Honestly, if you think Joan Jett and the Blackhearts is just a one-woman show with a rotating cast of "hired guns," you’re missing the point of what made them the most dangerous band in rock and roll.
Joan didn't just want a backing band. She wanted a gang. After the Runaways imploded in 1979, she was basically radioactive in the industry. Twenty-three record labels said no. Imagine being the person who passed on "I Love Rock 'n Roll" because you thought a girl with a Les Paul wasn't "marketable."
But she found her tribe. Most people know the name on the marquee, but the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts members are the ones who actually built that wall of sound. It wasn't just about playing notes; it was about a specific, snarling New York attitude that refused to die.
The "Big Three" and the Hall of Fame Crew
When people talk about the "classic" lineup, they’re usually talking about the guys who stood next to Joan when they were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. This wasn't some random collection of session musicians.
Gary Ryan was the first to join. He was a kid, basically, a teenager who answered an ad. He played bass like he was trying to break the strings, and that aggressive, low-end thud became the heartbeat of "Bad Reputation."
Then there was Lee Crystal. He came from the New York scene, having played with Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls. Lee didn't play fancy. He played hard. He understood that a rock song needs a backbeat you can feel in your teeth. Tragically, we lost Lee to complications from multiple sclerosis in 2013, but his drumming on "I Love Rock 'n Roll" is literally the gold standard for rock percussion.
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And you can't talk about the 80s peak without Ricky Byrd. Ricky wasn't the original guitarist—that was Eric Ambel for a hot minute—but Ricky is the one who played those iconic riffs on I Love Rock 'n Roll and Up Your Alley. He stayed for a decade. He and Joan had this twin-guitar attack that felt less like a melody and more like a fistfight.
The "Fifth Blackheart" Nobody Sees
There’s a name you’ll see on almost every writing credit: Kenny Laguna.
He’s technically the manager and producer, but ask anyone who knows the band, and they'll tell you Kenny is the "Fifth Blackheart." He’s the one who believed in Joan when she was selling records out of the trunk of his Cadillac. He plays keyboards on the records, sings backup, and has been the one constant in her career for over forty years. It’s one of the longest-running, most successful partnerships in music history.
It's kinda rare in this business to see that kind of loyalty. No drama. No messy public breakups. Just two people who love loud music.
Who is in the band right now?
If you catch a show in 2026—and you should, because Joan still sounds like she’s twenty—the lineup looks a bit different but feels exactly the same.
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Dougie Needles has been the lead guitarist since 1999. Think about that for a second. He’s been a Blackheart longer than almost anyone else in history. He’s a Lower East Side punk through and through, and he fits Joan’s aesthetic perfectly. He doesn't overplay; he just brings the heat.
The rhythm section currently features Hal B. Selzer on bass (joined in 2015) and Michael McDermott on drums (joined in 2016). McDermott is a powerhouse who took over for the legendary Thommy Price. Thommy was with the band for nearly 30 years and played on "I Hate Myself for Loving You," so Michael had massive shoes to fill. He does it with ease.
Why the Lineup Changes Actually Mattered
Rock purists love to complain when a band changes members, but with Joan Jett, every shift was about survival.
In the mid-80s, Joan wanted to "add different flavors," which is why Gary and Lee eventually moved on. It led to the recruitment of guys like Kasim Sulton, a legendary bassist who’s worked with everyone from Meat Loaf to Utopia.
Then you had Thommy Price, the drummer who defined the band's "big" 80s arena sound. Without these shifts, the band might have stayed stuck in the 1981 punk-pop bubble. Instead, they evolved into the hard rock juggernaut that gave us "I Hate Myself for Loving You" in 1988.
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The Full List of Major Contributors
You've got the core, but a lot of heavy hitters have cycled through the Blackhearts over the years:
- Eric Ambel: The original lead guitarist. Great player, but left before they hit the stratosphere.
- Kasim Sulton: Brought a more polished, professional vibe to the bass during the Good Music era.
- Thommy Price: The engine room for three decades. If you saw the band between 1986 and 2016, you saw Thommy.
- Sami Yaffa: The bassist from Hanoi Rocks even did a stint with them in the early 2000s.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that the Blackhearts are just a "backup band."
If you watch the 2018 documentary Bad Reputation, you see the reality. Joan is the boss, sure. But she treats the band as a unit. When they were inducted into the Hall of Fame, she didn't go in as "Joan Jett." She went in as "Joan Jett and the Blackhearts." She fought for Gary, Lee, and Ricky to be recognized.
That matters. It’s why the music still feels authentic. It wasn't manufactured in a studio by session players who didn't care. It was made by people who lived in vans and played dive bars together.
How to Experience the Blackhearts Today
If you want to understand the chemistry of the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts members, don't just stick to the Greatest Hits.
- Watch the Live Footge: Go find their 1981 performance at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. It’s raw, it’s loud, and you can see the original lineup's chemistry in real-time.
- Listen to "Changeup": Their 2022 acoustic album. It strips away the distortion and shows just how tight the current members (Dougie, Hal, and Michael) actually are.
- Check the 2026 Tour Dates: Joan is currently touring with acts like Iggy Pop and Sammy Hagar. Seeing them live is the only way to truly "get" why this band has lasted 45 years.
The lineup has changed, but the mission hasn't. It’s still about three chords, a heavy beat, and a complete lack of interest in what the "critics" think.
To really dive deep into the Blackhearts' legacy, start by listening to the Album (1983) and comparing the grit of the early years to the polished power of Up Your Alley. You’ll hear the different fingerprints of the members who helped Joan Jett stay the Queen of Rock and Roll.