Overview

Kim Vincent Fowley (July 21, 1939 – January 15, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter, performer and music impresario. He became known in the 1960s for a string of eccentric, novelty and cult pop-rock singles and for a flamboyant public persona that combined promotion, songwriting and hands-on studio production. In the mid-1970s he gained broader notoriety as the manager and creative force behind the teenage rock band The Runaways, a group that launched the careers of Joan Jett and Lita Ford.

Career and creative approach

Fowley's early career blended work as a session musician, talent scout and studio catalyst. He frequently wrote, co-wrote or produced short, catchy singles intended for the singles market and for radio play. His approach favored theatricality and memorable hooks over polished refinement, which helped several songs become cult favorites. He cultivated an image as a provocateur and self-promoter, often describing his own projects in bold terms and building publicity around unlikely artists and novelty records. For a general overview of his production methods see producer profile and a sample discography is listed at discography.

The Runaways and the 1970s

In 1975–1977 Fowley assembled and managed The Runaways, a Los Angeles–based all-female teenage rock band that blended hard rock and teenage attitude. Under his direction the group recorded several albums, toured internationally and attracted attention for both its music and its image. Fowley played multiple roles for the band: manager, occasional co-writer and publicist. Accounts of his methods and relationships with band members can be found in contemporaneous articles and later retrospectives; see biography and band history for more details.

Later work and public legacy

After The Runaways, Fowley continued producing, writing and promoting records, and he remained a visible figure in rock circles through the 1980s and beyond. He worked with a wide range of artists, took part in various reunion and retrospective projects, and occasionally released solo material. Over time he was recognized as an influential if controversial character in pop and rock history: admired for his knack for promotion and for creating provocative new acts, criticized by some for his methods. For interviews and later career summaries consult interview archive and career summary.

Notable facts and death

Notable aspects of Fowley's life include his role as a behind-the-scenes songwriter and his contribution to the rise of teenage hard rock in the 1970s. He was born in Los Angeles, California, and spent much of his life working in the Southern California music industry. Fowley died on January 15, 2015, in West Hollywood, California; the cause of death was bladder cancer. Selected sources and recollections about his life and impact are available at archive 1, archive 2, memorial and obituary.

  • Roles: producer, writer, manager, performer.
  • Best known for: 1960s novelty/pop singles and managing The Runaways.
  • Birth and death: born 1939 in Los Angeles; died 2015 in West Hollywood.