Joan Jett: Bad Reputation (45th anniversary, indie exclusive, alternate artwork) [SEEKER]

Why you'll love it

This 45th anniversary edition is an indie store exclusive with alternate cover art. The album reached No. 51 on the Billboard 200 and carries the title song that became her calling card.

This edition

• 45th anniversary edition
• Indie exclusive
• Alternate cover art
• Stereo mix

About the album

When The Runaways split, Joan Jett didn't wait around. Producer Kenny Laguna paid for the sessions with borrowed studio credits, and the two of them pressed the record themselves in May 1980 as Joan Jett, selling copies straight to fans at gigs and to record stores. After Jett signed with Boardwalk Records, it went out worldwide in January 1981 under its new name.

Most of it features Jett backed by members of the Roll-Ups, with Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols and Clem Burke and Frank Infante of Blondie dropping in, and Laguna on piano and organ. "Bad Reputation" is the anthem, pure defiance at full volume, and "Make Believe" and "You Don't Know What You've Got" show off her knack for a big chorus. Covers of "You Don't Own Me," "Shout" and "Wooly Bully" turn old standards into raucous rock and roll.

It's the record that set up everything she did with the Blackhearts next. The sleeve is dedicated, among others, to the Baltimore Orioles, making it one of the few rock albums with a baseball team in the credits.

Also at Kops: more Joan Jett on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Blackheart / Seeker Music (cat# SEEKR135V), a reissue of the 1980 album.