Eric, Joan, Clive, Kenny...Priceless

[seattlesteve]

With the release of The Runaways movie, Joan Jett has been more in the light, especially with her release of a greatest hits, and custom Melody Maker guitar (slight tweak of Eric's which she still owns). Her long time manager Kenny Laguna has a priceless quote about their experience with Clive that is sooo reminiscent with Eric's, in a link I stumbled upon. Remember when Eric would talk about how eventually Clive would advise Eric to either collaberate with another songwriter or simply to sing other peoples songs...?

I've included two quotes from Kenny:

You've got a new Gibson signature model guitar now?

Joan Jett: I sure do. It's a Gibson Joan Jett Melody Maker. It's copied from a guitar that I've used for years and years. The Melody Maker works with me well because it's light and it's easy to handle.

Kenny Laguna: It's called a California style, they only made a very few of them. The one she bought from Eric Carmen, he had played it on those Raspberries hits. Over the years she made modifications. They're very unique, it's part of what the Joan Jett sound is. This guitar is totally backordered. They're so popular we can't even get them. We're trying to get one so we can get it to Pete Townshend, we can't even get one for Pete!

(Joan was turned down by over 20 labels when she submitted her 4 song debut demo tape, all became hits. She and Laguna were forced to form their own label, helped by The Who, and sell cd's out of her trunk.)

Kenny Laguna: Clive Davis could have had us for nothing. We still have his letter, he said, "Joan's an interesting artist, but she would need a song search." After we had the Number One record in the world, I sent a letter to Clive saying, "If you signed Cole Porter, you'd do a song search." He never really forgave me for that, because the guy has a fragile ego.

Joan Jett: They didn't miss one hit, they missed four.

(the Cole Porter quote to me is as funny as one of Eric's favorite quotes, the "two many notes" in the Amadeaus movie)

[angelina]

...If you signed Cole Porter, you'd do a song search

That is a BRILLIANT quote!!!

Thanks for the enjoyable post Seattle Steve!

[Raspbernie]

From Eric's Facebook profile:

Education and Work

Grad School:

Clive Davis School Of Humanities '79

PhD, Resistance With Dignity, Ego Submission, Pragmatic Compromise

College:

Capitol Records/ CAM USA '72

Publishing Preservation, Accounting 101-104, Litigation 101-104

High School:

Rock 'Roll '67

[angelina]

Who needs the Ivy League with the educational lineage above! (Accounting followed by Litigation....perfect)

[Eric Carmen]

I LOVE Joan, and that's one of the funniest stories I've ever read.

A few years ago, Sotheby's auctioned off the "pass letter" Jimmy Ienner sent to Madonna, when he was President of Millenium Records.

I guess everyone is entitled to a few bad decisions.

e

[Eric Carmen]

Letter Saying Madonna 'Not Ready' For Superstardom For Sale!

hahaha

e

[Eric Carmen]

In spite of these "misfires', I've got to tell you, Clive and jimmy are two of the smartest record executives that ever lived. Clive passed on the Beatles, too. Brian Epstein was interested in leaving EMI and went to Clive. He thought the "guitar" thing was just a fad and on it's way out.

oops.

e

[PowerPopMama]

Amazing thread...

[Wendy-Ann]

PowerPopMama said:

Amazing thread...

It is...isn't it.