Jango Song Of The Day-Violent Femmes

Artist:Violent Femmes
Song:Add It Up
Album:Permanent Record: The Very Best Of The Violent Femmes





Though The Violent Femmes never had any traditional hit singles, their albums sold very well and they were one of the most durable and popular bands of the post punk era of the 80s. And the end of punk was how the band started in Milwaukee. Bassist Brian Ritchie and drummer Victor DeLorenzo started working together but didn't become a band until lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Gordon Gano joined. The name Violent Femmes is based on Milwaukee slang for wimps. They started out playing coffeehouses and busking on streetcorners. They were playing in front of the Oriental Theatre on Aug. 23, 1981 when they were spotted by The Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott. The Pretenders were performing at the Oriental. The Violent Femmes auditioned that night and this led to a contract with Slash Records with Warner Bros. distribution. Their 1982 debut album Violent Femmes was a mix of punk and Gano's deep affection for roots music. He says he wrote Add It Up while lying in bed frustrated about his sex life. The angst of songs like this gained Violent Femmes a significant cult following. The band's sound evolved to a more roots oriented sound. They split up in 1987 but reformed after Gano recorded a solo album. Slash had been sold to London Records so Violent Femmes signed with Reprise. DeLorenzo left in 1993 and was replaced by Guy Hoffman of The BoDeans. They left Warners in 1994 and recorded two albums for the Aussie label Beyond. They continued to record until they split up in 2005. This Rhino comp is a great intro to their music. Ritchie sued Gano over song rights after a Violent Femmes song was used in a Wendy's commercial. Gano now leads Gordon Gano & The Ryans and Ritchie has toured with a couple of bands. Here's the Violent Femmes performing Add It Up at the Lyceum in London Oct. 24, 1984.