Thought we’d give this one a spin before the mythology kicks in a few weeks from now: The Runaways, from 1976. The movie of the same name is supposed to start soon, and needless to say, it’s going to paint the real story in big, bold colors. The Runaways were an all-girl rock band that came out of L.A. around 1975, put together by veteran L.A. producer Kim Fowley, they were 16- and 17-year-olds who could really play their instruments.
Joan Jett was a guitarist and the main songwriter, guitar player 
Lita Ford, bassist Jackie Fox, drummer Sandy West and pretty blonde lead singer Cherie Currie. Many people are saying THIS is the first real all-girl rock band – don’t believe it. Check out Fanny, which broke up the same year the Runaways got together – actually Goldie and the Gingerbreads were the first all-female rock band to sign to a major label (1960s) and Fanny was the second (1970s).
Anyhow – The Runaways. Like any red-blooded young American male of the era (OK, I was 20 years old), you weren’t cool if you didn’t own a copy of this album. “Cherry Bomb,” the group’s only big hit, kicks off the album; like many of the other songs, it was written by Joan Jett and Kim Fowley. Currie had a throaty, husky singing voice and her delivery gave the band’s music a bit of toughness that the overly polished musicianship didn’t really sell. Probably she was a little extra pissed off when she cut the vocal for “Cherry Bomb” – apparently Jett/Fowley wrote the song about her.
30 Days Out 