Runaways - Runaways
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Free Music Notes for Runaways
Free Music Review: The original girl rock album that started it all.
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is nothing short of amazing. I think the reason The Runaways aren't talked about all that much is due to the fact that they only had one genuine hit in the catchy "Cherry Bomb" that is on this album.
Also, it just so happens that this album had a 16 year old Joan Jett playing rhythm guitar and a 17 year old Lita Ford playing lead guitar. Their subsequent solo careers (moreso Joan Jett's for longevity's sake) eclipsed what they did with The Runaways back in the day.
I think also that a big part of it was that it just wasn't that accepted yet back in the mid 70's for women to be able/allowed to rock out just like their male counterparts were doing. The fact that The Runaways were presented as nothing but sex symbols by their lable and producer to a certain extent kept them from really getting taken seriously at the time this album originally came out in 1976 (which is funny since they were all 16 with the exception of Lita Ford who was 17 at the time this record was made). People weren't really listening to the music as much as they were gawking at these admittedly very attractive women doing better than what a lot of guys were doing in rock at that time.
People are more quick to mention The Go-Go's mainly due to their more astronomical popularity and more streamlined sound as the first real "Girl Rock" group, but The Runaways were doing it before they were.
In fact, any all-girl rock bands will usually mention the profound impact that this album had on them. Just see any interview with the current all girl rock band The Donna's for proof of that.
While this album is raw and simplistic to a certain point, there's no denying that these girls even being just teenagers could play and write some very catchy songs.
The only track that might rub people the wrong way is the final 7 plus minute track "Dead End Justice" which is about the girls getting into and breaking out of a juvenille detention facility. But taken into context that these girls were just teenagers at the time, it's really hard to not get caught up in the sheer fun presented throughout this whole album.
While The Runaways would record 2 more studio alubms (with slightly different lineups), they would be forgotten and written off before Joan Jett and Lita Ford would begin very successful solo careers.
But this first album is the best of their releases and sounds even more fresh today then it did when it originally came out.
Highly recommended not just for it's sheer historical importance in the pantheon of women-in-rock/music, but also for the taut and catchy songwriting/musicianship on display as well.
Free Music Review: Love chicks rockin' out? These girls started it all!
Hit: 5 Stars
I really don't understand why more people don't know who this awesome band is - everyone knows Joan Jett (from her I love Rock n' roll hit) and some heavy metal ppl. know Lita Ford, but only a hand full I've spoken to know of these girls.
It may be the fact that they were controlled by their devil-reincarnated manager Kim Fowley, who ranted and raved at them about how horrible they were and took them around America when they were 16 and made them all live on McDonalds and stay in one hotel room for all five. (if you want more on this, check out the Runaways doco. Edgeplay - which interviews all but Jett)
But they did it all for rock n' roll - they loved it so much, that they put up with the abuse from Fowley, and stuck it out. This album would have to be their best, other than their next - Queens of Noise. It opens with their only hit - Cherry Bomb, which should be any rock girls anthem - loud, sexy, angry.
You drive me wild has a slight country twange to it, but Currie (lead singeR) gives it the right amount of lust by slurring slightly and whispering, "I'm feelin' so hot...I'm cookin' like an oven..."
The last song, Dead end justice is the Bohemian Rhapsody for teen rebels - a story about Cherie and Joan Jett (rhythm guitar) being locked up in juvi for under age drinking. It starts off with Currie statting that she doesn't care about being caught, but ends with her and Joan discussing how to escape from prison.
Cherie made one more album with the band, then cracked under the huge amount of pressure, and left, leaving Jett to take over on lead vocals for the rest of their short lived days together.
If you care anything about the history of rock n' roll, then you NEED to check out these girls.
Free Music Review: lungman
Hit: 5 Stars
After listening to this incredible, landmark album umpteenthousand times, I've come up with a new angle on it. I can't believe there wasn't a method to the way it was put together. Here goes:
A character is introduced in the first track. You follow her through some sexual fantasies, life on the street, relationship issues, and then a rejection of her family's values ("two TV sets, ...Cadillac cars don't mean nothin at all"). She then declares her path in life ("...her life was saved by rock and roll"). Next, more sexual fantasies, revenge, then she declares her philosophy in life: "...if you get caught, just deny it!" Then comes fake ID, popping pills, stealing cars, getting busted, getting beaten, incarceration, then a lament:"...super star, never had a chance...planet sorrow...no tomorrow". This is followed by a failed excape attempt. Then, the most disturbing part of the whole album: it never ends. There's no coda, downbeat, or anything. It just drifts on out into nowhere with Sandy West's (may she rest in peace) dirge-like, mournful drum tatoo!
Rather than glorify teenage temptation, rebellion, and sexual fantasy, the album puts out a stern warning: "Go this route, then here's the risk kids!" The whole thing is a morality play--a little campy, but there it is.
Free Music Review: Teenage Rock And Roll
Hit: 5 Stars
One of the first girl hard rock groups, The Runaways, made their debut in 1976 with the self titled album. Cherie Currie (16 years old) in vocals, Joan Jett (16 years old) in rhythm guitar & vocals, Lita Ford (17 years old) in lead guitar, Jackie Fox (16 years old) in bass and vocals, and Sandy West (16 years old) in drums and vocals made a huge success in Japan but not so great in America and Europe. They had one great hit "Cherry Bomb" which is defintely their best song and this album is also their best one. Also the B-side of "Cherry Bomb": "Blackmail" is included here. This album is full of great hard rock songs, no ballads and no boring guitar & drums solos. They also made a great version of L. Reed's "Rock And Roll". The album closes with a long track "Dead End Justice". The lyrics in the songs are mainly about sex, love, partying, drugs, rock'n'roll, and justice. Cherie Currie is an excellent vocalist...her voice is so hot and wild...also the other girls sing very well the backing vocals. This is one of the most underrated albums in the rock history. It has inspired many hard rock girl groups, for example Girl School and The Donnas.
Stars: Cherry Bomb, Secrets, Is It Day Or Night?
Free Music Review: SEXY INNOVATORS OF GIRL ROCK AT SIXTEEN YEARS OLD
Hit: 5 Stars
Joan Jett, Lita Ford, one of the chicks from The Bangles. Nowadays girls dream to be like them. These chicks were between the ages of sixteen and seventeen when they put out the first RUNAWAYS album. This thing ain't no candy pop. It's rare even today to hear a girl group rock this good! I own this album on vinyl and I plan to keep it that way, it's one of my prized possesions. That's Cheri Curie on the front cover, she was the original lead singer of the group. That cover is so cool, and the gate fold sleeve has a very sexy group shot in the middle! The new CD is like this too! CHERRY BOMB, YOU DRIVE ME WILD, IS IT DAY OR NIGHT are enough reason to buy this album. Not just because I like ooogling at teenage girls either, this whole album rocks with absolute intensity... and the subject matter makes me laugh. Its all a ton of fun. These chicks rule!
Don't judge these girls because they were sixteen. They knew perfectly well what was going on, most of them are still rocking today!