June 2008 News

ANDERSONÑSteve and Karen Maas arrived to Anderson less than a hour before JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS hit the stage.

"We drove six-and-a-half hours to be here," Steve Maas said as he settled in his front row seat in the Terrace Showroom of Hoosier Park on Friday night.

The couple, who drove from Traverse City, Mich., have seen Jett twelve times, including the two from Friday night, in the past two years.

"I've been a Joan fan for 26 years," Karen Maas said as she sported her "fetish" T-shirt and Jett-like hairdo.

The sold out shows in the first-time concert venue were filled with people wearing black clothing, hoop earrings and black, short styles. The intimate atmosphere energized the entire group, including the people in the top tier of what usually is the Homestretch Clubhouse Restuarant.

"We moved the time of (horse) racing to accomodate for the shows," Tammy Knox, publicity director, said.

Jett played a 7:30 p.m. and a 10 p.m. show Friday night, with a meet-and-greet in the middle. Twenty people were chosen by the casino to meet Jett and take a picture with the punk-pop singer.

Gibson USA and JOAN JETT have announced the launch of the JOAN JETT Signature Melody Maker guitar, designed and produced in close cooperation with the rock legend herself. The model pays tribute to the iconic Melody Maker Jett played on hits like "I Love Rock N' Roll," and "Do You Wanna Touch Me" and, true to her trailblazer status, marks the first Gibson electric signature model designed in conjunction with a female artist.

"This is my guitar. Gibson was successfully able to replicate my custom velvet hammer pick ups which have not been available for twenty years. It's perfect for gigs as well as recording," says Jett. "For those of you performing live, you may understand the value of being able to shave off those split seconds between playing and interacting with the audience, especially if you use your hands to communicate. I can move between the killswitch, which mutes the guitar, and playing, and then back again without a lot of in-between motion. With its no frills basic set up, it's a perfect guitar for either an experienced player or someone just learning."

Gibson's JOAN JETT Signature Melody Maker features a lightweight, slab mahogany body with a White Worn finish. Handcrafted to the same specs as Jett's original guitar, the slim-tapered neck profile is similar to the Les Pauls and SGs of the mid to late 1960s. The fingerboard of the Melody Maker is constructed from the highest grade of ebony on the planet, Jett's personal choice for her signature Melody Maker, and the headstock features Gibson's classic, silk-screened logo.

Musician JOAN JETT arrives at the 2008 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, June 19, 2008, in New York.

Gibson Guitar announced yesterday its introduction of the JOAN JETT Signature Melody Maker electric guitar marking the first Gibson electric signature model designed in conjunction with a female artist. "This is my guitar," says Jett. "Gibson was successfully able to replicate my custom velvet hammer pick ups which have not been available for twenty years. It's perfect for gigs as well as recording," says Jett. "For those of you performing live, you may understand the value of being able to shave off those split seconds between playing and interacting with the audience, especially if you use your hands to communicate. I can move between the killswitch, which mutes the guitar, and playing, and then back again without a lot of in-between motion. With its no frills basic set up, itÕs a perfect guitar for either an experienced player or someone just learning."

According to Gibson Guitar, the JOAN JETT Signature Melody Maker "features a lightweight, slab mahogany body with a White Worn finish. Handcrafted to the same specs as Jett's original guitar, the slim-tapered neck profile is similar to the Les Pauls and SGs of the mid to late 1960s. The fingerboard of the Melody Maker is constructed from the highest grade of ebony on the planet, Jett's personal choice for her signature Melody Maker, and the headstock features Gibson's classic, silk-screened logo. The classic, snarling growl of Jett's original Melody Maker is accurately captured by a single Gibson Burstbucker 3 zebra humbucker, slightly overwound with asymmetrical coils, unpolished Alnico II magnets, and all the punch and power of an original Gibson PAF pickup. The tuners are mini-Grovers with authentic "witch hat" knobs, exactly as they are on Jett's guitar. A "kill" switch replaces the normal Gibson toggle switch, and the body is outfitted with a period-correct black vinyl pickguard. The guitar also includes such typical Melody Maker features as 24-inch scale length and the standard Gibson Tune-o-matic and stopbar tailpiece."

Punk rock icon JOAN JETT has made history by becoming the first female with a Gibson signature model electric guitar.

The JOAN JETT Signature Melody Maker was designed and produced in close cooperation with the rock legend herself.

The model pays tribute to the iconic Melody Maker Jett played on hits like 'I Love Rock N' Roll,' and 'Do You Wanna Touch Me.'

The axe replicates Jett's custom velvet hammer pick ups which haven't been available for 20 years.

"It's perfect for gigs as well as recording," says Jett. "For those of you performing live, you may understand the value of being able to shave off those split seconds between playing and interacting with the audience, especially if you use your hands to communicate. I can move between the killswitch, which mutes the guitar, and playing, and then back again without a lot of in-between motion. With its no frills basic set up, it's a perfect guitar for either an experienced player or someone just learning."

The guitar features a lightweight, slab mahogany body with a White Worn finish. The slim-tapered neck profile is similar to the Les Pauls and SGs of the mid to late 1960s.

The snarling growl of JettÕs original Melody Maker is accurately captured by a single Gibson Burstbucker 3 zebra humbucker, slightly overwound with asymmetrical coils, unpolished Alnico II magnets, and all the punch and power of an original Gibson PAF pickup.

It also includes such typical Melody Maker features as 24-inch scale length and the standard Gibson Tune-o-matic and stopbar tailpiece. The Gibson JOAN JETT Signature Melody Maker retails for $839 (about £400).

"Summer starts here!" is the slogan of the 27th annual Celebrate Fairfax! event, and who are we to argue? This weekend festival includes funnel cakes and fireworks, Ferris wheels and family-friendly entertainment. Let the season begin!

The fair also offers a sweet deal for music fans: dozens of performers, including nationally known stars and great regional acts. Check out http://www.celebratefairfax.com for details. As for highlights, the lineup at the Bud Light Main Stage is truly worth celebrating, starting with the 8 p.m. Friday set by OK Go.

' With at least 24 million YouTube viewings, OK Go's video for the Grammy-winning "Here It Goes Again" might still be better known as "the one where the guys dance on treadmills." Thankfully, the Los Angeles-based quartet doesn't need props to put on an entertaining show. With no gym equipment in sight, the quartet keeps crowds jumping with pop/rock energy and catchy, hook-laden melodies such as "Get Over It" and "A Million Ways."

In honor of the release of the beyond-cool JOAN JETT Signature Melody Maker from Gibson USA, we're digging into the archives for our April '06 profile of the great JOAN JETT.

JOAN JETT is finishing up the final touches on her album SINNER in a New York studio, and her new song "Naked" is blaring over the speakers. It is classic JOAN JETT: buzz saw guitars, sing-along melodies, and that amazing voice-rough and soft, sweet and tough at the same time-lashing it all together and taking it to new heights with every chorus. "Every bit of trouble that I cherished / Every bit of truth that I let perish / Every little bit of me is naked," Jett howls, nearly pleads, and then sneers, "Yeah."

This is rock and roll as it ought to beâ€"raw and catchy and soulful. This is the music that has been JOAN JETT's mission, gift, and lifeblood for 30 years, since she started the legendary RUNAWAYS when she was 15. Jett's soundâ€"succinctly described by longtime manager KENNY LAGUNA as a cross between "Yummy Yummy" and the Germs-is so prevalent these days it is easy to forget that she invented it. You don't have to dig very deep below the surface of anyone from Green Day, the Donnas, and Bikini Kill to Avril Lavigne, Pink, and a slew of lesser bubblegum pop punk to find her. Every time a producer wants to sprinkle a little edge or credibility onto a manufactured starlet, from Ashlee Simpson to Kelly Osbourne, JOAN JETT's sound is borrowed. The irony is not lost on her.

JOAN JETT has fought hard for her success. It was built in the face of hostile audiences, oblivious record executives, and entrenched resistance. She has held her ground in front of the meanest audience-even while being spit on, pelted with bottles and batteries, and insulted. Millions of records and about a dozen hit songs later, she takes it all with a grain of salt. She has earned some of the most loyal fans in the world and she has become a North Star for every girl who picks up a guitar. Besides, nothing is more rock and roll than kicking down doors and doing what everyone says can't be done. And as everybody knows, JOAN JETT loves rock and roll.

"I got my Melody Maker in 1977," the legendary JOAN JETT says about the guitar she has made one of the most iconic instruments in rock and roll. "It was light and it sounded great. It was the guitar I had in the RUNAWAYS and then played on all my hits, like 'I Love Rock N' Roll' and 'Bad Reputation' and 'Do You Wanna Touch Me.' It's my baby."

Carefully developed in close cooperation with Jett herself, Gibson's JOAN JETT Signature Melody Maker features a lightweight, slab mahogany body with a Worn White finish.

The slim-tapered neck profile is handcrafted to the same specs as Jett's original guitar, with an ebony fingerboard and Gibson's classic, silk-screened gold logo on the headstock.

The tuners are mini-Grovers with authentic "witch hat" knobs, exactly as they are on Jett's guitar.

The operator connects me to a hotel room in Santa Fe, and her voice slinks onto the receiver: raw, rubbed with dirt and sly with confidence. JOAN JETT, America's greatest rock and roller, wants to talk to The Lipster. "I've seen the site, yeah", she growls, and my stomach does a flip. "And I like what you're doing there, honey."I nearly drop the phone in my tea.

JOAN JETT is the ultimate Lipster dame. Born Joan Marie Larkin in suburban Philadelphia in 1958, she left home for LA at 15 and formed the core of The RUNAWAYS at 16 with drummer Sandy West – the first female rock and roll band to straddle the planet in their tight shirts, corsets and leathers. Since the group split up in 1979 she's had a successful solo career, but today we talk about The RUNAWAYS, the shock of women playing rock and roll, and how it's all about sex...

Let's go back to the early days of The RUNAWAYS. What was your motivation to start the band?

'LAW & Order: Criminal Intent" is taking on the case of Linda Stein, the ex-Ramones manager-turned-realtor-to-the-stars who was murdered last October - complete with some rock star casting.

Here's the first look at rocker JOAN JETT playing (or playing dead) a former music-biz bigwig with Chris Noth - as Det. Mike Logan - at the scene. (Noth, who stars in the box-office smash "Sex & the City" movie, is keeping his day job and was working on the "L&O" series last week.)

In the show - as in real life - the dead woman's assistant is the leading suspect in the murder.

The episode is set to air next month on USA network.