Review: Joan Jett by Todd Oldham

AMMO, April 2010

By Siera Cerny
Published: April 16th, 2010 | 5:00pm

In a new coffee table-worthy tome from AMMO Books, designer extraordinaire Todd Oldham pays tribute to Joan Jett by publishing a book filled with never-before-seen photos, interview excerpts, other rockin' miscellany, and a whole lot of insight from the legend herself. Kathleen Hanna (of Le Tigre and Bikini Kill) penned the intro, which places Jett within the larger context of women in music.

Oldham's portrait paints Jett—who started The Runaways, her first band, at age 15—as a true creative force. Jett, as this volume tells it, is an inspiration not necessarily because of her music. Instead, she is her music—she fosters an intimate relationship with her fans and refuses to let the industry push her around. The, oft-copied, iconic look she's so well known for is her very own, and she's self-made, self-taught, and self-assured. As rock stars go, Jett is as real as it gets.

She says so herself: “I’m happy on the road, making records, and playing clubs. I don’t want people all over the place and hanging outside my door. I’m not in this to become a millionaire. I’m in it because I love the music, and I love to sweat while up there on stage playing rock and roll. It’s really that simple.” Who's going to argue with that?

Jett caught her star so young, and the fact that she’s still succeeding is refreshing. We all know the unfortunate side effects that teen stardom can carry with it, and she never became a cliched victim of childhood fame. Against many odds, she carved out a solid spot in rock history.

Here, Oldham and Hanna give an honest and down-to-earth portrayal of an individual who has transcended gender lines, pop-culture stereotypes, and stood the test of time. Whether you’re flipping through the pages to catch glimpses of the leather jacket-clad woman, perusing the beautiful layouts, or reading it from cover to cover, this is the perfect book for any music junkie.