Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - Bad Reputation (1980)

Bad Reputation is the debut solo album by Joan Jett, originally self-released in 1980 as Joan Jett after her previous band The Runaways disbanded, then re-issued on Boardwalk Records in 1981 as Bad Reputation.

After independently recording the album with producer Kenny Laguna, Jett took the record to a number of major record labels, all of which were uninterested in releasing the project. Rather than continue to hunt for a willing label, Laguna and Jett decided to fund the pressing of the album themselves. The original, self-released, version of the album was simply titled Joan Jett and was sold directly to concert-goers and record stores out of Laguna's trunk.

The album sold relatively well, prompting its re-release a year later as Bad Reputation on Boardwalk Records, with identical tracklisting. Jett said that the new title referred to the bad reputation that she had as a former member of the Runaways.

Recorded before Jett formed The Blackhearts, it includes performances by a large number of well known musicians, including The Sex Pistols' Paul Cook and Steve Jones, Blondie's Clem Burke and Frank Infante, The Ramones' Dee Dee Ramone and Marky Ramone and The Tyla Gang's Sean Tyla, Micky Groome and Paul Simmons.

When the album's European rights were secured through Ariola Records, "Hanky Panky" replaced "Wooly Bully" as the final song on Side 2. When the record was issued through Boardwalk in the US under the title "Bad Reputation", the label stuck with "Wooly Bully" as the final track, making the "Hanky Panky" import version a real collector's item. However, the song was included as a bonus track on the 1999 CD re-issue.

In 1999, the album was again re-issued, this time on CD with several bonus tracks and a remastered version of the original album.

"Joan Jett's debut album is an infectious romp through her influences, ranging from classic '50s and '60s rock & roll through glam rock, three-chord loud'n'fast Ramones punk, and poppier new wave guitar rock." (Steve Huey, Allmusic)  

"Unfortunately, Bad Reputation is flawed by its literal-mindedness — the arrangements pump along gamely yet rarely swing or soar — and by some unresourceful material. But in its mood and feel, Joan Jett's first solo album is a determined retelling of what sometimes seems like the truest rock story there is." (Tom Carson, Rolling Stone) 

  
(source: wikipedia.com)