Joan Jett ‘Bad Reputation’ Film Due; New Single Now

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A long-in-the-works documentary of rocker Joan Jett, titled Bad Reputation after one of her best-known songs, will reach theaters, streaming services and video on-demand on Sept. 28. The film had its premiere earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

The film, directed by music video director Kevin Kerslake, chronicles the four-plus-decade career of Jett since she first came to attention as a member of the all-female rock band the Runaways.

A soundtrack album is being released simultaneously via a new agreement for her Blackheart Records with Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings. The release includes live and studio performances by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts as well as tracks featuring the Runaways, Bikini Kill, members of The Sex Pistols, and more. (Pre-order available here.) A new Joan Jett and the Blackhearts track, “Fresh Start,” can be watched below.

A plot summary appears on the film’s dedicated web page:

“It’s true, Joan Jett became mega-famous from the number-one hit ‘I Love Rock n Roll,’ but that’s only part of the story. That fame intensified with the music video’s endless play on MTV, world tours and many hits to follow like ‘I Hate Myself for Loving You,’ but that staple of popularity can’t properly define a musician. Jett put her hard work in long before the fame, ripping it up onstage as the backbone of the hard-rock legends the Runaways, starting her record label out of the trunk of a car after being rejected by 23 labels, and influencing many musicians—both her cohort of punk rockers and generations of younger bands—with her no-bullshit style. Bad Reputation gives you a wild ride as Jett and her close friends tell you how it really was in the burgeoning ’70s punk scene and the rocky road to rock stardom decades on. Their interviews are laced with amazing archival footage. The theme is clear: Even though people tried to define Jett, she never compromised. She will kick your ass, and you’ll love her all the more for it.”

Watch the video for the new song, “Fresh Start”

The film includes footage of Jett as well as interviews and cameos with many rock greats, among them Debbie Harry, Iggy Pop, Miley Cyrus, Pete Townshend and many others. Screenings will take place in theaters nationwide prior to the film’s general release. Go here to sign up for more information.

Watch the trailer for Bad Reputation