Violent Femmes are an alternative rock band that formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the early 1980s. Gordon Gano (singer/guitarist), Brian Ritchie (bassist), and Victor DeLorenzo (percussionist) founded the group and were discovered by James Honeyman-Scott (of The Pretenders) when the band was playing on a street corner in front of the Milwaukee venue that The Pretenders would be playing later that night. The band signed to Slash Records and released a self-titled album in 1982. The music was an innovative combination of American folk music and indie rock. The lyrics were the common adolescent themes of yearning for love, sex and affection. The group quickly gained a small cult following that never burgeoned into widespread popularity, although a few songs from this album did get some recognition ("Add It Up", " Blister in the Sun", and "Kiss Off"). The debut album went platinum ten years after its release.
The following year, the Violent Femmes released Hallowed Ground, which moved the group to a more country music sound and introduced spiritual themes. Their third album, The Blind Leading the Naked, produced by fellow Milwaukee native Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads, was more mainstream and pop-oriented, resulting in a minor hit with " Children of the Revolution" (originally by T. Rex). The group then disbanded, with Gano releasing an album in 1987, the result of a gospel side project Mercy Seat. Ritchie also released several solo LPs. The group came back together in 1989, releasing 3 and then Why Do Birds Sing? ( 1991), after signing to Reprise.
In 1993 DeLorenzo departed the group to act and make solo records. Guy Hoffman (formerly of the Oil Tasters and BoDeans) was brought in to tour what was to become one of their biggest selling records, the Add It Up (1981-1993) collection ( 1993). Over the next nine years, Hoffman recorded five full-length CDs and a handful of one-offs for motion picture soundtracks and other compilation projects. New Times ( 1994, Elektra Records), and Rock!!!!! ( 1995, Mushroom Records) was released in 1995 in Australia only. Viva Wisconsin, a live album, was released in the United States in 1999 on the independent label Beyond, and was followed by Freak Magnet in 2000. Something's Wrong ( 2001), an album of unreleased studio tracks, covers, demos, and acoustic live performances was released as an MP3-only album through emusic.com. The following year in the winter of 2002, Ritchie and DeLorenzo were requested by Rhino Records to repackage their debut 1983 album along with demos and live tracks to coincide with a 20th anniversary reissue. DeLorenzo asked to rejoin for what was to be a farewell tour, thus reinstating the old lineup. 2005 saw the release of two collections of past work. A CD called Permanent Record - The Very Best Of Violent Femmes ( Slash/ Rhino) and a DVD, Permanent Record - Live & Otherwise ( Rhino), which showcases a concert performance from 1991, and also many of the group's videos. The CD is the first record that recognizes all four musicians and their contributions on the same disc, as what is known as the music of the band, Violent Femmes. 2005 sees the original trio touring Australasia, North America, Europe and Africa.