ORLANDO, Fla. -- They were the original all-girl teen rock band of the late 1970s -- The Runaways -- with two breakout stars in the Big '80s and continuing today -- Joan Jett and Lita Ford.
In this video clip from 1977 in Tokyo, Jett and Ford were on stage with lead singer, Cherie Currie,who was wearing panties, a garter and a corset, singing "Cherry Bomb." Also on stage were drummer Sandy West and bassist Jackie Fox.
Currie quit the band after the Japan tour and Jett took over lead vocals. Jett played rhythm guitar and Ford was on lead guitar.
As described in Wikipedia, The Runaways were formed in late 1975 by drummer Sandy West and rhythm guitarist Joan Jett after they had both introduced themselves to producer Kim Fowley, who gave Jett's phone number to West. The two met on their own at West's home and later called Fowley to let him hear the outcome. Fowley then helped the girls find other members.
Two decades later, Fowley said, "I didn't put the Runaways together; I had an idea, they had ideas, we all met, there was combustion and out of five different versions of that group came the five girls who were the ones that people liked." The band played its last concert on New Year's Eve 1978 at the Cow Palace near San Francisco and officially broke up in April 1979. Currie is a chainsaw artist these days.
As described in Wikipedia, The Runaways were formed in late 1975 by drummer Sandy West and rhythm guitarist Joan Jett after they had both introduced themselves to producer Kim Fowley, who gave Jett's phone number to West. The two met on their own at West's home and later called Fowley to let him hear the outcome. Fowley then helped the girls find other members.
Two decades later, Fowley said, "I didn't put the Runaways together; I had an idea, they had ideas, we all met, there was combustion and out of five different versions of that group came the five girls who were the ones that people liked." The band played its last concert on New Year's Eve 1978 at the Cow Palace near San Francisco and officially broke up in April 1979. Currie is a chainsaw artist these days.
As described in Wikipedia, Joan Jett went on to form Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and hit No. 1 with "I Love Rock and Roll" in 1981. She's never looked back. In 2015, Jett was inducted into the Rock and Roll all of Fame.
Besides her successful chart-topping cover of the Arrows' 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," Jett also co-starred in the 1987 film, Light of Day with Michael J. Fox.
Lita Ford became a rock star in the '80s, too, with "Kiss Me Deadly," which peaked at No 12, in 1988. Her biggest chart success was a rock ballad duet with Ozzy Osbourne, "Close My Eyes Forever," which reached No. 8, the same year. Ford continues to tour.
Fast Fcts from Wikipedia: Starting as a power trio with singer/bassist Micki Steele, the Runaways began the party and club circuit around Los Angeles. They soon added lead guitarist Lita Ford, who had originally auditioned for the bass spot. Steele was fired from the group, replaced by local bassist Peggy Foster, who left after just one month. Lead singer Cherie Currie was found and recruited in a local teen nightclub called the Sugar Shack, followed by Jackie Fox (who had originally auditioned for the lead guitar spot) on bass. The Runaways put out four albums.
Steele joined the all-girl band The Bangles in the early 1980s and went on to success with songs like "Manic Monday," "Walk Like an Egyptian" and "Eternal Flame."
The Runaways' drummer and cofounding member with Joan Jett, Sandy West, a heavy smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005, and died the following year.