Joan Jett recommendations please...

Great song, great video. Don't know why it would be a surprise.

 

Every once in awhile, despite the industry's best attempts, a great song slips through and becomes a hit.

I saw Joan in 1985. An amazing show. Just a lot of fun.

Have her first four albums Japanese mini - lps that look great and sound good. No bonus tracks. I also have an amazing little comp from West Germany that is filled with all her hits (including Light of Day, Flashback and some cool covers. The sound is great. If you see this gem buy it. Long OOP. I found my at a record show...Many years ago. At the time it was my most expensive cd at $25.00.

 

Well, because great song/great video have never been much of a guarantee of success for blues based rock along the lines of Joan Jett. But she caught lightning in a bottle and there she was, in her leather outfit, hosting the MTV New Year's Eve show in front of a crowd of Madonna look-alikes and guys in shoulder pads and day-glo fabrics. She had never even sniffed the charts before that. And after, although she received some airplay and despite some great songs and videos, she never had that kind of success again.

I love Joan for sticking to her guns; no "We Built This City" for Joan. The one thing her management did was throw a ton of make up on her, cut her hair, throw on a designer jacket and tell her to pout at the camera. It's fun to look back on it - it doesn't really look like her, but she does look pretty good.

 

Hi - please post the name of the comp and pic of the artwork if possible. It seems like something I would like to have.

 

Sure. It's called...

Joan Jet and the Blackhearts Great Hits.
Sony Music 1996 entertainment Germany. 23 tracks. It states that all tracks are remastered by Bob Ludwig.

I'll try uploading a photo but I've found it difficult in the past. Not sure why.

 

Joanie's look definitely morphed throughout the 80's and 90's - ending with her hair buzzed off and blonde by the late 90s. (she looks pretty gorgeous here, incidentally)

Her look may have changed, but Ricky Byrd's never did.

 

I was just thinking that! "Is that her??" Hot, though.

 

Hi Thanks. No need for photo. I thought it was an earlier disc based on your first post.

 

Bad Reputation, her first and best album
plus two very different compilations
Flashback and Fit to be Tied.
Flashback is all outtakes, half covers.
Fit to be Tied is a hits collections

 

"Up Your Alley" is an underrated classic Joan Jett record that contains my favorite of her "hits", "I Hate Myself For Loving You." "I Wanna Be Your Dog" is another great tune. Her version is such a great live number.

Really, all her stuff sounds great. She's consistent. You pretty much know exactly what you're going to get from her and the Blackhearts......straight up rock and roll!

 

Found this article about the Joan Jett CD reissues from 1992:

http://joanjettbadrep.com/Interviews/fanclub/Vol2Issue3.shtml

Joan Jett's first post Runaways LP originally titled Joan Jett was released in the US on Blackheart Records in 1980. In 1981 the album was retitled Bad Reputationand released on Boardwalk Records.

Joan Jett's label Blackheart Records has plans to reissue CDs of her first four albums plus a fifth disc compiling rare tracks. Bad Reputation, I Love Rock N' Roll,Album and Glorious Results Of A Misspent Youth were all remastered from the original two-track master tapes by Masterdisk's Bob Ludwig. "It's amazing," says project coordinator Danny Solazzi. "The tapes had been compressed, so we went back to the flat masters. You can't believe the sound." In addition to the "odds and sods" package tentatively titled Flashback, all four discs will carry bonus tracks, newly penned liner notes and complete lyrics approved by Jett herself. For flavoring and a touch of authenticity, some studio chatter and count-offs omitted on the LP pressings will turn up on the CDs.

The releases mark the first appearance of most of this material on CD, although Bellaphon Records in Germany issued some Jett titles without authorization and from inferior tapes, so the Ludwig-mastered recordings and bonus cuts can be found only on the Blackheart issues. "We feel we're giving people a real good value," Jett's musical partner and producer Kenny Laguna tells ICE.

The bonus tracks should really please Jett fans, collecting a number of tunes found only on B-sides or foreign pressings. The Bad Reputation extra cuts are a cover of The Who's "Call Me Lightning" (the B-side of "Make Believe"), Tommy James; "Hanky Panky" (included on European pressings of the album), "Summertime Blues" (issued only as a Canadian one-sided single) and "What Can I Do For You?" (the B-side of "Little Liar"), but recorded for the first album.

In the case of I Love Rock N' Roll, originally released during the holiday season, the song "Little Drummer Boy" was the final track on the first LP pressing but was later replaced by "Oh Woe Is Me." The CD will present the tracks in their original line-up, placing "Oh Woe Is Me" after "Little Drummer Boy." Rounding out the bonus tracks are a previously unreleased version of "Louie Louie" and an alternate version, this time with the Blackhearts of "You Don't Know What You Got."

A version of the Rolling Stones' "Star Star," found only on the original cassette, kicks off the bonus tracks for Album, which also includes the 12-inch dance mix cover of Sly And The Family Stone's "Everyday People" and "Nitetime," originally the B-side of "Fake Friends." With "Nitetime," Blackheart made an unusual effort to maintain both the sonic integrity and the vinyl experience of the original single. "When "Nitetime" originally appeared, Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk locked the groove at the end of the record," Solazzi tells ICE. "It was kind of a droney guitar part that went on endlessly and when people would play it (on jukeboxes) in diners they'd have to just go pull the plug. It would never stop; it was so annoying." On the new CD, "Nitetime" plays to its actual ending, but the final bonus cut on the disc is "Locked Groove," which is 3:45 of the same droning guitar lick -- recorded from an original 45 -- halted only by the sound of Ludwig pulling the tone-arm across the record.

Because of a South American tour, Glorious Results Of A Misspent Youth, was issued in Venezuela and advance of the rest of the world (under the incorrect title of I Need Someone). As a result, the Venezuelan pressing included two songs, Bunker Hill's "Hide And Seek," and The Troggs "I Can't Control Myself," that aren't found anywhere else in the world. Both songs are included as bonus tracks, along with the Everly Brothers' "Bird Dog" and "Talkin' 'Bout My Baby" (live).

Though the final tracks listing for Flashback is not yet set, Laguna says, "We remastered a lot of things; it's going to be a full 76 minutes. We're going all out; we have 35 tracks (to choose from)." He did reveal that the disc will include the single "Light Of Day" (penned by Bruce Springsteen), a version of "I Love Rock N' Roll" with Jett backed my members of the Sex Pistols, and "MCA/EMI," which is the Sex Pistols' song "EMI" with Joan singing "MCA" in its place. Also likely are live tracks from CBGBs and special versions of songs sent only to radio, all of which were never issued on LP.

Distribution for the titles is not yet set, but Laguna expects to get the CDs in store by the end of June. The reissues will also be accompanied by a longform home video compiling all of Joan's clips, along with interviews and other rare footage.

The following songs will be included on the home video release:

"I Hate Myself For Loving You"
"Cherry Bomb"
"The French Song"
"Crimson And Clover"
"I Love Rock N' Roll"
"Touch Me"
"Little Liar"
"Love Hurts"
"Backlash"
"Don't Surrender"
"Bad Reputation"
"I Want To Be Your Dog" (live)

[Editor's Note: Videos do not appear in exact order listed.]
[Article reprinted by permission of ICE - The Monthly CD Newsletter.]

 

Also I just checked out Fit to Be Tied (from 1997) and compared it to that two-CD Greatest Hits set from 2010. The former credits Ludwig on most tracks with Calbi doing some others, the latter credits only Calbi. They actually sound very, very similar with the same exact (loud) volume, to the point where I wonder if clones were actually used for most of the 2010 set with Calbi only having to master the new stuff.

Also got the 1993 Flashback CD and it sounds like it was unfutzed with. I hear no compression problems, and it was mastered by Ludwig.

 

Interesting. The tapes had been compressed, so they went back to the flat masters and then compressed those? Am I missing something here? My Ludwig mastering of I Love Rock n Roll is clearly compressed, compared to the same album, released earlier on Bellaphon Records.

 

Her covers are always insanely good, especially ZZ Top's Tush

 

I saw her on Broadway in `Rocky Horror' with her head shaved bald. She still looked
great.

 

I've read that Press Release/ICE "Article" before. Some informative, some outright lies. BTW in all their years did ICE ever print a single bad word about a new remaster, any new remaster,..the answer to that is NO. Since there are no absolutes in audio and certainly not for remasterings it screams agenda, stupidity or outright ignorance. Not sure which of those is actually worse. ICE of course is long gone and while this may be unpopular sentiment for many here, in my opinion good riddance.

 

Flashback is decent and more than worth getting, it's possibly even the best sounding of the 1992/1993 efforts, still I wish it was better. Better as in I wish Bob had done just a couple years earlier. Same with the rest of his Jett's.

 

As a fan I've found that Joan is pretty consistent throughout her music catalogue. I have an order of preference, of course, but it's hard to go wrong if you love her style.

 

Yup. She doesn't vary much. So if you like her, then you do well with most of what she records.

She's a little like KISS or AC/DC that way.

 

I finally got a hold of the 1996 Great Hits CD from Germany. I've never been happy with the 1997 Fit to Be Tied comp, and Great Hits is a noticeable improvement -- not nearly as loud, shrill, boomy and in-your-face overall.

A few songs sound about the same ("I Love Rock N' Roll" for one), though many sound better on the import -- and one, "Light of Day," sounds night-and-day better. It's a mystery to me why Ludwig mastered it as he did on FTBT -- high frequencies lopped off, boomy, just terrible. Sounds really good on GH, though.

On a negative note, Great Hits is still pretty loud. And it's worth noting that not all the common songs are the same version - for example, "Roadrunner" on GH is from the Hits List album; I'm not sure where the FTBT version is from. But the vast majority are the same.

Long story short, well worth getting, IMO.

 

After several years of searching, then for a while being under the false impression it does not exist, Last week I finally found WG Bellaphon Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth. Not sure if I just had bad luck or this disc only received a tiny pressing. Unlike the other Jett Bellaphon's Discogs has no listing for Glorious CD catalog #288-07-194



Like the other Jett Bellaphon's I prefer the tonality of this mastering compered to the 1992 Ludwig [my previous preferred]. The Bellaphon Glorious is very, very crank-able something that as nice as the Ludwig's are is simply not the case. The 1992 Glorious is still "essential" for the bonus tracks.

Well my Bellaphon Jett search is now complete. As difficult as Glorious was to find, with shipping a Near Mint copy cost me under $10 USD

P.S. @KeithH if anyone would know about the scarcity of the Bellaphon Glorious and Album I figure it would be you. Hoping you have some wisdom to impart....

 

Wow congratulations. I knew they did an LP version but now there is another one to look out for.

 

Your description of "Light of Day" on the original CD as "a slight bit on the dull side" makes me wonder if Ludwig mastered it badly on Great Hits as well (though in a whole different way). Because "dull" is the last thing I would call it. But at least it's listenable to me, unlike the mastering on Fit to be Tied. (As I mentioned in my earlier post, that song sounds night-and-day different on the two comps.)

 

Not sure what happened with the list in my last post but some of the revisions I added disappeared? Anyhow here the update to my recommended mostly early Jett list

Bad Reputation - WG Bellaphon. - Due to tonality and crank-ability, I prefer the Bellaphon over the 1992/1993 Ludwig and it wipes the floor and then some with the later remasters. Bonus tracks on the 1992/1993 are 'essential' for all Jett fans

I Love Rock and Roll - WG Bellaphon [Blackheart and Boardwalk version and same masterings and sound exactly the same, of course. Not sure which came 1st]. Nice tonality and you can crank this baby to the max. I prefer this over the 1992/1993 Ludwig and it wipes the floor and then some with the 2006 remaster.

The 1992 Bob Ludwig remaster contains "Oh Woe Is Me" which the Bellaphon does not, as well as several good "bonus" tracks in much better sound quality than the later remasters. So worth having both in collection. Later remasters are pure crapola

Album - WG Bellaphon - I like the tonality better than the 1992 remaster. Does lack a bit of the high end of the 1992 not sure if that is plus or minus. Not the easiet disc to find but they are out there.

"Bonus" tracks on the 1992 remaster in much better sound quality than the later remasters. So worth having both in collection I was surprised how difficult the 1992 CD was to find as well as more money than I expected. Avoid the 1998 remaster, I borrowed a copy, it sounded like crap [harsh, bright and way too LOUD]. Oh and the Japan mini-LP CD was especially putrid sounding.

Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth - WG Bellaphon - Like the other Joan Jett Bellaphon's I prefer the tonality of this mastering compared to the 1992 Ludwig [my previous preferred]. The Bellaphon Glorious is very, very crank-able something that as nice as the Ludwig's are is simply not the case. However, the 1992/1993 Glorious is "essential" for the bonus tracks.

The 1992/1993 of this one is somewhat hard to track down, and the 1980's Bellaphon is extremely difficult to find, at least for me it was as it took 5+ years. It must have not been a great seller? Too bad as IMHO Glorious is right on par with "Album" which is excellent.

Good Music - I like the 32DP, but have no other version in which to compare

Light Of Day OST - original CBS/Blackheart CD. The title track as it appears on the original CD may be a slight bit on the dull side, although I think it's the recording, I prefer it to the one on 1993's Flashback [which is it's own right is decent] and is greatly superior to the one on 1997's Fit To To Be Tied comp and 2010's Greatest Hits in every conceivable way. Plus with the OST you also get the rest of the cool tracks of hers she did for the movie. This great soundtrack album on CD has been OOP for a long time. But if you can find one at a fair price jump on it. I paid $20+ shipping for mine, like most physical media it's probably gone down in price in the last 4 years.

Special Note: 1993's Flashback overall has nice sound and except for "Light Of Day" probably contains the best sounding versions of pretty much the rest of the tracks. I think in terms of Sound Quality it is the best of the 1992-1993 efforts. Avoid the 1998 re-issue although it contains some different tracks the Dynamics were squashed into a fine paste....

 

Question about "Light of Day": The Fit to Be Tied credit says the song is from the movie Light of Day, while Great Hits says the song is from the Flashback album. Is there a difference between those two? They sure don't sound like different recordings to me.

What I'm trying to figure out is if something other than mastering could account for how different that song sounds on those two comps?