page 8 daily nebraskan friday, march 20, 1981
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Blackheart 'reputation 'not like Jett's Runaway s
By Pat Higgins
"We want to play for the American
people -that's what's important. New York
and Los Angeles are too much of media
centers. We want to go where Ted Nugent
is a star," said Joan Jett in a telephone
interview during a stopover in Los Angeles.
"We just played a college in Knoxville,
Tennessee and we had the campus cops
Q
Photo courtesy of Michael Bloam
Joan Jett, formerly with the controversial Runaways, promises an energetic show for
her first Lincoln appearance.
dancing hy the third song and we're look
ing forward to coming to Lincoln."
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are
currently on tour to support their first
album, Bad Reputation, and they will
be at the Drumstick March 26. Had Repu
tation has been garnering more favorable
attention than anything Jett did with
iier previous band the Runaways, a group
of teenage girls that received some of the
worse press of their day.
"Our manager, Kim Fowley, came up
with the term "jailbait rock and we
never lived that down," said Jett, "because
we were all girls everybody thought we
were either sluts or lesbians. You
believe how many journalists I've had to
physically eject from motel rooms for
being obnoxious. I had to spend an awful
lot of the time on the defensive. It made
people not take me seriously when all I
wanted was to be in a rock and roll band."
Jett was a rather precocious youngster.
"I was fifteen when I joined the Run
aways. My parents were a little skeptical,"
she said, "Now they're real proud of me."
Fifteen-year old 'Runaway'
Jett released Bad Reputation initially
on an independent label, but the record
was picked up by Boardwalk Records,
which is affiliated with corporate giant
CBS. Boardwalk's president, Neil Bogart,
previously ran Casablanca records from
whence Donna Summer and Kiss sold
millions.
"We're on the Billboard charts with a
bullet this week which is more than the
Runaways ever did. Boardwalk has been
real good for supporting us, we're doing
real well on college radio stations," said
Jett, "We did put a single out but we're
aiming more for album-oriented FM
most of the songwriting. The album feat -
Bad Reputation has about an even split
between covers and originals, but Jett
said in the future she would prefer to do
most of the songwtiting.
"We recorded all but one song in
Fngland and Blondie was touring there
at the same time so I called up drummer
Clem Burke and guitar player Frank In
fante and we did Woody Bully, the Sam
the Sham and the Pharohs classic in
about 20 minutes," Jett said.
Also making the Lnglish scene were
two alums of the notorious Sex Pistols.
"Paul Cook and Steve Jones played on
a song on the album. We'd go out and
have drinks and stuff but they were total
professionals in the studio," she said.
Girls and guys
Asked about the difference between
the Blackhearts and the Runaways, Jett
is laconic.
"That was with girls, this is with guys.
I'll tell you, though, it was seeing Su.ie
Quatro at a show in Hollywood that gave
me the courage to get up onstage," she
said.
Jett and the band have since opened
for Iggy Pop and the Bus Boys, but head
lining to promote her own album has been
a welcome outlet.
"I'm getting more favorable press
because people look at me and say 'she's
looking and playing better than ever
she's a survivor," Jett explained. "I
really believe that this (Bad Reputation)
is a good album."
According to Jett, the split up of the
Runaways was an amicable one.
"It was totally friendly," she said.
"It was just that a couple of the girls
wanted to go heavy metal, but I didn't,
so I quit."
Still Jett is hesitant to settle on a
label.
"We're not New Wave, we try to appeal
to everybody," she said. "On the Fast
Coast we get people showing up in mink
stoles."
Jett says the Fast Coast has been good
to her band, because New York radio
stations have picked up heavily on her
album. But she also saves a good word for
the often-maligned West Coast music
scene.
"A lot of people put L.A. rock down,
but L.A. has a great rock scene now,"
Jett said. "It's the most intense that I've
seen since I left Fngland. There are kids
as young as 14 the so-called "surf punks."
Jett promises an energetic show Thurs
day night. "Fverybody likes to dance,
drink, and have fun," she said. "So we're
going to put on a totally hot and sweaty
show."
Opening for Joan Jett will be local
rock band The Fyes.
Everyone regrets the Barrett, Snyder team-up
It's bound to happen sometime. Tomorrow: Coast to
Coast will not be able to hunt down any guests. So, Tom
Snyder and Rona Barrett, our coast-to-coast hosts, will be
forced to interview each other.
(The scene: Tomorrow: Coast to Coast. The disco
music that opens the show starts to fade out as the
camera focuses on Tom Snyder.)
dark
"Good evening, and welcome to Tomorrow: Coast to
Coast" says Snyder. He pauses to light a cigarette. "To
night we have a, well, shall we say. interesting show for
you. I will be talking to Rona Barrett, a noted Hollywood
gossip columnist who now shares air time on a late-night
talk show.
"We'll be getting to the interview with Barrett in just
a minute." Snyder continues. "But let me tell you about
the crazy things that have been going on here at the
studio in New York today. .
We can see Snyder's mouth still moving, but somebody
in the studio has cut the sound. The next shot we see is of
Rona Barrett sitting behind a desk. She notices that she is
on the air, and breaks into a grin.
"Good evening, this is Rona Barrett in Hollywood. I
know that I am scheduled to talk with my colleague Tom
Snyder, but I would be shirking my responsibility as a
journalist if I didn't tell you viewers what has been
happening in Hollywood today.
"Tinseltown is still reeling over the news that famous
Hollywood reporter Rona Barrett has been called upon
to salvage the floundering ratings of the Tomorrow Show
Barrett continues to talk, but the face of Tom Snyder
reappears on the screen. We can see both faces talking,
but hear no sound. Snyder is throwing his head back in
laughter. Finally . we hear a voice.
"Good evening. You probably don't recognie my
voice. I am the producer of Tomorrow: Coast to Coast.
I am sure that you .ire aware by now that Tom Snyder
and Rona Barrett were supposed to interview each other
tonight, but I have talked to the two hosts and. believe
me. we can kiss that idea goodbye.
"As you can see on your screens, both Snyder and
Barrett are blustering along, talking about life in their
respective cities, completely ignoring each other.
"As producer of this show. I have made some great
mistakes in my time. I admit. One of the biggest mis
takes was when I added Rona Barrett as co-host . Another
was when I moved Tom Snyder to New York. About the
only thing I did right was keep the two of them separated
by 3,000 miles."
On the television screen we can see that both Snyder
and Barrett have stopped talking. They are staring quiz-
entertainment notes
The Organization of the Joyo Repertory Company
has been proposed for the use of performing theatrical
entertainment for the Lincoln area.
Audition times have been scheduled for this Saturday
from 10 ajn. to 1:30 pjn. at the Joyo Theater.
Eight to 10 persons are needed to fill vacancies for
dancers, actors, singers, comedians, directors and techni
cians
The company will be presenting a variety of plav5
Li Shan, the artist from the People's Republic of
China, whose works are on display in the Sheldon Art
Gallery, will give a demonstration of his painting tech
niques in the Sheldon Auditorium at 3 p.m. Sunday.
The exhibit of Shan's paintings in the gallery will con
tinue through April 5.
ically into television monitors.
"Well. I see you two have finally shut up.' sjys the
producer's voice, addressing the two co-hosts. "Do you
two tli ink. you can play nice and start the interview now'.'"
The two faces stare at each other on the screen. Finally
Snyder speaks.
"Ju-ju-ju-jus-just what the heck is noiim on here
Rona?" " '
"I don't know. Tom," says Rona in reply . "but Holly
wood is still reeling over the incredible decision to team
up lorn Snyder and Rona Barrett toco-host Tomorrow:
Coast to Coast. It's the dumbest move that this reporter
has made in years, and I'm sure that goes ditto for you.
Tom."
Grammy winners
to appear in Arpil
The Grammy Award-winning Imperials will perform
April 2 at Lincoln's Pershing Auditorium.
One of the hottest acts in the fast-growing field of
contemporary Christian music. The Imperials are success
fully bridging the gap between secular and Christian
music.
"The Fagle Song." from their "(hie More Son? for
You" album, generated airplay on pop and adult' con
temporary radio stations while becoming a top-selling
hit on Christian stations.
Grammy-award winning producer, Michael Omartian,
who produced 1981's Album of the Year, Christopher
Cross, produced Priority and One More Song for You.
The Imperials have distinguished themselves in gospel
and popular music since they began in 1964. They had
worked as a gospel act exclusively until they began work
with Jimmy Dean and Elvis Presley.
Tickets for The Imperials are available at Maranatha
Christian Supply, Logos Bookstore. Agape Books, Seren
ity Family Bookstore, Pershing Auditorium. Miller &
Paine and Magee's.