Joan Jett's dirty secrets

You know Joan Jett loves rock 'n' roll. You know she has a blackheart, or at least a band by that name. And you know she's worked her way into rock legend.

But like all great performers, there's much you don't know about her. Lucky for you, Festiva is here to teach you more about one of rock's leading ladies.

• Joan Jett will perform with Def Leppard on July 30 at Dodge Arena. Check out this week's Festiva for more, only in Friday's The Monitor.

5 THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT JOAN ...

1. Joan ditched high school in the 11th grade. She traded reading, writing and arithmetic for rocking, rolling and er, rocking and rolling. Joan earned her GED on the road, and she's kept studying ever since, mostly advanced philosophy.
2. Joan has broken major showmanship ground. She ranks as the first artist to perform on stage with S & M garb, you know studs, leather and chains. The look has become standard for rock, punk and metal.
3. Not everyone loves rock n roll. Joan became the first female artist to own a record label. She formed Blackheart Records after labels refused to sign her, even though she'd already recorded "I Love Rock N Roll," "Bad Reputation," and "Crimson and Clover."
4. She has bested David Hasselhoff. Joan beat the Hoff, and every other American artist, to perform in East Germany. She played a show there in 1982, even though the government forbade Americans from getting visas to go there. Joan worked with the Who Organization in England, which helped her through the Iron Curtain. They paid her for the gig with antiques, caviar and Russian vodka.
5. Joan stood at ground zero when Howard Dean screamed away his political career. She joined him on stage to lend a celebrity endorsement in Iowa. During the now infamous "I Have a Scream" speech, Joan stood nearby.

... AND 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HER.

1. Joan launched her musical career at 15. To date, she has racked up eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles.
2. She owns her own independent record label, Blackheart Records.
3. She acted in 1987's Light of Day with Michael J. Fox and the Broadway musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
4. Joan hosts her own weekly program on Sirius Satellite Radio.
5. She loves rock ‘n' roll, doesn't give a damn about her reputation and she wants to know, "do you wanna touch me?"

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Zack Quaintance covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.