Not Again: Lita Ford vs. Joan Jett?

Lita Ford, the Queen of Metal, has a new album coming out, "Wicked Wonderland," which she also co-produced, so cue the mindless girl-shrieking.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Ford discussed this and the new flick "Cherry Bomb," based on The Runaways, the band that launched the careers of Ford and fellow rocker Joan Jett. Kristen Stewart stars as Jett and some chick we don't know, the horrors stars as Ford. Seriously. The lead guitarist of the premier chick-rock band and they get a non-marquee actress? For shaaaame.

Apparently, all is still not well in Lady Rock Land.

Said Ford:

“I just want people to know that I have nothing to do with that film. Joan’s manager offered to buy the rights to my life story for a thousand bucks. I thought that was pretty disgusting — we never even replied.”

Ford still has an affinity for Jett, but the meddling manager can go to Hades.

Their manager has managed to cause a war between us — this has been going on since 1985. So far, I’ve kept my mouth shut, and I don’t know how somebody like him can spend so much time trying to destroy somebody else’s career. Joan and I have done nothing to hurt each other. I’ve always loved Joan. I don’t know what the problem is with him — he really goes out of his way to f*** me up. I despise him for it. But there’s a place in my heart for Joan that will always be there.”

I get that much of the film's story is based on Cherie Currie's autobiography, "Neon Angel," but to overshadow the contributions of the lead guitarist? The first lady of metal? I adore Joan Jett, I adore Cherie Currie, but it took all these girls to make all these girls, you dig?

It also aggravates me when people try to slam Ford all these years later, totally unaware that the only reason that artists like The Donnas, The Go Gos, The Bangles, Madonna et al. were able to pick up instruments or go onstage and rock it is because The Runaways busted down the door FIRST and Ford (and the illustrious Nancy Wilson, the reason I learned to ever play guitar) made it COOL to be a woman in rock - exponentially tougher for Ford because she was in metal.

I dipped into my vast iTunes library (I had her self-titled on cassette, betches!) for this treat.You're welcome:

And her duet with Ozzy? (The benefit of having Sharon Osbourne for a manager.) My brain MELTED when this first hit MTV. My joy was equivalent to the excitement I felt when She-Ra and He-Man appeared in a single episode together. Remember that? OMG.

Via

Comments

[BlackEyedGurl]

Um The Bangles actually had a Runaways member in it (Mickie Steele is Michelle Steele), so in a way they are like The Black Hearts and Lita Ford. Although it is a good point.

I don't think that Lita should feel spurned by the lack of a big name playing her. Cos this could be some girls break out role, and then Lita will be a hero!

[Jessi]

I'm super-excited for this movie. And she's not exactly an unknown. Every Gilmore Girl freak on the planet will squee at the grown up version of Dean's little sis.

[FitzG]

A little FYI-- this post came to me through my Madonna google alert... little did Google know I'm a Lita Ford champion :)

I've always been a fan of both Lita and Joan-- and they are both irreplaceable in my life and share equally in my decision to start playing guitar...

I'm interested in the movie-- mostly because of what an amazing story the Runaways have (assuming the movie does that justice) -- I had no idea of the manager situation, but man-- I fvcking applaud Lita for being able to draw a line between Jett and her manager...