Latest news with #TheRunaways
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lita Ford's Heartfelt Ozzy Osbourne Tribute Proves Rock Legends Never Truly Die
Lita Ford's Heartfelt Ozzy Osbourne Tribute Proves Rock Legends Never Truly Die originally appeared on Parade. In a moment that has rock fans around the world reaching for tissues, Lita Ford delivered the most poignant tribute to Ozzy Osbourne from the most meaningful place possible – right outside his hometown of Birmingham, England. The former Runaways guitarist shared a touching Instagram post featuring a throwback photo from 1988, when she and Ozzy recorded their unforgettable duet "Close My Eyes Forever." Ford's caption captured the surreal nature of performing in Wolverhampton, just outside Birmingham, writing that their iconic ballad "takes on a whole different meaning now." Ford's tribute wasn't just about mourning a legend – it was about celebrating the eternal power of rock music. Her message, "Great rock stars never die," resonated deeply with fans who flooded her comments with their own memories of the beloved duet that became Ozzy's first and only Top 10 hit. The timing couldn't have been more emotionally charged. According to Rolling Stone, Ford was performing at K.K. Downing's club in Birmingham when she posted the tribute, preparing to deliver what would become her most wrenching live performance of "Close My Eyes Forever." The 66-year-old rocker admitted the performance would be "really emotional," especially surrounded by the beautiful stage set created in Ozzy's honor. Their collaboration story reads like rock folklore. In 1987, after Sharon Osbourne dropped off a life-size gorilla as a housewarming gift, Ozzy stayed behind at Record One Studios in Los Angeles. By sunrise, the two had crafted something "bruised, delicate, and timeless" in a cramped room with just a keyboard and relationship with Ozzy stretched back to her teenage years, when Black Sabbath provided the soundtrack to her musical awakening. She attended her first Black Sabbath concert in 1972 as a teenager, and even her parents became fans, with her mother regularly requesting she play "War Pigs." 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 The guitarist's tribute perfectly encapsulated what makes rock music eternal: the bonds between artists transcend time, and the music they create together lives forever in the hearts of fans worldwide. Lita Ford's Heartfelt Ozzy Osbourne Tribute Proves Rock Legends Never Truly Die first appeared on Parade on Jul 25, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
50 Years Ago Today, These Pioneering ‘Queens of Rock and Noise' Formed the First All-Female Punk Rock Band
50 Years Ago Today, These Pioneering 'Queens of Rock and Noise' Formed the First All-Female Punk Rock Band originally appeared on Parade. Sometimes the most revolutionary ideas are born from the simplest observations. Fifty-three years ago today, on August 5, 1975, producer Kim Fowley had a vision that would shatter every barrier in rock music: What if teenage girls could rock just as hard as the boys? That question led to the formation of The Runaways, the groundbreaking all-female band that proved women belonged on every stage in rock and roll. The band's origin story reads like rock mythology. Fowley discovered drummer Sandy West in the parking lot of the Rainbow Bar and Grill, where she convinced him of her talent on the spot. Meanwhile, guitarist had auditioned for Fowley by playing ukulele to a Sweet album before switching to guitar and becoming the band's driving force. What made The Runaways truly revolutionary wasn't just their gender – it was their age and attitude. These weren't seasoned musicians breaking into a male-dominated industry; they were teenagers creating their own space in rock history. Lead vocalist Cherie Currie was discovered at a teen nightclub, while bassist Jackie Fox was literally found in a parking lot by Fowley's associate. The band's impact was immediate and lasting. Their signature song "Cherry Bomb" became an anthem of teenage rebellion, while "Queens of Noise" – which inspired our headline – showcased their fierce energy and unapologetic attitude. They toured with established acts like Van Halen and Talking Heads, proving they could hold their own with any rock band. Beyond their musical contributions, The Runaways opened doors that had never existed before. Their existence alone inspired countless young women to pick up instruments and start their own The Runaways disbanded in 1979 after releasing four studio albums, their influence rippled through generations. Joan Jett became a rock icon with her Blackhearts, while carved out her own successful solo career. Their story proved that rock and roll belonged to anyone brave enough to claim it. Tragically, drummer Sandy West died in 2006 at just 47, but her legacy lives on in every female drummer who followed. The Runaways didn't just form a band – they created a blueprint for rebellion, showing that teenage girls could be just as loud, proud, and powerful as anyone else in rock music. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Today, as we celebrate their formation anniversary, The Runaways' message remains as relevant as ever: rock and roll has no gender, and music belongs to anyone bold enough to make some noise. 50 Years Ago Today, These Pioneering 'Queens of Rock and Noise' Formed the First All-Female Punk Rock Band first appeared on Parade on Aug 5, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 5, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 70s rock legend played by Dakota Fanning is still platinum blonde at 65... can you guess who she is?
A beloved rock singer from the 1970s was still the image of freewheeling punk style when she surfaced recently in Los Angeles. She shot to fame as a teenager as the lead singer of a girl group that came up in Los Angeles but achieved its greatest fame abroad. Her brunette bandmate developed a reputation as the 'Godmother of Punk,' performing a celebrated smash hit cover of I Love Rock 'n' Roll. Meanwhile, the blonde songstress who was sighted in sunny California this month went on to form a musical double-act with her twin sister. When a movie was eventually made about the band that propelled her to stardom, she was portrayed by none other than Dakota Fanning. During her latest sighting, now aged 65, she still had the platinum locks she sported when she first shot to fame - but can you guess who she is? The singer in question is none other than Cherie Currie, lead singer of the classic 1970s all-female rock band The Runaways. Born in the San Fernando Valley of 'Valley girl' fame, Cherie grew up on the fringes of Hollywood as the daughter of the little-known 1940s actress Marie Harmon. She and her twin sister Marie Currie were themselves working in showbiz from childhood, dancing background on American Bandstand. Cherie suffered through a traumatic childhood, during which she was allegedly raped and her mother ran off to Indonesia for the sake of a love affair. When she was 15, Cherie struck out independently of her family to become the lead singer of the new rock band The Runaways in 1975. The Runaways burst onto the scene with the single Cherry Bomb, which combined the era's rambunctious teenage rebellion with a touch of girlish coquetry as Cherie sneered: 'Hello Daddy, hello Mom, I'm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb!' Although the Runaways never became a major success at home in America, they found a more enthusiastic fanbase in Japan, as well as to a lesser extent in Europe. Now regarded as a forerunner of punk, the band included Joan Jett, who in her post-Runaways years sang a cover of I Love Rock 'n' Roll that gave it worldwide popularity. She shot to fame as a teenager as the lead singer of a girl group that came up in Los Angeles but achieved its greatest fame abroad Cherie fronted the band with fiery brio, thundering onstage in a corset and bellowing into the microphone while projecting a tempestuous persona that hinted at the turmoil brewing behind the scenes. She alleges that the band's manager Kim Fowley pitted the members against each other, and one of her bandmates Jackie Fox even claimed to have been raped by Kim while unconscious in front of Cherie and Joan, though Cherie denies seeing as much. 'All I can say,' Cherie told Pitchfork: 'is if Joan, Sandy and I saw an unconscious girl being brutally raped in front of us, we would have hit him over the head with a chair.' During her time as one of the Runaways, Cherie herself battled a galloping drug addiction, vigorously abusing cocaine and Quaaludes. At the height of her substance abuse, Cherie left the band at 17 in 1977, two years before the Runaways fell apart for good over artistic disagreements. The year the group broke up, Cherie - now long gone from the Runaways - was abducted and raped by a man who had murdered six female victims before he stalked and apprehended the rocker, according to the Guardian. She kept working after the Runaways, recoding a 1978 solo album called Beauty's Only Skin Deep and the 1980 duets album Messin' with the Boys with her twin sister. Cherie even broke into films, acting with Jodie Foster and Scott Baio in Foxes, the 1980 directorial debut of Adrian Lyne, who went on to make such memorable movies as Flashdance, Fatal Attraction, Unfaithful, 9 1/2 Weeks and Indecent Proposal. During the 1980s, she finally kicked her drug habit, and eventually became a counselor at the substance abuse wing of a Los Angeles hospital. 'I was only 25 and a lot of these kids were the age I was when I was in the Runaways when I was introduced to drugs, so it was a good fit for me,' she recalled. Cherie conquered her pain so thoroughly that when Kim Fowley was dying of bladder cancer, she took care of him, their old bad blood notwithstanding. 'With Kim in particular, I really turned that around. Instead of dealing with the anger and resentment and even the hatred I had against him, I decided that that only hurt me,' she said, noting he 'didn't' run the band 'right' but adding that he 'came from an orphanage. He had gone through polio, with no parental guidance of any kind.' Looking after him during his final decline was 'the end of a nightmare' for Cherie. 'I'm so grateful for that time. People can change. They can.' She noted: 'Without him, Joan never would have happened, Lita [Ford] and myself, so I owe him a great deal and I was very honored to take care of him towards the end of his life. I would have done it again and again, and I'm sorry that I lost him.' In more recent years, she has become a chainsaw woodcarving artist with a gallery in Chatsworth - part of her native San Fernando Valley in the Los Angeles suburbs. The legacy of her band lived on in the form of the 2010 biopic the Runaways, in which Kristen Stewart played Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning played Cherie.
Buzz Feed
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
11 Celebrities Who Played LGBTQ+ Roles Before Coming Out Themselves
Representation matters. And for many viewers — getting to see characters like themselves — is nothing short of life-changing. Before coming out to the public, these 11 actors bravely took on groundbreaking queer roles. Let's take a look at some performances that hit different in retrospect. Kristen Stewart:The Runaways (2010) Before famously coming out in 2017 on Saturday Night Live, Kristen played Joan Jett in The Runaways, replicating the rock star's rebellious energy and romantic tension with lead singer, Cherie Currie. This was one of Stewart's first roles that hinted at her future queer icon status. Honestly, this was an AMAZING pick for her, and an underrated film to say the least. Elliot Page: Freeheld (2015) Page's emotional role as a lesbian fighting for their partner's pension rights deeply inspired Elliot to first come out as gay. They later came out as trans in 2020 through a heartfelt message on social media. Elliot shared: "I can't begin to express how remarkable it feels to finally love who I am enough to pursue my authentic self. I've been endlessly inspired by so many in the trans community." Kit Connor: Heartstopper (2022– ) Before he was Nick Nelson, Kit Connor played a young Elton John in the movie Rocketman (2019)! Connor has quite literally been playing iconic queer roles his whole life. He wasn't out during Heartstopper season 1, but later shared his bisexuality after feeling pressured to label himself. Ncuti Gatwa: Sex Education (2019-2023) Before coming out in 2023, Ncuti Gatwa lit up our screens as the bold and very fabulous Eric Effiong in Sex Education. When the time did come, he casually dropped the news in a ELLE interview. Truly iconic. Bella Ramsey: The Last of Us (2023— ) Before coming out as nonbinary, Bella Ramsey played Ellie — a queer teen surviving a zombie apocalypse. Now that's character development! Bella even recounted how creator Craig Mazin described Ellie by stating "Ellie's gay and doesn't care what you think about it." Aubrey Plaza: Happiest Season (2020) Aubrey Plaza stole the show as Riley in Happiest Season, everyone's favourite queer Christmas rom-com (wow that was a mouthful). Plaza came out publicly around the same time, sharing how she falls "in love with girls and guys." Let's be honest, we've all fallen for her too. Jonathan Bailey: Crashing (2016) Before his smash-hit role on Bridgerton, Jonathan Bailey played a bi-curious chaotic king in Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Crashing. He later came out as gay and became one of queer media's favourite actors! Chris Colfer: Glee (2009-2015) Colfer played the fashion-loving Kurt Hummel before coming out IRL — despite being warned not to. He did it anyway, stating how it was "more important" to be a role model. Chloe Grace Moretz: The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018) In this 2018 drama, Moretz played a queer teen forced into conversion therapy. She later revealed her part in the queer community, and stated how she once took the role to spotlight the deep emotional harm of these practices. Lukas Gage: Love, Victor (2018) Before stealing scenes on The White Lotus (and pretty much every show you binge), Lukas Gage had a small role in Love, Victor as a flirty classmate. He later cheekily came out as gay — after hooking up with his neighbour, no less. Spicy! These days, he's fully in his queer role era, most recently playing Sammy in Overcompensating. Amandla Stenberg: The Eddy (2020) In The Eddy, Amandla Stenberg played a queer teen dealing with identity, trauma, all the while healing through music. They eventually came out, and quickly became a powerful voice in the queer community — especially for young Black women. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Stenberg shared: 'I cannot stress enough how important representation is, so the concept that I can provide for other Black girls is mind-blowing. It's a really really hard thing to be silenced, and it's deeply bruising to fight against your identity and just mold yourself into shapes that you just shouldn't be in." And there you have it — proof that the road to embracing your sexuality often takes time, even for actors in the spotlight. Whether these stars explored their identities through their on-screen roles or found themselves along the way, they've all played a huge part in shaping queer stories we know and cherish today! 🌈🌈 Know any more celebrities that we missed? Drop their names in the comments! And ofc, be sure to check out our socials on Instagram and TikTok! Looking for more LGBTQ+ or Pride content? Then check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2025.
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Joan Jett remains an unapologetic rocker: 'I'm happy with who I am'
Joan Jett remains an unapologetic rocker: 'I'm happy with who I am' Show Caption Hide Caption AMA winners include SZA, Gracie Abrams, Eminem and Billie Eilish This year's American Music Awards in Las Vegas honored both music legends and service members, who were recognized for Memorial Day. She's part of a dwindling species, an unapologetic rock chick more focused on the tone of her guitar than the cut of her hair. Joan Jett's fierceness has been splayed across stages for 50 years, first with the all-girl glam-punk pioneers The Runaways and then through her own 40-plus years of solo stardom with her band, the Blackhearts. Her ingrained fist pumpers – 'Cherry Bomb,' 'I Hate Myself for Loving You,' 'Bad Reputation' and the cover song that changed her life, 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll' – were sonic wallpaper during MTV's heyday and most still haven't left pool hall jukeboxes. Jett appreciates her legacy and the fans who express their loyalty and gratitude for her music. 'It's medicine for the soul. I'm just blessed to be a conduit for it,' Jett says. Jett packed up with the Blackhearts – Dougie Needles on guitar, Hal B. Selzer on bass and Michael McDermott on drums – and hit the road with Billy Idol in April. They'll resume the It's A Nice Day to Tour Again! romp Aug. 14, but first, she and the band will park at Las Vegas' House of Blues June 13-14, 18 and 20-21. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. In a recent conversation, Jett and career-long producer, business partner and keyboardist Kenny Laguna (who offered some humorous interjections during the call) talked about her Vegas show plans, playing the Nirvana reunion and why she feels wiser than ever. Question: You're heading to the House of Blues for several shows, you're also touring amphitheaters and arenas with Billy Idol and you've recently been part of stadium tours with Def Leppard and Poison. I get the feeling you prefer the smaller places. Answer: I do. I like the intimacy and when I can really feel the crowd and get a better sense of everything, that immediate feedback whether good or bad. It's exciting to play to a lot of people, but when you lose that connection with the crowd, it's like a black hole out there. Are you planning anything special for the Vegas shows? We'll look through all our records and choose what will work best live. I picked out a bunch of songs from every album and we went into rehearsals (before the Billy Idol tour) and ran through a bunch of them. There were a few I'd never done live, like 'Lie to Me,' and that's really worked out well. Have you ever thought of doing one album front to back? I'm not really into that. I didn't always love every song on my albums and I want to play what I enjoy. And there might be a few fans who might be happy to not hear the hits, but that's not most people. So I want to do what people want to hear and it's going to be fun. You were part of the Nirvana reunion at the FireAid show in Los Angeles in January. How did that come about and how did you get assigned 'Territorial Pissings'?Dave (Grohl, Nirvana's drummer) called me and asked if I wanted to perform with them and I thought, oh yeah, we'll do 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' like we did at my (Rock & Roll) Hall of Fame induction (in 2015). But it was more that Dave picked out the songs they wanted to try and he knew I liked that one. I recently talked to Billy Idol about touring with you and he said you've known each other since a 1978 Germs/Dead Kennedys show at the Whiskey in LA. Do you remember that night? Is that the show? I couldn't remember, but I do remember when we met. I I used to live across from the Whiskey. The apartment is still there and I've been dying to knock on the door and see who lives there. But everybody used to come to my house before concerts and party. There's a picture of Billy and me in my living room, sitting and talking with some of my friends. I have a drink in my hand. You have somehow managed to look the same for more than 40 years. Please tell us how you do it. I never had to work out my whole life. I was just lucky I had an athletic body. But now it's a different story. I see an arm and am like, 'Whose arm is this with the crepe-y skin?' (Laughs). But I try to walk every day and I do some weights. I had a shoulder operation so it's important to keep my muscle strength up and I do a lot of core work. And you know, traveling, walking through airports and venues, that's my exercise. But the traveling, that's the one part of my job that I don't love. It's all wear and tear on your body. Will you be able to get some rest after Vegas? I'm taking my brother and sister to Ireland. I've been there to tour but not in many years. I'm Irish, so to see Dublin and County Mayo where my grandparents are from … I'm really looking forward to not working and being able to take it all in and learn about the people. That worked out well to have a few weeks off before rejoining Billy's tour. You know, we get all wrapped up with what we're doing and time is limited. No matter how much money you've got, you can't buy time. I've done a lot of growing up. I've learned more from 50 to my age now at 66 than I did the entire first part of my life. You had a vision of the world and that's what it was and maybe you didn't question it enough. But I'm happy with what I've done and who I am.
