A very happy birthday to the godmother of punk, and one of my first crushes as a kid, to the great Joan Jett.
Born in 1958 in the suburbs of Philly, Joan Marie Larkin was the oldest of three children to an insurance salesman and a secretary. The family spent a few years in Rockville, Maryland before moving to outside Los Angeles during Joan's teenage years.
Finding a love for music among an ever-evolving music scene on the Sunset Strip, Joan soon crossed paths with producer Kim Fowley and helped found The Runaways, one the earliest all-female rock groups in music history. The group had a successful, if not turbulent, run during the latter half of the decade.
After the dissolution of The Runaways, Joan produced GI, the one and only album from punk legends The Germs, and made moves towards a solo career. Joan met up with songwriter/producer Kenny Laguna in working on her debut album, the beginning of a long professional relationship for the duo. Joan, with Laguna's help, formed The Blackhearts and released her debut album, Joan Jett in 1980.
It wasn't until the following year, and inspired by a remake of a mid-70's song by the Arrows, a short-lived English rock group, when Joan Jett and The Blackhearts released I Love Rock and Roll. Fueled by the title track and another cover, Crimson and Clover from Tommy James and Shondells, the album became a smash hit, eventually going 10x platinum and landing Joan international acclaim which she has sustained since.
Outside of performing, Joan is a big sports fan (supporting women's sports) and has permitted use of her music in association with many events. She's also dabbled in stage, TV, and film work - thinking many of you here might remember her performance as Patti Rasnick in the 1986 drama Light of Day. She's also jumped out of the studio and behind the console to produce several artists on her record label (founded with Laguna) Blackheart records. Joan is passionately involved in her socio-political beliefs, and is an advocate for animal rights and vegan living.
From a girl with a cool shag haircut who could sing and play some guitar, to an outright icon in her own right...Joan Jett's bad reputation has most definitely preceeded her.
