The Runaways: See Joan Jett, Lita Ford and the Rest of the ’70s Girl Group Then and Now

In the ’70s, there was no other band quite like the Runaways. Formed in Los Angeles in 1975 by impresario Kim Fowley, the band consisted entirely of tough teenage girls who sang and played their own songs.

While the Runaways only lasted from 1975 to 1979 and never quite reached the mainstream success of the macho bands that dominated the rock scene at the time, they had an outsize cultural influence thanks to their anthemic songs and defiant bad girl image, and they’d inspire many an all-girl band in their wake.

Best known for songs like “Cherry Bomb,” “Hollywood” and “Queens of Noise,” the Runaways showed that girls could just as hard (if not harder!) than guys, and launched the careers of rock trailblazers Joan Jett and Lita Ford.

Sadly, the Runaways story, which should be one of girl power, has been tainted by scandal, as original bassist Micki Steele (who went on to become the bassist for the Bangles in the ’80s) alleged that she was fired from the band before their first album because she refused Kim Fowley’s sexual advances. Following Fowley’s death in 2015, bassist Jackie Fox said that she was abused by Fowley.

While it’s tragic that such abuse took place, the songs of the Runaways live on, and a new generation discovered the band thanks to a 2010 biopic about them starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett. The ladies still rock, and they made an important contribution to a musical history that was male-dominated for far too long. Here’s a look at the members of the Runaways then and now.

Joan Jett

INSTRUMENT: Guitar and vocals

BORN: Joan Marie Larkin on September 22, 1958 in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania

AFTER THE RUNAWAYS: Joan Jett had a successful career after the Runaways, and remains a rock icon. She released her debut solo album in 1980, which included “Bad Reputation” and “Do You Wanna Touch Me” and released her first album with her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts in 1981. The album featured her signature song, “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts continued throughout the ’80s, ’90s and beyond, and have released 12 albums altogether. Their most recent EP, Mindsets, featuring six new songs, came out in 2023. Jett has had her own record label, Blackheart Records, since 1980. In 2015, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and her accolades also include 10 hit singles in Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart, a spot on Rolling Stone‘s Greatest Guitarists of All Time list and the nickname “the Godmother of Punk.”

Jett performs regularly to this day, and has a multigenerational fanbase thanks to her legendary songs and eternally badass stage presence.

PERSONAL: Jett has never married or had kids, and has always been coy when it comes to rumors around her sexual orientation.

THOUGHTS ON THE RUNAWAYS: When the movie The Runaways was released, Jett told Interview magazine, “I was always pretty resistant to both a Runaways reunion or just any sort of movie situation. I guess I was afraid that the only thing that could happen is that things could go wrong. Maybe it was a way to protect it for myself because the Runaways was so special to me and meant so much, beyond just girls playing rock ‘n’ roll. I think it represented a lot to me about following your dreams, about not being dictated to about what your life is going to be.”

Lita Ford

INSTRUMENT: Guitar and vocals

BORN: September 19, 1958 in London, England

AFTER THE RUNAWAYS: Lita Ford released her debut solo album, Out for Blood, in 1983. Her most successful album, Lita, from 1988, featured the hit singles “Close My Eyes Forever” (a duet with Ozzy Osbourne) and “Kiss Me Deadly.” Her most recent album, Time Capsule, came out in 2016. She’s considered one of the most legendary women in heavy metal, and continues to tour.

PERSONAL: Ford was briefly engaged to Black Sabbath guitarist Tommy Iommi in the ’80s. She has been married twice, to W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes and Nitro singer Jim Gillette. She and Gillette had two sons, James and Rocco, and divorced in 2011.

THOUGHTS ON THE RUNAWAYS: In a recent interview, Ford said, “Back in 1976 people didn’t know what to make of The Runaways. They labeled us as teenage jailbait or punk rock. I didn’t care about labels. Just give me my guitar. I just wanted to play. I wasn’t trying to copy any other guitarists—not even my favorite, Ritchie Blackmore—I wanted to be Lita. And now it’s gone full circle. It’s okay to be a good-looking girl and to be able to sing your arse off. It’s acceptable.”

Cherie Currie

INSTRUMENT: Lead vocals

BORN: November 30, 1959 in Encino, California

AFTER THE RUNAWAYS: Cherie Currie released her first solo album, Beauty’s Only Skin Deep, in 1978. In 1980, she and her twin sister, Marie Currie, recorded an album together, Messin’ with the Boys. Her most recent solo album, The Motivator, came out in 2019.

Curie also acted in the 1980 coming-of-age movie Foxes. Sadly, she struggled with addiction, and in the ’80s she became an addiction counselor. In the ’00s, she started making wood sculptures with chainsaws. (Yep, you read that right!)

PERSONAL: Currie was married to actor Robert Hays from 1990 to 1997. They have a son, Jake, who is now a musician.

THOUGHTS ON THE RUNAWAYS: Looking back at the music of the Runaways in an interview with The Guardian, Currie said, “I never get tired of doing those Runaways songs. My mind is still that young girl up on stage, only a lot wiser. I really enjoy it.”

Jackie Fox

INSTRUMENT: Bass

BORN: Jacqueline Louise Fuchs on December 20, 1959 in Los Angeles, California

AFTER THE RUNAWAYS: Jackie Fox, who now goes by Jackie Fuchs, stopped playing music after leaving the Runaways and became an entertainment lawyer. She is currently a game designer, and in 2024, she released Rock Hard: 1977, a board game inspired by her experience in the ’70s music scene.

In 2018, Fuchs competed on Jeopardy!, winning $87,000 over four days of competition on the game show. She chose not to reveal she was a member of the Runaways until she’d been a reigning winner on the show for three days. She’s also been on The Dating Game, The Chase and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

PERSONAL: Fuchs never married or had kids. She was in the news in 2015 due to her allegations of sexual abuse by Runaways manager Kim Fowley.

THOUGHTS ON THE RUNAWAYS: In a New York Times interview, Fuchs said, “There’s bad blood within the Runaways. I don’t want to live in that space,” but admitted that before her time in the group came to a traumatic end, “I had fun with every single person who was in the band.”

Sandy West

INSTRUMENT: Drums

BORN: Sandra Sue Pesavento on July 10, 1959 in Long Beach, California. Tragically, she died of lung cancer on October 21, 2006. She was just 47 years old.

AFTER THE RUNAWAYS: Sandy West attempted to have a solo career, and recorded a solo EP, The Beat Is Back. She played solo gigs in the ’80s and ’90s, but her career never took off. She had to take on odd jobs in construction to make ends meet, and she was arrested multiple times as she dealt with drug addiction.

PERSONAL: West never married or had kids. She was rumored to be a lesbian.

THOUGHTS ON THE RUNAWAYS: In an interview, West said, “The Runaways will always be #1 to me! I think we were one of the best bands in the world.”