Cherie Currie will blow you away with unrelenting rock n roll that is solid, hard, fresh, driving, and addictive–once you listen you won’t want it to stop kind of music on her new digital release Boulevards of Splendor on Blackheart Records.
Boulevards of Splendor is a masterpiece–a great work of music delivered by Cherie Currie packed with solid rock and roll from the hard rockers to the ballads, includes 15 tracks that are packed with the kind of music that is infectious and will have you coming back again and again to experience.
Currie is a true pioneer in the music world as the front women and vocalist for the Runaways who crashed the stages world wide from 1975-19 that also featured Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Sandy West and Vicki Blue and were performing at the tender age of 15 and 16 in front of rabid audiences. Currie was the true Cherry Bomb of rock and roll performing their hit song Cherry Bomb with Currie donning a corset and garter belt on stage long before the likes of Madonna ever had the idea. After the Runaways Currie went on to a successful career in acting, wrote a best selling book, was active as a drug counselor and is an accomplished chainsaw artist. In 2010 a full length movie was made about the Runaways based on her best selling book Neon Angel and was followed by the making of this album.
Boulevards of Splendor is definitively worth the wait after this album was held back for years before being released. It was originally recorded in 2010-11 and released on vinyl only last year before being released digitally April 28.
The album was produced by Matt Sorum (Guns N Roses, Velvet Revolver) and includes Nick Maybury, Grant Fitzpatrick, Jake Hays, Lanny Cardola, Billy Corgan, Brody Dalle, Slash, Duff McKagen, the Veronicas and others who helped Cherie deliver a sound reminiscent of the Runaways with a modern edge.
Curie has shown incredible strength in her life and proves that her fire continues to burn boldly with intensity as she moves forward in her career that has been full of production considering her recent release with Brie Darling of Fanny fame in The Motivator last year before the release last month. Songs reflect this such as “Force to Be Reckoned With”, “Bad and Broken” and “Break Out”. “Rock and Roll Oblivion” is another jewel that relates to her life as she proclaims “I am still alive again.” The title track is a classic duet with Billy Courgan. Tolpping off the album Currie leaves us with a track from her Runaways days with Queens of Noise featuring Dalle, Lewis and the Veronicas and leaves you with an excellent edge and exclamation mark to this album.
For those new to the Runaways Currie said, “Well you know there are people who are very young folks and they are listening to all of the albums and they really love the music. What I loved about the Runaways and the difference between our band and what is happening today and you look at these programs like The Voice and American Idol and there are so many of those kids as extraordinarily talented as they are is very hard to be like them unless you are extraordinarily gifted. With the runaways it was simple chords, hard hitting songs that any kid could do and I think that is what transformed the Runaways because you could play the songs and it resonates. It was raw and it was real.”
Currie has not only been a rock n roll icon but an influence on the music world and musicians today point to her as inspiration. Many bands and musicians can thank Currie for opening the door for their success. “I kind of think that the Runaways did that and especially when Madonna was up there and the corset and everyone was like she was the first one to be wearing a corset and I was like, NO, I was!. I was the first. Other bands like the Go Go’s openly said the Runaways were and influence and that really set me back! Wow! That is so neat! Thank you! LOL! I just want to pass along that the Runaways are a band that long after I thought they were dead and buried that I want to thank a lot of them for having a lot more faith in this band than any of the other band members actually have. Just for keeping the memory alive and I want to thank them for that.”
Boulevards of Splendor is proving it’s metal as it rises up the charts into the top 10 and deservedly as this album is worth your time and will rock you with true passion. Boulevards has rocketed up to #7 on Amazons Rock–Hot New Charts and #9 Rock–Best Sellers and looks to continue to rise with good reason. Don’t miss out on this music–this is one you need to have ASAP!! If you are not familiar yet with Currie or the Runaways now is time you consume in mass quantity. You can thank me later. This is music you need and illustrates Currie’s greatness as a vocalist and musician who has not lost a step but gained so much in her life and in her music over the years as she continues to be a true inspiration for others to follow in and out of music.
Note: I interviewed Currie by phone in the summer of 2013 while Boulevards of Splendor was on hold and she was touring with her band and was compelled to follow up with a feature on the new release. A release that has my total respect and deserves every ounce of publicity that it can garner.