The Runaways - Live in Japan

 

This was the band's last hurrah with the foxy Jackie Fox and Cherie Currie, but many people feel that this is the best Runaways album simply because it is the band as they should be - just raw'n'rockin', without any extra production tricks or added instruments, no one else playing any of the parts, just the group pretty much at its peak, unfortunately, just before they lost the aforementioned two members (and whether that was good or bad has been debated over the years).

They pull out some of their best numbers from the two albums that they had out at this time, along with a few new, otherwise unreleased numbers that are pretty darn rockin', as well. They open with their anthemic "Queens of Noise" - one of their best - and move right into a hyper fast "California Paradise" that highlights their under appreciated use of harmonies and Lita's Marshall-laden leads. "All Right You Guys" is a rockin' pop number written for them,  then Sandy West takes the lead vocals, which is not necessarily a good idea, for a monotone-ish take on the classic "Wild Thing", there's a metal-y Fox/Ford number subtly titled "Gettin' Hot" before they take on Detroit's version of Lou Reed's anthem "Rock'n'Roll" as an audience participation tune and do a damn fine job of it, too!

Joan's hard-hitting riff-rocker "You Drive Me Wild"  is extra raw'n'rockin' and is followed by "Neon Angels on the Road to Ruin" that show cases Cherie's vocals and Lita's shredding' leads, then another hard-rockin' Fowley number that fits Jett's sensibilities to a "T" - "I Wanna Be Where the Boys Are" (whether that be literally or sexually or what-have-you), and their most popular tune, a true anthem, "Cherry Bomb" before ending with one of their best hard-rockin' party numbers, "American Nights" and, oddly, yet another new rocker, "C'mon"

Yeah, this might well be the best Runaways album - it's really too bad this lineup fell apart after this tour. Fun, 70's rock'n'roll!