Show #131: The Runaways

August 1st, 2007

Although primarily known as the proving ground for Joan Jett, Lita Ford, and Micki Steele, The Runaways were much better than anything these women did after leaving the band. How it is that the people behind song such as “Cherry Bomb” and my personal fave, “You Drive Me Wild”, ended up doing “I Love Rock’n'Roll”, “Close My Eyes Forever”, and “Walk Like an Egyptian” is beyond me.

The genesis of the band goes back to 1975 when drummer Sandy West, guitarist Joan Jett, and songwriter Kari Krome met. With the addition of Micki Steele on bass and Krome penning the tunes, the nascent Runaways recorded a set of demos which eventually found release as Born To Be Bad in 1993. Line-up changes ensued with Ford becoming 2nd guitarist, Micki Steele being replaced by Jackie Fox, and Cherie Currie brought in on vocals. At the time, the members of the band were not yet even 18 and thusly acquired a “jailbait” image. However, as the Wikipedia entry notes, “the girls in the band were proficient at playing their instruments and wrote or co-wrote most of the band’s material and, as later became obvious, were serious about their music.” They signed with Mercury Records in 1976 and their eponymous debut came later that year. And this is where today’s show comes in.

(Photo found here.)

It comes from the tour in support of their debut album and was recorded on 19 July 1976 at The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio. It’s a great soundboard recording.

Setlist:

California Paradise
Cherry Bomb
Take It Or Leave It
Secrets
You Drive Me Wild
C’Mon
Blackmail
Wild Thing
Don’t Use Me
Rock and Roll
Is It Day Or Night?
Johnny Guitar
Dead End Justice

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The Runaways

Classic footage toe the band doing “Queen of Noise” from Japan in 1977.

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