Jennifer Finch, L7 Bassist and Tireless Indie-Rock Champion, Dies After Battle With Brain Cancer
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- Jennifer Finch, bassist and co-founder of L7, died Saturday at 59 after a battle with aggressive brain cancer, just days after announcing her diagnosis in early July.
- L7 released a statement saying they were "shattered" by the loss, calling Finch's "fierce spirit, humor and boundless creativity" central to the band's identity.
- A GoFundMe launched last week to fund Finch's treatment surpassed its $350,000 goal with contributions from members of Green Day, Pearl Jam, Tool and many others.
- L7's 1992 album "Bricks Are Heavy," produced by Butch Vig and released via Slash Records with Warner Bros. distribution, featured the band's signature hit "Pretend We're Dead."
- Before her music career, Finch was a self-taught photographer who documented the early-1980s L.A. punk scene—her images of Redd Kross, Bad Religion and the Cramps were later displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- Molly Neuman, drummer of Bratmobile, called Finch "an inspiration in everything I've ever done," underscoring her outsized influence on women in indie rock.
- Finch had joined a reformed L7 in 2014 and continued performing with the band through this year, releasing "Scatter the Rats" on Joan Jett's Blackheart Records in 2019.
Why it matters: Finch's death removes a foundational figure from the '90s alt-rock era, but the rapid-fire $350,000 GoFundMe response from across rock's biggest names demonstrates her influence extended well beyond L7's core audience. For women in punk, her trajectory from self-taught L.A. scene photographer to alt-rock trailblazer represents a direct lineage to the Riot Grrrl movement and acts like Bratmobile.
