Beautiful, brazen, and born in an era when female empowerment was costly to a woman’s career, especially in the male-dominated rock music scene of the 1970s, Joan Jett blazed a trail unlike any musician before her. In honor of her 60th birthday, Sweetwater takes a look at the life and legacy of the original riot grrrl — the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Godmother of Punk — and how her contributions to music and feminism shaped a genre and continue to inspire generations of stars and up-and-comers.
“Sweet Sixteen and a Rebel Queen” — the Runaways
Philly-born and LA-fledged Joan Jett (Joan Marie Larkin), daughter of a secretary and the eldest of three daughters, comes by her rock rebellion honestly. When told by a guitar instructor at the age of 14 that “girls don’t play rock ‘n’ roll,” Jett defiantly started her own hit female hard rock band, the Runaways. By the tender age of 18, she and the girls were selling out shows across the US on the backs of acts like Cheap Trick and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. By 19, Jett and the Runaways were causing Beatlemania-scale hysteria in Japan with their unique brand of glam rock and West Coast punk. When singer Cherie Currie left the group in 1977 due to creative differences with guitarist Lita Ford, Jett took over on lead vocals. And from there, a star was born. The Runaways officially disbanded in April of 1979, leaving Jett to pursue other creative outlets.
“Bad Reputation” — Jett’s Solo Career
Despite all her Runaways momentum, Jett’s inaugural solo album failed to take flight. Its songs were panned by 23 different labels before Jett and producer/manager Kenny Laguna were forced to fund and release the album themselves — cofounding Blackheart Records and selling records to concert-goers and local music shops out of the trunk of Laguna’s car. Eventually, the album attracted the attention of Boardwalk Records and was rereleased as Bad Reputation (for its title track) in 1981. Though generally well received, the industry was slow to validate Jett’s solo work; Tom Carson of Rolling Stone gave Bad Reputation 4/5 stars, but called it “flawed by its literal-mindedness — the arrangements pump along gamely yet rarely swing or soar.” Amidst a tepid reception from fans and critics of the time, Joan was determined to press on.
“Impossible to Ignore” — the Blackhearts
With a record gaining traction but without a proper band to show for it, Jett placed an ad in the LA Weekly for “three good men.” She insisted on having a real rock band back her up — a decision which would be written in the stars. The ad attracted the attention of three of California’s local punk scene, who eventually became Jett’s backing band, the Blackhearts. The group moved to New York and slowly built a fan base as contributions from Laguna (his daughter’s college fund) kept Joan and the boys afloat. Following a year of touring and a particularly well-reviewed show at the Palladium in the spring of 1981, described by music journalists as career defining, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts changed history with the release of I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll — Jett’s most iconic and commercially successful album to date. Ironically, its title track, Jett’s breakout single (an Arrows cover), had been a staple of her solo sets from the start. Galvanized by several other singles — including a wistful, gender-bending cover of Tommy James’s “Crimson and Clover” — I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll cemented Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ place in rock and punk history.
“Here to Stay” — Jett’s Continuing Legacy
Jett’s intrepid solo path no doubt paved the way for later female-fronted rock, pop, and punk bands, including Bikini Kill, Metric, Hole, PJ Harvey, Sleater-Kinney, and even Lady Gaga. But Jett had an even more direct influence on one of modern rock’s most royal bloodlines. “She made Pat [Smear] want to start a band,” says Dave Grohl of Jett’s influence on his Foo Fighters and once-Nirvana bandmate. It was Jett herself who produced the Germs’ (Pat’s band) one and only studio album (GI) in 1979. This led to a friendship between Pat and fellow LA native Courtney Love, culminating in the fated phone call from Kurt Cobain in the summer of ’93, followed by a permanent spot in Grohl’s Foo Fighters following Cobain’s death. Jett has joined both bands onstage on several occasions in recent years — including Nirvana’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2014. Bassist Krist Novoselic said of Jett from the acceptance stage: “Here is a lady who I can’t believe is not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.” Krist’s prediction came true as Jett and the Blackhearts were inducted into the Hall of Fame themselves in 2015.
Joan’s legacy doesn’t stop there. The audacious musician, entrepreneur, and actress continues to seek out collaborations with today’s leading female musicians, including Miley Cyrus and Ke$ha. Blackheart Records, now 38 years old, is home to such diverse artists as Girl in a Coma, the Eyeliners, and Jett herself. Beginning in late September 2018, Jett will be featured in the Magnolia Pictures biopic Bad Reputation, available in select theaters and on demand.
“Ain’t Gonna Change” — Jett’s Guitar Gear
Jett has reached for the same amps and guitars since her latter Runways days. Her main axe for the past 20 years has been a sticker-clad double-cut Gibson Melody Maker loaded with a Red Rhodes Velvet Hammer humbucker — a steel-guitar pickup with a particularly forward, biting sound. For backups, Joan uses any of three custom and production Gibson Joan Jett signature Melody Makers from 2011 to present.
Onstage and in the studio, Jett’s amp is the very same Music Man HD-130 hybrid (tube preamp/solid-state power amp) 2 x 12″ combo she’s used to record her biggest hits, including “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” For fly dates, or when the Music Man is in service, Joan prefers a Vox AC30 loaded with Celestion Alnico Blue ceramic speakers.
Joan is similarly understated when it comes to pedals: a stage tuner and amp-mounted Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer are all you’ll find between her amp and guitar. “Her sound comes from her hand,” says Jett’s guitar tech Zach Nagy. “She’s very plug-and-play. It’s straight up rock ‘n’ roll.”
In Closing
Sweetwater wants to thank Joan for all the hits and memories over the years, and for making this world a better place, musically and socially, for the rest of us today. Wishing you all the happiness your heart can hold on your birthday. Special thanks to Premier Guitar‘s Rig Rundown for the info on Jett’s guitar gear.