Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Runaways: Joan Jett movie!

Until I read this People magazine article, I hadn't realized that filming is under way for a new film biography of Joan Jett, entitled The Runaways.

I'm old enough to remember when The Runaways stirred a lot of reaction among rock fans -- especially concupiscent teenage hoodlums like me. I was 16 when they issued their first LP and I remember seeing their photo in Creem magazine and saying to msyelf, "An all-chick rock 'n' roll band? Playing their own instruments? Weird."

Yeah, there had always been chick singers, but mostly they tended toward sappy love-song stuff or -- far, far worse -- whiny folk-music nonsense a la Joan Baez. And then there was Heart: A real rock band fronted by the Wilson sisters, who could honest-to-God play guitar. But an all-chick band? Absurd.

The big obstacle to such a project? Well, whoever heard of a rock 'n' roll drummer with a vagina? Get real. That probably had something to do with why The Runaways, as a band, mostly sucked. But when Joan Jett went solo, she rocked.

So I'm looking forward to The Runaways, especially the steamy nude shower scenes and the part where Joan gets all butch-dominant with Cherie Currie . . .

Oh, wait a minute. That stuff's not actually in the movie. Those were the fantasies of a concupiscent teenage hoodlum circa 1976.

UPDATE: Little Miss Attila informs me that I have neglected to note her online shrine of her schoolgirl crush on Joan Jett. Attila is living proof that not ever ex-lesbian is all preachy-and-overcompensating-a-bit-too-much. Her erstwhile preferences are admitted but not shoved down our throats.

That last figure of speech reminds me of another 1976 hoodlum fantasy scenario involving Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, but I digress . . .

And, hey, what's with this Lita Ford fan club in the comments down there? She never impressed me as particularly hot. I'm all about Joan and Cherie, OK? You want chicks who are famous for actually playing guitar, there's Melissa Etheridge . . . uh-oh. I'm about to digress again, aren't I?

UPDATE II: Little Miss Attila links back, mentioning another chick-rocker from the '70s, Suzi Quatro, who was hot. The mnemonic trigger now sparks a dim memory from when I was maybe 14 or 15 and briefly had a thing for Toni Tennille. My adolescent erotic interests were idiosyncratic and eclectic and . . . well, bad and sinful in ways too disgusting to admit. To confess, in 2009, that I once felt amorous stirrings toward a woman whose hits included "Muskrat Love," should give you a hint of how monstrously depraved I was.

15 comments:

  1. Kid Rock's drummer is a drummer with a vagina - Stefanie Eulinberg. Just a little piece of meaningless trivia for ya.

    I look forward to seeing that movie too.

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  2. Joan Jett is, was, and always will be BAD ASS.

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  3. "Oh, wait a minute. That stuff's not actually in the movie. Those were the fantasies of a concupiscent teenage hoodlum circa 1976."

    I take it you've never seen EDGEPLAY, then? Lot less fantasy there than you might think.

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  4. Ahem. No linky-love for a fellow fan?

    http://littlemissattila.com/?p=9953

    I'm very hurt...

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  5. I've seen Joan Jett twice. She's still hot and kicks ass at whatever age she is now. The Runaways launched the career of another fantasy woman for 80's adolescent boys who like chicks with guitars...Lita Ford. I can't wait for the Lita Ford, Joan Jett shower scene in the movie. That's not in the movie either? Oh..right..the fantasy thing again. Damn.

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  6. Lita Ford was the one with the breasts.

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  7. In response to your comments on Lita Ford's relative hotness...true, Lita doesn't have the sexy eyes of Joan. It wasn't her face I was focused on though when her "Kiss Me Deadly" video made me want to be a guitar, if only for a little while. I in no way meant to disparage the hotness of Joan Jett. Just wait till you see the famous nude guitar practice scenes in the movie, then we can all be happy!

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  8. The Runaways were a breath of fresh air after having to put up with the Judy Collinses of this world. They stuck out because very few other gals back then ever rocked out [honorable mentions to Miss Quatro and Girlschool].

    However, let us not forget the many good fantasies inspired by the likes of Miss Pamela, Sweet Connie, Cynthia Plaster Caster, etc. They provided valuable services to all both near and far.

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  9. "So I'm looking forward to The Runaways, especially the steamy nude shower scenes and the part where Joan gets all butch-dominant with Cherie Currie . . ."

    Dude WAY less fantasy than you think. Go read the lyrics to "Just Lust" again, and this time think "triple entendre"...

    And do NOT be dissing Lita Ford. "Hellbound Train" rocks!

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  10. Suzi Quattro? You mean "Leather Tuscadero"?

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  11. Lita Ford has still got it. Check her out doing a duet with Twisted Sister on "I'll Be Home For Christmas".

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1EvZPPx_Es

    Nice red rubber Santa catsuit she's wearing there!

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  12. I saw the Runaways at the Whiskey on Sunset Blvd. in December 1976. The band was kind of cheesy -- the management stuck Joan Jett in the background as the mere rhythm guitarist -- but Joan had true rock charisma. She really stood out even though they didn't let her do much. And she was great in that movie in the 1980s (Light of Day?). Granted she was pretty much playing herself, but she blew veteran actors Michael J. Fox and Gena Rowlands off the screen.

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  13. And let us not forget the many many shows Joan Jett has done for the soldiers.

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  14. Sad. I've known Joan for 13 yrs now. Met her when my daughter had cancer and she's been nice enough to keep in touch all this time. Whenever she's near, we get backstage passes, hang out with her and Kenny & talk. All this trash talk about her sexuality. So what! You have no idea what a great lady she really is. She doesn't flaunt her generosity for public approval but she is generous to a fault. Talk crap about her if it makes you feel better, but the truth is not even close to what you're spewing.

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  15. The Runaways get a lot of credit for being one of the first all female rock bands, but people forget that even before them there was an all female rock band who played their own instruments, and that's the band Fanny. They only lasted till 1975 but when they were hot, they were hot! Nowadays, in some circles, Fanny are referred to as the Godmothers of Chick Rock.

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