Cherie Currie is a teenager in Los Angeles, California who desperately wants to be a rock star. She idolizes David Bowie and cuts her hair and dons make-up so she will resemble Bowie's character Aladdin Sane. At her high school talent show, she lip syncs to "Lady Grinning Soul" and, despite some hecklers in the audience, wins.
Joan Jett is a teenager who also dreams of rock stardom. At a club one night, she meets record producer Kim Fowley and talks about starting an all-girl rock band. Kim is interested. He introduces Joan to Sandy West, a drummer. Joan and Sandy become friends and start jamming when Kim suggests that they recruit a hot blonde in the vein of Brigitte Bardot.