On this day (October 21) in 2006, Sandy West died of lung cancer in San Dimas, California, at the age of 47. She co-founded the Runaways with Joan Jett in 1975. She and Jett were the band’s only constant members. After the band dissolved, she had a short solo career before leaving the music industry.
West started playing drums when she was nine years old. She started playing in a local band when she was 13. Three years later, she met producer Kim Fowley in the parking lot of the Rainbow Bar and Grill on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. He told her about an all-female band he was trying to put together and gave her Joan Jett’s phone number.
They met and began playing together. When Fowley heard them, he began searching for other musicians to fill out the lineup. Soon, he added Micki Steele on bass and vocals and the Runaways were formed. A month later, in September 1975, the trio made their live debut at the Whisky a Go-Go opening for Hollywood Stars, another of Fowley’s bands.
Hollywood Stars guitarist Ruben De Fuentes recalled that the trio was “scared sh**less” in a 2019 interview with the Houston Press. He recalled his connection to Fowley. “Kim was awesome and hysterically funny. … He was also a true Svengali. He would take raw talent, whip it into shape, mold it, present it, and collect the royalties.”
Sandy West Finds International Fame with the Runaways
The Runaways underwent several lineup changes before they recorded their 1976 self-titled debut album. When they entered the studio, Sandy West was still playing drums and Joan Jett was on rhythm guitar. Lead guitarist Lita Ford, bassist Jackie Fox, and vocalist Cherie Currie joined the band.
They didn’t find commercial or critical success in the United States. Their connection to Kim Fowley, with his reputation for throwing together gimmicky acts, made most of the industry ignore the group. Those who didn’t ignore them tossed sexist insults at them. For instance, according to The Guardian, Creem magazine declared “These b**ches suck,” while the Village Voice labeled them “bimbos.” Other outlets dubbed them “jailbait on the run.” At the same time, most radio stations refused to play their music.
It’s important to point out that, as the term “jailbait” disgustingly implies, critics were putting these labels on children. Seventeen-year-old Lita Ford was the oldest member of the band.
While they didn’t see mainstream success in the United States, the Runaways went down in history as a massively influential, trailblazing rock band. They paved the way for bands like the Go-Gos, L7, the Donnas, and Vixen. Micki Steele later joined the Bangles.
The United Kingdom was much kinder to the band. The punk scene was quickly growing in popularity there. As a result, the Runaways got plenty of positive press across the pond. Their records sold better there, as well. They were also massively popular in Japan, where their singles topped the charts, their albums sold well, and their concerts filled stadiums.
They recorded four studio albums before they officially broke up in April 1979.
West After the Runaways
When the Runaways split, other members embarked on successful solo careers. However, Sandy West wasn’t as fortunate. She played with a handful of bands in Southern California. Later, she formed the Sandy West Band, but it never took off. Instead, mostly left the music industry and worked in construction and spent some time as a bartender.
[RELATED: 3 Rock Songs From the 1970s You Won’t Forget, No Matter When You Hear Them]
“I owe [Kim Fowley] my introduction to the music business, but he’s also the reason I’m broke now,” West said when the band sued their former manager over financial discrepancies.
“The Runaways, in all its glory, would forever be missing the true heart of the band,” Cherie Currie in her 2010 memoir. “Sandy West was one of the greatest drummers of all time. The loss of Sandy was indescribable and heart-wrenching, and there was nothing we could do about it.”
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