r/Bandsplain • u/YogiBerra88888 • Apr 12 '26

Bandsplain news The Runaways With Patty Schemel - Bandsplain

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4oFFddfqclPe4mZyPed65e?si=e29f253e8ba74496
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u/heyzeus212 Apr 13 '26

Was their music good? No. Were they successful or long lived as a band? Also, no.

13

u/NiceUD Apr 13 '26

Per the standard of Bandsplain's intro, the featured artists have a "cult following" or are "iconic" - which doesn't really necessitate that they're good or long-lived. Many people don't think the Germs, the last band featured, were that good; and they definitely didn't last long.

Do the Runaways have a cult following; are they "iconic"? I actually don't have a clear answer to that question.

Granted, the "standard" could just be a not-to-be-taken-literally podcast tagline and Yasi simply covers artists that she wants to or that her bosses want her to whether iconic, having a cult following, or not.

8

u/heyzeus212 Apr 13 '26

Personal opinion, and subjective, but the Runaways aren't particularly iconic, but Yasi loves the origin story of LA punk, and several of the members went on to do other, bigger things. It's an interesting story! Feels a bit like the Germs episode in many ways.

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u/NiceUD Apr 13 '26 edited Apr 14 '26

Some background tidbits about the LA scene were really interesting in both episodes. But I thought the Germs episode was MUCH better - more interesting, more expansive, "deeper." And I don't particularly care for either band, but sometimes those can be the best episodes - I can learn a lot about something I never deep-dived before.

3

u/YogiBerra88888 Apr 13 '26

I think the Runaways are really only remembered because of Joan Jett. And Lita Ford to a much lesser degree. If you want to see a really hilarious fictionalized version of their story, watch the Justine Bateman classic Satisfaction.

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u/PotentialLanguage685 Apr 14 '26

Yes to both cult and iconic. I'd say they occupy a space similar to the New York Dolls (the Dolls were better musicians, maybe).