“Legend (Come On Up to Me)” is a song recorded by Redd Kross for the soundtrack to the 1984 film "Desperate Teenage Lovedolls". Originally written by Joanna Spock Dean for her seminal L.A. punk band Backstage Pass in the mid-1970’s, she also appears here on lead vocals credited under the pseudonym Joanna Spockola McDonald. The mostly-female Backstage Pass had been formed in 1976 and would play extensively in Southern and Northern California on bills with Devo, The Mumps, Wall Of Voodoo, The Nuns, Elvis Costello (opening his first US tour), The Screamers, The Weirdos and others. Other members of the group included such notable musicians as Marina Del Rey (Marina Muhlfriedel), Genny Body (Genny Schorr), Ché Zuro and Holly Beth Vincent. The band dissolved in 1979, but Dean continued to play with a number of local bands as bass player and percussionist and would eventually encounter the young Brothers McDonald in the early 80’s and recognizing their huge potential began managing the band for awhile in the mid-part of the decade.

Originally titled "Desperate Teenage Runaways" as an homage to the legendary girl band of the 70’s, the film was directed by Sin 34 drummer Dave Markey and chronicles the rise and fall of Bunny, Kitty and Patch, three teenage runaways who form an all-girl rock band The Lovedolls. After hooking up with sleazy rock manager Johnny Tremaine, the band achieves a meteoric rise to the top from their drug addled street beginnings but not without a price, as they soon discover. Starring an all-star ensemble cast of punk musicians and Markey’s other club-going friends, the film was shot on super-8 and produced for only the cost of film and processing, with the actors mainly improvising dialogue and real locations and extras being used. Redd Kross was also central to the film’s creation as well, with many current and former members of the band being featured in key roles such as Steve McDonald as Johnny Tremaine, former drummer Janet Housden as Lovedolls member Patch, former guitarists Tracy Lea and Dez Cadena as Tanya Hearst and Flaco (respectively) and a cameo by Jeff McDonald as Tears Brunell. The band also worked on 7 of the 13 songs on the original soundtrack album, either as original Redd Kross songs, or as musicians performing on other artist’s songs. This was only done as an afterthought, as the original performance scenes from the film had used Runaways songs in place of original Lovedolls material, as Markey had no knowledge of sync-rights while making the film. When former Runaways manager Kim Fowley showed up at the opening of Desperate Teenage Runaways and threatened to sue Markey, he agreed to change the title of the film and took out most of the Runaways music that was then replaced with the assistance of the Brothers McDonald and other bands that were associated with the SST label/scene at the time (although bits of The Runaways' “Born To Be Bad” can still be heard in the film). To fill the void left by The Runaways' “Cherry Bomb”, Redd Kross decided to do a cover of “Legend” instead as it has a similar charging guitar riff and overall vibe that was needed, as in the film it is The Lovedolls breakout hit that catapults them to worldwide overnight success.

Tragically, Joanna Spock Dean passed away on May 8, 2024.  

lyrics
Every time you come to town
You pretend you're not around
Can't keep stayin' underground
Little boy from the lost and found

So, come on up to me
Come on up to me 
Your heat is legendary and it's raisin' two degrees
So come on up to me
Come on up to me

Every time you try to hide
You must know it's all been tried
Come and play with me inside
Let's go out and take a little ride
 
So, come on up to me
Come on up to me 
You're really legendary and just raisin' two degrees
So come on up to me
Come on up to me

[guitar solo]

Next time you peek 'round your door
Be prepared for what's in store
You might end up on the floor
A broken nose, you know the score

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