JOAN JETT — Joan Jett (review)

Album · 1980 · Hard Rock

4/5 · 2018-05-09
siLLy puPPy

Of all the members of the all-girl glam punk band The Runaways, it is without question that the one member who went on to have the greatest successful solo career after their brief sensation (especially in Japan) was lead songwriter and guitarist JOAN JETT who throughout the 80s enjoyed a string of hits and a major breakthrough like none of her former bandmates did. And along with her backing band the Blackhearts she spawned a number of hits including the worldwide phenomenon #1 hit “I Love Rock ’N' Roll.” However before JETT would hook up with her Blackhearts she would release this one solo album that originally emerged as an eponymous release but was retitled as BAD REPUTATION the following year which set the tone for JETT’S tough girl image that was backed up by her unmistakable shouted vocal style that rode the wave of the contemporary punk movement while appealing to the hard rock crowds with catchy pop hooks augmented with thundering guitar distortion and power chords.

JOAN JETT offered a new twist on the heavy rock music of the day. BAD REPUTATION was a mix of self-penned originals which covered short of half of the entire album as well as a whole slough of various covers spanning the 50s, 60s and 70s pop word and showcases JETT’s long love affair with 70s glam rocker Gary Glitter with her covers of “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah) ” and “Doing Alright With The Boys.” On BAD REPUTATION, JETT mixes a unique mix of 50, 60s and 70s pop with a unique early 80s touch of punk attitude and hard rock bombast which took the approach of The Runaways and added a bit more gusto. Of the majority of non-original material JETT covered disparate styles ranging from Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” (which would be released as the single), the Isley Brother’s “Shout” and “Wooly Bully” by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.

Even from the beginning JETT was totally at the helm of her creative output but on this album just before the existence of the Blackhearts, she predominantly utilized the backing talents of a band called the Roll-Ups but a huge list of guest musicians ranging from the Sex Pistols’ Steve Jones and Paul Cook to Blondie’s Clem Burke and Frank Infante which in the end added up to 23 individuals including JETT on all instruments and vocal contributions. The album once independently released as eponymously sold more than expected and the reason the album was picked up by Boardwalk Records and re-released with the title BAD REPUTATION. The album has since been remastered and includes the unreleased material from the era as bonus tracks. This is the album that gave JETT the momentum to conquer the world with vengeance on her sophomore album “I Love Rock ’N” Roll.”

While not conquering any dangerously new territory, BAD REPUTATION is a gleeful little journey into JETT’s unique ability to give easy on the ears pop tunes a serious bad girl makeover with snarling vocals, heavy guitar heft and enough punk attitude to raise Sid Vicious out of the grave. Somehow JETT exudes a 50s American rebellious schoolgirl feel to her style all the while utilizing a punk glazed frosting to bring it up to date. These elements all swirled up into one proved to be irresistible to a pop music loving public who craved an outrageous edge to their melodies. While i’ve never been the hugest JOAN JETT fan, i’d have to say that this debut is probably my favorite. It offers the best of 50s rock ’n’ roll with boogie-woogie rhythms alongside sizzling sax solos with hard rock heft and punk rock errancy, 60s and 70s pop glam pop and contemporary heavy rockers. The tracks are surprisingly addictive and JETT proves she can rock like the big boys but offers a batch of cutesy tracks as seed material. Somehow i don’t want to like this album but once i listen to it, can’t help myself regurgitating the addictive earworms for the next week.