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Guitar Wolf asking Joan Jett to comment on bands and stuff.
(translated from Japanese, in case you read it and think JJ is a total spazz)
GW: Please give us some short comments on the following artists:
A) Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers
JJ: I thought they were great trashy band. But see, I was really little bit personally familiar with New York Dolls just because I was laying on the time that I was getting into rock n' roll as a kid. New York Dolls was actually my first concert that I ever saw when I still lived in Washington DC, before I moved to California to start the Runaways. I was just maybe 12 or 13. I mean, for a little kid was never experiencing that kind of stuff was pretty intense. The gear that they wear, and stuff. I actually took an empty beer bottle on the stage that David Johansen's (laughs). Anyway, I thought that Johnny Thunders was a great guitar player. Nothing fancy, thatﾕs for sure. First word that passed in my mind was trashy and I love that kind of really raw, unpolished sound and style. And I always really enjoy his music whether I was watching or listening.
B) Iggy Pop
JJ: There's gonna be similar comments, but first thing that I think of Iggy is raw and dirty. And we actually played with Iggy a couple of times years and years ago. I think it was in Florida. My way around back to "Bad Reputation" in 1981 or a little bit later. We were opening for him and we had a great time and just always great to see him sweating on stage and bear chest. He's a crazy man. I grew up listening to Stooges and some people know that I've covered Iggy's stuff like "I Wanna Be Your Dog".
C) Elvis Presley
JJ: I think Elvis is responsible for "I Love Rock nﾕ Roll" really. You know why? Because right after we were released that record, I believe it was in November. And we were on the road, and when we were in Memphis, we decided to go to Graceland. The week after "I Love Rock n' Roll" came out. We were hanging up with his gravestone and our van broke down and we stopped there for hours. And I think it was his aunt came out and she brought me to the house. She made comments about how much I look like Elvis and so on. I always carry guitar picks on me and while I stopped there, I took out a guitar pick and laid on Elvis' grave. And right after that, like next week, we start getting the calls of "I Love Rock n' Roll" was gonna be hit and it was doing really well on radio. I thought that maybe Elvis said something to do with it, and spends what you believe in and all that stuff. But what can you say about all this, you know, he's a good guy and the body of rock n' roll for so many people. He really set pace to inspire to people. Unbelievable singer. He's the top.
D) Link Wray
JJ: I know who he is. But I don't know enough about his music.
E) MC5
JJ: Another band I know, but I don't listen to a lot. So, I cannot really comment to these guys, either.
F) Cramps
JJ: I actually saw them many times while I was living in Los Angeles during Runaways days. I go to the show and I always thought they're really fantastic. I loved Ivy on guitar, sort of 50's styles with reverbs and I always thought that they are great. A lot of fun.
G) Sex Pistols
JJ: Some of the bands that always in my mind. I thought that their records are great. Unbelievable guitar sound, which is something that I keen on is guitar sound. I just really enjoyed that. I love that "Never Mind the Bollocks" album and played till worn out to buy another one. It was very influential and came out of the time in my life. It was very inspiring both musically and what was going on the scene.
H) Bruce Lee
JJ: He's a good fighter (laughs)! Seriously, I like Bruce Lee, beyond that I
know there's a lot of people accomplish at him. I always enjoy his movies
but beyond that I never got into too much.
I) Ramones: Do you have any memorable moments or funny stories from the tour when you were in Runaways?
JJ: Well, I don't really remember any sort of crazy stories, I just have some moments of a getting kick out of watching those guys. Sometimes we go on first, sometimes they go on first. Some places people loved the Ramones and they hated us and another places, they hated the Ramones and loved us (laughs)! So it was a strange tour, but I had a blast. I'd watched the Ramones after we played. I stand on the stage next to Johnny or DD's side, 'cos I knew the songs inside out just being a fun. It was a 77, Iﾕm not sure. I just had such a blast both as a musician and just as a fan. But I remember a little stupid thing like the way Joey pronounce the name of the town, the way he talks. I remember I think it was Belleville, Illinois. But the way Joey with the mic and his hair flying, and very tall. He grabbed the mic and get down and go "Hello, beeellviiille!" (laughs) And I don't know why it sounded funny to me, but all these years later, that one introduction really sticks out my mind, the way pronounce the name of the town. Every time I'm back to that area, it always reminds me of him saying that. I just gotta a kick out of it. Anyway, I was enjoying with them as a fun. We didn't really travelling together or anything like that we really only saw each other at the shows. But beyond that, it was a fun recollection.
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