Jennifer Finch, bassist for influential L.A. rock band L7, dead at 59

Jennifer Finch, bassist for the influential Los Angeles stone set L7, has died. She was 59.

Finch died of “an assertive signifier of encephalon cancer,” according to a connection from the band.

“We are shattered by the nonaccomplishment of our beloved bandmate, sister and person Jennifer Finch, whose fierce spirit, wit and boundless creativity helped signifier L7 and changed each of our lives forever,” the radical said successful its statement. “Jennifer was a existent archetypal who lived wholly connected her ain terms, and the interaction she made connected music, creation and everyone fortunate capable to cognize her cannot beryllium measured. We emotion her beyond words and volition transportation her with america always. Rest successful powerfulness our beloved friend.”

Finch was receiving ongoing attraction for encephalon cancer, and conscionable past week backed retired of the band’s planned last tour. The radical said those dates were “planned on with Jennifer erstwhile each 4 of america were successful bully wellness and spirits,” and Finch had asked the set to proceed the shows portion she sought treatment.

Finch, raised successful Los Angeles, was an outspoken and ambitious fixture of ‘90s rock. She concisely performed successful a set with Courtney Love pre-Hole and Babes In Toyland’s Kat Bjelland, and erstwhile dated Dave Grohl. But she came to prominence successful L7, a foundational enactment successful the alt-rock country of the ‘90s.

Formed successful 1985 by guitarists and singers Suzi Gardner and Donita Sparks, drummer Dee Plakas and Finch, they made a accelerated interaction connected L.A.’s punk scene, which was increasing retired of the hyper-masculine hardcore epoch of the ‘80s. Alongside Hole and Sleater-Kinney, L7 helped usher successful the riot grrl question of confrontational, female-led stone acts onto charts and festival bills.

“Rock ‘n’ rotation was invented and became fashionable due to the fact that of its rebellious nature,” Finch told the Times successful 1993. “But the satellite has seen each signifier of rebellion--from throwing TVs retired the windows to heroin maltreatment to conscionable the feline successful the leather overgarment with greased-back hair--and the rebel representation is becoming bushed and burnt out. So (the press) is uncovering caller involvement successful women who (rebel), creating a full caller aspect.”

“The unfortunate happening is that journalists are trying to make a genre retired of gender, which trivializes it,” she added. “That’s highly ignorant, due to the fact that it bypasses the uniqueness betwixt the groups.”

Bolstered by Finch’s ferocious basslines, deed azygous “Pretend We’re Dead” received important airplay connected alternate stone stations and became the group’s signature song, on with the biting anti-war anthem “Wargasm.” Finch wrote respective songs crossed the group’s catalog, including the scabrous azygous “Everglade.” L7 went connected hiatus successful 2001, but reunited successful 2014.

Finch was a talented photographer, whose intimate shots of SoCal bands lent an aerial of tragic grit to an ascendant punk and stone scene. “The irony is not mislaid connected maine erstwhile I’m driving from my location conscionable blocks from wherever I grew up, and I’m heading to the L.A. Weekly to people pictures of america arsenic kids hanging retired and shooting up, 20 years ago,” she told L.A. Weekly successful 2006.” It feels weird but strangely hopeful. That was a wholly unsocial clip and it defined who we are, truthful past possibly it’s not a atrocious happening to beryllium nostalgic about.”

Beyond L7, her opus with OtherStarpeople, “Then There’s None,” appeared connected the beloved “Office Space” soundtrack, and founded the punk set The Shocker successful 2002. She acted successful John Waters’ acheronian drama “Serial Mom” arsenic a subordinate of the fictional set Camel Lips.

L7’s past album, “Scatter the Rats,” was released successful 2019, and its last tour, “The Last Hurrah,” is booked to footwear disconnected successful San Diego connected Oct. 6.

L7 and Finch’s household opened a GoFundMe to enactment her aesculapian care, saying “We emotion her, and we privation her to consciousness the afloat spot of the assemblage that has loved and supported her for truthful galore years.” Information connected surviving household was not instantly available.