The Blackheart of Rock-n-Roll is Still Beating
Posted on 29 December 2009 by Brian Sawyer

By Xanna Don’t

It’s been 25 years since the established major record companies turned Joan Jett down and she formed her own rock label, Blackheart Records. In a male-dominated industry, she secured her place in music history as the first woman to do so. She and it cranked out mega hits like “I Love Rock-n-Roll,” also the title of her 1981 album. Released in November of that year, the original pressing of the record contained an ending bonus track, Joan’s interpretation of the Christmas classic, “Little Drummer Boy.” But in subsequent pressings, the song was cut.

The original recording of “Little Drummer Boy” returns for A Blackheart Christmas, released on vinyl for the first time this holiday season, and it’s as delicious a bit of hard rock candy as it ever was. As the Blackheart label stable grew over the years, so have Joan’s yuletide offerings; all the artists on this compilation record under moniker.

Opening the collection, Girl In A Coma, like Joan’s first band The Runaways, are an all-girl outfit that rocks remorselessly. It’s a warming delight that their version of “Blue Christmas” lulls the listener with some straight up Texas twang (the girls are from San Antonio), complete with pedal steel guitar and some Elvis snarls. But the trio returns to thrash faithfully for “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” swashbuckled in a blues progressed swagger.

The Vacancies tinker with a toy piano poking chunky clinks through ripping guitar chords on “The Elf Song” and The Kink’s classic, “Father Christmas.” The Dollyrots lead singer Kelly Ogden flirts with the cheeky wish list in “Santa Baby,” cutely whined in with a punky pout, while Seattle’s The Cute Lepers infect “Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You” and “All I Ever Want (Under The Christmas Tree)” with brat punk sneer. Thommy Price and Nefertiti Bones’ “Winter Wonderland” is heavy on big shiny cymbals and blingy bells laced over the 1970’s glam rock syncopation that was a signature part of Jett’s sound; it’s a nice tribute. And Joan’s longtime collaborator, the legendary Kenny Laguna delivers “Home For Christmas” in a dreamy ‘60s-girl-group groove with longing and doo wop back up vocals.

The surprise that “Little Drummer Boy” was in 1981 is echoed in Joan’s “Silent Night,” the closing track, with Barack Obama voicing words of hope in a wildly applauded speech over a crunchy droning guitar. Cheers!

Next month, The Runaways, a film that Joan Jett and Kenny Laguna executive produced about her early band will debut at Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. It hits theaters nationwide this spring.

www.blackheart.com