Violent Femmes — artist
The Violent Femmes formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the early '80s, made up of singer/guitarist , bassist , and percussionist Victor DeLorenzo. After being discovered by ' James Honeyman-Scott while they were busking on the street, the band signed to and issued their self-titled debut, a melodic folk-punk collection which struck an obvious chord with young listeners who felt a strong connection to bitter, frustrated songs like "Blister in the Sun," "Kiss Off," and "Add It Up." Though never a chart hit, the album remained a rite of passage for succeeding generations of teen outsiders, and after close to a decade in release, it finally achieved platinum status. With 1984's Hallowed Ground, 's lyrics began to reflect his devout Baptist upbringing, while the Femmes' music approached more traditional folk and country structures. Produced by ' , 1986's The Blind Leading the Naked advanced toward a more mainstream sound; a cover of the chestnut "Children of the Revolution" even became a minor hit. After the record's release, the Femmes temporarily disbanded: recorded a self-titled 1987 album with his gospel side project , while issued a series of solo LPs including 1987's The Blend and 1989's Sonic Temple & Court of Babylon for . (I See a Noise appeared on in 1990.) In 1989, the group resurfaced with 3, followed by 1991's Why Do Birds Sing?, which featured the Femmes' deconstructionist cover of 's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" Following the release of the 1993 compilation Add It Up (1981-1993), DeLorenzo exited the Violent Femmes to resume the solo career he began two years prior with the release of Peter Corey Sent Me; his sophomore effort, Pancake Day, appeared in 1996. Former and drummer Guy Hoffman was tapped as DeLorenzo's replacement in time to record 1994's New Times for , which proved their sole release for the label. Rock!!!!! was released in 1995 on only in Australia; the live Viva Wisconsin followed on the American indie label in 1999, trailed early the next year by a new studio effort, Freak Magnet. In the spring of 2001, the Femmes released their first MP3-only album, Something's Wrong, through the website EMusic.com; it collected an assortment of rarities, including covers, acoustic live tracks, alternate versions, demos, and the like. In 2002, / reissued their debut as a two-disc deluxe edition that featured 22 previously unreleased tracks, followed by Permanent Record: The Very Best Of in 2005. The Violent Femmes closed out 2005 with a New Year's Eve show featuring all three original members and Guy Hoffman. This union was punctured in 2007 when filed a lawsuit against , seeking proper accounting of royalties while also claiming he was denied credit for songwriting; additionally, he stated licensed "Blister in the Sun" for use in a Wendy's commercial without permission. During the lawsuit, the Violent Femmes managed to release a single -- a cover of 's "Crazy," appearing in June of 2008 -- but the tensions caused the group to split in 2009. and settled out of court in 2012 and the Violent Femmes reunited in 2013, playing a number of shows, including a slot at that year's Coachella festival, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of their landmark debut.
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