Joan Jett’s “Any Weather” Forecast: Edgy, With a Chance of Foo Fighter
Break out the dimes for the jukebox, baby. Joan Jett, noted lover of rock 'n' roll, is back in a big way.
The iconic star released her first collection of new music in close to a decade, "Unvarnished," at the end of last month, and there's no sign one of rock's edgiest gals has lost a bit of her sharpness. So what has Jett been up to since we've heard from her last?
Well, for a start, there's Yahoo Music's exclusive premiere of the "Any Weather" video for your perusal. This particular song was co-written with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl — a collaboration Jett has said she'd been longing to do for some time — and the two recorded it in his studio.
While the lyrics may sound like a typical ode to sticking with a romantic relationship ("We can stay together/through any weather"), the son actually, according to the singer, carries an eco-friendly message that Jett calls "a love song to the Earth." The theme is supported by the stunning visuals of beautiful global scenery, juxtaposed with more menacing images of devastation and pollution. With Jett rocking her way through it all.
"It touches on a lot of subject matter that a lot of people can relate to," Jett told Yahoo Music last month, who also told Billboard that the devastation of 2012's Hurricane Sandy contributed to her lyrical ideas. She noted that upon entering Grohl's studio, he hopped on drums, she hopped on guitar, and "it just flowed out."
Environmental advocacy is no new endeavor for Jett, who's been an outspoken vegetarian for decades; citing both animal welfare and green concerns behind her decision to go meatless. In November of 2012, she unveiled her first print ad for animal-rights organization PETA, after receiving a prestigious award for her tireless activism in the field.
There's also the fact that Jett seems to never age. The rocker held her own admirably at September's iHeartRadio festival in a duet with pop star Ke$ha, who is nearly 30 years younger. While blasting through Jett's (also ageless) hit "Bad Reputation," Ke$ha relied on siwgging a shot of Jack Daniels as an edgy prop, while Jett needed no such accoutrements to appear effortlessly cool. Varnished or unvarnished, Jett simply rules.
"Unvarnished" marks the 14th studio album from Jett and her band, the Blackhearts. They will be playing a few select dates starting in November. You can keep up with their schedule here.