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Rock is hard, chauvinistic work for Jett
from: epgn.com
by Sarah Blazucki, PGN Staff Writer
Don’t judge pioneering rock artist JOAN JETT by her leather-clad rocker vixen exterior. The front artist of ‘80s rock act the BLACKHEARTS and ‘70s female proto-punk quartet The RUNAWAYS (Lita Ford on guitar) also has a less-aggro side. When she’s not running the first woman-owned independent record company or posing with automatic weapons with troops at Fort Bragg, you might find Jett reading Hindu philosophy or enjoying vegetarian dining.
You may have also found the Philadelphia native dodging or simply shutting down all inquiry of her sexual orientation in a spate of recent articles promoting her and the BLACKHEARTS’ new CD, "SINNER." To reiterate, such line of questioning is irrelevant and even tacky, Jett (who has been seen with a "Dykes Rule" sticker on her guitar) has said.
But fans needn’t have her orientation confirmed to enjoy Jett and her band’s 9 p.m. Oct. 12 show at the Theatre of Living Arts, 334 South St. Eagles of Death Metal and Valient Thorr open.
On "SINNER," Jett and the BLACKHEARTS do what they do best — guitar rock heavy on riffs and infectious vocals. As effortless as the CD’s 15 tracks sound, rock —the subculture and industry — presents difficulties for the women in its ranks, Jett believes.
"It’s hard no matter who you are," she told PGN in a recent phone interview. "It’s work, hard work, no matter what ‘American Idol’ leads you to believe.
"I think there is this illusion of equality, a false assumption that it’s going to be easier. I don’t think it is."
In the rock industry, she thinks women opt out of the star track or don’t ever get a chance because of pervasive negative attitudes towards females.
"When it’s a girl, it’s easier to cut them down," she said. "I still run into problems — that they don’t want to deal with me or that I’m not relevant. There’s always a reason."
Jett’s used to be that she was a girl. Now, it’s because she’s a "classic" or "punk" rock act, neither of which are accurate.
Calling Jett irrelevant or necessarily "classic" is willful misinterpretation. She and the BLACKHEARTS recently wrapped the two-month Warped Tour, filled with bands located somewhere on the punk-to-rock spectrum. Jett, 48, was generally twice the age of other acts. Yet instead of falling into "aging rocker" stereotype, she served as a mentor and role model, especially for the tour’s women.
Out fans of Jett might also find a bit to admire the selectively coy artist for on "SINNER." The CD contains lyrics about the joys of wearing leather and bondage gear. Then there’s the cover of the Sweets’ "AC/DC," a song about a woman with male and female lovers. Look for newly single actress Carmen Electra playing Jett’s gal-pal in the video.
And inside the cover of "SINNER" is a depiction of labrys, a double-headed axe symbol from Greek and Roman mythology more modernly understood as a badge of female power/lesbian pride.
Think what you will, ‘cause she ain’t saying.
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