The Year of Concerts (#27): Lita Ford
I went to a party last Saturday night...
The year was 1988. I was standing at the bus stop, probably barely awake, as I prepared for another slog at high school.
One of the neighborhood girls who was a few years ahead of me kept singing the same song repeatedly: “I went to a party last Saturday night; I didn’t get laid; I got in a fight. Uh-huh. It ain’t no big thing…”
I had no idea what song she was singing, but it sure was catchy. I soon heard it everywhere, as “Kiss Me Deadly” tore up the charts, hitting #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. I just thought it was crazy the lyrics used the word “laid.” Even in the 80s, this pushed the envelope for pop radio.
I had no idea who Lita Ford was, and by this time, I was only listening to Def Leppard (pretty much exclusively!). A few years later, when we finally got cable TV and I could watch MTV, I was exposed to Lita again with her duet with Ozzy, “Close My Eyes Forever.”
And yet, somehow, I never learned anything about Lita until many years later.
What a legend.
Lita was, of course, a member of The Runaways, a rock group of teenage girls in the mid-70s. The original lineup consisted of Joan Jett (rhythm guitar, vocals), Cherie Currie (vocals), Lita Ford (lead guitar), Jackie Fox (bass), and Sandy West (drums).
The Runaways played a blend of punk rock and hard rock, characterized by their catchy hooks and rebellious lyrics. Their music often tackled themes of teenage rebellion, relationships and empowerment. "Cherry Bomb" became one of their signature songs and was featured on the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” soundtrack. Apparition Films released a movie about the group in 2010 in limited release starring that actress from that vampire movie (I write about music, not movies).
The Runaways disbanded in 1979, primarily due to creative differences and the stress of constant touring. Each member pursued their musical career, with Joan Jett and Lita Ford finding the most success as solo artists.
While The Runaways had that punk influence in its sound, Lita embraced the hard rock image. Her music was a nice mix of pop characteristics for broad appeal, with a heavy dose of killer guitar and metal imagery to grab the attention of the metalheads.
Lita released her solo debut album, "Out for Blood," in 1983, which was followed by several other albums, including "Dancin' on the Edge" (1984) and "Lita" (1988). She left the spotlight around 1996 to 2007 to admirably devote her attention to raising her sons. She returned in 2008 and hasn’t left since, even releasing some new music.
I was supposed to see Lita for the first time earlier in the year, and she canceled. So, I was happy when she put another show on the calendar.
At 65, Lita still has it. She still rocks and sounds excellent. Her voice might be a little gravelly when she talks, but her singing voice still sounds close to her 80’s peak.
The setlist was a nice mix from throughout Lita’s career. Opening with “Gotta Let Go” from 1984’s “Dancin’ on the Edge,” Lita’s set was an impressive mix of high energy with a hard rock edge.
She played three covers: “The Bitch is Back” by Elton John, which was a bonus track on her 2012 album “Living Like a Runaway;” “Only Women Bleed” by Alice Cooper, from 1990’s “Stiletto;” and “Black Leather” by the Sex Pistols.
She played “Cherry Bomb” to acknowledge her start and included “Relentless” from her latest album of new material, “Living Like a Runaway.” A new album is expected from the metal queen later this year. It was a solid setlist, even if she didn’t play “Shot of Poison.”
Joining her were an impressive band of Patrick Kennison on guitars, Marty O’Brien on bass and Bobby Rock on drums. Rock was in several hard rock bands of the era, including Nitro and Vinnie Vincent Invasion. He may be most known as the former drummer of Nelson, who opened the show in its current lineup.
Lita is a rock legend and still puts on a helluva show. It was a fun time with great music and a good reminder of why she is hard rock royalty.
Setlist:
Gotta Let Go
Larger Than Life
Relentless
Hungry
The Bitch is Back
Playin’ With Fire
Back to the Cave
Can’t Catch Me
Cherry Bomb
Black Leather
Only Women Bleed
Close My Eyes Forever
Kiss Me Deadly
After the pandemic stopped live music for about two years, I decided I wouldn’t pass up a live concert I wanted to see again. That means I have more than 20 concerts planned for this year - with more to come. I will chronicle my year of live music.