V Magazine (V85) – Legends of Punk

From V Magazine – http://www.vmagazine.com/site/content/1497/legends-of-punk#!/2

You must buy this magazine if you can find it – this picture is a HUGE, full page. The online version does not do Joan or the magazine justice.

BY TRANSFORMING THE AGONIES OF SEX, DRUGS, AND VIOLENCE INTO BLISTERING, BEAUTIFUL NOISE, THE BRAINS HEREIN CHANGED THE 20TH CENTURY AND BEYOND. HEDI SLIMANE AND CELEBRATED PUNK WRITER LEGS McNEIL PAY TRIBUTE TO NEW YORKíS ASSHOLES, DEVILS, NERDS, DANDIES, AND FREAKS. HERE’S TO THE ANGELS OF ROCK AND ROLL

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There was a year or so there when the Runaways and the Ramones toured together, comprising one of the best double bills in rock-and-roll history. And it seemed for a brief moment that punk rock might finally become a commercially viable entity. Such was not the case. But in that brief moment in time, there were no chicks (and chicks they most certainly were) cooler than the Runaways. They were the precursors to all the Riot Grrrls, and had the biggest brass balls ever to complement their five vaginas.

“Hello Daddy, hello Mom / I’m your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb / Hello world, I’m your wild girl / I’m your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb!” the Runaways sang when a cherry bomb was the equivalent of a pussy riot today. In this small circle of severe female chill, one Runaway was ready to scurry even farther than the rest. JOAN JETT shone with a brighter luminescence than even her bandmates did—a pretty amazing feat, since the band was comprised of stunning dirty teenage fantasies.

I remember seeing Joan backstage at the Santa Monica Civic Center, on my 21st birthday, when the Runaways were opening for the Ramones, and I said to Joey, “Wow, she looks like a punk-rock angel!”

“Yeah,” Joey Ramone laughed, “or devil! Ha ha! She’s supercool and a great guitar player.”

Of course, the Runaways broke up a few years after they began and Joan went off on her own to become the female icon she is today. I remember her coming off stage that night in 1977, her black leather jacket slung over her shoulder, sweat dripping down her skinny, sinewy arms, an intense anger burned into that gorgeous face, just dying to tell the first person that got in her way to “FUCK OFF AND DIE!”

Read the rest of the punk stories HERE.

Guitar World Nov 2013 – Dear Guitar Hero

Last month, Guitar World asked its readers to submit questions to Joan for an upcoming issue. It’s here!

Congratulations to all the fans who got their questions published! They covered current topics as well as Joan’s history, and all were thought-provoking. Special congrats to our friend Mikey Nichols (@jettrocker), for being chosen! I can’t wait to hear Unvarnished.