Jennifer Finch, the bassist and co-founder of the ’90s feminist grunge band L7, has died. Finch was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2011 and, more recently, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her bandmates shared the news of her death on Saturday (July 18) along with a statement on Instagram, calling her a “beloved bandmate, friend, and fellow troublemaker.” Finch was 59.
“We are shattered by the loss of our beloved bandmate, sister and friend Jennifer Finch, whose fierce spirit, humor and boundless creativity helped shape L7 and changed all of our lives forever,” L7 wrote in a longer statement shared with Pitchfork. “Jennifer was a true original who lived entirely on her own terms, and the impact she made on music, art and everyone lucky enough to know her cannot be measured. We love her beyond words and will carry her with us always. Rest in power our dear friend. With Love, L7.”
When Finch was initially diagnosed with brain cancer, she was advised to treat it with radiation, but as time passed, “unforeseen complications” resulted in her needing to undergo multiple surgeries. The severe physical limitations of those procedures required extensive medical care, leading her L7 bandmates to share a GoFundMe to cover Finch’s medical expenses and at-home care.
Finch formed L7 with drummer Dee Plakas and singer-guitarists Suzi Gardner and Donita Sparks in 1985. During their original run, L7 recorded six albums, including their 1992 staple Bricks Are Heavy. They were vocal champions for women’s rights and the feminist movement at large, and used their platform to push for political change, including the formation of the Rock for Choice concerts in 1991. L7’s biggest crossover hit was “Pretend We’re Dead,” a deceptively sunny single that laments the political and socioeconomic structures that marginalize women, which became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.
After announcing in 2014 that they planned to get back together, L7 officially returned the following year with extensive reunion tours. They started working on new material with similarly confrontational lyrics, such as “Dispatch From Mar-a-Lago” and “I Came Back to Bitch,” and were the subject of a new documentary, L7: Pretend We’re Dead by Sarah Price. Come 2019, L7 rolled out their first album in 20 years, Scatter the Rats.
L7 celebrated their 40th anniversary last year with a special concert at the Belasco in Los Angeles. They also had plans to embark on their Last Hurrah farewell tour without Finch, which is set for this fall, after receiving a blessing from the late bassist to do so.
This story is developing.
