"Let me go on, like I blister in the sun,
Let me go on, big hands I know you're the one."

From the city of Milwaukee, WI, came one of the most energetic and beloved underground bands ever to emerge from college radio. Comprised of singer Gordon Gano, bassist Brian Ritchie and drummer Victor DeLorenzo, The Violent Femmes spoke to every disillusioned and angst filled-teen within earshot.

Leader Gordon Gano wrote much of their material while still in high school, and managed to get kicked out of the National Honor Society for singing “Gimme the Car” at a school assembly in the process. He formed the Violent Femmes, which pretty well described the combination of punk attitude, with a folk approach to the music, featuring liberal use of acoustic guitars. The band caught the attention of late Pretenders guitarist, James Honeyman Scott, who helped the band get a deal with Slash Records in 1982. Their self-titled debut didn’t do so well on the charts, but it did resonate with a young fan base, featuring songs such as “Blister in the Sun,” “Add It Up” and “Gone Daddy Gone.” It would eventually go platinum. (Take that, mainstream radio!)

They followed up in 1984 with the more mature sounding, but no less edgy, album, Hallowed Ground, a dark spiritual journey, with a tinge of country music added to the mix. Next, they turned to Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads to produce their third offering, The Blind Leading the Naked, which featured a cover of the T-Rex-penned “Children of the Revolution,” which turned into a minor hit for the band. Following this record, the band briefly disbanded, with each member focusing on solo projects. Much to the delight of their loyal fans, however, they reunited in 1989 to released the album 3, and followed up with another in 1991 called Why Do Birds Sing, which featured a cover Boy George’s “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?”

Victor DeLorenzo left the band for good in 1993, replaced by Milwaukee drummer Guy Hoffman. The band continued forth in the studio, releasing Viva Wisconsin in 1999 and Freak Magnet in 2000. The band has had their ups and downs over the years, with plenty of internal strife along the way. But every time fans suspect the end has come, The Violent Femmes rear their heads again – most recently in 2008, with the release of a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.” And although they never achieved mainstream status, they remain a beloved band for millions of fans who could identify with their poignant lyrics and energetic sound - the world’s first folk-punk band.