the way it is in the music business right now.
"One of the most difficult parts of doing what I'm doing these days is the unspoken prejudice of women in rock 'n' roll. Take a listen to the classic-rock stations, and you will hear the Doors or (Jimi) Hendrix, but no Janis Joplin. And when people call up the stations to hear one of my songs, the radio programmer will only play 'I Love Rock and Roll' and nothing new."
Still, Jett said she is thankful for the opportunity to be on the Warped tour. "I remember when we first met with (tour organizer) Kevin Lyman. We were talking about coming on the tour, and he asked what we would prefer — the first leg or the second. I told him if it was possible that I'd like to do the whole thing.
"We didn't hear back from him until early spring of this year when everything was set."
Still, said Lyman, Jett and Helmet, another hard-music pioneer, are giving the younger bands a run for their money. "Helmet and JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS are two of the old-school bands we have on the tour this year," Lyman said during a tour stop in Tennessee. "It's interesting to see the older audience members and the younger audience members react to the sets.
"And the older bands are teaching the younger ones how to do things. It's a nice crossover dynamic. There's a history with these older bands, and they're showing the new bands and the younger audiences where the music comes from, as well as bringing a mix to the tour."
But having a lot of younger bands is the essence of the Warped Tour, said Lyman. "That's was one of the reasons I started the tour — to bring out smaller bands that don't otherwise get some publicity. These days it's even harder for young bands who are virtually unknown to get the publicity they need to make it in the business."
Lyman knows how important exposure is for these bands. "We've had many bands who have cut their teeth on the Warped Tour who are now headlining arenas — Green Day, the Offspring, NOFX. The list goes on."
Lyman said one of the biggest headaches is trying to make sure the shows get better each year. "I've been organizing this event for 12 years, and I have to keep things interesting for the kids. It's at the point where people who attended our first shows 12 years ago are now bringing their own kids to the show."
One of the things that has changed during the past decade is technology. "There are a lot of things we can do with technological interaction with the fans," said Lyman.
"Phone-texting and things like that are interesting to young people. And the Warped Tour is all about young people. So it is important to keep up with technology and new bands."
If you go
What: Vans Warped Tour
Where: Utah State Fairpark
When: Saturday, noon
How much: $25
Phone: 467-8499 or 800-888-8499
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