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JOAN JETT Persevered after 23 Rejections of Her First Solo Album - Facts about Her
from: news.amomama.com
By Akhona Zungu
Rock Legend JOAN JETT is known for her perseverance and tenacity in her pursuit of a career once reserved for men. Jett is a talented vocalist and musician who has led two famous bands in her lifetime, and she continues to grace the limelight of the music scene with her black leather-ridden aesthetic.
JOAN JETT established the RUNAWAYS in 1975, and after the group tragically dissolved, she became the frontwoman of the BLACKHEARTS in 1981. The BLACKHEARTS shot to fame in 1982 when they released the all-time classic "I Love Rock n Roll," which charted number two on Billboard and was eventually listed in the Grammy Hall of Fame.
However, Jett came from humble beginnings before fiercely pursuing her passion. The BLACKHEARTS frontwoman worked as a waiter in a cafeteria where people were not always so kind. She also had a near-death experience when she was flying to perform for the troops in Pakistan and Uzbekistan.
It was after the horrors of 9/11, Jett recalled, as they flew when The Taliban fired a rocket at their plane. Jett braced for the missile to hit them, but there was no impact. They landed safely at their destination and lived to tell the story.
Story of JOAN JETT
Originally named Joan Marie Larkin, JOAN JETT took her first breath in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, on September 22, 1958. At 13 years old, she picked up her first guitar, which the former cafeteria waiter received as a Christmas present after asking for it.
Yet when the RUNAWAYS founder went for her first lesson, she was told that "girls couldn't play rock music." Despite the discouragement, Jett was determined to keep playing. After her family moved to West Covina, California, Jett began frequenting Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco on Sunset Boulevard.
The musician switched up her style, inspired by another female rock artist Suzi Quatro, with a shag haircut, leather garments, and black winged eyeliner. Suzi Quatro inspired Jett more than just aesthetically and musically. As Jett explained, Quatro helped Jett realize that rock n roll didn't have to be gender-restrictive and said:
"I realized that if I wanted to do that, there were probably other girls like me who probably wanted to do it too."
During her visits to Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco, Jett met the women who would later become members of her first band, the RUNAWAYS. Sandy West was the drummer, Lita Ford was their lead guitarist, their bassist was Jackie Fox, and the lead vocalist was Cherie Curie.
Producer Kim Fowley managed the RUNAWAYS and co-wrote most songs, such as their famous hit "Cherry Bomb," with Jett. Jett and her bandmates had a shared mission to take control of the sexist narrative that girls couldn't play rock n roll because of how explicit the aesthetic and lyricism was. Per Grunge, she explained:
"They meant that girls couldn't play rock 'n' roll because it implied sex, which means that they're in charge and owning it."
Still, the RUNAWAYS suffered abuse from unwelcoming audiences while performing on stage, which led to frustrations and teary breakdowns for their founder. Magazine outlets were no better when they wrote about the band, headlining their stories with titles such as "Lissome Lolitas or Teenage Trash."
The outlets were adamant about focusing on their looks and behavior instead of their talent and music. Eventually, this strained the band, as Fowley also demonstrated that he didn't have the girls' interest at heart, according to interviews done by the former bandmates of the RUNAWAYS.
According to Grunge, the former manager would force the girls to pose suggestively in provocative clothing on stage during their performances. He would feed them drugs and ensure they had no money to do anything for themselves.
Moreover, Fowley didn't care about their health or well-being and often pinned them against each other. Fowley's behavior put more unwanted pressure on the RUNAWAYS. Eventually, Jackie Fox and Cherie Curie left the band; Vicki Blue replaced Fox, and Jett became the lead vocalist until their last show in San Fransisco in 1978.
Eventually, the RUNAWAYS disbanded. According to Grunge, Jett explained:
"I could feel a camaraderie between Sandy, Lita, and this producer, John Alcott, and I was not part of it. I'm not gonna get fired from the band I started ... so I should probably let you guys do your thing."
Jett drowned herself in alcohol after witnessing her band fall apart. She explained how angry and confused she was, especially over the world's rejection and constant effort to put her down. Still, backing down was not in the superstar's cards, so she trudged on.
Following the dissolution of the RUNAWAYS, she began recording a soundtrack that would be scored for the film "We're all Crazee Now." During that time, she met the man who would be her long-time friend, co-founder, producer, and manager, KENNY LAGUNA. Laguna was initially hesitant to manage JOAN JETT.
However, the producer was impressed with her talent, even though several labels wouldn't take her on. Jett booked a flight to Europe, where she recorded her first solo self-titled album. After pitching it to 23 record labels, all of which rejected her, she decided to find a way to release it herself.
With the help and partnership of KENNY LAGUNA, the pair established BLACKHEART RECORDS together and released Jett's album, the copies of which Laguna sold from his car boot. The producer recalled how he struggled to keep up with the demand. However, this was only after Jett suffered a heart infection that led to her hospitalization.
Thankfully, the rockstar survived. In 1981, JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS released their debut album "I Love Rock n Roll," which catapulted the band's name to international heights. Jett shot a music video for the title track, which topped the Billboard charts for seven weeks and won the Billboard title of 56th All-Time Top Song.
The song, which was a cover of an Arrows track, also earned a spot in the Grammy Hall of Fame, and even magazine outlets had changed their tune in depicting the rock legend, from sexist headlines like "Teenage, Wild, and Braless" to "JOAN JETT is a Very Nice Girl."
Following the success of "I Love Rock and Roll," the BLACKHEARTS also released two more hit songs, such as her cover of "Crimson and Clover" and the Gary Glitter track "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)," both love songs about a woman where she left the pronouns as they were.
'In My Room' Session with JOAN JETT
JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS have remained on the music scene for four decades. In 2020, Joan and her band, the BLACKHEARTS, participated in the performance series hosted by Rolling Stone and Gibson to raise money for the Covid-19 Relief Fund initiated by the organization MusiCares.
It was a virtual at-home concert following the social distancing guidelines where the BLACKHEARTS performed the song "I Hate Myself For Loving You" on different screens as each band member stayed home safe from exposure to the virus. Each "In My Room" session would be available for watching on the outlet's social media pages.
JOAN JETT's Documentary
JOAN JETT's documentary, "Bad Reputation," was released in September 2018. It chronicles JOAN JETT's career - who appeared in the film "Light of Day" alongside Michael J Fox - from conception to well-earned acclaim.
The documentary also delved into her relationship with her long-time friend, manager, and co-founder KENNY LAGUNA and how they trudged through the music scene together. In Laguna's words, he brought the pop while Jett brought the menace. |
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