The Legendary Joan Jett & The Blackhearts have announced that they are special guests on Green Day’s UK stadium shows at Manchester Lancashire County Cricket Ground and London Wembley Stadium in June.
Joan Jett is an originator, an innovator, and a visionary. As the leader of the hard-rocking Blackhearts, she's had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics "Bad Reputation," "I Love Rock 'N' Roll," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," and "Crimson and Clover."
She sits at the head of her own independent label, Blackheart Records. Jett has acted in movies, including 1987's Light Of Day, with Michael J. Fox and Gena Rowlands, and in a Tony-nominated Broadway musical, The Rocky Horror Show.
As a producer, she has overseen albums by Bikini Kill, Circus Lupus, and the Vacancies, as well as the Germs' LA punk masterpiece, GI. Jett was even one of only two women named to Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitar players of all time. In the end, though, Joan Jett's life has been dedicated to one goal and one goal only - rocking the hell out of every listener she can reach.
Since co-founding the Runaways, the pioneering all-girl punk quintet, at age 15, Jett's determination and drive have kept her in the public eye. This year, however, her profile will skyrocket yet again, with the release of both a long-awaited feature film telling the story of the Runaways and a new, two-disc Greatest Hits collection. The Runaways is based on lead singer Cherie Currie's book Neon Angel. Kristen Stewart, star of the Twilight series films, plays Jett, and her fellow A-Lister Dakota Fanning portrays Currie. The movie chronicles the band's early years; formed by teenage girls living near Hollywood, CA., the Runaways became the first all-girl band to break into the world of arena-filling hard rock acts.
After the success of their first single, "Cherry Bomb," the Runaways toured with such acts as the Ramones, Cheap Trick, and Tom Petty. But in Japan, the band became huge stars - their arrival for a set of shows in 1977 was like Beatlemania all over again. During the Japanese tour, Currie began to struggle, and she left the band when they returned home - but Jett decided to keep fighting the rock & roll fight, with the Runaways and then on her own.
Joan Jett has spent her lifetime breaking barriers and challenging expectations. She’s fought hard for all of her historic accomplishments, yet she remains humble and appreciative.
To see Green Day live with special guests Joan Jett & The Blackhearts:
Wednesday 16 June 2010 - Manchester Lancashire County Cricket Ground
Saturday 19 June 2010 - London Wembley Stadium
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