Joan stood there dumbfounded that she was on the other end of the phone with the one and only famous record producer, Kim Fowley. Of course she had heard stories about him, some that he was crazy, and ones that he had a coat made entirely out of dog fur, but at this moment she didn't care. This was her one shot to be something.
"So you want to be a star?" Kim Fowley's voice rang over the phone. He sounded pissed, as usual.
"Yeah man." Joan said calmly.
The silence on the other end was agonizing for Joan. She knew what her destiny was, to be a famous rock star and nothing was going to get in her way, not even Kim, but she didn't want to blow it. This was her one opportunity to start something great.
"Okay Joan, what's this big idea, or do you plan to say something similar to rest of these dog cunts out here?"
She felt grateful that she was even willing to hear the idea.
"I want to start an all girl rock-band. No guys, just chicks. One lead guitarist, one girl to play bass, rhythm guitar, a drummer, and a singer."
"Hmmm" his voice boomed over the phone. "No shit?"
"No shit" she repeated.
Joan heard him clapping over the phone. "FUCKING SHIT I LOVE IT" he yelled.
Joan's face beamed up in a smile. So much excitement ran through her body, she felt like running down the block just to calm herself down, but she didnt speak..not just yet.
"So Joan, there is this girl..plays drums. Her name is Sandy, she lives in the valley. Grab some paper and a pen and right down her address and number. I'll call her and tell her who you are and that you're gonna meet her there. This is gonna be huge Joan, your gonna be a star."
"Alright Kim." Joan said the happiness clearly radiating out of her voice.
"Don't get all lovey dovey on me Joan..lots of work ahead. A fuck load of work. Got that pen and paper right down this address and number."
She reached over to the nearest thing to write on which was a permanent marker and a pizza box and wrote down Sandy's number and address.
"Got it." Joan said beaming with excitement but trying hard to swallow it.
"Okay, now call her..set a date for you guys to meet and practice. I'll follow up with you Joan."
"Gotcha"
"We're gonna make rock and roll fucking history. Amazing." Kim said hanging up the phone.
Joan set the phone down and jumped up screaming with happiness. It was a dream come true for her, but Kim was right...the work was just beginning and there was a hella lot of work to be done.
She immediately called Sandy. A girl who played drums Joan thought, awesome.
Only a few rings and someone already answered the phone.
"Hello?" the hard femishinish voice said over the phone.
"Ah, yeah this is Joan um I'm looking for Sandy."
"Joan Larkin right?"
She shuttered at the name, hated it.
"Jett...Joan Jett"
"Oh shit man my bad. This is Sandy."
"Ha its okay Sandy, I'm use to it by now."
She laughed. Joan liked this girl, she had spunk and even though she only had been speaking to her for a minute or two she knew her and Sandy were going to be the best of friends.
"Well man when you wanna play?"
"How about I drive down to your place and we can jam out? You live in the valley right?"
"Yeah the Valley, you got my address?"
"Kim gave it to me."
"Okay, so why don't you come over tomorrow and we'll rock it out?"
"Sounds good to me, I'll be there around 12ish, that okay?"
"Good for me, I'll be here."
Joan smiled.
"See you then."
"Bitchin" Sandy said as Joan and Sandy hung up at the same time.
This was it, Joan thought. The dream was coming alive.
The next day Joan was at Sandy's house. She knocked on the door, nervous as hell about what could happen today.
The door swung open and there was what Joan was guessing, Sandy's mom.
"Hey my name is Joan, is Sandy home?"
"Yes, she is in the garage. Come with me."
Joan walked into the perfectly clean house. This was not really what she pictured Sandy's house to be. Maybe in Joan's mind is was suppose to be a broken up household, sort of like Joan's.
Father left. So they moved out of Maryland when Joan was 12, then only Joan's mom, her brother and sister moved to LA. She loved it here. Better than Maryland. Always having to take care of them both. Joan was older then her age. Yeah, she may have only been 15 but in her mind and in her heart she was more like 20.
"Here she is" Sandy's mom opened the door to the garage. There was Sandy..blonde hair, tall, skinny. Joan automatically connected with Sandy even though they had hardly spoken.
"Thanks Misses West." Joan said smiling.
Sandy's mom nodded. Joan could tell...Sandy's mom didn't approve of her daughters lifestyle playing the drums.
"Joan Jett?" she said laughing a bit and shaking Joan's hand.
"Damn right. Sandy West?"
"Right!"
They both laughed as Sandy took a seat at her drums as Joan took her guitar out of the black leather case.
"What kinda guitar you play?"
"Les Paul, thing is fucking heavy."
Sandy laughed as she got her drum sticks out and banged a little on them.
"Your family doesn't seem like their into the whole rock and roll scene, if you don't mind me sayin'"
Sandy shrugged. "No, I don't mind. But you're right, my sisters play like violin, cello, and all that shit. I play the drums. Go figure.
Joan laughed and plugged in the amp with the guitar. She strummed a few notes just to make sure it was in tune.
"So did you right some songs or something man."
"Yeah" Joan said reaching over to her guitar case and handing peices of paper to Sandy.
"There in the making but I kinda just have to work on em' a bit more."
Sandy read through them, taking in every note...picturing how it would be in her head and how they would play.
"No man these are bitching. I'm liking these songs. You wanna get practicing?"
Joan nodded excitingly.
"Hell yeah, but before that. Kim told me that we need to practice for like a few weeks just to make sure we got this down and then call him with something good."
"Bitchin" Sandy said and started banging a beat on her drums a bit more. "Let's practice every other day since I know driving out to the valley is hell."
"You're damn right it is" Joan laughed.
Here they were, two girls wanting to go against the male dominated world of rock and start the same dream, an all girl rock band. They practiced every chance they could. Joan driving out to the valley almost every day she could practically live their. It was hard for Sandy to drive out where Joan was since her drums were not to portable.
Joan wrote songs every chance she got, in fact that was all she ever did. Practicing, and writing is all Joan was. She taught herself how to play the guitar, getting better every day she played with Sandy, and of course practicing on her bathroom floor when she could. The lessons she took with that asshole teacher didn't seem to work out.
He told her "Girl's don't play electric guitar, only acoustic."
Joan never went back to that place. Of course she sat through the lesson but wanted to flip out and walk out. Oh well.
After five weeks of practicing with Sandy and writing her songs. They finally pulled it together...sounding amazing, but they both knew they needed more members which they were gonna have to talk about with Kim.
With each note, they started to become alive...the dream was becoming alive.