Violent Femmes
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| Violent Femmes | ||
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 Violent Femmes in concert.
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA | |
| Genre(s) | Alternative rock Folk punk |
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| Years active | 1980 - present | |
| Label(s) | Slash, Reprise, Elektra, Mushroom, Beyond | |
| Website | Official website | |
| Members | ||
| Victor DeLorenzo Brian Ritchie Gordon Gano Guy Hoffman |
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This article is about the band. For the self-titled album, see Violent Femmes (album)
The Violent Femmes — formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1980 — is an American alternative rock band based around four core members.
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[edit] History
The Violent Femmes were founded by Brian Ritchie (bassist), and Victor DeLorenzo (percussionist) as a rhythm section, and became a full-fledged band upon the arrival of Gordon Gano (singer/guitarist). In its early days, the band frequently played coffee houses and street corners. They were discovered (and subsequently forgotten) by James Honeyman-Scott (of The Pretenders) August 23, 1981 when the band was busking on a street corner in front of the Oriental Theatre, the Milwaukee venue that The Pretenders would be playing later that night. Chrissie Hynde invited them to play a brief acoustic set after the opening act.[1] The band signed to Slash Records and released a self-titled album that they had recorded in July 1982. The music was an innovative combination of American folk music and Punk rock, and commonly referred to as "folk-punk". The lyrics were the common adolescent themes of yearning for love, sex and affection. The group quickly gained a small cult following that never burgeoned into widespread popularity, although a few songs from this album did get some recognition ("Add It Up", "Blister in the Sun", "Gone Daddy Gone", "Kiss Off", and "Please Do Not Go"). The debut album went platinum 10 years after its release, the only album ever to achieve platinum status without ever charting in the Billboard Top 200.
The following year, the Violent Femmes released Hallowed Ground, which moved the group to a more country music sound and introduced spiritual themes. Their third album, The Blind Leading the Naked, produced by fellow Milwaukee native Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads, was more mainstream and pop-oriented, resulting in a minor hit with "Children of the Revolution" (originally by T. Rex). The group then disbanded, with Gano releasing an album in 1987, the result of a gospel side project Mercy Seat. Ritchie also released several solo LPs. The group came back together in late 1988, releasing 3 and then Why Do Birds Sing? (1991), after signing to Reprise.
In 1993, DeLorenzo departed the group to act and make solo records. Guy Hoffman (formerly of the Oil Tasters and BoDeans) was brought in to tour what was to become one of their biggest selling records, the Add It Up (1981-1993) collection (1993). Over the next nine years, Hoffman recorded five full-length CDs and a handful of one-offs for motion picture soundtracks and other compilation projects. New Times (1994), Elektra Records), and Rock!!!!! (1995), Mushroom Records) was released in 1995 in Australia only.
Viva Wisconsin, a live album, was released in the United States in 1999 on the independent label Beyond, and was followed by Freak Magnet in 2000. Something's Wrong (2001), an album of unreleased studio tracks, covers, demos, and acoustic live performances was released as an MP3-only album through emusic.com. The following year in the winter of 2002, Ritchie and DeLorenzo were requested by Rhino Records to repackage their debut 1983 album along with demos and live tracks to coincide with a 20th anniversary reissue. DeLorenzo asked to rejoin for what was to be a farewell tour, thus reinstating the old lineup.
2005 saw the release of two collections of past work. A CD called Permanent Record: The Very Best of Violent Femmes (Slash/Rhino) and a DVD, Permanent Record - Live & Otherwise (Rhino), which showcases a concert performance from 1991, and also many of the group's videos. The CD is the first record that recognizes all four musicians and their contributions on the same disc.
After touring in promotion of Freak Magnet and finding only limited success, the band decided that they would no longer make new music, but would continue to play shows when booked. Their tour schedule has become increasingly busy. On New Year's Eve of 2005, and for one show in January of 2006, all four Violent Femmes members played together in the same shows.
[edit] Horns of Dilemma
In their shows, the Femmes employ a horn section called the Horns of Dilemma. For many years, it consisted of Peter Balestrieri, and Steve MacKay (from the Stooges) on saxophones and Sigmund Snopek III on keyboards and various instruments. It was augmented by whatever musicians the band invited to play with them on a particular night. The band now uses local acquaintances, famous or otherwise, friends, relatives, or associates of the band. Instrumentation varies widely and includes saxophones, trumpets, trombones, sousaphone, flute, clarinet, antique hunting horn, kazoo, and percussion. When the band plays "Black Girls" or "Confessions," the only instructions given to the players are to play as freely and wildly as possible. The group doesn't back up the band in the way that a traditional horn section would; they provide a free-form noise jam. Famous members have included John Zorn, Dick Parry, Blaise Garza and The Dresden Dolls. Longtime band associates and employees who have played with the Horns include soundman Caleb Alexander, and manager Darren Brown.
In addition to the horn section itself, members include any additional musicians playing with the band. Additional Horns of Dilemma include John Sparrow, who plays cajón box, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Hamilton on guitar, bass, mandolin, bass trumpet and harmonica. Various bassists stand in for Ritchie during "Gone Daddy Gone," when he plays xylophone.
[edit] Trivia
- The Violent Femmes were the final band to ever play at Auckland's His Majestys Theatre before its controversial 1988 demolition.
- Gordon Gano played Mr. Zank, the first of many substitute math teachers in an episode of The Adventures of Pete & Pete ("X=Why?").
- The band appeared on the early-1990s sitcom Clarissa Explains It All.
- They have also been featured as themselves in one episode of the TV Show Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: one of the characters was infatuated with Gordon Gano, and concocted a scheme to win his affections.
- In 1991, author Audrey Niffenegger attended a Violent Femmes concert at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. She later incorporated this concert into an episode in her novel, The Time Traveler's Wife.
- The Violent Femmes' song "Good Feeling" was featured in the "Best Prom Ever" episode of How I Met Your Mother, and is Marshall and Lily's song.
- Juliana Hatfield refers to the Violent Femmes in her song "My Sister" from her album Become what you are. She says her first all-ages show was the Violent Femmes and the Del Fuegos/Before they had a record out/Before they went gold.
- In 2007, they returned to the Big Day Out festival, having attended the first ever Big Day Out in 1992.
- In 1996 the band made a guest appearance on the Elliott Murphy album Selling The Gold - Elliott Murphy wrote the liner notes for Add It Up (1981-1993).
- On 26 February 2006, the band played a single sell-out performance in the UK at The Shepherds Bush Empire, London, to promote their Permanent Record: The Very Best Of album.
- The band recorded a cover of the song "I Swear It(I Can Change)" for the South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut Soundtrack.
- The Violent Femmes' song "Gone Daddy Gone" was featured in the first episode of Men in Trees.
- In 2005, the Violent Femmes' song "Add it Up" was selected to the soundtrack of Tony Hawk's Underground 2 video game.
- According to an interview Brian Ritchie gave in Australia's Time Off magazine in 2000, almost all the band's songs were written by Gano at the age of fifteen in a single, manic episode of creativity.
- The guitar riff from "Blister In The Sun" was played in a Wendy's fast food commercial in 2007.
- Claire Danes dances to "Blister In The Sun" in episode 19 ("In Dreams Begin Responsibilities") of My So-Called Life.
[edit] Members
- Gordon Gano - Singer/Guitarist/Fiddler/Songwriter
- Brian Ritchie - Bassist/Multi-Instrumentalist (e.g., xylophone, Shakuhachi)
- Victor DeLorenzo (1981-1993, 2002-2006) - Drummer
- Guy Hoffman (1993-2002, 2006) - Drummer
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio albums
 Reissued June 18, 2002 |
 Slash Records |
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 Reprise Records |
 Elektra Records |
 Beyond Records |
[edit] Compilation albums
 Digital download |
[edit] Live albums
 Beyond Records |
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[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Modern Rock | |||
| 1983 | "Gimme The Car" | #147 [UK Chart] | (Unknown) released by Rough Trade Records |
| 1989 | "Nightmares" | #4 | 3 |
| 1991 | "American Music" | #2 | Why Do Birds Sing? |
| 1994 | "Breakin' Up" | #12 | New Times |
[edit] DVDs
- Permanent Record - Live & Otherwise (2005)
- No, Let's Start Over (2006)
[edit] Cover Versions
- 2007 Paddy Milner, 'Blister In The Sun' on the album 'Based On A True Story'
- 2006 Gnarls Barkley, 'Gone Daddy Gone' on the album St.Elsewhere
[edit] References
- ^ Milw. Journal Aug. 24, 1981
[edit] Interviews
[edit] Radio
- Radio Interview. Nov 2006 - 3SYN 90.7FM Melbourne, Australia
