Cool!
1. JC 120 is EXACTLY the opposite of what you 'say' you are looking for. That is a very specific amp, the ultimate in clean, sparkly tones. If you want some crunch, you're going to be VERY disappointed with a JC 120.
I suggest you try something with some adjustablility, and a lower power, and some tubes.
Right off the bat, something like this, that you can find at Guitar Center:
Fender: These amps have three channels with a footswitch, and you can get a pretty good variety of sounds. These amps also rarely break.
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III 40W 1x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp and more Guitar Amplifiers at GuitarCenter.com.
These Blackhearts are actually really neat little amps:
Blackheart BH5-112 5W 1x12 Little Giant Tube Combo Amp and more Guitar Amplifiers at GuitarCenter.com.
Slightly more expensive, but with a drive knob.
Blackheart BH15-112 Handsome Devil Series 15W 1x12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp and more Guitar Amplifiers at GuitarCenter.com.
These Marshalls are nice amps, it's sort of a 'one-trick-pony', but perfect for the kind of music you were talking about. Turn it up and play, no pedals, no BS.
Marshall Class 5 5W 1x10 Tube Guitar Combo Amp and more Guitar Amplifiers at GuitarCenter.com.
Don't be temped by the cheaper amps that can do 'everything.' They can't. Someone will get on this thread and try to get you to buy a Roland Cube amp, which is a really fun amp and almost an exception to the 'cheap amp' rule, but it's still a cheap, cheezy amp.
2. Guitar:
Strats are cool, the type of music you say you like tends to sound more like Les Pauls, or something with P-90s or the like. The nice thing about a Strat though is you have a really broad palette. You need to find a guitar that feels good to you, and the rest will come later.