Cherie Currie

by Tom DemalonBorn on November 11, 1959 in Los Angeles, Cherie Currie secured her place in the annals of rock music as a member of the seminal girl band The Runaways. However, it was actually her twin sister, Marie Currie, that was actually offered a spot in the band. Approached in a club by group Svengali Kim Fowley and guitarist Joan Jett, Marie Currie passed on the opportunity, but Cherie Currie took the chance, auditioning for the fledgling act and getting the nod as lead singer. Quickly earning a record deal, The Runaways suffered from being viewed as a novelty and Currie's suggestive attire only served to give credence to naysayers. Currie would appear on the group's first three releases, The Runaways, Waitin' For The Night, and Live In Japan (Japan being where the band achieved their greatest level of success, notching several gold records and a rabid group of followers). The albums managed little commercial success in the States, barely eking onto the charts, but in years to come, The Runaways reputation as pioneers would increase considerably and their body of work would be reassessed in light of its influence on a generation of female musicians. Currie left the band in 1977 amid rumors of tensions between her and Fowley, as well as Runaways guitarist Lita Ford. Whatever rift that may or may not have existed between her and Fowley, he would produce her 1978 solo issue Beauty Is Only Skin Deep, although it failed to break Currie to a wider audience. She would return two years later, with sister Marie Currie, releasing Messin' With The Boys. Despite having some heavyweight players such as several members of Toto backing them, the record again failed to ignite commercially. Instead, it was at this time that Currie made a splash in the cinema, appearing in the well-received Foxes alongside future Academy Award winner Jodie Foster. Currie more than held her own, earning strong reviews for her portrayal of a desperate teen. It would lead to more acting opportunities, both on television and film, including a small role in the classic This Is Spinal Tap, which didn't make the theatrical release, but was restored on DVD, and a starring role in the 1983 cult science-fiction flick Wavelength. She would also do quite a bit of voiceover work, although her musical endeavors would be limited. In 1989, Currie co-authored Neon Angel: The Cherie Currie Story, which is regarded as one of the better musician biographies and there would be periodic rumors of a reunion with The Runaways, although any plans were continually scuttled by legal wranglings. In 1998, Young & Wild was released, culling together tracks from Currie's days with The Runaways, as well as material from her solo albums and, in 2001, she performed on and produced an album by Katt Lowe & The Othersyde.