Joan Jett’s unconventional journey: From teen guitarist to rock legend

Joan Jett became one of rock music’s most recognisable figures, but her career was built long before I Love Rock ’n’ Roll became a global hit. From teaching herself guitar as a teenager to creating her own record label after being rejected by major companies, Jett repeatedly chose to make her own path in a male dominated industry. (Source: Photo by wikimedia commons )

She Taught Herself To Play Guitar: Jett received her first guitar as a teenager and initially took lessons, but quickly decided that conventional instruction was not what she wanted. She began teaching herself by playing along with records in her bedroom, drawing inspiration from artists such as T. Rex, David Bowie and Suzi Quatro. (Source: Photo by wikimedia commons )

She Once Waited Hours To Meet Suzi Quatro: As a teenager, Jett was so inspired by Suzi Quatro that she spent hours sitting in the lobby of the Hyatt House in Los Angeles waiting to catch a glimpse of her. According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, she did not even ask Quatro for an autograph; she simply wanted to see the musician who had helped show her what a woman could do in rock. (Source: Photo by wikimedia commons )

The Runaways Were Just The Beginning: Jett co-founded the Runaways in 1975 while still a teenager. The all-female band became one of the pioneering acts of the era, and Jett was its guitarist, songwriter and later lead vocalist. The group recorded several albums and became particularly popular in Japan, where "Cherry Bomb" became a major hit. (Source: Photo by wikimedia commons )

She Produced Punk And Riot Grrrl Acts: Jett's influence extends beyond her own records. She later worked as a producer for other artists, including influential punk and riot grrrl bands such as Bikini Kill and L7. Her Blackheart label also became a platform for emerging musicians rather than simply a vehicle for her own music. (Source: Photo by wikimedia commons )

23 Record Labels Rejected Her: After the Runaways broke up, Jett and producer Kenny Laguna took her recordings to major record companies, but she was rejected by 23 labels. Instead of abandoning the project, they founded Blackheart Records in 1980 and released her music independently. They even sold records from the back of Laguna's Cadillac at concerts. (Source: Photo by wikimedia commons )

She Has Acted On Screen And Broadway: Jett has also had a career outside music. She appeared alongside Michael J. Fox in the 1987 film Light of Day and performed in the Broadway production of The Rocky Horror Show. She later served as an executive producer on the 2010 film The Runaways, which dramatised her first band's story. (Source: Photo by wikimedia commons )