The Runaways

The Runaways

Company type	Private
Industry	Music
Founded	August 1975 (1975-08)
Headquarters	Los Angeles , United States
Products	Rock music, studio albums, live albums

The Runaways were an American rock band that operated between 1975 and 1979. Originating in Los Angeles, they produced four studio albums alongside one live recording. Their well-known songs include "Cherry Bomb", "Hollywood", "Queens of Noise", as well as a rendition of the Velvet Underground's "Rock & Roll". Although they did not achieve major commercial success in the United States, the band found considerable acclaim internationally, particularly in Japan, largely propelled by the hit "Cherry Bomb".

Formation and Early Development

In early 1975, rock producer Kim Fowley envisioned creating an all-female band, noting a shortage of young women instrumentalists, according to guitarist Joan Jett.

Fowley enlisted lyricist Kari Krome to scout talent, who introduced him to Jett. During her audition, Jett played the ukulele and subsequently adopted the guitar. Fowley then brought on drummer Sandy West, with whom Jett practiced prior to auditions announced via radio advertisements. These auditions resulted in bassist and vocalist Micki Steele joining the group.

The Runaways officially formed in August 1975. Fowley positioned them as "an all-girl counterpart to Grand Funk," securing a contract with Kim Fowley Productions by September. The original trio of Jett, West, and Steele made their live debut at the Whisky a Go Go late that month, opening for Fowley's former group, the Hollywood Stars.

Steele departed on October 30 due to artistic disagreements; shortly thereafter, bassist Peggy Foster and lead guitarist Lita Ford joined, enabling Jett to concentrate on rhythm guitar.

Fowley and Jett discovered Cherie Currie performing at The Sugar Shack nightclub and recruited her as lead singer.

Following Foster's brief stint, she was replaced by Jackie Fox, who was recruited by Fowley's associate Rodney Bingenheimer at the West Hollywood venue the Starwood.

Rise to Prominence

On December 12, 1975, Denny Rosencrantz, West Coast A&R director for Phonogram/Mercury Records, signed the Runaways. Their debut album The Runaways was recorded in January 1976 and released in March under Mercury. The album entered the Cash Box top albums chart at number 188, received positive critical reception, and sold approximately 70,000 copies throughout 1976.

They toured across the United States supporting bands such as Cheap Trick, Van Halen, Talking Heads, and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Each member developed a stage persona inspired by prominent musical figures: Currie emulated David Bowie, Jett drew from Suzi Quatro, Ford blended influences from Jeff Beck and Ritchie Blackmore, West mirrored Roger Taylor’s style, and Fox took cues from Gene Simmons.

Featured in People magazine in September 1976, Fowley briefly ended his association with the group, relinquishing rights to Mercury Records before reconciling. Their sophomore album Queens of Noise was released on January 7, 1977.

To support Queens of Noise, the Runaways embarked on international tours and became linked with the punk rock scene, sharing stages with male punk bands including the Ramones, the Dead Boys, as well as British groups like the Damned, Generation X, and the Sex Pistols.

In summer 1977, booking agent David Libert arranged sold-out performances in Japan where fan enthusiasm was compared to "Beatlemania." The band issued the gold-certified album Live in Japan. Mid-tour bassist Jackie Fox exited and was replaced by Vicki Blue upon their return.

Lead vocalist Cherie Currie left on August 9, 1977. Subsequently, Fowley produced their third album Waitin' for the Night, recorded as a quartet featuring Joan Jett on lead vocals. Released October 17, 1977, this marked Fowley’s final production effort with the ensemble.

Disbandment

In 1977, conflicts concerning financial matters and band management led to the Runaways parting ways with Kim Fowley. Soon after, they brought on Toby Mamis, recognized for his collaborations with Blondie and Suzi Quatro. This separation also meant terminating their contract with Mercury/PolyGram. According to testimonies in the Edgeplay documentary, both band members and relatives accused Fowley of failing to fulfill commitments related to education and welfare, employing divisive strategies and verbal abuse to assert dominance. During this phase, the group embraced the typical rock 'n' roll lifestyle. They collaborated with Thin Lizzy’s producer John Alcock—after Kenny Laguna declined—to produce their last album, And Now... The Runaways.

Medical complications prompted Blue's departure; Laurie McAllister briefly took her place in November 1978. McAllister had prior experience with Baby Roulette and the Rave Ons. She performed during the band's final California concerts in December 1978 but left the group by January 1979.

Disputes also arose over the band's musical style: Jett advocated a move toward punk and glam rock, whereas Ford and West favored hard rock and heavy metal. Neither faction yielded. The Runaways' concluding performance occurred on New Year's Eve 1978 at the Cow Palace, with the band officially dissolving in April 1979.

Reunion prospects

In 2010, Joan Jett and Cherie Currie reunited to re-record "Cherry Bomb" for the video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.

During a 2015 interview, Lita Ford attributed the lack of early 1990s reunions partly to ill timing amid Nirvana's ascendancy. By December 2018, Ford asserted that a Runaways reunion was not going to happen.

On May 12, 2021, Cherie Currie addressed reunion possibilities, noting she had performed alongside all members individually but underscored persistent tensions between Lita Ford and Joan Jett, especially regarding Kenny Laguna. Currie expressed hope for reconciliation but remained skeptical due to previous disputes that strained friendships during delays linked to her album Blvds Of Splendor.

Joan Jett

Joan Jett collaborated with producer Kenny Laguna and, after facing rejection from 23 record labels, established Blackheart Records in 1980—becoming one of the pioneering female artists to launch her own label. Blackheart Records continues to issue albums by Jett’s band the Blackhearts as well as other musicians. Jett attained significant commercial acclaim with chart-toppers like "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", "Crimson and Clover", "Bad Reputation", and "I Hate Myself for Loving You". She also ventured into acting, co-starring in the 1987 film Light of Day alongside Michael J. Fox, and appearing in the 2000 Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show. Acknowledged for her impact on music, Jett was named among Rolling Stone's "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Blackhearts in 2015.

Sandy West

Main article: Sandy West

Following the band's end, West continued her partnership with John Alcock by forming the Sandy West Band, touring throughout California during the 1980s and 1990s. She also contributed as a session drummer for John Entwistle of the Who and pursued drum instruction. West succumbed to lung cancer in October 2006. A tribute concert held in Los Angeles featured performances by the Sandy West Band, Cherie Currie, the Bangles, the Donnas, among others.

Micki Steele

Steele (known professionally as Michael Steele) joined the Bangles, achieving success with hits such as "Manic Monday", "Walk Like an Egyptian", and "Eternal Flame".

Cherie Currie

After departing from the Runaways, Currie released her solo album Beauty's Only Skin Deep in 1978 and followed with a duet album alongside her twin sister Marie Currie, titled Messin' with the Boys (1980), supported by members of Toto. Their rendition of Russ Ballard's "Since You Been Gone" reached number 95 on U.S. charts. Currie appeared in films including Foxes, starring alongside Jodie Foster. During the 1990s, she worked as a drug counselor and personal fitness trainer. She was married to actor Robert Hays, with whom she has one son; they divorced in 1997.

Currie remains active in music under contract with Blackheart Records, while also pursuing chainsaw carving showcased in a gallery located in Chatsworth, California. In 2013, she recorded two tracks with Alexx Michael for Munich-based hard rock/glam metal band Shameless; these were included on their album Beautiful Disaster. Her latest solo release is Blvds of Splendor, issued in 2020.

Lita Ford

Ford resumed her career with PolyGram during the 1980s as a solo artist, releasing multiple albums and working under manager Sharon Osbourne. She achieved recognition through hits like "Kiss Me Deadly" and "Close My Eyes Forever", a duet featuring Osbourne’s husband Ozzy Osbourne. Ford was married first to Chris Holmes from W.A.S.P., then later to former Nitro vocalist Jim Gillette, father of her two sons. After taking a break from music, she returned to performing at events such as Rock The Bayou and other hard rock festivals in 2008. On October 6, 2009, she released Wicked Wonderland, her first studio album in fourteen years. That same year she toured as a special guest with progressive metal group Queensrÿche, performing selections from Wicked Wonderland along with "Close My Eyes Forever" alongside lead singer Geoff Tate.

Vicki Blue

Main article: Victory Tischler-Blue

Vicki Blue—now known professionally as Victory Tischler-Blue—transitioned from performing with the Runaways into film and television production roles. She took on producing and directing duties for programs including Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, and Real Stories of the Highway Patrol. Tischler-Blue founded Sacred Dogs Entertainment Group, a motion picture production company responsible for releasing the Runaways documentary Edgeplay: A Film About the Runaways. In 2005 she directed Naked Under Leather, a documentary focusing on rocker Suzi Quatro, which screened at the Santa Cruz Film Festival but did not receive commercial distribution. She also served as executive producer for the network special The Bee Gees "Unbroken Fever"—The 30th Anniversary of Saturday Night Fever and collaborated with Ford on music production for El Guitarrista, an animated series produced by Sacred Dogs.

Jackie Fox

Main article: Jackie Fox

Fox reverted to her birth surname Fuchs after leaving music; she graduated summa cum laude from UCLA earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics and Italian. She later obtained a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School and currently practices entertainment law. Fuchs co-wrote "Delilah's Scissors" with Tischler-Blue, executive-produced and appeared in Tischler-Blue’s Runaways documentary Edgeplay (2005). She writes an animal care column focused on cats for Examiner.com and occasionally contributes articles to Listverse.com. Author of an unpublished young adult historical fiction novel titled The Well, she is also working on a second book. In December 2018, Fuchs won four consecutive games on the quiz show Jeopardy!.

In July 2015, following Kim Fowley’s death, Fuchs publicly accused him of raping her on New Year’s Eve 1975 after a Runaways concert in Orange County. At age sixteen, she alleged being drugged with Quaaludes by an individual she believed was a roadie before being assaulted while incapacitated. Cherie Currie stated that she confronted Fowley about this incident but left when he refused to cease his behavior. Fuchs’ account is featured in Look Away (2021 film), a documentary addressing sexual abuse within the rock industry.

Laurie McAllister

McAllister joined Kim Fowley’s all-female ensemble called the Orchids, which released their only album in 1980. Subsequently retiring from music, she worked as a veterinary technician based in Eugene, Oregon. McAllister passed away due to complications from an asthma attack on August 25, 2011, at age fifty-four.

Members

Session musicians

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
Template:CSS image crop	Joan Jett	1975–1979	rhythm guitar lead guitar (1975, 1976) lead vocals backing vocals bass (1977)	all releases
	Sandy West	1975–1979 (died 2006)	drums backing vocals occasional lead vocals
	Kari Krome	1975	lead vocals	none
Template:CSS image crop	Micki Steele	1975	bass lead vocals	Born to be Bad (1991) Cherokee Studios Demos (2024)
Template:CSS image crop	Lita Ford	1975–1976 1976–1979	lead guitar backing vocals (from 1977) rhythm guitar (1977, 1979) bass lead vocals (1978)	all releases except Born to be Bad (1991) and Cherokee Studios Demos (2024)
	Peggy Foster	1975	bass	none
Template:CSS image crop	Cherie Currie	1975–1977	lead vocals	The Runaways (1976) Queens of Noise (1977) Live in Japan (1977) Flaming Schoolgirls (1980) The Best of the Runaways (1982) Neon Angels (1992) 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Runaways (2005) nine tracks The Mercury Albums Anthology (2010) (twenty tracks) Live (Agora Ballroom, Cleveland - July 19, 1976) (2015)
Template:CSS image crop	Jackie Fox	1975–1976 1976–1977	bass backing vocals
	Vicki Blue	1977–1978		" Waitin' for the Night (1977) And Now... The Runaways (1978) (credited only) Little Lost Girls (1981) I Love Playin' with Fire (1982) The Runaways featuring Joan Jett and Lita Ford (1997) 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Runaways (2005) (remaining tracks) The Mercury Albums Anthology (2010) (remaining tracks) Live in New York 1978 (2017)	-

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions

Timeline

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Discography

Compilation albums

• Flaming Schoolgirls (1980, Cherry Red)
• The Best of the Runaways (1982, Mercury)
• I Love Playin' with Fire (1982, Cherry Red)
• Born to be Bad (1991, Marilyn)
• Neon Angels(1992 Mercury)
• The Runaways featuring Joan Jett and Lita Ford(1997 PolyGram)
• 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Runaways(2005 Universal)
• The Mercury Albums Anthology(2010 Hip-O Records)
• Cherokee Studios Demos(2024)

Legacy

The achievements of The Runaways opened doors for female musicians and groups such as the Bangles, the Go-Go's, Sahara Hotnights, L7, the Donnas, and Vixen, enabling them to break into what had been predominantly male-dominated rock genres. Their influence extended to artists like Germs, Courtney Love, Adolescents, Taylor Momsen, White Flag, and Rhino Bucket—the latter acknowledging their inspiration during a tribute concert honoring Sandy West held in 2006.

Film

Main article: The Runaways (2010 film)

A biopic based on Cherie Currie's memoir was released in 2010 featuring Joan Jett as an executive producer. Actresses Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning portrayed Jett and Currie respectively; Michael Shannon played Kim Fowley. None of the former bassists participated; Jackie Fox declined involvement requesting that her character be renamed Robin Robbins for fictionalization purposes. Directed by Floria Sigismondi, it premiered on March 19, 2010 through limited theatrical release.

Critics generally responded positively to The Runaways. On Rotten Tomatoes it holds an approval rating of approximately seventy percent based on nearly two hundred reviews averaging around six out of ten stars.

New Runaways project (1987)

In early eighties Los Angeles music circles retained interest when thirteen-year-old Gayle Welch from Kaitaia New Zealand recorded “Day of Age” at Mandrell Recording Studios Auckland; this tape reached Kim Fowley who shared it with KROQ DJ Rodney Bingenheimer who included it on his annual compilation alongside Chicago guitarist Bill Millay’s track.

Holding trademark rights to The Runaways name allowed Fowley to assemble a new lineup around Welch featuring Missy Bonilla from CBS Records’ typing pool along with Denise Pryor from Compton plus Kathrine Dombrowski ("Kathy DiAmber"). Welch appeared solely via tape on first song “I Want To Run With The Bad Boys.” Guitar duties were handled by Millay supplemented by David Carr’s keyboards plus programmed drums completing instrumentation under New Zealand’s Glenn Holland’s facilitation.

Their album entitled ‘’Young And Fast’’ was released during ’87 attaining modest commercial attention.

External links

• Official website of Joan Jett
• Official website of Lita Ford
• Official website of Victory Tischler-Blue
• Official website of Sacred Dogs Entertainment Group
• Jackie Fox's Runaways analytical essays
• Coverage of The Runaways on Metaladies.com