The Runaways - Cherry Bomb

Hello Daddy, hello Mom I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb Hello world I'm your wild girl I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb

70’s Pick of the Week

“Cherry Bomb” by the Runaways (1977)

Long, long before the Donnas, and the so-called Riot Grrl movement of the ‘90’s came the trailblazing, unwittingly feminist band, the Runaways.

When teenagers Sandy West and Joan Jett met, they wanted to form a rock band - not a very popular idea at a very male-dominated time in rock history. The great thing about them is that they wrote, played their own instruments and performed world-wide. The problem was that their audience, also teenagers, could not get into the bars they played in. While they were a great success in Europe and especially Japan, they never really gained anything more than a cult following in North America.

The legendary, bizarre producer Kim Fowley had given drummer Sandy West, Joan Jett’s phone number and told them to get together to see if they could do anything. The group originally started as trio with Micki Steele (later of the Bangles), who toured clubs in Los Angeles.  Steele eventually got fired and was replaced.  Soon after, Lita Ford (lead guitar) and Jackie Fox (bass) were hired to round out the group.

Tuesday Afternoon .........I'm just beginning to see

ELO - Discovery

Moody Blues - Days of Future Past

Alan Parsons - Live

Quicksilver - Happy Trails

The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

Do I have to tell the story of a thousand rainy days since we first met. It's a big enough umbrella but it's always me that ends up getting wet.

Songs Everybody Should Know

“Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”, by the Police (1981)

The first time I heard the Police was at the student union offices at university. One of the guys had a turntable set up in his office in Mac Hall. He said “You have to hear this amazing new album by the Police”. I said “By what? Who? The Police, what the hell are you talking about”. “The ‘Police’ man this kind of reggae sounding punkish band”.

It seems like punk, with its irreverence and value in substance over form, eventually left one looking for musicianship again – I mean really, most of the punk band couldn’t play and many prided themselves on this. It had its place and time but there was a void in the fabric of pop music tearing wide open.