Reading this concert review many years after I wish I could have seen them live in the 70s. I don`t think there are many professional shot concert videos around either. That is a loss for everyone fond of this band and for rock in general. Us and the Runaways deserved so much more.
Read on!
The queens of hard (Yes, it`s another of those sexist double-entendre headlines) rock
Runaways / The Quick
Los Angeles
Concert review by Justin Pierce
IN THE last few months, ‘punk rock’ has become an increasingly fashionable trend on the LA music scene.
Bands are popping out of the woodwork all over. Ultimately, however, much of the activity generated is second-rate at best. Outfit after outfit has simply fallen prey to the expectations that many of the earlier groups have fulfilled.
Amid this flurry of excitement, the Runaways came to the world-renowned Whisky for a New Year’s weekend during which they debuted some promising selections from their forthcoming release titled `Queens Of Noise’. The band, once again under the production guidance of Kim Fowley and Earle Mankey, produced some kick ass tunes, verifying in-crowd studio reports that this LP will turn the heads of unbelievers. Even though much of the material could use an extra hook or melodic twist, the girls have perfected a stage routine that’s based on pure rock energy. Some may feel that three-chord progressions are limiting, but the Runaways utilize the formula for maximum effectiveness. Most crucially, lead singer Cherie Currie has blossomed into one of the most teasing stage figures on the market. No longer is she the somewhat stiff, reserved teenager thrown into the role of a punk heroine. She is now one of the most dashing and spunky ladies on the concert stage today. At one moment she can be the bitchy tease who overheats the inside of every guy’s pants, but at the next instance there’s that youthfully pouting smile that can just melt you away. The rest of the gang have accomplished equal leaps and bounds on stage, making sure to play on the subtle cravings within most chaps. Lita Ford is now a swaggering lead guitarist, darting and swaying across the stage. She smiles suggestively as she fingers the strings of her axe. Her manner is definitely domineering, and you can sense she’d be great in the role of a dominatrix with whip in hand. Her tits would just smother you alive, and God knows you’d love every minute of it. Joan Jett is the leather-clad, gum-chewing girl who adds a sense of street consciousness. She plays rhythm with a confident air, singing some of her compositions while giving Cherie a chance for a rest. Jackie Fox could well be the archetypal Jewish American Princess, bouncing up and down with punchy bass lines and wearing a wry smile that lets the audience know she’s aware of her persona. Behind the drums rests Sandy West, beating the skins with an intense fury and belting out a charged version of ‘Wild Thing’ mid-way through the set. The songs have become familiar by now. `American Nights’ and ‘Blackmail’ rest as teen classics. ‘Cherry Bomb’, featuring Cherie in a silk white corset, black lace, complete with black stockings and panties, is the evening’s eye catcher. It was 1:40 in the morning when they closed their set with the little ditty, but the crowd was still yelling and believing her when the platinum blonde sang, “I’ll give you something to live for, have ya, grab ya, till your sore.”
New songs such as ‘Queens Of Noise’, ‘Take It Or Leave It’, ‘Heartbeat’, ‘Hollywood’, and ‘Johnny Guitar’ became instantly familiar. But there was much greater use of vocal harmonies apparent in the new numbers. One could immediately tell that the fresh selections had been well-honed. There was even a ballad that could well establish the Runaways on AM (i.e. commercial top 40) radio in the States.
Opening up the show were The Quick, the brightest teen hope in Los Angeles at the moment. Another band under the wings of Kim Fowley, The Quick stand apart due to their incredible songwriting faculties. Nineteen-year-old Steven Hufsteter, lead guitarist and chief composer, writes in the arty, biting style that once characterised that of the Mael brothers (aka Sparks). But these five individuals have concocted a witty and involving stage show that relies simply on the rewards of their superb songs.
With a brilliant first album under their belt, these five blokes (all under 20) should start a new trend for punk-rockers: the ability to retain a punkish stance within the framework of a finely crafted pop style. Let’s hope they succeed.
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