Band, 1980-1987 US, Milwaukee
Rock
A.k.a. Brian Ritchie, Victor De Lorenzo & Gordon Gano
Violent Femmes were founded in 1980 by bassist/multi-instrumentalist Brian Ritchie and drummer Victor De Lorenzo. The name is a contradiction in terms, “Violent” being self-explanatory and “Femmes” being Milwaukee slang for wimp. The rhythm section added high school singer/songwriter Gordon Gano in 1981. Gano and Ritchie had previously performed together at Gano’s National Honor Society induction ceremony, where they caused a near riot. Gano was expelled from the Society and suspended from high school for this outrage. One of the only stable aspects of the band is their aversion to rehearsal. Due to this they would take the music to the streets in an attempt to hone it and earn some spare change. It was on one of these occasions that they were spotted by the Pretenders. Chrissie Hynde and the gang were so amused by the Violent Femmes antics that they invited the band to open the show for them. The hometown Milwaukee audience received the Femmes with unanimous booing. However by the end of the set the Femmes had converted approximately 50% of the audience to their cause. Many years later Brian Ritchie encountered Hynde when the Femmes and Pretenders shared the bill at a radio concert. She said, “Oh, you’re still around.” The Femmes borrowed $10,000 from Victor De Lorenzo’s dad to record their legendary first album in 1982. Slash Records in Los Angeles was the only label to offer them a deal with the amazing advance of $0. The band accepted the deal and started on the predictable round of world tours, recording, more world tours, nervous breakdowns, band members quitting, solo albums, regrouping, more touring, divorces, more crackups, dropped from record deals, new deals, more touring, record company going bankrupt, lawsuits, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum. Fast forward to the present. Many things have changed. One thing that hasn’t is the sound of the band. Their loose, improvisational, acoustic sound is timeless.
Steven Mackay sax, ts 1949-2015 US | |
Gordon Gano voc, g, vn *1963 US | |
Brian Ritchie eb, voc, b *1960 US | |
Guy Hoffman voc, dr, perc *1954 US | |
Victor DeLorenzo dr, voc, perc *1954 US | |
Darren Brown tr, cor | |
Brian Viglione dr, perc *1979 US | |
Jeff Hamilton voc |
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
2 Mics & The Truth: Unplugged & Unhinged In America | Violent Femmes | 2017 | Album |
We Can Do Anything | Violent Femmes | 2016 | Album |
Memory b/w You Move Me | Violent Femmes | 2016 | Single |
Love Love Love Love Love | Violent Femmes | 2015 | Album |
Happy New Year | Violent Femmes | 2015 | Album |
Original Album Series | Violent Femmes | 2011 | Album |
Crazy | Violent Femmes | 2008 | Album |
Live At The Haçienda | Violent Femmes | 2007 | Album |
Violent Femmes - Archive Series Nos. 1 & 2 | Violent Femmes | 2007 | Compil. |
Live In Chicago: Q101 | Violent Femmes | 2006 | Album |
Live In Iceland: According To Tradition | Violent Femmes | 2006 | Album |
No, Let's Start Over | Violent Femmes | 2006 | Album |
BBC Live | Violent Femmes | 2006 | Album |
Permanent Record: Live & Otherwise | Violent Femmes | 2005 | Album |
Permanent Record: The Very Best Of Violent Femmes | Violent Femmes | 2005 | Compil. |
Permanent Record: Live & Otherwise | Violent Femmes | 2005 | Album |
Something's Wrong | Violent Femmes | 2001 | Album |
Freak Magnet | Violent Femmes | 2000 | Album |
Sleepwalkin' | Violent Femmes | 2000 | Single |
All I Want | Violent Femmes | 2000 | Single |
Sleepwalkin' | Violent Femmes | 1999 | Album |
Viva Wisconsin (Live) | Violent Femmes | 1999 | Album |
Blister In The Sun | Violent Femmes | 1997 | Single |
Tonight | Violent Femmes | 1995 | Single |
Rock!!!!! | Violent Femmes | 1995 | Album |
New Times | Violent Femmes | 1994 | Album |
Breakin' Up | Violent Femmes | 1994 | Single |
Don't Start Me On The Liquor | Violent Femmes | 1994 | Single |
Machine | Violent Femmes | 1994 | Single |
Add It Up (1981-1993) | Violent Femmes | 1993 | Compil. |
Add It Up (1981-1993) | Violent Femmes | 1993 | Compil. |
American Music Live 1991 | Violent Femmes | 1993 | Album |
Kiss Off | Violent Femmes | 1992 | Album |
Film Noir | Violent Femmes | 1992 | Album |
In Concert-519 | Violent Femmes | 1991 | Album |
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? | Violent Femmes | 1991 | Single |
Why Do Birds Sing? | Violent Femmes | 1991 | Album |
American Music | Violent Femmes | 1991 | Single |
Special (Live) / Money Is Not Our God (Hideous Remix) | Violent Femmes / Killing Joke | 1991 | Single |
Used To Be | Violent Femmes | 1991 | Single |
Debacle: The First Decade | Violent Femmes | 1990 | Compil. |
3 On 3 | Violent Femmes | 1989 | Compil. |
Nightmares / World We're Living In | Violent Femmes | 1989 | Single |
3 | Violent Femmes | 1988 | Album |
World We're Living In | Violent Femmes | 1988 | Single |
Children Of The Revolution | Violent Femmes | 1986 | Single |
The Blind Leading The Naked | Violent Femmes | 1986 | Album |
I Held Her In My Arms | Violent Femmes | 1986 | Single |
Les Enfants Du Rock 'N' Roll | Violent Femmes | 1985 | Album |
Hallowed Ground / It's Gonna Rain | Violent Femmes | 1984 | Single |
It's Gonna Rain | Violent Femmes | 1984 | Single |
Hallowed Ground | Violent Femmes | 1984 | Album |
Dance Motherf.... | Violent Femmes | 1984 | Album |
Violent Femmes | Violent Femmes | 1983 | Album |
Ugly / Gimme The Car | Violent Femmes | 1983 | Single |
Gone Daddy Gone | Violent Femmes | 1983 | Single |