Joan Jett biography published by Backbeat Books

Bad Reputation: The Unauthorized Biography of Joan Jett by Dave Thompson (Backbeat Books, September 2011, $19.99) is the unexpurgated story of Joan Jett, the single most exciting rocker of the American 1980s, one of the biggest-selling acts of the age, and one of punk rock’s most valued elders.



Through its pages, a welter of exclusive interviews and observations paint what might well be the last great tale of rock hedonism, but one that comes with a twist. The rockers are women; the groupies are guys. It could have been the plot line for a movie or even a sitcom, but the Runaways, Jett’s first band, made it happen, and Jett made it last.



The first serious female rocker of the 1980s, Jett became the template for everyone who followed. But unlike so many of her peers and counterparts, she never lost her credibility, never sold out, and never gave up. And, she has backed her reputation up with stardust, following the chart-topping “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” – one of the 80s’ most played anthems – with “Crimson and Clover,” “Do You Wanna Touch Me,” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You” before the decade ended. The ensuing decades saw Jett purposefully step away from the spotlight, as Thompson writes, “there has been no gradual mellowing or slackening of fury – onstage in 2011, Joan Jett is still the same ball of energy that she was back in 1976, and because she often plays the same songs she did back then, it’s easy to compare the two.”



Featuring a complete discography and classic photographs from throughout her career, Bad Reputation is a celebration of an artist who remains as vital and vibrant in her 50s as she was at 16.



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Dave Thompson is the author of six previous Backbeat Books, including Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell, about David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed. He is also the author of the highly acclaimed Kurt Cobain biography Never Fade Away, as well as books on Cream, George Clinton, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and others. He is a frequent contributor to Rolling Stone, Alternative Press, MOJO, AllMusic Guide, and Melody Maker. He lives in Newark, Del.



September 2011 $19.99 Paperback Original 8 page B/W photo insert

978-0-87930-990-9 260 pages 6" x 9"

Backbeat Books is an imprint of Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group