The Runaways are Back!

As a kid growing up in Chicago, I'll never forget hearing a song called "Cherry Bomb" on WMET. The song stuck in my head and I had to hear more! I mean a rock group with chicks... cool! Finally I went down to the record store and picked up their new album and I was in love.

What a lineup of great teenage rockers: Joan Jett, Cherie Curry, Lita Ford, and Sandy West. Layin' down a whole new sound to the 70's rock scene. Many of them would go on to successful solo careers like Joan and Lita. This band pretty much reigned from 1975-1979 and broke the glass ceiling for female rockers in the industry.

Now a whole new generation will be exposed to their story with the release of the new motion picture The Runaways. Featuring Hollywood's young elite, Twilight's Kristen Stewart as Jett and Dakota Faning as Curry. The movie hits theaters this month.

I remember seeing them in concert around 1977, as a young teenager myself with hormones ragin'. Seeing Lita Ford in tight roller-girl shorts has haunted me for life. Joan Jett rocked the house like no other, what a great band!

I was lucky to see a special screening of this movie and it is so incredible as it follows the true life rise and fall of this legendary rock group from the 70's. Go see it, or buy it when it hits DVD, such an insight into the world of rock n'roll!

The Final Frontier for Iron Maiden?

Longtime fans of Iron Maiden are still confused as to what will be the fate of this legendary metal group. Last year bassist Steve Harris eluded to the fact that the end was near stating, "we've always said we're only going to do 15 albums; we're coming up to it. There's going to be an ending point." After that the rumor mill began to spin, with word they had one last worldwide tour and album to go before calling it quits.

The word has also begun to spread in the music industry, in which insiders confirmed the end was near in site, as the members were ready to move on with their lives after 35 years.

Awesome news however, as fans are pumped as the new album "The Final Frontier" was officially announced, as well as a tour to support the release with Dream Theater. Is the hint as obvious at the title of the new release?

Here are the tour dates as of today:

Jun. 09 – Dallas, TX – Superpages.com Center

Jun. 11 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Jun. 12 – San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center

Jun. 14 – Denver, CO – Comfort Dental Amphitheatre

Jun. 16 – Albuquerque, NM – The Pavilion

Jun. 17 – Phoenix, AZ – Cricket Wireless Pavilion

Jun. 19 – San Bernardino, CA – San Manuel Amphitheatre

Jun. 20 – Concord, CA – Sleep Train Pavilion

Jun. 22 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre

Jun. 24 – Vancouver, BC – GM Place

Jun. 26 – Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place

Jun. 29 – Saskatoon, SK – Credit Union Center

Jun. 30 – Winnipeg, MB – MTS Center +

Jul. 03 – Toronto, ON – Molson Amphitheatre

Jul. 07 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

Jul. 11 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC

Jul. 12 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

Jul. 14 – Pittsburgh, PA – First Niagra Pavilion

Jul. 15 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center

Jul. 17 – Detroit, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre

Jul. 18 – Chicago, IL – First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

Jul. 20 – Washington D.C. – Jiffy Lube Live

Let's hope the album and tour are a huge success and the boys decide not to run to the hills!