Cherie Currie Still Making Music, Still Making Art

Published by Interrobang Staff at November 24, 2013

Cherie Curie is best known as the lead vocalist for the 70’s rock band “The Runaways” but she is an artist on so many levels. The singer, songwriter and musician joined musicians Joan Jett, Lita Ford,Sandy West, Jackie Fox, and Vicki Blue to form The Runaways when she was just 15 years old. After recording several albums with The Runaways she’s continued to record albums as a solo artist. She’s also an actress and creates her own chainsaw art. She stopped by the SiriusXM studios recently to sit down with Ron Bennington and talk about her career, and her upcoming tour, and to perform a song. Excerpts of the interview appear below. You can hear the interview in its entirety exclusively on SiriusXM satellite radio.

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Cherie Currie Talks About the Beginning Of The Runaways

Ron Bennington: For you…when [did] you said to yourself – I think I want to be in rock and roll?

Cherie Currie: It was the day of the Bowie “Diamond Dogs” concert and I was standing in the audience and it just hit me like a bolt of lightning. And of course, I’m a twin, so I was a surfer chick with the long surfer bell bottoms. And something hit me and it just changed my life. And I just knew that I had to be on stage. So I started doing the talent show as David Bowie. Next thing I knew, I met Kim Fowley and Joan Jett at the Sugar Shack and they just liked my look. I cut my hair into a shag. And I went and auditioned and that was it.

Ron Bennington: And that started The Runaways?

Cherie Currie: Right.

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Cherie Currie Talks About Playing To A Younger Generation

Ron Bennington: After the movie there’s another generation that sees that as legendary.

Cherie Currie: I agree. I opened for Joan in 2010 at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Orange County. And what blew my mind more than anything was the young kids. I mean 10, 11, 12 year olds crying – that were fans. Watching Joan and watching myself perform. Having my own child here, Jake (Hays). He’s not a child anymore. He’s a young man. You’ve got a responsibility to show them that – hey, if this is something that they’re inspired to do, they can do it. They can do it. And that’s why I think the Runaways’ music still resonates with so many people because when it’s the year of “American Idol” or “The Voice” and all this unreachable prodigy types – how do you aspire to that? Unless you’re just insanely gifted. And the majority of us are not. So, what I really love about the Runaways, is that the songs were easy, but they were hard hitting, easy to play and anyone could sing them. I think that’s really needed these days.

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Cherie Currie Talks About Her Son’s Decision To Go Into Music

Ron Bennington: So, Jake’s here with you. He’s out on tour with you as well, right?

Cherie Currie: Yes! He’s actually usually in the front with me, playing guitar and harmonizing, which he’s so good at. He’s drumming for me on this tour. He wanted to drum.

Ron Bennington: So, with Jake…after everything you went through with the Runaways, and then your kid says to you – oh, I really like music. That’s got to make the heart skip a beat, right? You’ve got to be like – ugh.

Cherie Currie: Actually no. I was thrilled. He picked up the guitar when he was 13 years old. And actually, right before his 14th birthday, I went on Steve Jones’ “Jonesy’s Jukebox” show and brought Jake with me and Jake played guitar along with Steve and we did the Runaways’ songs. Jake thought he wanted to be a basketball player. Then, he thought he wanted to be a skateboarder. And we, my wonderful ex-husband Robert Hays and I, we supported it and supported it, but it never worked out for him. But when he picked up the guitar, he never put it down and he can sing. This kid…I wish I had a voice like his.

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Cherie Currie Talks About Having Success At Such A Young Age

Ron Bennington: With the Runaways, that was, I’m sure, all too much, too soon for you, now looking back on it, right? It was an incredible a lot to ask of those young girls.

runaways Cherie Currie: I don’t think it was too much too soon. I just think it was not the right…we just didn’t have the right support system. We were money-making kids. The only problem was, we never made the money. We never saw the money. We were told there wasn’t any money. And we just loved the music and what we were doing enough to try to believe these people. But the thing is, in the end, when I look back, especially myself being a twin – never been away from home in my life and to go for 3 months at a time…we had to be strong and we had each other. But that wore thin after awhile because we needed guidance, more than just each other.

Ron Bennington: Yeah. You definitely had to have somebody who had been there and was looking out for you.

Cherie Currie: Which we didn’t have.

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Cherie Currie Talks About Suzi Quatro

Ron Bennington: The other thing is when you look back on that of how few girls had ever done that before. It only happened a couple of times.

Cherie Currie: Well, Suzi Quatro, of course. Mega-goddess that she is.

Ron Bennington: Amazing.

Cherie Currie: I love her. And even today, I was listening to “Your Mama Won’t Like Me”. Oh God! That’s one of the songs they don’t play that often. She is the real deal man. The real deal.

Ron Bennington: Well, Suzi Quatro had that thing of being in leather, but she was glam and and for once, it was a chick, so finally…

Cherie Currie: And that voice.

Ron Bennington: Yeah. So it was almost like if Marc Bolan had a vagina. We were finally like – Oh, thank God. (Cherie laughs)

Cherie Currie: I agree. And that voice still. I mean no one has been able to come close to that voice. And just being so tiny.

Ron Bennington: Yeah, she was little.

Cherie Currie: 5’2″? But we were just talking via email, Lita and Suzi and I, a few weeks back and she’s in Vegas right now while I’m out here. But I just can’t wait to see her new show. Can’t wait.

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Cherie Currie Talks About Continuing To Make Music

Ron Bennington: Still doing it. That’s the cool thing about it.

Cherie Currie: Well look, what else to do you do? I mean I’m great with the chainsaw and I love it. And look, I’m not…if I wasn’t sitting here with you Ron who I love, and Fez, I would be carving. But the thing is, is that I’m doing this for a reason. I don’t know quite what it is yet. I made a record with Matt Sorum. It’s a great record. It’s not out yet. There’s nothing I can do to make it come out. So, I have to move on. And bottom line, it will come out eventually, but now Jake and Kim Fowley and Lita (Ford) went into the studio and we’re making another record. Because we have to. And I don’t know why. But I guess there’s something I need to do which I’m doing. I’m just following my heart.

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Cherie Currie Talks About Recovery

Ron Bennington: So many of the things that you’ve had to overcome like everybody from our generation, had to decide one way or another….

Cherie Currie: Live or die. (laughs)

Ron Bennington: Yeah, live or die. Am I just going to stay on the floor or get back up? And every single day, I think to myself – hey, what am I going to do today? But always make that right choice. But isn’t strange the wisdom that can thought that? Like I don’t think you would want to wish that one anyone, but once you’ve been through that kind of darkness, it’s amazing what you’re ready to create.

Cherie Currie: I agree with you Ron. And I will tell you as well that I…everyone that has been an alcoholic addict that I’ve met – and being in AA since 1924….1924? 1984. (laughs) That must have been a past life. I don’t know why that came out. But I have never seen more talented exceptional human beings. So, I’ve come to the realization that you’re given this devastating disease and it is something that there is no cure. You’re never free of it, no matter how much someone turns around and says that they’re free of it. They aren’t because it comes back at the most inopportune times in the most devastating ways. But it’s kind of a trade off. You have this thing that you have to deal with that bugs you quite a lot throughout your life and you’re also given this great talent and this great courage that I think that a lot of people that are normal, don’t really possess. I think it’s an even trade, I guess.

Ron Bennington: I would agree with that and I think that with awakeness, there’s also pain. So, there are times that you think – oh, this hurts, but at least you know it now.

Cherie Currie: Exactly.

Ron Bennington: You’re going to do something with your son for us before you leave. What song are you guys going to do together?

Cherie Currie: Well, we were talking. We thought you know what? People love “Cherry Bomb”. And so, we’ll just do that one. Of course, we don’t have 2 guitar players. So, Jake, there’s no Steve Jones this time, but we’ll just give you a little taste of “Cherry Bomb”.

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Ron Bennington: The tour is out there. Gramercy Theater in New York City. Brighton Bar, Long Branch. The Revolution in Amityville. And you can check out all the dates. You’ve got it up on your website, right?

Cherie Currie: I do. Yes, yes. I believe so. Otherwise, on Facebook.

Ron Bennington: Facebook or cheriecurrie.com. Thank you so much. What a pleasure.

Cherie Currie: Oh, you guys. Love you. Love you. Love you.

Ron Bennington: Stop back any time you’re in the city, alright?

Cherie Currie: Thank you.

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