Kenneth Benjamin "Kenny" Laguna (born January 30, 1954) is an American songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Joan Jett.He was born in Greenwich Village, New York City, and started playing piano at high school dances from the age of twelve. In the late 1960s he worked as a songwriter and producer with Super K Productions, established at Buddah Records by producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeffrey Katz, writing songs for such acts as Tony Orlando, The Ohio Express and The Lemon Pipers, often in association with writers Bo Gentry, Bobby Bloom and Ritchie Cordell. Laguna played keyboards for a time with Tommy James and the Shondells, and played on their 1968 hit single "Mony Mony"; he also played keyboards on the second Ohio Express album, Yummy Yummy. Some other credits that Kenny Laguna can be seen on include playing on and singing backgrounds for Simon Says, Goody Goody Gumdrops, Indian Give, and most of the 1910 Fruitgum Company's record 1 2 3 Red Light, playing on "Gimmee Gimmee Good Lovin" by the Crazy Elephant, The Lemon Pipers' "Green Tambourine", as well as "This Magic Moment" and "Walkin' in the Rain" by Jay and the Americans.One of his most successful writing credits was for "Groovin' With Mr Bloe", originally a throwaway B-side for Tony Orlando's group Wind. The tune was covered in the UK by studio musicians calling themselves Mr. Bloe, and reached #2 on the UK singles chart in 1970; the original version was reissued, credited to Cool Heat, and scraped into the US chart. Laguna also worked on the soundtrack of the Andy Warhol film Lonesome Cowboys, and worked as a producer in Los Angeles with singers Darlene Love and Bill Medley, formerly of The Righteous Brothers. He played or sang on more than 50 Billboard Top 40 hits by 1972.In the mid 1970s he worked for a time in Britain, and produced a series of albums with the Steve Gibbons Band, as well as their UK hit single "Tulane", a cover of a Chuck Berry song. He also worked in Los Angeles, as a writer and producer for Beserkley Records, on songs by and for Jonathan Richman, Greg Kihn, Earth Quake and others. With Earth Quake and label boss Matthew "King" Kaufman, he recorded a version of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven", rewritten with the lyrics to the theme song of the television show Gilligan's Island. The record was issued as a single, by Little Roger and the Goosebumps, but the label was threatened with legal action by Led Zeppelin's lawyers and copies were destroyed. It was eventually reissued in 2000 on the compilation CD Laguna Tunes.Laguna met, and began working with, Joan Jett, shortly after the break-up of The Runaways in 1979. Working with Cordell and others, he won her a solo record deal and co-produced her solo albums including Bad Reputation (1980), and I Love Rock 'n' Roll (1981). He established Blackheart Records with Jett in the early 1980s. In 1982 he also produced English band Bow Wow Wow's hit version of "I Want Candy
Video writer: "Bad Reputation" concert version, "Bad Reputation" original version, "Fake Friends", "The French Song", "Good Music", "Eye To Eye"
Wonderland
2003
writer: "Bad Reputation" 1981
The Sweet Life
2003
performer: "Sudden Death", "Sherry" / producer: "The Sweet Life", "Fetish", "Watersign", "Groovin' With Mr. Bloe, "Sherry" / writer: "The Sweet Life", "Watersign", "Groovin' With Mr. Bloe, "Sudden Death", "Sherry"
Getting There
2002
Video producer: "Roadrunner"
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts: Live!
2001
Video writer: "Bad Reputation"
Shrek
2001
writer: "Bad Reputation" 1981
Freaks and Geeks
1999-2000
TV Series writer - 18 episodes
Margaret Cho: I'm the One That I Want
2000
TV Special documentary writer: "Bad Reputation" - as Kenneth Laguna
Boogie Boy
1998
producer: "Full Cycle" / writer: "Full Cycle"
Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life
1997
TV Special writer: "Bad Reputation"
Dangerous Offender: The Marlene Moore Story
1996
TV Movie producer: "I LOVE ROCK' N ROLL"
Striptease
1996
writer: "Frustrated"
Mr. Wrong
1996
producer: "LOVE STINKS"
Days of Thunder
1990
producer: "Long Live the Night"
Light of Day
1987
writer: "This Means War", "Rabbit's Got the Gun"
The American Way
1986
writer: "Fantasy"
Du-beat-e-o
1984
writer: "You Don't Know What You've Got", "I Want You", "Tell Me", "You Can't Get Me", "We're All Crazy Now"
Cool Cats: 25 Years of Rock 'n' Roll Style
1983
Video documentary writer: "Bad Reputation" - uncredited
Flashdance
1983
producer: "I Love Rock 'n Roll"
Urgh! A Music War
1981
Documentary writer: "Bad Reputation"
Stardust
1974
writer: "You Kept Me Waiting", "Make Me Good" - as Ken Laguna
The Johnny Farnham Special
1969
TV Movie writer: "Baby, I'm Happy Without You"
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
F.M.L.
2011
Short music supervisor
The Runaways
2010
music consultant
Freaks and Geeks
2000
TV Series composer - 5 episodes
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hooked
TV Movie executive producer post-production
Undateable John
executive producer post-production
FML the Series
2012
TV Series producer
The Runaways
2010
executive producer
Real Wild Child: Joan Jett Music Video Anthology
2003
Video producer
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Endless Bummer
2009
Mr. Canadianedas
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Searching for Bobby D
2005
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
L7: Pretend We're Dead
2017
thanks
Vito
2011
Documentary special thanks
In Twilight's Shadow
2008
Short special gratitude
Whether You Like It or Not: The Story of Hedwig
2003
Video documentary special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Dare to Be Different
2017
Documentary post-production
Himself - Joan Jett - manager, Tommy James and the Shondells-singer
Late Show with David Letterman
2014
TV Series
Himself
The Queen Latifah Show
2014
TV Series
Himself - Musical Guest
The Talk
2013
TV Series
Himself
The View
2013
TV Series
Himself
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2013
TV Series
Himself
The Bayou: DC's Killer Joint
2013
Documentary
Himself
Jammin'
2006
TV Series
Himself
The Gits
2005
Documentary
Himself - Interviewee
Real Wild Child: Joan Jett Music Video Anthology
2003
Video
Himself
The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll with Gene Simmons