The unlikely band Joan Jett called assholes: “I don’t care if you print that”
Joan Jett is one of the most outspoken and vicious rockers in music. Her gritty and dynamic vocals complement her on-stage persona, which has seen her attract a barrage of fans all over the world. Whether that’s in The Runaways or with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, she has acquired a litany of fans.
Of course, while there is the positive, there is also the negative. While people loved listening to her music and rocking out to her distortion-heavy, energetic music, many people despised Jett. This often led to a heated exchange of words, as Jett held her music in high regard and didn’t have much time for people who were ready to criticise it unjustifiably.
One of the bands Jett ended up feuding with was Canadian rockers Rush. While performing with The Runaways, she saw Rush watching from the crowd. Rather than catching them admiring the gig, the trio was openly laughing at the band and clearly not enjoying it.
Despite proclaiming to the world that she didn’t give a damn about her reputation, she took particular offence to the prog rockers not even attempting to enjoy the show. As such, when she was doing an interview later down the line, she said they were assholes. “They’re assholes,” she said, “And I don’t care if you print that!”
It might not surprise some that Rush wasn’t a huge fan of The Runaways, given their music didn’t exactly align, but at that gig, they were supposed to be sharing the stage, and Rush made it difficult. The Runaways supported them; however, The Runaways were denied a soundcheck.
A representation of this made it into the 2010 biopic, where the band were refused a soundcheck from the band that they were supporting. Jett confirmed in an interview later down the line that the band they were alluding to was Rush.
Geddy Lee spoke about the persistent feud between Jett and Rush, claiming that she had a large chip on her shoulder and managed to get it all wrong about what was now becoming an infamous gig. “The Runaways had a ginormous chip on their shoulders,” he said, “I remember that show. We had trouble with our gear so soundcheck got delayed and The Runaways never got one.”
Despite the fact it might appear Lee is trying to settle differences between the two, he couldn’t help but get his own dig in during the interview. “I know they said that we were laughing at them when they played,” he recounted, “But quite frankly, they were too shitty to listen to.”
These are harsh words by both parties, but they highlight the heated relationships that can manifest in the world of rock. Two bands, very different from one another, are the pinnacle of rock beef.
