Riffing on Lita Ford’s Memoir

The England-born, Long Beach-raised only child had deflected the ravages of puberty by teaching herself to play the leads of Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi and Jimmy Page. As she tells it in her straight-talking, dirt-dishing memoir, “Living Like a Runaway,” neighbors used to visit her 1970s teen-girl version of a suburban man cave just to watch her shred.

My review of Lita Ford’s memoir Living Like a Runaway is in the Los Angeles Times today.

Lita: “Jackie’s Not a Liar”

Lita Ford spoke to Blabbermouth about Jackie Fox’s rape allegations. She says she knew nothing about the story until the recent article, but that “Jackie’s not a liar.”

Cherie Currie Redux

After 35 years, Runaways singer Cherie Currie has released a new album, Reverie, via iTunes. I interviewed her for Cuepoint about her reunion with Kim Fowley and Lita Ford.

Cherie, Joan, and Lita

Cherie, Joan, and Lita

In what I believe is a first since the Runaways broke up, Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, and Lita Ford were together, posing for cameras backstage at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in LA. Joan was a recipient of the heavy metal honor. I have to say, they look great. Maybe they really will do a reunion. In this interview, Dee Snider shows love for his (twisted) sisters — and also pushes for more to come.

Two New Podcasts Featuring Queens of Noise

There are two new podcasts you can add to your iTunes or streaming pleasure. One is the Bullseye With Jesse Thorn that aired on NPR stations this weekend:

The other is the debut podcast by David Kukoff, author of the new novel Children of the Canyon:

http://davidkukoff.com/podcasts/#sthash.gVDMRoOd.jD8BuguS.dpbs

 

Bullseye’s Next Underrated Album Segment: The Runaways Live in Japan

The public radio program Bullseye with Jesse Thorn does a regular feature where critics talk about their favorite underrated albums. On this week’s broadcast, I advocate for The Runaways Live in Japan. You can hear me on a bunch of stations, including the following:

WNYC – New York City – 93.9 FM – Sunday March 23 at 6pm

KPCC – Los Angeles – 89.3 FM – Saturday March 22 at 3pm

WNJY – New Jersey – 89.3 FM – Sat March 22 at 10am, Sun March 23 at 6pm

WHYY-  Philadelphia – 90.9 FM – Friday March 21 at 9pm

KUHF – Houston 88.7 FM – Thursday March 20 at 8pm

KALW – San Francisco – 91.7 FM – Sunday March 23 at 4pm

The complete list is below:

Bullseye Broadcast List (updated 2-25-14)

(If you miss it, I’ll post the link to the online podcast later.)

Bright Lights, Big Sky

Tammy Faye Starlite and me, by Shell Sheddy

The last two weeks have been a swirl: friendships forged and renewed, mother-son bonding, bright lights and big city, desert island and the deep sea, public performances, private connections, music and nature and ideas and activity. I spent five days revisiting my proto-Sex and the City life in New York and three days on Catalina Island with 31 fifth graders. Both experiences were deeply gratifying, and I’m immensely grateful to the friends, and family, who enrich my life.

First, New York. For my spring “break” from teaching, I finally made it to the center of the universe to do some promotion for Queens of Noise: The Real Story of the Runaways. I wound up with three gigs in as many days: a Women’s History Month Keynote speech at Bergen Community College March 6; a rock’n’roll show that night at the Cutting Room, featuring the Runaways tribute band the Stay-At-Homes; and a book signing and reading at Bluestockings in the Good Ol’ Lower East Side March 8. Each event was different, productive in its own way, and worth the trip all by itself.