February 2013 News

Roo's Bio

My name is Raina Coffey and I am eight years old. I got my first drum set when I was three. I joined the Louisville Leopard Percussionists when I was in the second grade. I take drum lessons with Jyn Yates at Mom's Music.

I love the drums because I was born to rock out! My favorite musician is JOAN JETT and I will be playing I Hate Myself for Loving You. My other musical influences are The Who, AC/DC, and the Neon Trees.

by Neal Augenstein

WASHINGTON - Fourteen years in the making, the documentary on the iconic Georgetown music club, The Bayou, airs Monday at 9 p.m. on Maryland Public Television.

The Bayou, located on K Street NW, underneath the Whitehurst Freeway, hosted legendary shows from 1953 through 1998.

"The Bayou: DC's Killer Joint" features archival footage from shows ranging from U2's first American concert to KISS's ear-blasting performance and the touching final performance by Maryland singer Eva Cassidy, who died from cancer soon after at the age of 33.

Two shows featured in the documentary were first appearances by England's Dire Straits and the all-girl American band The RUNAWAYS.

In early 1979, Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits launched their first U.S. tour, in the wake of the success of their debut album, including the single 'Sultans of Swing.'

"It was huge success, and The Bayou was one of the very first clubs they played in the U.S.," says movie producer Bill Scanlan.



The shows on March 8 and March 9 were both sellouts.

"(Show promoter) Mike Schreibman booked them for two nights. He could have booked them for three or four," says Scanlan.

Two years earlier, The Bayou hosted one of the the area's most-anticipated shows - the debut of all-girl punk band The RUNAWAYS, featuring guitarist JOAN JETT, of Wheaton, Md.

by Emmet Smith



You may be among those who believe that a cover song can never be as good as the original -- and if you've ever listened to the many disastrous covers that pollute YouTube, you'd have a strong basis to support that argument.

Still, hearing one musician reinterpret the work of others can allow a listener to regain appreciation for well-worn material, making something old sound fresh and new. Sure, you may never hear anyone play "Blitzkrieg Bop" better than the Ramones, or perform a rendition of "Waiting Room" superior to Fugazi's -- but that doesn't mean you can't fully appreciate and enjoy the tributes of other artists as something of equal value.

However, every now and then, a band or musician comes along who takes an original tune and thoroughly improves it. Be it making a lousy track listenable or bettering an already good tune, these musicians have raised the bar on these 10 songs:

JOAN JETT Covers "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" by AC/DC

In 1990, JOAN JETT released a cover record, The Hit List. And while she certainly compiled a great album, it's hard to argue that her versions of songs such as CCR's "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" and the Sex PistolsÔ "Pretty Vacant" trumped the originals.

The album's single, however, blows the original out of the water. Jett takes an overplayed, overrated band's scummiest-sounding hit and turns it into something that is sexy and bad ass. She may be remembered for many other tunes, but "Dirty Deeds" deserves a spot on Jett's roster of greatest hits.



For their complete list of Top 10 Cover Songs That Are Better Than the Original from VerbicideMagazine, click here

by Annie Zaleski

As this list of the Top 10 Anti-Love Songs proves, Valentine's Day is either a day to celebrate your significant other, or it's your worst nightmare, if your relationship situation is not what you'd like it to be. The following songs are sympathetic to the latter scenario, whether they deal with scorned lovers, terrible breakups or anyone simply unlucky in love.

Number 7:
'I Hate Myself For Loving You'
JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS
From: 'Up Your Alley' (1988)

A Billboard Top 10 hit, JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS' ÔI Hate Myself For Loving You' oozes with self-loathing. See, the main character is ticked because although her man is a flaky cheater, she "can't break free from the things" he does. Even better are the song's roaring arena riffs, splashy hand claps and wicked contributions from ex-Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor, which combine for a bubblegum-rock gem.

For the complete list of Top 10 Anti-Love Songs from Ultimate Classic Rock, click here

by MTRBWY

JOAN JETT, the 80's Icon has picked the last seven Super Bowl winners. She's calling it Ravens, 31-28.

Here is who other celebs are picking.

ANDREW DICE CLAY, comedian: 49ers, 33-27.
MARK CUBAN, owner, Dallas Mavericks: 49ers, 28-16.
DONALD TRUMP, businessman; host, "The Apprentice": 49ers, 24-21
BOB WEIR, guitarist, the Grateful Dead; 2004 Super Sage Award winner: 49ers, 38-27.
ADAM WEST, actor, "Batman": 49ers, 24-21.
BARRY WILLIAMS, Greg Brady in "The Brady Bunch": 49ers, 31-17.

by MTRBWY

McManus Entertainment are excited to announce The Darkness and legendary rock goddess JOAN JETT and her band The BLACKHEARTS for four very special co-headline shows in April.

The rise, fall, and rise again of The Darkness contains all the ingredients of a classic rock opera. The basics are a matter of public record: unfashionable good-time hard rock band from Lowestoft slog their way around the Camden pub circuit, build a word-of-mouth following that can fill theatres without a record deal, then rocket to world stardom selling over 3 million copies of their debut album worldwide, winning three Brit awards and becoming one of the biggest British rock bands of the Noughties.

After their dramatic demise in 2006, The Darkness returned triumphantly to the world stage to the open arms of fans and critics alike, delivering their world famous live sets, and their third studio LP Hot Cakes (2012).

The original line up of Justin Hawkins (vocals/ guitar), Dan Hawkins (guitars/ backing vocals), Frankie Poullain (bass), and Ed Graham (drums) return to Australia in May.

JOAN JETT is an originator, an innovator and a visionary. As the leader of the hard-rocking BLACKHEARTS, she's had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles including the classics Bad Reputation, I Love Rock 'N' Roll, I Hate Myself For Loving You, and Crimson and Clover, and she sits at the head of her own independent label, BLACKHEART RECORDS.

Since co-founding the RUNAWAYS, the pioneering all-girl punk quintet, at age 15, Jett's determination and drive have kept her in the public eye. Jett was able to see her story told in The RUNAWAYS, the film based on (lead singer of The RUNAWAYS) Cherie Currie's book Neon Angel starring Kristen Stewart as Jett, and her fellow A-lister Dakota Fanning as Currie. Jett was close to the project: She served as an executive producer.

In 2010 JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS came to Australia after a fifteen year absence to headline The Falls Music and Arts Festivals in VIC and TAS, and Sunset Sounds in Brisbane, gathering a whole new generation of Aussie fans who fell in love with her classic tunes and unflappable punk rock attitude.

by Monty Archibald

They are two of the most iconic women in rock.

So it was quite the clash of the titans when JOAN JETT and Stevie Nicks walked the red carpet in Los Angeles on Thursday.

The dynamic duo battled it out at the premiere of Foo Fighters star Dave Grohl's new documentary Sound City.

I Love Rock And Roll favourite Joan, 54, just about edged it thanks her more youthful looks, while her leather jacket, jeans and trainer combo also had a more trendy edge.

But Rhiannon star Stevie, 64, was certainly not disgraced in her all black ensemble, which showed off her slender physique.

Another aging beauty at the event was Daryl Hannah, the 52-year-old making quite the Splash due to her evergreen looks.

A smattering of rock and roll royalty showed up for the event, with all of the Foo Fighters and No Doubt star Tony Kamal among the big names.

Sound City is about the popular recording studio of that name, which is now defunct, in the San Fernando Valley of California.

Albums produced there include Fleetwood Mac's self-titled 1975 album, their smash hit Rumours two years later, Mr Springfield's Working Class Dog in 1981, and Nirvana's seminal grunge record Nevermind in 1991.