April 2008 News

Author's Note: This piece, in a somewhat edited form, is slated to appear in the Thursday, May 1st edition of the Frederickburg's appropriately lauded news destination, The Free-Lance Star, most likely on the cover of the Weekender section. Now, enjoy:

Some people take the road less traveled. JOAN JETT had to build her own. With a career going on more than three decades, rock icon and pioneer JOAN JETT has singularly made her own success like none other in rock music, pushing boundaries and shattering perceptions of what one artist, man or woman, can do. Jett, with her back-up band The BLACKHEARTS, will headline the 12th Annual Cinco De Mayo Fiesta at Richmond's Brown's Island on Saturday, May 3.

Best known for fist-in-the-air rock hits "I Love Rock and Roll," "Bad Reputation" and "I Hate Myself for Loving You," JOAN JETT has blazed a wide trail through music, kicking out punchy, straight ahead rock and roll that is as classic as it is rebellious. She will release a greatest hits album, "Fit to be Tied," in June.

As a teenager, Jett helped found the groundbreaking punk band The RUNAWAYS, the first major all-girl band to hit the mainstream.

"We saw the world around us--saw the music scene around us--and none of that included girls playing rock and roll," said Jett, during a recent phone interview. "We knew that it was going to be something that people would respond to."

Apr 26, 2008 - Last night was over the top cool. I'm in Laughlin Nevada for the Laughlin River Run. I've been here since Wednesday working with a Joe Klein, a partner working to rebrand his new media business. I'm also here with Michael Butler of the Rock and Roll Geek Show.

Last night we interviewed the BLACKHEARTS of JOAN JETT and the Black Hearts. We talked with Dougie Nails the lead guitarist and THOMMY PRICE on drums, who has played with Joan since the mid 80's after playing with Billy Idol on the Rebel Yell album/tour.

Michael Butler ran a great interview with the band, and I worked as the cameraman.

When it comes to true rock royalty, only a few names come to mind. And one of the first is the incomparable JOAN JETT. Glam was lucky enough to chat with her recently and get her opinion on girl bands, fashion designers, and her old friend Cyndi Lauper.

Glam: Your Greatest Hits CD is coming out in August. TellÊus a little about that.
Jett: I'm very excited about it. It's always fun to have a record out and talk to people about it. Like the title implies, it will have all our hits on it. But we're going to have a few new tracks that some people haven't been exposed to, so I'm excited about that. To promote it, I'm on the road pretty much most of the year. We'll be doing concerts starting very soon.

Glam: You're doing a few dates with the True Colors tour [editor's note: launched by Cyndi Lauper and the Human Rights Organization and Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays] How did that come about?
Jett: They called up to see if we were available for a few dates on the tour and I was definitely interested. It should be a good time. I've known Cyndi for many years, from way back from the 80s and it'll be great to be with her again and on the road.

Glam: Did you happen to catch American Idol when Amanda Overmyer performed your song?
Jett: I thought it was cute. Yeah, definitely. She did a good job.

When JOAN JETT picks up the phone in New York for her Spinner interview, two things are immediately apparent: First, the tale of her three-decade plus career is evidenced wholly by her speaking voice, which is throaty and unintentionally gruff. It's the wear of a Philadelphia-born punk named Joan Marie Larkin who left for L.A. at 15 with a rock 'n' roll in dream in one hand and leather in the other. Three years later, Jett formed the RUNAWAYS, and thus beginning her kicking-and-screaming ascent to rock iconism. Dubbed the original riot grrrl, Jett would garner several other titles along the way: chart-topper, entrepreneur, activist, actress, producer, sex symbol and all-around badass, included.

This brings us to number two: JOAN JETT commands, though not literally, respect. Her middle- finger- to-the-establishment reputation sits backseat to the woman on the line -- a woman who, despite her persona, felt misunderstood at the onset. She issues no bounds as inquiries go, answering each question with cool authority and, often, laughter. "What do you want to know?" she begins. And so it does.

You're releasing a greatest hits CD/DVD later this year. What was it like for you to sit down and sift through nearly three decades' worth of material?
I have the most contempt... to look at myself [musically] and be like, "No, no." Do you know what I'm saying? It's like looking through dated pictures. It's kinda weird to look at old videos or old photos. But I'm glad I did it. Sometimes, sitting around and making records, you don't really hear it. You're just recording and loving the songs, taking them out on the road and playing them for people. People remember what's recorded but I don't listen to my records over and over again. I don't go back to the recordings unless there's something I need to refresh myself for the band -- the tempos or a structure of a song. But I'd love to do that because I put a lot of hard work into the records I make. It can be fun to go back and take a listen. Also, there are a few [new] tracks that'll be on the CD. They are songs that we haven't really played live yet, but they're written out.

You were one of the first female musicians to start her own record label, BLACKHEART RECORDS, more than 25 years ago, and it was done out of necessity because 23 labels rejected you.
That's crazy, right? As an artist, you want some control over what you're doing. But it's common -- we all want to be signed to a major label. It's part of that dream: being in a band, signed to a major label, have a big record come out. But nobody wanted anything to do with me, my music or my band. It was really... tough.

Why do you think you were rejected?
I don't know. It's really hard for people to see it -- that atmosphere and mindset that people had about girls in music or girls in rock 'n' roll 25 years ago. I'm not playing the typical girl role and I've taken a lot of shit. It's hard for me to judge. I can't tell what it is about me. I don't walk around smashing s---; I'm not that kind of scary person. I don't know what about me was so threatening.

JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS concert review, NIU Convocation Center, Dekalb, IL March 29, 2008

Northern Illinois University is no stranger to staging arena shows, bringing the likes of Kanye West and B.B. King (to name a few) to the corn field surrounded campus. However the normally serene settings have unfortunately been interrupted by the fatal February 14 shooting from a former student that resulted in six fatalities and eighteen wounded. Though media flocked to the campus in the aftermath and continue to report updates on occasion, the road to rebuilding and hopefully some healing seems to finally be in full swing, as evidenced by a steadily building concert schedule (including upcoming shows with Jimmy Eat World, Paramore and Carrie Underwood).

But amongst first folks to kick off the streak of silence were punk rock powerhouses JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS, a curious choice for the collegiate venue, though one that was likely backed by her broad base appeal. After all, the famed singer/guitar slinger was an early staple of the CBGB scene alongside Talking Heads, Tom Petty and Television (all of whom opened for her), while blazing the trail for women artists of all associations. And from then until now, she's captivated everyone from punk and pop circles to radio listeners and indie appreciators, along with audiences of all ages from various walks of life.

Though students certainly flanked this show, the seats were filled with a wide ranged mix of the aforementioned, all of whom were simultaneously treated to the group's greatest hits and more recent selections from 2006's SINNER (BLACKHEART RECORDS Group). No matter what the era, Jett and her longtime backers were fierce and fiery, juicing up all eras with unabashed electric attitude and those seriously sassy vocals. Golden oldies like "Bad Reputation," "Cherry Bomb" and "Crimson and Clover" possessed the insurgent sprit that got this original "riot grrrl" noticed in the first place, while reclaiming the take charge personality of the front women's youth.