Music
The Runaways – Review
Last modified on 2011-01-24 16:23:27 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
Rhiannon Jones
****
Youthful, rebellious and achingly cool, starring Twilight’s Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning as Joan Jett and Cherie Currie, this spirited rock biopic will have you digging out the ripped jeans and black hair dye.
Out on DVD February 7th
It’s a story steeped in punk-rock folklore – the rise and rise of teenage girl group The Runaways. It’s 1975 Los Angeles, glam-rock rules the radio, and a young Joan Jett (Stewart), clad in Ramones-style leather jacket and tight blue jeans, is learning to play guitar. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Cherie Currie (Fanning) is cutting her hair, painting lightning bolts on her face and performing wildly to David Bowie at the school talent show.
Before long Jett runs into Kim Fowley, a big-shot record producer (who even manages to appear macho in make up and a blouse), and tells him she wants to start an all-girl rock band. Sniffing out the “jail-bait” commercial potential of girls and guitars (he wasn’t wrong), Fowley assembles a crew of pouting female bandmates, before coming across Currie in a nightclub. Recruited as lead singer on the basis of her sultry, Brigitte-Bardot-meets-Iggy-Pop demeanour, Currie even inspires the Runaways’ hit Cherry Bomb at her audition.
After some inventive training sessions (including hiring kids to throw rubbish at the girls to “toughen them up”) the bullying Fowley packs them off on a gruelling tour of house parties and grotty dives, and before long, egos, lingerie, money and a huge Japanese fan base begin to tear the group apart.
Didn't you know it's totally rock'n'roll to put your feet on the desk?
Whether it’s the time you hitched your school skirt up, your mum kicked off at you for piercing your nose or you got jet-black hair dye all over the bathroom tiles, Kristen Stewart as the infamous Joan Jett will make you nostalgic for teenage rebellion. Though the film is based on Currie’s autobiography, and the story is told largely from her point of view, Stewart steals the film with a witty, intelligent and uncanny performance as Jett. Fanning’s Currie is requisitely po-faced, with the tension between the two leads simmering under the surface and pulling the film from the depths of the ordinary. Even if you’ve never heard of The Runaways, you’ll find something compelling in this stylishly told tale of girls-gone-bad.
The Runaways is out on DVD on February 7th, 2011
Hot 5ive
Last modified on 2011-01-12 16:35:34 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
Recent winner of BBC Sound of 2011, this 22 year old singer is set to make a lot of noise. Her album, “Who We Are”, is not released for a few months, but her fiery performance of “Price Tag” on Later… with Jools Holland has ensured it will be highly anticipated. The single version, featuring B.o.B, is out soon.
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Dubstep is old news on the club scene but it’s starting to create commercial success. “Feel Good”, a catchy single from Modestep, may not be as raw as some of the early Dubstep tunes, but it will definitely increase its popularity.
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Kanye West – All of the Lights (featuring Rihanna)
Kanye has proved that even being called a “jackass” by the most powerful man in the world can’t deflate his ego. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has received a lot of hype, and this track, intended for single release, is a perfect example of his meticulous production.
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Liam Gallagher has never been short of self-confidence either. He’s now the frontman of another band, Beady Eye, whose first album comes out at the end of February. This song showcases The Beatles’ influence on the band. But then Liam would argue that every band has been influenced by The Beatles.
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James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream
London-born James Blake received a lot of attention for his haunting song, “Limit to your Love”. His next release, “The Wilhelm Scream”, is a moving follow-up. The self-titled debut album comes out in early February and is expected to do well.
