Former Runaways singer Cherie Currie has revealed how her career was nearly ended by members of Rush. The incident took place on February 10, 1977, at Detroit’s legendary Cobo Hall, where the Runaways were opening for the Canadian three-piece band during their All the World’s a Stage tour. Currie tells the story in a new episode of Metal Voices.
“We were treated really well by opening act Tom Petty and Cheap Trick, but Rush ruined our set,” Curry says. “We were at Cobo Hall in Detroit, a big venue, and I saw them throwing stuff on the stage, 8-by-10-inch pieces of regular paper, like you’d hit a pizza. I had on six-inch platform boots, and I had to jump off Sandy West’s drum riser.
“I hit a piece of paper and slid across the stage, and there was the orchestra pit filled with all the cameramen. I’ll never forget them reaching out to help me because they were worried I was going to fall, and I managed to pull myself together at the last moment and do that (rock star pose) for one of the cameramen.”
“I could have been paralyzed. I’m not exaggerating. I could have been seriously injured if I had fallen off the stage. That’s why Joan and I especially don’t feel too bad about them because they weren’t protecting us. They were jamming us that night and we were sitting behind Rita’s (Ford) amp (chuckles).”
It’s a story Currie has spoken about before: in 2014, at the same show, he was filmed accusing Rush of destroying the band’s equipment, specifically blaming frontman Geddy Lee, and saying he wanted to “kick him off the stage.”
Rush and the Runaways, 1977. Neil Peart, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Cherie Currie, Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee (via r/ClassicRock)
The story was told in 2012 by former Runaways manager and L.A. scenester Kim Fowley, who told Legendary Rock Interviews that the Detroit show inspired scenes in the 2010 film The Runaways.
“Rush, playing at Detroit’s Cobo Hall, hasn’t exactly been well-received in Detroit, with its pseudo-intellectual lyrics and highly provocative H.P. Lovecraft material,” Foley said. “Add to that the complex musical interludes and shrieking vocals, and it’s not hard to see the appeal of The Runaways.”
“They weren’t very nice to the girls either. If you watch the movie ‘The Runaways,’ there’s an incident where the girls rebel against the older guys they’re in the movie with. That was Rush. And it happened, and it was awful for them.”
Cherie Currie’s Queen of Noise European tour kicks off in the Czech Republic next week before coming to the UK in November; full dates below. She also stars in Spirit Raiser, the new horror film directed by Dylan Mars Greenberg. The film also stars Patti Harrison, the late Arrows singers Alan Merrill (lyricist for Joan Jett’s hit “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll”) and Lynn Lowry (David Cronenberg’s “Shivers”), and Kate Bornstein as God. The film is narrated by Michael Madsen.
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Lita Ford: The Queen of Noise Tour
July 25: Bounty Rock Cafe, Olomouc, Czech Republic
July 26: Eddie’s Rock Club, Munich, Germany
July 27: Dorsten Vinylcafe, Germany
July 28: Kortrijk De Walichte Geest, Belgium
July 30: Hengelo de Cactus, Netherlands
July 31: Musicon The Hague, Netherlands
August 2nd: Wacken Festival, Germany
August 3: Lichtenfels Punchy Cats, Germany
August 4: Mannheim 7er Club, Germany
November 1: West Hollywood Whisky A Go Go, California, USA
November 4-9: Cancun The Sands, Mexico
November 22: Huddersfield, England
November 23: The Blood Shed, Manchester, UK
November 24: Carlisle Old Fire Station, UK
November 26: Bannermans, Edinburgh, UK
November 28: Dundee Beat Generator, UK
29th November: Troon Winterstorm Festival, UK
November 30: The Deer’s Head, Belfast, UK
December 1st: Warrenpoint Skylight Rooms, UK
December 3rd: The Sound House, Dublin, Ireland
December 4: Limerick, Ireland
December 5: Stoke Eleven, England
December 6: Dingwalls, London, UK
December 7: Bridgewater the Cobblestones, UK
Tickets can be purchased through Cherie Currie’s website.
