Black Flag. Van Halen. Germs.
Of all the bands that came to define SoCal rock n' roll throughout the 1970s, none were quite like The Runaways. Spearheaded by a teenage Joan Jett, the legendary girl group commanded stages across the country and the world, proving yet again that rock isn't just for the boys.
From their 'Heckler's Drills' to their own form of 'Beatlemania,' here are 11 pics remembering The Runaways, the band that gave us Joan Jett.
1
Rocker Chicks
Joan Jett, Jackie Fox, and Lita Ford rock out during a 1976 performance in the United Kingdom.
2
Girl Power
Controversial rock producer Kim Fowley first assembled The Runaways in 1975, after a teenage Joan Jett allegedly lamented that “there were no young girls at all playing guitar or any sort of instruments."
3
Ukelele Bangers
Despite her famed guitar chops, Joan Jett auditioned for the band with ukulele covers of songs by U.K. glam rock group, Sweet.
4
From Los Angeles to Boston
The Runaways pose for a photo behind The Rathskeller, a now-bygone Boston venue in March 1977.
5
Fight Club
During rehearsals, Fowley would make the band run “heckler’s drills,” in which they’d have to practice their songs while men threw items at them, as though they were being heckled onstage.
6
Punk Icons
Though based in Los Angeles, The Runaways had alliances with legendary punk acts from both New York City and the United Kingdom, including the Ramones and the S— Pistols.
7
Hometown Heroes
“Joan Jett and Lita Ford at the Whisky a Go Go photographed by Jenny Lens, 1977.”
8
Sharing the Stage
Throughout their time in the limelight, The Runaways toured alongside several legendary groups, including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Cheap Trick, Van Halen, and Talking Heads.
9
Icons in the Making
Each member of The Runaways modeled their style after their biggest musical influencer, most notably, with lead vocalist Cherie Currie taking after David Bowie.
10
‘Just Like Beatlemania’
While the group found moderate success stateside, they were overnight sensations in Japan, with Currie describing their arrival in the country as being "just like Beatlemania"
11
Queens of Noise … And The Big Screen
In 2010, Cherie Currie’s book ‘Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway,’ was adapted into a movie entitled ‘The Runaways.’ Kristen Stewart played a young Jett while Currie was played by Dakota Fanning.
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