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Q&A: JOAN JETT on Her Own All-Star Tribute Concert: 'It Was Surreal'
from: radio.com
By Brian Ives | Photo by Maria Ives
On Thursday night at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, JOAN JETT was the subject of one pretty rocking tribute concert. Little Kids Rock -- an organization dedicated to maintaing music education programs in disadvantaged public schools -- had their annual fundraiser, and the theme of the night was Jett's songbook. (Read our review of the show, and see photos, here).
A cross-generational, multi-genre lineup got together to perform songs either written, or made famous, by Jett: the bill included Cheap Trick, Gary U.S. Bonds, Brody Dalle, Jesse Malin, Kathleen Hanna with Adam Horovitz of the Beastie Boys, Darlene Love, Mike Ness of Social Distortion, Tommy James, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day and Alice Cooper. Most of them played while Jett watched, although she joined Tommy James (for the duo's first ever performance of "Crimson and Clover"), Armstrong and Cooper.
On Friday afternoon, she called to talk to Radio.com about the process of being paid tribute to, her new acting role and her next album.
Radio.com: So, what was going through your mind as you were seeing all of these artists perform your songs?
JOAN JETT: It was surreal, I had to keep pinching myself. I couldn't believe those people were there for me. Some of these artists who I grew up with, or who are peers of mine. They were all there: they were all doing my music. It was crazy! It's hard to put into its proper context. I haven't quite found the right words to describe it, if there are any words to describe it. The word "surreal" doesn't really cut it, now that I've heard myself say it a bunch of times. It was beautiful, I felt the love in the room. It was great.
Earlier this year, you were honored at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards [she was the first woman to win the "Golden God" award]. You're accepted and loved in metal, in punk, in Steven Van Zandt's Underground Garage rock scene, and by straight up classic rock fans. But all of those crowds don't always mix, it must feel cool that you can roll with all of those crowds.
It's very gratifying, because I am part of all of those things. Some songs are more punk, some songs are more metal. To me, it's all rock and roll.
Last night during your speech, you said you learned music in school, but you didn't learn rock and roll.
At my school, we had band class, and I played clarinet for a few semesters. I couldn't play clarinet today to save my life! And I don't know how to read music. I think what I learned there was that I love to play music, but maybe the clarinet just wasn't my instrument. It took me a little bit longer to latch onto the guitar. I learned so much about Little Kids Rock, it's an incredible organization. What Steven and Maureen [Van Zandt] has done for it, also [Little Kids Rock CEO] David Wish, and even Hot Topic who has been involved for years raising money… I think that it's incredible and so important. Because the kids do need these programs in school: art and music.
Little Kids Rock, to some degree, focuses on contemporary music, giving kids guitars and basses and drum sets. What I meant in my speech was that in my music classes, we didn't get those options: you'd play violin or you'd play clarinet or something like that. They certainly didn't have drum sets, they may have had cymbals or a marching snare. But kids hear a lot of music from a young age, and if they have the inclination to want to try playing, they should have the option. I want to get more involved with them in the future, and do whatever I can to help.
One of the most moving parts of the evening was Kathleeen Hanna's speech about you before her performance. She talked about how you helped her during a difficult part in her life. She also told a story about you getting knocked out cold when someone threw a bottle at you during a concert and it hit you in the head. Do you remember that incident and did you actually get knocked out?
Yes I do remember it. I don't think I was knocked out cold, but I was knocked to the ground and I was in a daze. But during Kathleen's speech, I was on the verge of tears. I guess I just didn't realize how much I meant to Kathleen, and what our experience meant to her. To me, it was just two musicians, and two girls from slightly different generations, relating but having the same experiences. It was really moving. To tell you the truth, I'm still processing it. I don't know what to say.
So let me get this straight: your manager, KENNY LAGUNA, used to manage Tommy James. But the two of you had never ever performed "Crimson and Clover" before last night? [James sang the song first, and had a #1 hit with it in 1969; Jett had a Top 10 hit with it in 1982).
No, I'd never even met him! I'm not even quite sure when the last time Kenny saw him was. I'm sure it was more recently than back in the '60s. I've been hearing stories about the greatness of Tommy James since I've known Kenny, which is like 30 years. It's always: "We've got to get together with Tommy sometime, you've got to meet him." It just all came together last night. It was so cool. I was so nervous at rehearsal, I couldn't remember the words. It's funny when something like that happens: that song is so ingrained in me. But being there with the man who sang it… Not to mention that when he's playing it, it sounds exactly like the record! And then it's my turn to sing, and it's like, "Sorry! I need another minute to get it together!"
Other than the artists that you performed with last night, did you know what songs each artist was performing?
Yes I did, because I went to the rehearsals. Because I'm a Virgo, and I wanted to make sure everyone was happy, and so I could answer any questions about the songs that anyone had. You know, just keep an eye on things! I was impressed at the choices that people made. They weren't all the hits or the well-known songs. There was a real underdog vibe.
Yeah, it was really cool that Mike Ness did "Love Is Pain" (from 1981's I Love Rock 'n' Roll) and Billie Joe Armstrong did "Don't Abuse Me" (from 1980's Bad Reputation).
Isn't that crazy? When Mike Ness sings "Love is Pain," it sounds like Social D! As a fan, I'm sitting there -- you were there, you saw -- it was so exciting. It was a blast, I don't know what else to say! I'm grinning ear to ear today.
On another topic, you're in a new Lifetime movie, an adaptation of Stephen King's Big Driver with Maria Bello and Olympia Dukakis, tell me about that.
Well, first of all, to work on a Stephen King film was very thrilling. I flew in and out for one day, and did all of my scenes in that one day. The other actors were so cool and giving. The movie came out well, it's on TV now, I thought it was excellent, it was scary and dramatic and a little terrorizing and a little funny too, which I wasn't expecting.
Do you have any upcoming film projects?
Unbeatable John, I'm producing with Kenny and I have a small part in that as well.
Last year you released Unvarnished. Are you thinking of the next album yet?
Not quite yet. Almost. I'm collecting riffs and ideas, so the process is starting. Maybe early next year I'll start focusing on that.
There's been a lot of talk this week about feminism in the media this week; Annie Lennox was asked about Beyonce and she referenced what she does as "feminism lite." What's your take?
It's a very positive word to me. I just saw Annie on The View this morning, but she was discussing the concept and the fact that Beyoncé brought up the word. I'm paraphrasing what Annie said, but she said something like: Beyoncé is so powerful and so wonderful, and if she's using the word "feminism" and "feminist," then that is awesome. More power to her. Because she's got such a big fan base. I think a lot of people have the image of feminism, they think of tough angry women who hate men, that's an image that is sort of left over from the early '70s. That is not at all what feminism is today. You might be able to find some feminists who are like that. I think it's more about saying, "Look, we're more than 50% of the population, we deserve equality and to be looked at as equals." Yeah, I'm a feminist, I'm glad that word's out there.
Let me ask a question that a lot of fans were wondering about after the Golden God Awards: your former RUNAWAYS bandmates Lita Ford and Cherrie Curie were in there. Is there any chance at all that you might work with them again?
Oh boy, I just couldn't say. You can never say never, but for me, the way I look at it, if you missed it at the time… it was of its time, it was of its place. The RUNAWAYS can't be over 21, really. If we did something, it would be an homage really. But Sandy West, the drummer who I started the band with, passed away, she was such an integral part of the band. I think doing something would be almost sacrilegious. But never say never!
Let's say Pat Smear of the Foo Fighters showed up last night; you produced the GI album by his former band, the Germs. If you were going to cover a Germs song with him, which song would it be?
Man… [sings] "Gimme gimme your hands/Gimme gimme your minds! Gimme gimme this, gimme gimme that!" "Lexicon Devil!" That's the one that pops out to me the most. I won't say it's my favorite song, because I love all of their songs. That was a wild and crazy time. They actually were big RUNAWAYS fans, Pat and [late frontman] Darby [Crash]. They were hanging outside the RUNAWAYS' studio when we were making our second album, Queens of Noise. They told me that they were forming a band. We stayed friends since that time, and I went to see them live a lot. It was hard to make sense of the songs, when you saw them live. It was pretty all over the place. So, when they asked me to produce their record, I think they thought I knew what I was doing. Which I did, a little bit. But really it was more about getting those songs into the studio and getting them to a point where people could hear what the songs actually were. I thought we did a great job. We doubled some guitars and did stuff like that that they'd never heard of [doing]. I had a real blast. It took about three days and then I passed out on the couch on the fourth day.
You're on the ballot for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame again this year. Everyone has different opinions on the importance of the Rock Hall; do you care if you get in?
Oh I think it would be great to get in. I don't sit up at night thinking about it. I think it would be an extraordinary honor if I did get in there, and I'd be happy to be there. But to think about it too much beforehand… I mean, what are you gonna do? If it happens, I'm going to be thrilled, and if it doesn't, there's always next year.
They should consider that you've performed -- on their stage for their induction ceremonies -- the Dave Clark Five's "Bits and Pieces" and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"; not many other artists have that range.
Man, that's cool that you brought that up! That's a neat factoid. |
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