They broke some serious ground for others to follow. They played it hard and looking back they reallt spoke to many of us during that time.
Thanks Ladies!
There has been much said and written about the "saga" and the various personalities but the one area that has not been discussed very much (at least what I can find) is the subject matter that they wrote about and performed (I understand that Joan wrote most of the songs).
Their body of work is essentially a primer on the pitfalls and drawbacks of teenage and adolescent growth and development.
For us parents raising kids these days, their songs embody all of the challenges and fantasies that we fear our kids might fall prey to. I think the Runaways spoke to a generation as much for the subject matter as the fact they were teen girls playing kick-*** R&R music. Much like Dylan spoke to my generation
Anyhow, now the girls are grown, mature, successful women, some raising teenagers faced with the same stuff they wrote about (does Jackie have kids?) Lita lives in the ganja capital of the planet, even. I think these women have special insight and perspective in raising kids vis a vis all the pitfalls they sang about. I think it would be cool to see the four of them as a panel of women (and moms) on some high profile media outlet discussing the drawbacks and pitfalls of teenage growth and development as seen through the music of the Runaways (think Oprah or Dr Phil) Since I believe you guys are THE world experts on the Runaways (I'm a newcomer, having just "discovered" them a year ago) I'd be interested in your thoughts about this.
I've always thought that their first album is something of a morality play from the first through the last track: A character is introduced in the first track---then you follow her through a series of experiences like life on the street, relationships, rejection of family values, one night stands, lying, deception, fake ID's, stealing cars, popping pills, getting busted, getting beaten, incarceration, failed opportunity, failed escape and then you are just hung out there not knowing what ever happend to her (just Sandy's dirge-like drum solo hanging in the air. It's like "ok kids, here's some life style choices you can make but here's the risk Good luck!!"
So, what do you think guys? Sorry for being so wordy but GOD, I LOVE THIS GROUP1111
They broke some serious ground for others to follow. They played it hard and looking back they reallt spoke to many of us during that time.
Thanks Ladies!
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Me too Doc! I missed out on their heyday myself and only discovered what I had missed when I discovered Cherie, in Foxes, in the early 80's.Originally posted by Lungman:
GOD, I LOVE THIS GROUP
In trying to learn more about that amazing actress, it didn't take long before I found out she had been in Joan Jett's first band.
Of coarse there was no internet back then but I did, before too long, manage to find all of the Fab Five (vinyl) albums, as well as Cherie's solo material.
In hindsight, I'd say you hit the nail on the head with your wonderful post. I think the girls, as well as Deborah Harry, opened the door for women rockers, like they had never been opened before and the world of music is way better now because of it!
The Runaways subject matter and their music itself was not so much ahead of it's time as it was "right on time" and I'm sorry I missed it, at the time.
I was in my own band back then and not paying much attention to anything else. Admittedly, I was a bit of a male chauvenist and listened almost exclusively to male rockers, missing the beginning of the monumental movement The Runaways helped to spearhead.
I "discovered" Blondie around the time The Runaways were splitting up and never looked back.
I'm so glad I decided to rent Foxes that fateful day. Cherie was just amazing in that movie!
The rest, as they say, is <s>his</s> herstory!
I'd love to see The Runaways get together, like you said, and discuss those times together, for sure.
From what I understand Lita has two young sons but Sandy, Jackie and Joan never had kids.
Cherie is a super-mom, the way I see it! Jake is, from everything I've seen and heard, a great kid and becoming an excellent musician.
I know Cherie is very proud of him as well she should be.
I really loved your take on it all Doc.
Thanks for sharing!
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Gus
What is the old saying, "You can't see the forest for the trees"?
Lungman, I had never given a thought to the Lps playlist until reading your insightful post, I think This afternoon, I need to sit down and contemplate the first LP/CD from your persective.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
rog
'Right on time' is spot on. I can't overemphasise the impact seeing the Runaways live back in 1976 had on me. I don't know if I can express this properly, but watching that amazing show made me realise the potential that life held - people my own age doing something incredible. Maybe if I hadn't been there, something else would have ignited that spark. But as it happened, I was there, and its influence is still with me. It also opened my eyes to the attitude of many of my peers - we were meant to be the enlightened generation - yet when I told people about the show a common remark - delivered with haughty contempt - was 'Oh yeah? And were they playing their own instruments?' The Runways proved that girls could rock with the best of them, and did it in style. Pity there was a riot after the Glasgow show - which you can read about in Cherie's autobiography - but I think that was more down teenage energy and excitement being badly managed by security than any malicious intent. I witnessed it rather than participated - being the meek little soul that I am - but how many rock shows have precipitated a riot? Until then I'd only read about that sort of thing happening in the early days of rock'n'roll, when the excitement of something totally new and revolutionary couldn't be contained.
I wonder if Madonna would have had the guts to wear underwear as outerwear had not Cherie done it successfully ten years earlier?
I have had the luck to have seen The Runaways in person in 1976...
Memories last for a long time.
Bri
You are so lucky!
I wish I had a memory like that!
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Gus
Lungman,
I never thought of their first record as the story of a single person and I highly doubt that was the way they intended it. But it is an interesting concept and when I listen to it next, I'll have that idea in mind.
I first started listening to the Runaways in '77 and thought it was so cool that girls were singing about sex,drugs and rock-n-roll. It was so different from what any women had sung about before with maybe the exception of Suzi Quatro. And the Runaways didn't hide the meaning behind cute phrases. They sang it straight up.
As far as Madonna, I think she would still have had the guts to do it, but Cherie beat her to it by what 7 or 8 years? So I guess her underwear escapades is a moot point. Except of course to people who don't know about the Runaways. Then Madonna seems like such a risk taker. But then she was in her 20's doing it when the Runaways were all in their teens.
When Debbie Harry went into a self imposed hiatus, at the height of her career, because of Chris Stein's illness, Madonna snuck into her "lucky star" slot.
Debbie had done the underwear thing too, on the opposite coast, at around the same time as Cherie.
Madonna also stole the wedding dress thing from Debbie.
The material girl's lack of originality was always at the forefront, in my mind!
Not to put her down but she is no Cherie Currie or Deborah Harry. Never has been and never will be, imo!
They both still rip her to shreds!
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Gus
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