Lita Ford’s journey from being a member of the iconic all-girl rock band THE RUNAWAYS to becoming a solo artist is nothing short of transformative. But here's where it gets controversial: was her reinvention a natural evolution or a necessary rebellion against her past? In a recent interview with Axe Lords, Lita candidly reflected on this pivotal moment in her career. She described her time with THE RUNAWAYS as a formative 'college experience' where she and her bandmates—Cherie Currie, Joan Jett, and others—were still discovering their identities. 'We were teenage girls finding ourselves, emulating our idols,' she explained. Cherie channeled David Bowie, Joan looked up to Suzi Quatro, and Lita herself was inspired by Ritchie Blackmore, despite their stark differences in appearance. 'When THE RUNAWAYS disbanded, I had to redefine myself entirely,' she admitted. 'I couldn’t just repeat what I did in the band. I needed to figure out who Lita Ford was—her style, her sound, her essence.' This quest for self-discovery led her to B.C. Rich guitars, which became a defining element of her solo identity. 'That was it. I was sold,' she recalled, marking the beginning of her new chapter.
But this reinvention wasn’t without its challenges. And this is the part most people miss: the tension between her past and her future. In a 2010 biopic about THE RUNAWAYS, starring Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Scout Taylor Compton as Lita, Ford felt her story was overshadowed. 'The movie was all about Joan, and the portrayal wasn’t accurate,' she stated. While she praised Scout’s performance and appreciated her efforts to connect, she was less enthusiastic about Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Joan Jett. 'I glanced at the movie once and thought, 'I’m done. I don’t ever want to see it again,'' she confessed.
The biopic controversy aside, Lita’s relationship with her former bandmates, particularly Joan Jett, has been a topic of debate. In 2018, she told the Daily Mail that a RUNAWAYS reunion was unlikely, citing Jett’s manager as a major obstacle. 'He’s very controlling and sees me as a threat, which is ridiculous,' she said. 'Joan and I are like sisters, but her manager has created a rivalry that’s totally uncalled for.' This tension was echoed by ex-RUNAWAYS singer Cherie Currie, who revealed in 2016 that a reunion nearly happened decades ago but fell apart due to conflicts with Jett’s manager.
Here’s the bold question: Is a RUNAWAYS reunion still possible, or has time—and management—sealed their fate? Lita’s 2015 interview with WHMH (Rockin' 101) hinted at another reason for her reluctance: the early 1990s grunge era dominated by NIRVANA. 'It was bad timing,' she explained. 'People would’ve turned their noses up at it.'
Lita Ford’s story is a testament to resilience and self-reinvention, but it also raises thought-provoking questions about identity, legacy, and the complexities of band dynamics. What do you think? Could a RUNAWAYS reunion ever happen, or is it better left to history? Let’s discuss in the comments!
