Joan Jett Partners with Seeker Music to Manage Her Iconic Catalog
In a significant development for music enthusiasts, Joan Jett, alongside her company Blackheart Records, has teamed up with renowned songwriter Evan Bogart’s Seeker Music. This collaboration aims to manage and elevate Jett’s illustrious musical catalog, as exclusively reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Details of the Partnership
While specific financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed, it has been confirmed that Seeker Music has acquired a stake in Jett’s expansive catalog. Both companies emphasize the strategic importance of this partnership in preserving and promoting Jett’s legacy within the music industry.
Vision for Jett’s Legacy
Carianne Brinkman, an executive at Blackheart and the daughter of Jett’s long-time collaborator, Kenny Laguna, explained their motivation for this partnership. Blackheart sought additional resources to support Jett’s continued growth and presence in the music scene.
“We reached a point where it felt like we either had to double the staff or partner with somebody to get to that next place that we wanted to go,” Brinkman explained. “We spoke with many companies, but ultimately, Seeker is a creative-first company, they’re respectful of artists’ legacies, and they know how to take something without sacrificing the authenticity of the artists, which is what drew us to them.”
Joan Jett’s Enduring Influence
Joan Jett remains a pivotal figure in rock music history. As a co-founder of the groundbreaking band The Runaways in the 1970s, and later as a solo artist with her band, the Blackhearts, she achieved fame with timeless hits like “Bad Reputation,” “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,” and “Crimson and Clover.” With both her albums, I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll and Up Your Alley, certified platinum, her impact continues to resonate. Jett was also honored with an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.
Currently, Jett remains active in the music scene, touring this summer alongside Billy Idol, and contributing to Idol’s upcoming album, Dream Into It.
The Personal Connection Behind the Deal
Evan Bogart, whose impressive songwriting credits include hits for Beyoncé and Rihanna, founded Seeker Music in 2020. The deal with Jett takes on a deeper significance due to Bogart’s familial ties; his father, the late Neil Bogart, was a celebrated record executive who played a crucial role in signing Jett to her first record deal at Boardwalk Records in the early 1980s.
“It’s a story I’ve heard since I was a little kid, that their claps are blended in on ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll,’ which is pretty amazing,” Bogart shared. “It’s special; ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’ was the last number one that my dad had before he passed away. So it feels like a story that I get to help continue.”
Future Projects and Goals
Both Bogart and Brinkman are excited about upcoming projects, including the release of previously unheard music and modern reinterpretations of Jett’s classic tracks. Their efforts are directed not only towards celebrating Jett’s body of work but also towards highlighting her role as a pioneering woman in rock music. They aim to engage newer artists who view her as an inspiration, such as Chappell Roan.
“There’s an entire generation of strong women, rebellious women — pop-rock artists like Chappell Roan — who look up to Joan Jett as the reason they got into music,” Bogart stated. “We’re definitely going to look to collaborate where we can.”
Furthermore, plans are in the pipeline for Jett’s first-ever box set, coinciding with the 45th anniversaries of “Bad Reputation” and I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll. Bogart expressed enthusiasm about exploring the archives, hinting at hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
“Kenny’s got two-inch reels hidden all over the house,” Bogart said. “This is a real opportunity for us to kind of dig into the archives. We’re excavating.”
For further details on this exciting partnership and Jett’s enduring legacy, you can visit the original source here.