Customer Reviews

Runaways

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Here it is folks, the beginning of "grrrrl rock"; the angst driven rock of the female. This is the record that influenced an entire world of angry teenage females to express themselves through music. Loud, raucous, rock and roll music. This band was the Rosa Parks for the female rocker. After this record, the female rocker would no longer be riding the back of the bus; in fact, if they cut records anything like this one, they'd be driving it.

Let's state the obvious facts first. Yes, Joan Jett started this all-female teen band (all 16 years of age at the time of recording, except guitarist Lita Ford who was a whole 17 years old). Yes, Lita Ford played lead guitar for this band. And, yes, they had their only hit "Cherry Bomb" on this record. And as you dig deeper into the spirit of this record, you realize that there is so much more afoot here.
I am hard pressed to think of another release that is this spontaneous and raw. There is a hunger and passion for fame that burns through every groove here. These girls had a fire raging in their souls when they went into the studio to record this classic, a blaze that really never returned to them in their future recordings.

The record kicks off with their only big hit, "Cherry Bomb". A classic rock song that has the seductive, "bad girl" sound that epitomized an entire genre. Without sounding adolescent, the band uses a simple "bare bones" approach that contains nothing of any complexity. This is the appeal of the record. It feels as if this band rehearses in the garage at the end of the block, and you have their only recording. The band sings and plays directly to the listener,....for the listener. I still feel that they made this record specifically for me when I listen to it now, nearly 30 years after its' release.
As the girls rumble through this record, we realize that every tune here (except the final track) is less than three and a half minutes in length. Only the basics folks, and it's catchy stuff. With a cover of Lou Reed's "Rock And Roll" added like salt to an already tasty buffet, this is just good plain rock and roll. Even though each and every song is stripped down, it rocks steady without going off course. They rock with a boogie woogie style on tracks like "Blackmail", and retain a catchy pop sound with tracks like "Secrets". This has so much to offer the 70's straight forward rock connoisseur. With melodies that will ring in your head for decades to come, this is a real classic.
The only somewhat "corny" piece here may be the 7-minute plus final track "Dead End Justice". With energetic singer Cherie Currie and a 16 year old Joan Jett doing some overacting, as if they are escaping from a prison, it might sound a bit silly. But in the context of the record, "Dead End Justice" still sounds like good fun. It's a fine track by a group of 16 year old girls who just recorded the most entertaining female hard rock album of its' time, and arguably, all time.

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One of the first girl hard rock groups, The Runaways, made their debut in 1976 with the self titled album. Cherie Currie (16 years old) in vocals, Joan Jett (16 years old) in rhythm guitar & vocals, Lita Ford (17 years old) in lead guitar, Jackie Fox (16 years old) in bass and vocals, and Sandy West (16 years old) in drums and vocals made a huge success in Japan but not so great in America and Europe. They had one great hit "Cherry Bomb" which is defintely their best song and this album is also their best one. Also the B-side of "Cherry Bomb": "Blackmail" is included here. This album is full of great hard rock songs, no ballads and no boring guitar & drums solos. They also made a great version of L. Reed's "Rock And Roll". The album closes with a long track "Dead End Justice". The lyrics in the songs are mainly about sex, love, partying, drugs, rock'n'roll, and justice. Cherie Currie is an excellent vocalist...her voice is so hot and wild...also the other girls sing very well the backing vocals. This is one of the most underrated albums in the rock history. It has inspired many hard rock girl groups, for example Girl School and The Donnas.
Stars: Cherry Bomb, Secrets, Is It Day Or Night?

I am very happy to say that I bought this album back when it was first released, and I still have it, I taped all the songs to tapes as I usually do to save the wear and tear on the L.P. These girls kicked butt in the late 70's, raw talent Rock and Roll, Garage rock at it's best, They played their own instruments, gave you 110% pure sexual Rock & Roll. Not bad for a bunch of Underage Girls who are still Rockin today, although solo. Back then you bought the album for the music, they got by for their music, not like today, where the videos are more important then the sound!

This album is nothing short of amazing. I think the reason The Runaways aren't talked about all that much is due to the fact that they only had one genuine hit in the catchy "Cherry Bomb" that is on this album.

Also, it just so happens that this album had a 16 year old Joan Jett playing rhythm guitar and a 17 year old Lita Ford playing lead guitar. Their subsequent solo careers (moreso Joan Jett's for longevity's sake) eclipsed what they did with The Runaways back in the day.

I think also that a big part of it was that it just wasn't that accepted yet back in the mid 70's for women to be able/allowed to rock out just like their male counterparts were doing. The fact that The Runaways were presented as nothing but sex symbols by their lable and producer to a certain extent kept them from really getting taken seriously at the time this album originally came out in 1976 (which is funny since they were all 16 with the exception of Lita Ford who was 17 at the time this record was made). People weren't really listening to the music as much as they were gawking at these admittedly very attractive women doing better than what a lot of guys were doing in rock at that time.

People are more quick to mention The Go-Go's mainly due to their more astronomical popularity and more streamlined sound as the first real "Girl Rock" group, but The Runaways were doing it before they were.

In fact, any all-girl rock bands will usually mention the profound impact that this album had on them. Just see any interview with the current all girl rock band The Donna's for proof of that.

While this album is raw and simplistic to a certain point, there's no denying that these girls even being just teenagers could play and write some very catchy songs.

The only track that might rub people the wrong way is the final 7 plus minute track "Dead End Justice" which is about the girls getting into and breaking out of a juvenille detention facility. But taken into context that these girls were just teenagers at the time, it's really hard to not get caught up in the sheer fun presented throughout this whole album.

While The Runaways would record 2 more studio alubms (with slightly different lineups), they would be forgotten and written off before Joan Jett and Lita Ford would begin very successful solo careers.

But this first album is the best of their releases and sounds even more fresh today then it did when it originally came out.

Highly recommended not just for it's sheer historical importance in the pantheon of women-in-rock/music, but also for the taut and catchy songwriting/musicianship on display as well.

After listening to this incredible, landmark album umpteenthousand times, I've come up with a new angle on it. I can't believe there wasn't a method to the way it was put together. Here goes:
A character is introduced in the first track. You follow her through some sexual fantasies, life on the street, relationship issues, and then a rejection of her family's values ("two TV sets, ...Cadillac cars don't mean nothin at all"). She then declares her path in life ("...her life was saved by rock and roll"). Next, more sexual fantasies, revenge, then she declares her philosophy in life: "...if you get caught, just deny it!" Then comes fake ID, popping pills, stealing cars, getting busted, getting beaten, incarceration, then a lament:"...super star, never had a chance...planet sorrow...no tomorrow". This is followed by a failed excape attempt. Then, the most disturbing part of the whole album: it never ends. There's no coda, downbeat, or anything. It just drifts on out into nowhere with Sandy West's (may she rest in peace) dirge-like, mournful drum tatoo!
Rather than glorify teenage temptation, rebellion, and sexual fantasy, the album puts out a stern warning: "Go this route, then here's the risk kids!" The whole thing is a morality play--a little campy, but there it is.

Although i was a pre teen when i first heard this album back in 1976, i still fell in love with these "bad" teenage girls. Why? One reason was because of their good looks, but the main reason was because they rocked just as hard (if not, harder) than any male rock band did at the time. These girls deserved to be bigger than Kiss, but why it never happened, i don`t know. Cherry Bomb is nothing but one of the greatest teenage rock rebellion anthems of all time. This, their debut self titled album, is full of classic rock songs. The girls have influenced many female rock artists since. Forget Hole, the Bangles, Babes in toyland..etc.. The Runaways were the original and the best. Unfortunately, i`ve recently just heard some very sad news. Sandy West, the drummer, at 46, is fighting a life threatening disease. Let`s all hope she pulls through. You can send Sandy email letters of encouragement via The Runaways official website

I really don't understand why more people don't know who this awesome band is - everyone knows Joan Jett (from her I love Rock n' roll hit) and some heavy metal ppl. know Lita Ford, but only a hand full I've spoken to know of these girls.
It may be the fact that they were controlled by their devil-reincarnated manager Kim Fowley, who ranted and raved at them about how horrible they were and took them around America when they were 16 and made them all live on McDonalds and stay in one hotel room for all five. (if you want more on this, check out the Runaways doco. Edgeplay - which interviews all but Jett)
But they did it all for rock n' roll - they loved it so much, that they put up with the abuse from Fowley, and stuck it out. This album would have to be their best, other than their next - Queens of Noise. It opens with their only hit - Cherry Bomb, which should be any rock girls anthem - loud, sexy, angry.
You drive me wild has a slight country twange to it, but Currie (lead singeR) gives it the right amount of lust by slurring slightly and whispering, "I'm feelin' so hot...I'm cookin' like an oven..."
The last song, Dead end justice is the Bohemian Rhapsody for teen rebels - a story about Cherie and Joan Jett (rhythm guitar) being locked up in juvi for under age drinking. It starts off with Currie statting that she doesn't care about being caught, but ends with her and Joan discussing how to escape from prison.
Cherie made one more album with the band, then cracked under the huge amount of pressure, and left, leaving Jett to take over on lead vocals for the rest of their short lived days together.
If you care anything about the history of rock n' roll, then you NEED to check out these girls.

The Runaways were not known nor played on the radio but for those who got to listen to this album through friends, we got to know them. This first album was really their best. This young girls band (16 and 17 years old) had nothing to envy from any other Rock 'n Roll band. There music is raw, pure rocking notes. Many songs became famous later like Cherry Bomb. Their rendition of Rock and Roll is one of my favorites. These girls were very good and very young. I love their talent and guts to come out of the norm and venture their talent to the world at their young age.

this is it! the debut from one of rock's legendary bands.i was xposed to thier music early on in 1978.heard this along with waiting for the night and queens of noise.this is also where i was first exposed to the velvet underground.great production by kim fowley.highly recommneded!

I bought this as an LP when it first came out in the 70's. I couldn't believe how great it was. The Runaways were far ahead of their time. I have all their LP's and now all their CD's. Just a GREAT BAND...
RIP Sandy