The Runaways’ five albums from their short career in the 1970s have a welcome and excellent re-issue in a five-CD box set via Cherry Red, the label which does these box sets regularly and so well.
The band’s history is well documented and well known of course so we won’t go in to that. Other than to say the girls’ were trailblazers for female rock bands with not too many of them being around in the 1970s.
Notable also for having Joan Jett, Lita Ford in the line-up, both of who went on to successful solo careers. And up until their third studio album being fronted by the energetic vocals of Cherie Currie.
Here in this sturdy clamshell box set we have the girls’ four studio albums and single live album together with an extensive booklet telling their story with plenty of photographs included.
A fine overall package of spiky hard rockers with attitude and melody. When you consider these albums were originally issued going on for fifty years ago they stand up well given the test of time and still sound fresh.
The eponymous debut album doesn’t mess about. A little over half an hour long mainly of short, succinct, to the point no messing about rockers starting with the classic Cherry Bomb. We all know that one – right? Dead End Justice goes outside the template somewhat being, shall we say, offbeat yet strangely compelling. Sure, the album is a little raw around the edges though still a great listen.
Queens of Noise came next. A more polished album in terms of song writing and production carrying plenty of punch. The title track, Born to be Bad and Neon Angels on the Road to Ruin in particular.
Japan took to the Runaways in a big way leading to the Live in Japan album – which is also in this box set – capturing the raw energy of how they performed live.
Currie left not long afterwards leaving the band as a quartet with Joan Jett taking over lead vocals. The next studio album – Waiting for the Night – in my opinion is their best. Took things up another notch up to more muscular heavy stuff with lots of chunky hooks and huge choruses amongst the chugging riffs of Lita Ford’s guitar. Little Sister, Wasted, Wait for Me and School Days for example.
School Days perhaps sums up the Runaways in one song. Have a look at them performing it live on the much missed Old Grey Whistle Test all the way back in 1977:
And Now the Runaways would be the girls’ final album. By now things were looking bleak and the band putting up a lacklustre album missing most of what made them so good previously. Feels like they were doing little bar going through the motions and there isn’t much to recommend it.
This box set is a great way to own all five albums together with that booklet in the clamshell box and listen to a band with a fine legacy of classic rock.