The Runaways Totally Explained

Everything about The Runaways totally explained

The Runaways was a teenage, American all-girl rock band that performed in the 1970s. The band is best known for the songs "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels (On the Road to Ruin)" and "Born to Be Bad". "Cherry Bomb" appeared on the movie soundtracks for Dawn, Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, RV and Dazed and Confused. The band toured through America and Japan, also visiting the UK, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. The career of the band was short (1975-1979), successful, and tempestuous.

History

The beginning

Widely believed at the time to have been a novelty act formed by producer Kim Fowley, who thought the notion of five teenage girls dressed in leather and lingerie performing rock and roll music was highly marketable, the truth of the band's origin is actually that the individual parts that made up the whole began with the most pure of rock 'n' roll intentions.
   Despite the apparent "jailbait on the run" gimmick pushed by their manager, the girls in the band were proficient at playing their instruments and wrote or co-wrote most of the band's material and, as later became obvious, were serious about their music. Their best known song is 1976's "Cherry Bomb" — Hello daddy, hello mom, I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb! — which has been covered by many other bands, including the Japanese pop-punk trio Shonen Knife, and Joan Jett's later band The Blackhearts.
   It is a common misconception that The Runaways were a manufactured band, controlled by manager Kim Fowley -- in fact, The Runaways were formed in late 1975 by drummer Sandy West and rhythm guitarist Joan Jett, as well as songwriter Kari Krome, who was searching for girls to perform her songs. They had introduced themselves (on separate occasions) to producer Kim Fowley stating their ideas to form an all-girl band. Fowley, who was always looking for the next big thing, gave West Jett's phone number. The two met on their own to discuss the possibilities. After rehearsing together, the pair contacted Fowley to let him hear the results. Fowley then helped the girls find the other members.
   Starting as a power trio with bassist Micki (Michael) Steele, The Runaways began the party and club circuit around Los Angeles. Eventually they added 16-year-old lead guitarist Lita Ford to the fray and lead singer Cherie Currie. Bassist Micki Steele left the group, later resurfacing in the hugely successful Bangles. Ann Boleyn was recruited to play bass but left after a disagreement with Fowley. After some trial and error Jackie Fox (who had originally auditioned for the lead guitar spot) was added on bass and the line up was complete.

Fame

The Runaways were signed to Mercury Records in 1976 and their debut album, The Runaways, was released shortly after. The band toured the US and played numerous sold out shows. They had opening acts for Cheap Trick, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, the Ramones, and Van Halen. In the film Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways, it was said that each girl patterned herself after her idols: Currie patterning her look after David Bowie, Jett after Suzi Quatro and Keith Richards, Ford as a cross between Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and Jeff Beck, West after Queen drummer Roger Taylor, and Fox after Kiss bassist/ vocalist Gene Simmons.
   Their second album, Queens of Noise was released in 1977 and the band began a world tour. The Runaways quickly became lumped in with the growing punk rock movement. The band (already fixtures on the west coast punk scene) formed alliances with east coast punk bands such as Blondie, The Ramones and The Dead Boys (via New York City's CBGB's) as well as the UK punk scene by hanging out with the likes of The Damned, Generation X and The Sex Pistols. Due to the band's constant touring, they were in the unique position of being in the middle of the punk scene as it was breaking in two different countries, thus cementing their place in punk history.
   In the summer of 1977 the group arrived in Japan for a string of sold out shows. The Runaways were the number 4 imported music act in Japan at the time, only trailing behind Led Zeppelin, ABBA, and Kiss in terms of album sales and popularity. The girls were unprepared for the onslaught of fans that greeted them at the airport. The mass hysteria would later be described by guitarist Jett as being "like Beatlemania". While in Japan, The Runaways had their own TV special, did numerous television appearances and released a live album that went gold. While in Japan, bassist Jackie Fox left the band before the group was scheduled to appear at the Tokyo Music Festival. Jett temporarily took over bass duties and when the group returned home they replaced Fox with 17 year old Vicki Blue.
   Singer Cherie Currie then left the group and Jett, who previously shared vocals with Currie, took over lead vocals full time. The band released their 4th album, Waiting For The Night and started a world tour with their friends The Ramones. Currie released a solo LP Beauty's Only Skin Deep, which was produced by Kim Fowley and began her own tour which included her identical twin sister Marie.

Dissolution

Due to disagreements over money and the management of the band, the Runaways and Kim Fowley parted ways in 1978. The group quickly hired new management, who also worked for Blondie and Suzi Quatro. When the group split with Fowley, they also parted with their record label Mercury/Polygram, to which their deal was tied. In the film Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways, members of the group (especially Fox and Currie) as well as the parents of Currie and West, have accused Fowley and others assigned to look after the band of using divide and conquer tactics to keep control of the band, as well as verbal and sexual abuse of the band members. In the film, Currie mentions an incident in which Fowley sat them on a bed in a hotel room and told them he was "going to teach them the right way to fuck". In another instance, Fox claims to have walked into a rehearsal to find all the band members sitting quietly. When she walked in, Fowley asked her if she'd slept with co-manager Scott Anderson. When Fox responded "Hell no!" Fowley responded by telling her she was the only one in the band who did not, proving that the band's management wasn't as responsible as they claimed to be.
Bassist Vicki Blue left the group and was replaced by Laurie McAllister. The band reportedly spent much time enjoying the excesses of the rock n' roll lifestyle during this time. They partnered with Thin Lizzy producer John Alcock, (after, ironically, Jett's future partner Kenny Laguna turned down the job) to record their last album And Now.. The Runaways.
The Runaways disbanded in 1979.

Post-breakup

Joan Jett

Jett went on to partner with producer and former Shondell (as in Tommy James and The Shondells) Kenny Laguna. They formed The Blackhearts and their own record label, Blackheart Records in 1980. The label still continues to release albums by The Blackhearts, as well as other new up and coming bands. Jett went on to have massive success with her song "I Love Rock 'N' Roll" as well as other hits such as "Crimson and Clover", "Bad Reputation" and "I Hate Myself For Loving You". Blackheart Records was formed in response to Jett getting rejected by major record labels. Jett also co-starred in the 1987 film Light of Day with Michael J. Fox, and appeared in the 2000 Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show as Columbia.

Lita Ford

Bandmate Lita Ford returned as a solo artist to Polygram in the 1980s, where she released several albums before pairing with manager Sharon Osbourne. She also had success with songs like "Kiss Me Deadly" and "Close My Eyes Forever" (the second a duet with Sharon's husband Ozzy Osbourne). She is currently married to former Nitro singer Jim Gillette. They have two young sons.

Sandy West

Founding member Sandy West continued her association with John Alcock once the group disbanded. She and Lita Ford attempted to record some music, but nothing materialized. She formed the Sandy West Band and toured California throughout the '80s and '90s. She also did session work (John Entwistle) and became a drum teacher. West was diagnosed with cancer in 2005 and, after many treatments, succumbed to the disease in October of 2006. A Memorial Tribute Concert with bands and solo artists like The Sandy West Band, Cherie Currie, The Bangles, The Donnas and many others was held in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 9th, 2006.

Cherie Currie

Singer Cherie Currie went on to start an acting career. She appeared in movies with Jodie Foster (Foxes), The Twilight Zone the Movie, and Demi Moore (Parasite) as well as others before releasing a 1978 solo album entitled Beauty's Only Skin Deep and a 1980 duet album with her sister Marie and the band Toto called Messin' With The Boys. Currie married actor Robert Hays (Airplane); they'd a son together, but split up in 1997. Currie still performs and records but her current passion is chainsaw carving. She has an art gallery in California where her works are currently on display.

Micki Steele

Bassist Micki Steele joined the all girl band the Bangles in the early '80s and went on to huge success with songs like "Walk Like An Egyptian" and "Eternal Flame".

Jackie Fox

Bassist Jackie Fox went to Harvard and became a lawyer. She has lived abroad and is an amateur photographer. She no longer performs.

Vicki Blue

Bassist Vicki Blue, now known as Victory Tischler Blue, briefly had a band with singer Cherie Currie in the early '80s (Currie-Blue Band), but never released an album, though they did appear together in the film This is Spinal Tap. After leaving The Runaways, she shifted her focus to film & television production eventually becoming a producer/director for several reality and magazine based television shows, including Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood & Real Stories of the Highway Patrol - receiving an Emmy nomination along the way. She went on to form Sacred Dogs Entertainment - a motion picture production company and released a documentary on The Runaways called Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways. "Edgeplay" went on to win numerous awards and became the highest rated rock documentary film on the Showtime Networks. Victory Tischler-Blue is currently producing a film with another female rocker, Suzi Quatro titled "Naked Under Leather" which is slated for worldwide release summer / 2007. Focusing on music driven productions, she's currently executive producing a network special: The Bee Gees "Unbroken Fever" - The 30th Anniversary of Saturday Night Fever (2007). Additionally, Tischler-Blue and ex bandmate Lita Ford have teamed up together with Ford recording music for "El Guitarista", an animated series that Sacred Dogs Entertainment is producing.

Laurie McAllister

Bassist Laurie McAllister left The Runaways to join another Kim Fowley all-girl band, The Orchids, who released one poorly received LP in 1980. She no longer performs music.

Ann Boleyn

Ann Boleyn, who is said to have played keyboard on the "Queens of Noise" (though not credited), went on to form Hellion and [NewRenaissance Records]]. Boleyn is currently singing with Detente.

Influence

The Runaways paved the way for many of today's female artists and female bands like Bikini Kill and most recently, The Donnas to enter the male dominated arena of rock 'n' roll and allow them to stand toe to toe with their counterparts. They are named as influences by several male and female artists, including Courtney Love and Megadeth.

Personnel

Line-ups

(1975-1976)

Joan Jett - guitar, vocals
Micki Steele - bass, vocals
Sandy West - drums, vocals

(1976-1977)

Cherie Currie - lead vocals

Joan Jett - rhythm guitar, lead vocals

Lita Ford - lead guitar

Jackie Fox - bass, backing vocals

Sandy West - drums, backing vocals (1977)

Cherie Currie - lead vocals

Joan Jett - bass, lead vocals

Lita Ford - lead guitar

Sandy West - drums, backing vocals (1977)

Cherie Currie - lead vocals

Joan Jett - rhythm guitar, lead vocals

Lita Ford - lead guitar, backing vocals

Vicki Blue - bass

Sandy West - drums, backing vocals (1977-1978)

Joan Jett - rhythm guitar, lead vocals

Lita Ford - lead guitar, backing vocals

Vicki Blue - bass

Sandy West - drums, backing vocals (1978)

Joan Jett - rhythm guitar, lead vocals

Lita Ford - lead guitar, backing vocals

Laurie McAllister - bass

Sandy West - drums, backing vocals

Discography

The Runaways, (1976)

Queens of Noise, (1977)

Live in Japan, (1977)

Waitin' for the Night, (1977)

And Now... The Runaways (international release title), (1978)

Flaming Schoolgirls ("odds-and-sods" compilation), (1980)

Little Lost Girls, (re-sequenced U.S. version of And Now... The Runaways) (1981)

The Best Of The Runaways, (1982)

Born to be Bad (early demos compilation), (1993)Further Information
Get more info on 'The Runaways'.

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