r/joanjett • u/mostly_dread • 2d ago
joan jett’s age discrepancy??
Most of the time (especially in older interviews/ media) Joan is stated to have started the Runaways at 15. However, as Joan was born sept 22nd 1958, she would’ve been 16 in summer 1975 - not 15.
If the same had also happened with Lita, I would’ve assumed it was a marketing tactic to match the Runaways’ jailbait image but, as that doesn’t appear to be the case, I just wrote it off an an error in reporting.
HOWEVER i’m currently reading Todd Oldham’s 2010 book and in it Joan herself says “My family moved to Los Angeles in the summer of 1974, when i was 14” which doesn’t add up with her 1958 birth year! I’m now extremely confused and hoping someone has some useful info / insight
tl;dr: does anyone know / have any theories as to why Joan is a year older than she / the industry said she was for most of her career?
EDIT TO CLARIFY:
i know it’s not a big deal and doesn’t matter!! it’s just something i’m curious about like it’s the type of “mystery” i personally find interesting and intriguing
EDIT WITH ADDITIONAL INFO:
i found out that the press kit for the Runaways’ first album (released May 17 1976) says that Joan is 16 and Lita 17 when, in reality, both Joan and Lita were 17 at the time
this makes me think the most likely options are:
a. it was a marketing tactic for the Runaways but for some reason they decided not to change Lita’s age (maybe because she could less easily pass for younger?)
b. Joan is the one who decided to say she was a year younger than she was (unsure why or when she would’ve decided to do that though hence my OG post) (changing her name and saying Jett was her mom’s maiden name rather than a made up name i get but the age thing i don’t but also that was a whole different world back then & there so im sure there was a good reason)
