RIP: ‘I Love Rock and Roll’ co-writer Alan Merill dead at 69 due to complications from coronavirus.

A decade ago, England’s Sound on Sound had a fascinating article as part of its “Classic Tracks” series on how Joan Jett’s hit version of the song came together: “Joan Jett’s heartfelt reworking of the Arrows’ ‘I Love Rock & Roll’ became an international hit and turned her career around. [Producer] Glen Kolotkin tells us how it happened…as Merrill later explained, it had been their ‘knee‑jerk response to the Rolling Stones’ ‘It’s Only Rock & Roll’,’ which they viewed as Mick Jagger’s ‘apology to those jet‑set princes and princesses that he was hanging around with.’”