Neon Angel: A Memoir of a Runaway

by Cherie Currie, Tony O'Neill

Overview

In this candid autobiography, Cherie Currie—the original lead singer of ‘70s teenage all-girl rock band The Runaways—powerfully recounts her years in the band, her friendship with guitarist Joan Jett, and her struggle with drugs. An intense, behind-the-scenes look at rock music in the gritty, post-glam era, Neon Angel is a must-read for anyone whose heart beats to the rhythm of David Bowie, Suzi Quatro, Nick Gilder, and the Sex Pistols, and for every fan of the movie it inspired: The Runaways, starring Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart as Cherie Currie and Joan Jett.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061961366
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/29/2011
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	505,803
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Cherie Currie has been described as "the lost daughter of Iggy Pop and Brigitte Bardot." Shortly after the Runaways disbanded, the rock star landed a coveted role in the Jodie Foster movie Foxes, and later went on to appear in a number of other films. Currie is still performing, writing, and acting, and she continues to take on unorthodox endeavors. One of the most prominent chain-saw carvers in the world, she placed in two major competitions in 2005. She lives in California with her son, Jake.

Tony O'Neill is the author of Digging the Vein and Down and Out on Murder Mile, and the coauthor of Neon Angel and the New York Times bestseller Hero of the Underground. He lives in New York with his wife and daughter.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xiii

Foreword Joan Jett xv

1 Diamond Dogs and Revelations 1

2 Rebel, Rebel 22

3 The Queen of Hate 30

4 Learning Experiences 42

5 The Orange Tornado 57

6 Cherry Bomb 69

7 "Welcome to the Runaways" 80

8 Mom's News 88

9 Saying Good-bye 95

10 Highs and Lows 105

11 Touring 120

12 Kim Fowley's Sex Education Class 129

13 The Road 140

14 Daddy's Car 146

15 Snapshots of Europe 157

16 Greetings from Scotland Yard 171

17 Postcards from Nowhere 182

18 The Queens of Noise 189

19 The Procedure 196

20 Too Many Creeps 201

21 Live in Japan 209

22 The Last Straw 219

23 Beauty's Only Skin Deep 226

24 One Hundred Ways to Fry a Brain 232

25 The Terrible Green Limousine 245

26 Killers and Clowns 265

27 Foxes 274

28 Battlefields 286

29 Annie and Me 291

30 Life in the White House 296

31 Marie Says Good-bye 307

32 The Twilight Zone 315

33 A New Life 323

34 The End of the Ride 329

35 This Side of Forever 334

Afterword 341

What People are Saying About This

Joan Jett

“What truly amazes me is what a fine, honest, introspective author Cherie is, with an incredible tale about an incredible life, and a fascinating personal odyssey.”

Editorial Reviews

What truly amazes me is what a fine, honest, introspective author Cherie is, with an incredible tale about an incredible life, and a fascinating personal odyssey.” — Joan Jett

“I don’t think a lot of people know the story of Cherie Currie. It’s an amazing story and she’s an amazing woman and performer. ” — Dakota Fanning on The Tonight Show

“Raw and riveting.” — LA Weekly

“Details the band’s short, messy history and the struggle with addiction that nearly claimed her life.” — Entertainment Weekly

“[NEON ANGEL] reveals how the liberated life of a 16-year-old rock star in Los Angeles included many dark moments.” — Spin

“Unflinchingly honest.” — Boston Globe

“The striking thing about The Runaways, is how authentic it feels… One reason may be that the movie is partly based on Neon Angel, a newly revamped autobiography by the group’s lead singer Cherie Currie, whose chillingly quick self-destruction is relived through Dakota Fanning.” — New York Times

“Currie is looking forward to giving Neon Angel its second life…the new version, with a foreword by [Joan] Jett, adds the sex, drugs and darkness that were missing from the first edition.” — Reuters

From the Publisher

What truly amazes me is what a fine, honest, introspective author Cherie is, with an incredible tale about an incredible life, and a fascinating personal odyssey.

Joan Jett

Unflinchingly honest.

Boston Globe

I don’t think a lot of people know the story of Cherie Currie. It’s an amazing story and she’s an amazing woman and performer.

Dakota Fanning on The Tonight Show

The striking thing about The Runaways, is how authentic it feels… One reason may be that the movie is partly based on Neon Angel, a newly revamped autobiography by the group’s lead singer Cherie Currie, whose chillingly quick self-destruction is relived through Dakota Fanning.

New York Times

Currie is looking forward to giving Neon Angel its second life…the new version, with a foreword by [Joan] Jett, adds the sex, drugs and darkness that were missing from the first edition.

Reuters

Currie is looking forward to giving Neon Angel its second life…the new version, with a foreword by [Joan] Jett, adds the sex, drugs and darkness that were missing from the first edition.

Reuters

[NEON ANGEL] reveals how the liberated life of a 16-year-old rock star in Los Angeles included many dark moments.

Spin

"I don’t think a lot of people know the story of Cherie Currie. It’s an amazing story and she’s an amazing woman and performer. "

on The Tonight Show - Dakota Fanning

Raw and riveting.

LA Weekly

Details the band’s short, messy history and the struggle with addiction that nearly claimed her life.

Entertainment Weekly