The Runaways

The Runaways were a really ferocious and influential 70's all-girl adolescent hard rock band from Hollywood, California. Although shamelessly promoted by their manager Kim Fowley as some sleazy jailbait teenage fantasy come true, the group was actually made up of sincere and accomplished musicians who were totally serious about delivering rock music that was raw, honest and exciting. The Runaways started out in late 1975 as a trio which comprised of guitarist Joan Jett, drummer Sandy West, and bassist Michael "Micki" Steele. Lead guitarist Lita Ford and lead singer Cherie Currie joined the band line-up in 1976. Steele subsequently left and was replaced by Jackie Fox. The Runaways released their self-titled debut album on the Mercury Records label in 1976. The group played their first stage gig at the legendary New York City punk club CBGB's in fall of that same year. The band released their second album "Queens of Noise" in early 1977. They then embarked on a concert tour of Japan in the summer of 1977 and proved to be a major smash in that country; they performed in arenas to sold-out crowds, had their own TV special on Japanese television, and released a live album that went gold. Both Cherie Currie and Jackie Fox left the group in 1977; Jett replaced Currie on lead vocals and bassist Vicki Blue filled in for Fox. The Runaways released their fourth album "Waitin' for the Night" in late 1977. The band parted ways with Kim Fowley in 1978. The Runaways released their fifth and final album "And Now ... The Runaways" towards the end of 1978. Vicki Blue left the group and was replaced by Laurie McAllister on bass following a New Year's Eve gig. The Runaways broke up in April, 1979 after Joan Jett left the group to pursue a hugely successful solo career. Lita Ford likewise went on to a successful solo career. Laurie McAllister became a member of the unsuccessful all-girl band the Orchids and now lives in Eugene, Oregon; she no longer performs music. Cherie Currie went on to act in such movies as "Foxes," "Parasite," and "Wavelength;" she's now a chainsaw artist who owns an art gallery in Chatsworth, California. Jackie Fox went to Harvard University and became a lawyer. Vicki Blue has since become a film and television director and producer and formed her own production company called Sacred Dogs Entertainment; in 2004 Blue made the documentary "Edgeplay: A Film About the Runaways." Sandy West formed her own outfit the Sandy West Band and was forced to work in the private sector in order to support herself when her music career failed to take off; West died at the tragically young age of 47 from cancer on October 21, 2006. Although their reign as the original Queens of Noise proved to be unfortunately short-lived, the Runaways nonetheless paved the way for numerous female rock groups and musicians like Courtney Love, L7, Shonen Knife, Bikini Kill, The Donnas, the Go-Go's, and Sahara Hotnights who followed in their mighty thunderous wake.