Obituary: Sandy West

Sandy West, whose ferocious drumming fuelled the influential all-female '70s rock band the Runaways, has died of lung cancer. She was 47.

West was only 16 when she co-founded the Runaways in 1975 with singer and guitarist Joan Jett. With band members Lita Ford and Cherie Currie, they had such hits as Cherry Bomb and Born to be Bad. "We shared the dream of girls playing rock and roll. Sandy was an exuberant and powerful drummer," Jett said in a statement. "I am overcome from the loss of my friend. I always told her we changed the world."

The Runaways headlined shows with such performers as Cheap Trick and Tom Petty as opening acts. Following the band's breakup in 1979, West continued to perform as a singer, guitarist and drummer with the Sandy West Band. She also released a solo EP CD.