 by SC ISADORE
Yeah, Joan Jett’s cooler than you. And I know she’s cooler than me. So don’t worry about it—ain’t no thing. Joan Jett is cooler than 99 percent of us skulking around this planet, and not because she’s survived 30-plus years in the rock biz, or spent 25 years running her own record label, but because she’s done it all her own way.
Joan Jett is cooler than you because in 1975 she started the Runaways at 15 years old, and managed to grow up in public without compromising or self-destructing. “Yeah, it was definitely different in terms of being a teenager. I didn’t do things like high school graduation or the prom or the regular rites of passage that most kids do. That whole social scene, the band aspect was our high school. But I don’t have anything to compare it to … I’ve had a great life—no complaints—I feel blessed every day!”
 Joan
Jett is cooler than you because her recent release, Sinner, contains
a couple of protest songs that although critical of the Bush administration,
don’t stoop to name-calling. “Sometimes I’m not speaking to
the converted. [When] you’re speaking to people who might not think the
same way as you, and you go ‘moron, moron, moron-idiot, idiot,’
that doesn’t accomplish anything. It might feel good for a minute, but
it doesn’t do anything else. So I think it’s really important that
we try and get beyond that. A song like ‘Riddles’ is about how this
particular administration uses language to confuse the voter and to obscure
the truth.”
Joan Jett is cooler than you because she’s fought sexism from the beginning
and still refuses to back off. “I was told at a very young age, ‘Girls
can’t play rock ’n’ roll’ and it didn’t make any
sense to me. You’re not saying they can’t master the instrument
… what you’re saying is that they’re not allowed to because
rock ’n’ roll by its essence implies sexuality, and a girl playing
rock ’n’ roll means she owns her sexuality. A lot of people find
that really threatening. It’s something that’s deep seated …
not something people can even put their finger on; they just don’t quite
feel comfortable.”
Joan Jett is cooler than you because she’s written songs with Paul Westerberg
and covers “Androgynous” on Sinner. “I was a big Replacements
fan. I thought they were a great rock ‘n’ roll band and that Paul
was an amazing songwriter. We wrote a song together called ‘Backlash’
that was on one of my records [Notorious, 1991]. When he did ‘Androgynous’
it was so sweet. He played it on piano and there was something really infectious
about it. And the reason I resonated with that song was … even though
I’m a woman—I love being a woman—I’m not crazy about
the roles and the clothes that are designed for women. I like to blur that line.
I feel more comfortable in an androgynous mode.”
Joan Jett is cooler than you because she’s not afraid to admit her past
guilty pleasures. “Are you kidding? I was an Osmond Brothers fan, how
about that? And early on, a little bit of the Partridge Family, but you know,
just because of the songs. The songs were catchy, but that’s about it.”
Joan Jett is cooler than you because she knew Sid Vicious. “He seemed
like a puppy dog—just this innocent guy who was caught up in the hype
of what he was supposed to be. At quieter moments he was just a nice guy when
he had a chance to be, but usually Nancy was around and it was pretty crazy.
I think she had a lot of control over him.”
 Joan
Jett is cooler than you because she digs baseball. “It’s hard now
’cause I’m a Baltimore Orioles fan and they’ve sucked for
a long time. It’s obvious they need pitching, pitching, pitching, and
every year they show up without it. It’s really frustrating.”
Joan Jett is cooler than you because she owns her record label, and this year
started releasing all of her old titles as part of Blackheart Records 25th anniversary.
“It’s progressing well. I think there are a few [titles] out already
and we’re getting the other ones finished. They all sound incredible.
We’ve gone over all the artwork and redone some of it, and everything’s
been re-mastered. I’m very excited, it sounds really awesome.”
Joan Jett is cooler than you because she has her own radio show on Sirius, a
satellite radio station. “The Radio Revolution” with Joan Jett is
part of Little Steven’s Underground Garage Network on Channel 25. It airs
Saturdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 7 to 11 p.m. “I hope people
like what they’re hearing. I’m having a good time and I get a chance
to turn people on to a little bit of my taste … punk rock or various glitter
music—Gary Glitter or Bowie or T-Rex-things that people might not be super
familiar with.”
And finally, Joan Jett is cooler than you because she knows where the secret
lies. “I would say, the roll. There are so many people that rock, but
there’s not a lot of people that rock ‘n’ roll. It’s
important. If you rock, you gotta have the roll. Not everybody makes it there.”
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Joan Jett performs Mon., Oct. 23 at First Avenue with Eagles of Death Metal
and Valient Thorr. 7 p.m. $25. 18+. 701 First Ave. N, Mpls. 612-338-8388. For
more info on Joan Jett, check out her official website at joanjett.com.
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