L7 bassist Jennifer Finch dies days after revealing cancer diagnosis

Jennifer Finch, the longtime bassist for the influential grunge band L7, has died at the age of 59 following a battle with brain cancer. Finch had previously been diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2011 but revealed earlier this month that she had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her passing was confirmed by her bandmates, who posted the news on Saturday through L7’s official Instagram account. Finch had been set to join L7 on their “The Last Hurrah” farewell tour this year but withdrew last week after disclosing her brain cancer diagnosis. She gave her blessing for the band to continue without her. Her bandmates described her as a “beloved bandmate, friend, and fellow troublemaker.” Donita Sparks, Suzi Gardner, and Demetra “Dee” Plakas, members of L7, expressed their grief over her loss, noting that she had faced her illness with courage and was cherished by many around the world. A GoFundMe campaign initiated by friends and family to support her medical expenses quickly exceeded its target, raising nearly $400,000. Despite undergoing initial radiation therapy, Finch encountered unforeseen complications that required multiple surgeries and a series of challenging health setbacks. Born on August 5, 1966, in Los Angeles, Finch was adopted by her parents and grew up immersed in the city’s vibrant punk and alternative rock scene. She developed a passion for photography, capturing images of key figures in the genre such as The Cramps and Bad Religion. In the early 1980s, she played bass for Sugar Babydoll, a band led by future Hole frontwoman Courtney Love, and later for The Pandoras. Finch joined L7 in 1986, shortly after Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner founded the band. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1988 through Epitaph, an influential independent record label. After the addition of drummer Dee Plakas, L7’s 1990 album Smell The Magic positioned them among the few non-Seattle bands signed to Sub Pop and as one of the earliest all-female groups during the grunge movement. Finch’s relationship with Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl was once a topic of interest within the music community. The band’s 1992 album Bricks Are Heavy is regarded as one of the most significant works of the era, featuring the track Pretend We’re Dead, which offered a sharp critique of the marginalization of women in society while maintaining a catchy melody. L7 co-founded the Rock for Choice concert series in 1991, aimed at supporting reproductive rights. While the band’s music addressed themes of feminism and social justice, they did not explicitly position themselves as a feminist group. Sparks explained in a 2019 interview with Double J that their songwriting stemmed from personal experiences rather than a deliberate attempt to craft feminist lyrics. In 1996, two years after the release of their fourth album Hungry for Stink, Finch left L7 and pursued opportunities with other bands such as OtherStarPeople and The Shocker. She also established her own record label, Little Pusher Records. Following a contentious split in 2001, L7 reunited in 2014, and Finch returned to the band, contributing to their 2019 reunion album Scatter The Rats. Since their reunion, L7 has continued touring extensively, performing headline sets and festival appearances across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In 2023, they completed a tour showcasing the entirety of Bricks Are Heavy. Notable figures in the music industry, including Courtney Love, Kathryn Valentine of the Go-Go's, Lunachicks, and Garbage, have expressed their condolences upon learning of Finch’s death.