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JOAN JETT talks about her mark on rock n' roll
from: torontosun.com
BY JANE STEVENSON
JOAN JETT has only ever known how to rock one way - her way - inspiring a legion of like-minded fans.
And while that has meant some slammed doors for the 57-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist, she has lasted four-plus decades: first with The RUNAWAYS and their hit Cherry Bomb and later with her band the BLACKHEARTS who enjoyed success with their covers of I Love Rock 'N' Roll and Crimson and Clover plus originals I Hate Myself For Loving You.
"I knew that all of us (early) women (rockers) were inspiring people but it was tough to feel that outside of playing a show," said Jett.
"Because you took so much crap in other areas, whether it was in the press, certainly in my case, a lot of difficulties getting records deals. and that was kind of a blessing in disguise because nobody wanted to sign me so we wound up owning all our own stuff."
Most recently, Jett & the BLACKHEARTS are touring Canada in March with fellow '70s female rock pioneers Heart.
We caught up with Jett at a tour stop in Prince George, B.C., to talk about being an early female rock hero, along with Heart's Ann and Nancy Wilson, her 2015 Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction and what's next.
"I'm sure every woman and girl who has gone through this has their own story of how people didn't believe in them or how people belittled them," said Jett. "But on the other hand you had just as many people who were supportive... so that was great to see I think from men who were a little more secure in their own selves, at least in my case, then they were able to appreciate a woman because they weren't threatened by what we did."
Are the Canadian fans treating you guys well?
Very well. It's been a blast. And the audiences have been great. Everyone's been really friendly. It's been awesome.
I take it you've known Heart for a long time?
Through the years [Heart and I] have played together several times. We kind of know each other. And I think it's been a great pairing. And it seems as if the audiences are loving it. So I'm real happy about it. And I remember Heart too when I was in The RUNAWAYS and we were starting to play and having hits saying 'That's who we want to be someday.'
So were you just born with this determination to succeed in a male-dominated industry?
Yeah, I think so. I'm the oldest. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. It's just I don't like bullies at all. I really hate them. And maybe it's all that bullying, 'You can't do that. You're a girl!' (And I was like), 'Oh, yeah! Want to see?' And it's always been that way and maybe I'm used to it. And I feel like that that's my lot in life. Is to fight to make it easier. And I don't know if it gotten easier. You still take crap. Maybe it's a little less now but you still take it. And we have to get to the point where girls don't have to put up with it at all.
Did you feel you were a hero or role model to girls?
I know myself and I'm sure Ann and Nancy have had their share of people tell them your music has saved my life, and they have all different reasons why, and sometimes they tell you a story. And it just really is humbling to see.
How important was your 2015 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction to you?
I thought it was a great thrill first of all to play the year before with Nirvana (who were inducted in 2014). That was crazy. Because on one level I was petrified because you're doing Nirvana's biggest hit (Smells Like Teen Spirit) and on TV and in a big (room) in front of 10,000 people probably waiting for me to screw it up. But I was such a Nirvana fan, still am, and I knew the song inside out so I just had to learn how to play it and sing it and it was great. So then the following year was really a trip to actually get in.
Is there any new music due from you anytime soon?
I'm writing all the time. And I know the boys are. So I'm sure when we get some downtime after this tour and in between our next tour in the summer, we'll probably try to bang some songs out.
JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS remaining Canadian dates with Heart:
MAR 13 Edmonton, Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
MAR 14 Calgary, Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
MAR 16 Saskatoon, SaskTel Centre
MAR 17, Winnipeg, MTS Centre
MAR 20 Toronto, , Sony Centre for Performing Arts
MAR 21 Montreal, Bell Centre |
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