The Runaways

[Chaser001]

The Runaways LP's are starting to command a high price now that the movie is out.  Wonder how much this sealed copy will go for?  I knew I should have bought it when it was in the cutout bin.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/CRANIUMS-The-Runaways-S-T-1ST-Lp-SEALED-Joan-Jett_W0QQitemZ110507610397QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item19bac4511d

Even a used copy just like that is being sold on Amazon for $75.  If I had a copy, I'd definitely be trying to sell it right now while the attention is on the Runaways. 

[OldManC]

Too bad I gave away my Runaways albums 25 years ago. Not like I wanted to listen to them... 

[uwe]

What George says. Nostalgia shouldn't get us carried away, listening to the first two Runaways albums is like watching a bad B or C movie. Cherie couldn't sing and had a nasal and shrill tone to her voice, what little warmth there sometimes was in the vocals generally came from Joan Jett (to this day not a very good singer herself), Joan looked sulky amd played workmanlike rhythm guitar with none of Keith Richards' grace, Sandy was a competent drummer, but totally stiff and leaden, Jackie played bass like you play bass when the instrument has been thrusted on you for only a little while and Lita ripped off every hard rock lick she had ever heard before with no taste or measure, she should be blamed for inventing shredding really!   That extended solo of her on the Queens of Noise album is like a hard rock guitar solo must sound to people who don't like hard rock guitar solos or hard rock, period. Seemingly, she didn't like it herself, she certainly moans a lot during it. 

Had the Runaways been guys, they would have never seen the inside of a recording studio with their chops and talent, even the first Kiss album was more musical. If you take, say, the first Ramones album or the early Dictators stuff, the first Starz album or the first and only album of those other Kim Fowley protegees The Hollywood Stars (why hasn't that been released on CD yet, it's a glam/AOR classic?),






all of which came out pretty much at the same time as the Runaways debut, then there is just no comparison of the at best charmingly pedestrian rock of the Runaways to those other bands.

That said, I'll watch the movie and do give my Runaways CDs a spin once in a while, they are period pieces and draw a smile on my face. But they wouldn't be among my lonely desert island discs. To those other bands, The Runaways were what The Shangrilas were to The Supremes.

Uwe

[Stjofön Big]

I second that (e)motion. Well, I guess you can count Smokey Robinson in there, too.

[Hornisse]

When I was 15 I didn't care if Cherie could sing or not! 

[OldManC]

Gotta post this to get the bad taste out of my mouth!



I've heard that before but I forgot how bad it was. It could all be Bob Ezrin, but KISS' version still kills the original (delivery, timing and phrasing, the bass line, the guitar parts, even Pete's drumming)!

[uwe]

Neither did I. She was the first Victoria's Secret model I laid eyes upon. Still, even then my hormones did not fool me into believing the Runaways were actually musically valuable.

[uwe]

Gotta post this to get the bad taste out of my mouth!



I've heard that before but I forgot how bad it was. It could all be Bob Ezrin, but KISS' version still kills the original (delivery, timing and phrasing, the bass line, the guitar parts, even Pete's drumming)!

Oh come on George, the original is much more lively, looser (in a good way) and not as stilted/rigid as the Kiss version which I still like. As usual, Paul overdoes it, there is no different shades in his voice, it's all done in that one over-dramatic tone. Gene should have sung it.

[uwe]

Some eye candy for Fräulein Rommel:




http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/joan-jett-0323/

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Joan Jett's best work was playing a bad guy on the Highlander TV show. Yeah, "I love Rock and Roll," and "I Hate Myself for Loving You" are total classics, but for all her indie poser street cred, what else is there? Lita, even without her many erection-inducing posters and album covers, played some kickass music. "Kiss Me Deadly" and her duet with Ozzy, "Close my Eyes Forever," is a haunting master of an 80's metal ballad done to perfection, and she could totally kick Joan's ass if it ever came down to it.

[lowend1]

Oh come on George, the original is much more lively, looser (in a good way) and not as stilted/rigid as the Kiss version which I still like. As usual, Paul overdoes it, there is no different shades in his voice, it's all done in that one over-dramatic tone. Gene should have sung it.

What? After Ezrin ripped "God Of Thunder" from Paul's bosom and handed it to ol' Chaim? That would have been too much for him to bear...

[lowend1]

Joan Jett's best work was playing a bad guy on the Highlander TV show. Yeah, "I love Rock and Roll," and "I Hate Myself for Loving You" are total classics, but for all her indie poser street cred, what else is there? Lita, even without her many erection-inducing posters and album covers, played some kickass music. "Kiss Me Deadly" and her duet with Ozzy, "Close my Eyes Forever," is a haunting master of an 80's metal ballad done to perfection, and she could totally kick Joan's ass if it ever came down to it.

Note the Gibson bass plunked in an acceptable fashion by David St. Hubbins, er, Lenny, er Michael McKean...

[Hornisse]

At least on the original track by The Arrows the bassist knew Gibson basses were the best.

[Dave W]

At least on the original track by The Arrows the bassist knew Gibson basses were the best.

True. Too bad most Americans never heard of them.