Punk Grrl Pioneer: Joan Jett
Recently in October she participated in a September 11th benefit for New Jersey victim's families. She joined Springsteen (does he need a first name anymore?), Bon Jovi and many others for the Alliance of Neighbors benefit concert at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank in southern part of the state.
Earlier in the summer, Jett was joined onstage by her former Runaways bandmate Cherie Currie to duet on their riot hit "Cherry Bomb". The last time these two found themselves onstage was in Japan in 1977.
Last summer, Jett also joined others in the Twisted Sister tribute CD entitled Twisted Forever and sang "We're Not Gonna Take It".
Her most visual role was of Columbia in the Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Picture Show for most of 2000 (though, interestingly enough she is not in the cast soundtrack) while doing a few club dates with her band, The Blackhearts. Her set list still features "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," "Bad Reputation" and "I Hate Myself for Loving You," along with an interesting cover of "Love Is All Around" (the theme to "The Mary Tyler Moore Show")(now that is saying something about the tough as nails lead singer). Jett also does covers of Sly & the Family Stone's "Everyday People" and the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog," and of Rocky Horror's "Science Fiction".
She also had a film by the name of Light of Day with Michael J. Fox in 1985. She played his sister and also sang a few songs including Springsteen-penned theme. She has also changed her signature black locks to a short military style blond, though she still dresses like the best punk rocker around.
Teen queen Britney Spears crucifies Jett's "I Love Rock N Roll" for her current album, Britney and her movie Crossroads due to come out in the middle of February.
Jett also appeared at the 15th anniversary season of Summer Stage in 2000 (New York's famed outdoor concert series held every year in Central Park) and the anniversary of MTV 20 Live And Almost Legal August 2001.
The one tidbit that was odd in recent times was Jett's seizure in September of 1998 at an ACLU dinner honoring Danny Goldberg, chairman of the Mercury Records Group in Los Angeles. She was fine and able to attend to label business the next morning.
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