Q&A: Joan Jett on Her Big Hits and Runaways Drama

A lot of your hits have been covers. How does it feel to record your own version of a song you love by someone else?
Jett: It can be a really tough thing, because being a music fan you know in your head these classic records, every nuance, every guitar sound, every drum solo, every ad lib... it can be really hard in my own mind, in my fan mind, to equal the original. So you do them because you're a fan of the music, but I think being the artist, I don't feel like I've ever achieved that thing where I felt like we did it better, or even close. It's sort of a paradox, you want to do it because you love the song, but you know that you can never equal the song. It's a daunting task.

Many people don't realize one of your biggest hits, "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," is a cover.
Jett: I think I saw the Arrows' version on TV in 1976 [when I was] in the Runaways. I went to the record store and bought it... hoping that the Runaways would cover it, but it never happened, I think the other girls didn't like it too much, so I just hung onto it, hoping I'd have a chance to do it again in some fashion.

How did you feel about the way the Runaways were depicted in the documentary Edgeplay, especially in terms of the hostile relationship with manager Kim Fowley?
Jett: I've always gotten along with everyone in the band, including Kim. Kim and I were songwriting partners, we got along great. I think he is an eccentric wildman... I've seen him recently, and he is exactly like he was in 1975. I get a kick out of him, and I consider him my friend. Nobody was held hostage, if people weren't happy, they could have quit, and nobody did. So I don't know what the hell they're talking about. And that's why I didn't get involved — because it was like a big Jerry Springer thing. You know what a great movie you could make? You know how many bands we played with? You know how many people we influenced? And that is the kind of movie you're gonna make? Count me out, baby. When you want to talk about real rock & roll stuff, I'll talk.

When you're working the other side of the fence, how do you choose artists for Blackheart?
Jett: Now it's becoming something where we can give people an opportunity. And certainly girls who are having a tougher time, as I felt myself, but it's obviously not limited to girls, we're just looking for good music, bands that want to work hard. Some of the newer stuff that we have out now I'm really partial to. I'm loving the Girl In a Coma record. It's beautifully melodic, beautiful words, and sort of a dissonance to it. I just think they're extremely talented.

They're on your new holiday collection, A Blackheart Christmas, which includes your version of "Little Drummer Boy."
Jett: "Little Drummer Boy" we did long time ago. My mother was a Johnny Mathis freak, so at Christmas time, that Johnny Mathis Christmas album always came out. I guess I kind of always gravitated to the "Drummer Boy," maybe it was the rock & roll thing or something. I want to pick a different song to do [next time]. I prefer to sing a non-religious Christmas song like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" or something like that.

Laguna: We'll sign you up for that one, Joan!