Sandy West
Encyclopedia
Sandy West was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and drummer. She was hailed by fans and critics alike to be a groundbreaking musician, as a drummer. She was one of the founding members of The Runaways
, the very first teenage, all-girl hard rock
band in the 1970s.
. When she was 9 years old, her grandfather bought her a drum kit, and being an avid fan of rock and roll acts of the 1960s and 1970s, she began practicing rock music immediately and regularly. She proved to have a natural talent and quickly became a proficient drummer.
, who gave her the phone number of another young musician in the area, guitarist Joan Jett
. When Joan and Sandy met shortly thereafter (Joan took a bus to Sandy's home to play through some songs) there was a palpable synergy between them, and the inception of the eventual Runaways arguably took place that day. The girls subsequently played for Fowley, who agreed to help them find other female musicians to round out the band, most notably Lita Ford
and Cherie Currie
.
Sandy appeared in Edgeplay: A film about The Runaways
, a documentary about The Runaways produced and directed by the band's former bassist Victory Tischler-Blue
, providing some of the more poignant interview segments, describing the things she needed to do post-Runaways for money. She worked mostly in construction, and spent a small amount of time as a bartender and a veterinary assistant. In other parts of the Edgeplay interviews, she alludes to the fact that she engaged in criminal activity in order to make ends meet (e.g., she describes how she had to break someone's arm for money they owed). She wraps up the interview nearly in tears, still confused as to why The Runaways couldn't get back together and keep playing. By her own admission in 2004, she never got over the band's demise.
In 2005, Sandy was diagnosed with lung cancer
, which later spread to her brain, and she died on October 21, 2006 at the age of 47. Joan Jett
said in a statement, “We shared the dream of girls playing rock and roll. Sandy was an exuberant and powerful drummer,” adding, “I am overcome from the loss of my friend. I always told her we changed the world.” Cherie Currie
, the initial lead singer of The Runaways, said, "Sandy West was by far, the greatest female drummer in the history of rock and roll. No one could compete or even come close to her, but the most important was her heart. Sandy West loved her fans, her friends and family almost to a fault. She would do absolutely anything for the people she loved. It will never be the same for me again to step on a stage, because Sandy West was the best and I will miss her forever."
Sandy West was portrayed by actress Stella Maeve
in the 2010 film
The Runaways
. The film also featured Kristen Stewart
, Dakota Fanning
, and Scout Taylor-Compton
, who portrayed Joan Jett
, Cherie Currie
, and Lita Ford
, respectively. During the audio commentary during the DVD extras, Joan Jett
dedicated the film to her.
Post-Runaways releases
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
, the very first teenage, all-girl hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band in the 1970s.
Early life
Sandy (born Sandy Pesavento) was born in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. When she was 9 years old, her grandfather bought her a drum kit, and being an avid fan of rock and roll acts of the 1960s and 1970s, she began practicing rock music immediately and regularly. She proved to have a natural talent and quickly became a proficient drummer.
The Runaways
Driven by her ambition to play professionally, she sought out fellow musicians and other industry contacts in southern California with the idea of forming an all girl rock band. In 1975 she met producer Kim FowleyKim Fowley
Kim Vincent Fowley is an American record producer, impresario, songwriter, musician, film maker, and radio actor. He is best known for his role behind a string of novelty and cult rock pop singles in the 1960s, and for managing The Runaways in the 1970s...
, who gave her the phone number of another young musician in the area, guitarist Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
. When Joan and Sandy met shortly thereafter (Joan took a bus to Sandy's home to play through some songs) there was a palpable synergy between them, and the inception of the eventual Runaways arguably took place that day. The girls subsequently played for Fowley, who agreed to help them find other female musicians to round out the band, most notably Lita Ford
Lita Ford
Lita Ford is a British-born, American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career between the 1980s and late 2000s.-Early life:...
and Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie is an American singer, actress and chainsaw artist. Currie was the lead vocalist of The Runaways, a hard rock band from Los Angeles in the mid-to-late 1970s.-Life and career:...
.
Post-Runaways years
After four years of recording and touring the world, The Runaways disbanded in 1979. As is often the case in the recording industry, the musicians, including Sandy, were not left with much of the revenue produced during the band's tenure. Sandy made varied attempts to continue her career as a professional musician, playing with other acts in southern California, releasing a solo album "The Beat is Back", and forming The Sandy West Band. None of these ventures produced significant income, so Sandy was forced to spend most of her post-Runaways years working outside music.Sandy appeared in Edgeplay: A film about The Runaways
Edgeplay: A film about The Runaways
Edgeplay: A film about The Runaways is a 2005 documentary that was produced and directed by former Runaways bassist Victory Tischler-Blue. Edgeplay chronicles the history of the all-teenage-girl rock band The Runaways, whose members included future rock stars Lita Ford and Joan Jett.Kim Fowley, the...
, a documentary about The Runaways produced and directed by the band's former bassist Victory Tischler-Blue
Vicki Blue
Victory Tischler-Blue is an American film producer, director, writer, musician and photographer. She was born and raised in Newport Beach, California. Tischler-Blue began working in the entertainment industry at age 17, using the name Vicki Blue in the American all-girl teenage rock band The...
, providing some of the more poignant interview segments, describing the things she needed to do post-Runaways for money. She worked mostly in construction, and spent a small amount of time as a bartender and a veterinary assistant. In other parts of the Edgeplay interviews, she alludes to the fact that she engaged in criminal activity in order to make ends meet (e.g., she describes how she had to break someone's arm for money they owed). She wraps up the interview nearly in tears, still confused as to why The Runaways couldn't get back together and keep playing. By her own admission in 2004, she never got over the band's demise.
In 2005, Sandy was diagnosed with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
, which later spread to her brain, and she died on October 21, 2006 at the age of 47. Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
said in a statement, “We shared the dream of girls playing rock and roll. Sandy was an exuberant and powerful drummer,” adding, “I am overcome from the loss of my friend. I always told her we changed the world.” Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie is an American singer, actress and chainsaw artist. Currie was the lead vocalist of The Runaways, a hard rock band from Los Angeles in the mid-to-late 1970s.-Life and career:...
, the initial lead singer of The Runaways, said, "Sandy West was by far, the greatest female drummer in the history of rock and roll. No one could compete or even come close to her, but the most important was her heart. Sandy West loved her fans, her friends and family almost to a fault. She would do absolutely anything for the people she loved. It will never be the same for me again to step on a stage, because Sandy West was the best and I will miss her forever."
Sandy West was portrayed by actress Stella Maeve
Stella Maeve
Stella Maeve Johnston is a young American television and film actress. She is best known for her roles in Gossip Girl and in the indie films Harold, The Beautiful Ordinary...
in the 2010 film
2010 in film
The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and...
The Runaways
The Runaways (film)
The Runaways is a 2010 American biographical film about the 1970s all-girl rock band of the same name. The film was written and directed by Floria Sigismondi, who based the screenplay on the book Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway by the band's original lead vocalist Cherie Currie...
. The film also featured Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Jaymes Stewart is an American actress. She is best known for playing Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga. She has also starred in films including Panic Room , Zathura , In the Land of Women , The Messengers , Adventureland and The Runaways .- Early life :Stewart was born and raised in Los...
, Dakota Fanning
Dakota Fanning
Hannah Dakota Fanning , better known as Dakota Fanning, is an American actress. Fanning's breakthrough performance was in I Am Sam in 2001. As a child actress, she appeared in high-profile films such as Man on Fire, War of the Worlds, and Charlotte's Web...
, and Scout Taylor-Compton
Scout Taylor-Compton
Scout Taylor-Compton is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in numerous small television roles and in feature films that range from dramas to those in the horror genre....
, who portrayed Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
, Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie is an American singer, actress and chainsaw artist. Currie was the lead vocalist of The Runaways, a hard rock band from Los Angeles in the mid-to-late 1970s.-Life and career:...
, and Lita Ford
Lita Ford
Lita Ford is a British-born, American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career between the 1980s and late 2000s.-Early life:...
, respectively. During the audio commentary during the DVD extras, Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
dedicated the film to her.
Discography
Runaways albums- The RunawaysThe Runaways (album)The Runaways is the debut album by the American all-female rock band The Runaways, released in 1976.Website Allmusic has praised the record , comparing the band's music to material by Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses.According to multiple sources including Cherie Currie , the...
(1976) - Queens of NoiseQueens of NoiseQueens of Noise is the second studio album by the American rock band The Runaways, released in 1977. The album has been called "a pop-metal pinnacle" and the band's "outstanding sophomore effort"....
(1977) - Live in JapanLive in Japan (The Runaways album)Live in Japan is a 1977 live album from The Runaways. The album was never domestically released in the United States, although it was issued in Canada.- A Side :# "Queens of Noise" — 3:19...
(1977) - Waitin' for the NightWaitin' for the NightWaitin' for the Night is the third studio album from The Runaways released in 1977. This is the first album to feature the group as a quartet, as rhythm guitarist Joan Jett took over lead vocals in the wake of the departure of Cherie Currie for a solo career and Vicki Blue replaced Jackie Fox on...
(1977) - And Now... The RunawaysAnd Now... The RunawaysAnd Now... The Runaways is the fourth and final studio album by the The Runaways, released in 1979. The album was issued by Cherry Red in the UK...
(international release title) (1978) - Flaming SchoolgirlsFlaming SchoolgirlsFlaming Schoolgirls is the all-female rock band The Runaways' fifth and last studio album, released in 1980. The album is composed of unreleased material from the Queens of Noise sessions along with four leftover tracks from the 1977 Live in Japan album.-Track listing:# "Intro" - # "Strawberry...
("odds-and-sods" compilation) (1980) - Little Lost Girls (re-sequenced U.S. version of And Now... The Runaways), (1981)
- Born to be Bad (early demos compilation) (1993)
- 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Runaways (1999)
Post-Runaways releases
- 7" - F-13
- 4 song tape
- The Beat is Back