RIP Sandy West

Sandy West, drummer of the female band the Runaways, died last night of
brain and lung cancer. Here's what the Runaways website had posted.

10/21/06
Sandy West, drummer for the influential 70s band The Runaways, died
today after a long battle with lung cancer.

She left an indelible mark on rock music as a founding member of The
Runaways, which featured fellow rockers Joan Jett, Lita Ford and Cherie
Currie, and as a leading inspiration for a number of notable musicians,
both male and female. Many young musicians can trace their inspiration
directly to the first time they heard "Cherry Bomb."

The Runaways toured the world several times, often headlining with
opening acts like Tom Petty and Cheap Trick. Their discography includes
over 60 albums, singles, bootlegs and compilations. Their music has
been included in dozens of rock and punk collections, has appeared in
several feature films including Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway and
Detroit Rock City, and has been covered by numerous bands, from The
Street Walkin' Cheetahs to Guns 'N' Roses. They were nominated for the
Hollywood Rock Walk, and bootlegs of Runaways performances are still
highly prized amongst rock and roll collectors around the world.

After the band broke up, Ms. West continued to perform as a drummer,
guitarist and vocalist with The Sandy West Band. As a solo artist she
recorded a highly collectible EP CD and numerous videos, and continued
to enjoy the adoration of a dedicated cult following.

She will be remembered by more than one generation of fans as a strong
part of their musical landscape, but her impact was felt far outside of
the music industry as a loyal friend, loving confidante and strong
defender of those she loved most. Her strength as a player, passion as
a person, and dedication as a friend will be remembered always by
friends, fans and fellow musicians alike.

Runaways vocalist and life-long friend, Cherie Currie had this to say,
"Sandy West was by far, the greatest female drummer in the history of
rock and roll. No one could compete or even come close to her, but the
most important was her heart. Sandy West loved her fans, her friends
and family almost to a fault. She would do absolutely anything for the
people she loved. It will never be the same for me again to step on a
stage, because Sandy West was the best and I will miss her forever."

written by CHRISTY LINDSAY
www.TheRunaways.com

Craig