Customer Reviews

I Love Rock N Roll

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Joan Jett's second solo album, I Love Rock 'N Roll, provided her musical identity. The song "I Love Rock 'N Roll" had been recorded in 1976 by an English group called the Arrows as a b-side to one of their singles. Joan saw them play the song on a TV show while on tour with the Runaways, and wanted them to record it. Joan recorded an earlier version on the b-side of one of her solo singles, then re-recorded it in its best-known version, which hit number one on the charts. The black-and-white video was played endlessly on MTV, and the poster for the album was hung on the wall behind the MTV veejays. The album is a classic slice of hard rock bubblegum; Ritchie Cordell and Kenny Laguna mixed Gibson guitars with compressed Gary Glitter-style drums to produce Joan's catchy, hard-edged sound. The late addition of guitarist Ricky Byrd to the sessions gives most of the songs a playful urgency. Crunchy originals ("Love is Pain," "Victim of Circumstance") are blended with rowdy covers ("Nag"- The Halos, "Crimson and Clover"- Tommy James and the Shondells, "Bits and Pieces"- Dave Clark Five, "You're Too Possessive"- Runaways) in a nonstop romp of 80s hard rock that melts in your ears like sugar, sugar.

I hope I don't give anyone the wrong idea. Joan Jett's 1981 breakthrough album "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" is a solid classic that showcases Joan Jett's attitude and skill, and it really benefits from the Blackhearts (Ricky Byrd in particular), though I prefer her earlier album, "Bad Reputation." Regardless, this is one of numerous albums ruined by "remastering" to the point of being virtually unlistenable. I do hope this wasn't an anomaly, because I'm posting the review for the exact CD I own, and there don't seem to be any other complaints.

If any of your are confused as to how an album could be ruined by remastering, go watch any number of videos on "The Loudness War" that have been uploaded to YouTube. Since the mid-90s, noticeable increases in the volume of CDs have been prevalent to the point of clipping and distortion on songs. It actually hurts your ears to listen to some of these songs, no matter how good they may be.

I first encountered this problem when I purchased the CD. I was quite excited to finally get my hands on a Joan Jett album, though once I saw the "remastered" tag at the bottom, I got worried. I hoped it wouldn't be too bad, but when I got home and listened to the title track, my ears were in terrible pain. I knew Joan Jett liked distorted guitars, but they sounded a lot more disorted than usual; the whole thing did.

The audio quality is terrible, but the package comes with some nice bonuses (live footage, bonus tracks, a small poster). The songs are great, especially the first half of the album, with the title track, "Love is Pain," the energetic and silly "Nag," the sultry "Crimson and Clover," and on the second half, the criminally underrated "Victim of Circumstance," and "You're Too Possessive."

I reccommend purchasing this album, but please--purchase a CD from before 1995 (I saw some copies from 1993 on the site), or do yourself one better and pick up the copy on Vinyl. Do your ears, and Joan Jett, a favor.

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts / I love Rock N' Roll (CD audio plus video concert footage): First, this is a great rockin album. Five Stars. Second, combining audio and video on one CD is Always a pain when you want to see the videos, however, since the price is right, it is worth the trouble (and there is no trouble playing the audio).

"I Love Rock N Roll" (1981) #2.
"I Love Rock N Roll" #1, was one the best singles in 1981. The album of the same name hit #2. You got to look back in '81 the music scene was being bombarded with a lot of light weight bands, like Haircut 100, Human League and Culture Club, this song just packed the right wallop, it shook out the cob webs. Here you also get, "(I'm Gonna) Run Away", the steady "Love Is Pain", club anthem "Nag", the Tommy James remake "Crimson And Clover" #7 hot 100, "Victim Of Circumstance", their rocking' remake of Dave Clark 5's "Bits And Pieces", the tough rockers "Be Straight" and "You're Too Possesive" and always loved her "Little Drummer Boy". Joan never regained this much popularity, but she had a few more hits, before things really dried up.

This is a fun and rockin' recording, but I feel that a lot of the "life" has been remastered out of this recording. It has gotten "prettier" somehow. Joan Jett rocks, but this remaster seems to "polish" up her sound - too much for my tastes. It's not bad, it's just too polished and pretty. They have added way too much more studio "echo" to the recording so it almost sounds like it was recorded in a cathedral sometimes. I -do- like the way the instruments are separated, mostly, but honestly to me it just doesn't sound "right" compared to my memory of the original.

If you've got an inexpensive stereo system or want to listen to it in the car, this might be just what you're looking for; otherwise, you may want to get the original non-remastered version.

I like almost all of the music (except "Little Drummer Boy", which seems like a Christmas song). I especially like the title song (isn't that what most people buy the CD for?), and I like "Nag" a lot. "Crimson and Clover" is a great song too (but they've mixed in way, way, way too much studio "echo" for my tastes). The rhythm of "Be Straight" reminds me a a little bit of George Thorogood. "You're too Possessive" is another powerful driving song. "Louie Louie" is another fun one.

All in all, a nice rockin' CD of Joan Jett's straight-ahead rock 'n' roll style - great rock music - but think about which version you want before you buy - remaster or original.

This is my second time buying this CD. The first time, someone from Black Heart Records told me to send my CD insert to thjeir office in NY to get signed by Joan Jett, Its been well over a year and I never got it back. So I had to buy the CD all over again, just to have the cover!

I have this on vinyl (original book style with very cool band photos) and it still blows everything else today way out of the water!!!! Can't even compare!!

are not always reliable. I remembered this genre fondly and it does not seem to hold it's own over the years. Or maybe it's just me? The title song is still great though.

Beleive it or not, my 11 year old daughter loves this music. So I bought this for her for her birthday. She listens to it over and over. Will buy more. Thanks for the great service of getting my purchases to me overnight.

Those of us of a certain age remember when "I Love Rock N' Roll" was everywhere. Everyone had it, it was played on AM and FM, it was everywhere!

I, of course, had it too, bought at Middle Earth Records in lovely Downey, California. And over the years, many of the records I had back then I've replaced on CD. Many of those records suffered compared to my memories, but this one hasn't. It takes me right back to high school and it still rocks. The bonus tracks are pretty good too.