March 2007 News

Though BLACKHEARTS band member and JOAN JETT's producer KENNY LAGUNA claims the music industry and radio stations refuse to give punk the credit it deserves, he has continued to dedicate himself to the genre for nearly three decades.

And even though Laguna no longer believes a rock song can change the world, he helped Jett pen the lyrics to politically-charged "Riddle" and "Change The World" songs listed on the band's latest album, "SINNER."

Laguna enjoys a challenge, it seems.

JOAN JETT has been called the original riot grrl, the godmother of punk and the hottest woman in rock and roll. She took time out of her busy schedule to talk to AfterEllen.com about music, cars and Carmen Electra.

AfterEllen.com: You were the first woman in rock and roll to own her own record label, BLACKHEART RECORDS. How involved are you in finding new bands?
JOAN JETT: I'm pretty involved in it, but I don't actually find the band. The people that work for Blackheart have great ears. [But] I certainly hear what it is before we make a move. [New] bands like the Vacancies and the Eyeliners are bands I got turned onto because we played with them.

AE: Blackheart has one band, Girl in a Coma, that's comprised of three young women. Do girl rockers remind you of your RUNAWAYS days?
JJ: Yeah, definitely. [Girl in a Coma] are very sweet and seemingly innocent. That reminds me of the RUNAWAYS vibe — being really intense rock-and-roll girls but also having this level of innocence, and I mean this only in the best way, this naiveté.

Iconic American rock guitarist, singer, producer, and actress JOAN JETT held a private rehearsal for the bands on her BLACKHEART RECORDS label at the Gibson Austin Showroom last week. Jett, who established Blackheart more than 25 years ago, had an entourage of newly signed acts with her, including the Dollyrots, the Vacancies, and Girl in a Coma, all there to prepare for their recent performances at SXSW. Per usual, Jett had her hands all over her be-stickered, beloved Melody Maker.

JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS will be touring the U.S. throughout the spring and summer.

This J.I.'s Friday in Austin got off to a slow start, with some sleep and business obligations delaying our first taste of music until an afternoon set by the Ponys at Emo's; good garage rock with Tom Verlaine-ish singing. We also enjoyed a few songs from Marnie Stern, who sounded like a one-woman Don Caballero with bad-ass guitar licks and drum machine accompaniment.

JOAN JETT came to this year's SXSW as a label executive rather than a performer, but that couldn't keep the woman who loves rock'n'roll off stage. Jett hosted a showcase at Emo's for the three bands on her BLACKHEART RECORDS label -- San Antonio's Girl In A Coma, the Dollyrots from Los Angeles and the Vacancies from Cleveland. Jett herself introduced each act, then came on stage at the end of the Vacancies' set to perform "Bad Reputation" and "Change the World," a song from her latest album, 2006's "SINNER," that was co-written with Vacancies frontman Billy Crooked. The other musicians then came on stage for renditions of Gary Glitter's "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)" and "I Love Rock and Roll."

Danish band Mew was impressive over at Stubbs BBQ, blending the layered guitar work of the Cure and My Bloody Valentine into easily digestible songs. Indiana eight-piece Margot & the Nuclear So and So's played a couple of new tunes at the Jane magazine party at Fox & Hound, as at least one major-label A&R rep looked on (the group recently parted ways with Artemis). Other highlights: the orchestral rock of "Skeleton Key" and "Quiet As a Mouse."

The number of popular all-female rock bands could probably be counted on one hand — with a few fingers left over. And most of them had their heyday 20 or more years ago.

Although that probably says as much about the music and radio industry as it does about the musicians — why, when I type the names Sleater-Kinney and Bikini Kill, will most readers have to Google them? — it’s a fact that women, as bands, haven’t put their stamp on rock the way they have as solo performers or front women.

In the 20th century’s big- band and swing eras, the first all-female bands began to emerge, such as the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. Blues and jazz’s relative freedom swung the doors open, not just for female singers, but for female instrumentalists as well.

I love rock and roll, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. THOMMY PRICE drums on JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS’ classic song "I Love Rock and Roll" a couple hundred nights every year. Although Thommy jokes throughout this interview that he’s a "frustrated guitar player," he is best known for his work since 1986 as The BLACKHEARTS’ drummer. Thommy has also drummed in Scandal and Mink DeVille, and on albums by Billy Idol, Blue Oyster Cult, Roger Daltrey, and countless others. On his upcoming solo CD, "That’s Amore," as he did on his 2005 record "Sex, Drums and Rock N’ Roll," Thommy drums, sings, and plays guitar. I was thrilled when Thommy took the time to chat with me about his solo records, JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS, and his drumming career.

Dave: Hey Thommy. Thanks for letting me do this interview. JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS have a late March 2007 show booked on Staten Island. Is it too early in the year to tell or do you already have a feel for how much touring The BLACKHEARTS will do in 2007?
THOMMY: Yeah, it’s too early. I’m only getting bits and pieces from the office on what the spring and summer touring schedule will be like. It’s ironic that we’re starting on Staten Island because I grew up there. Like always, it should be a heavy touring year. In 2006, it was especially heavy because we did two full-fledged tours. Back to back, we did the Vans Warped Tour and our own tour. Both were bus tours, which we normally don’t do. We do a lot of fly-dates, where we’re out for a few days and then come back.

Dave: What about your solo project, Sex, Drums and Rock N’ Roll? Any gigs planned for 2007?
THOMMY: I book my solo gigs around the JOAN JETT tour dates, and I’ve only been home for two weeks. I really haven’t planned any for 2007 yet because I’m just getting ready to release a new solo record called "That’s Amore." It’s mastered, as of a few days ago, and I’m working on the packaging and finalizing the artwork.