The four women of L7-- Jennifer Finch (bass/vocals), Suzi Gardner (guitar/vocals), Dee Plakas (drums), and Donita Sparks (guitar/vocals) -- are a loud, furious hard-rock/punk juggernaut in the tradition of bands like the Ramones and the Dead Kennedys. Formed in 1986 by Suzi and Donita, with Jennifer joining in 1986 and Dee in 1988 (after the first album), countless tours of this country and numerous others have turned the band into one of the best live acts on the planet (and they turn out great records too!). They are currently touring with Lollapalooza, after which they will head out on their own; in the meantime, they were kind enough to talk with DEAD ANGEL. Read on....

DEAD ANGEL GETS FAST AND FRIGHTENING WITH L7:

DA: When I last read about you in FIZ, you'd had the joy of playing on the Letterman Show, hanging out with Don Ho, and playing with Joan Jett. Any new, cool stuff that's happened since then?

L7: We have met Barry Manilow at an AIDS benefit, Chrissie Hynde when we played Glaustonbury Festival this year; we recorded in the same building as the Rolling Stones and hung out with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards; and we were photographed by Dennis Morris (he is the photographer who took all the famous Sex Pistols' photos). In Las Vegas, where Lollapalooza started, we saw Phillis Diller and Don Rickles do their thing.

DA: I recently saw the Reading Festival video where you played, and I was disappointed because the band only got one song on the video. For the benefit of those of us who weren't there, how was the REST of the show?

L7: It was good, Nirvana was really great too.

DA: How did it go recording the new album? How was working it working with ggGarth Richardson?

L7: The new record is called HUNGRY FOR STINK. Between the fire and the earthquake [in the L.A. area] the record was delayed three weeks. ggGarth was very cool, he had good ideas and got some great sounds. We hooked up with him after hearing Rage Against the Machine, Melvins, and Surgery (he produced all of those).

DA: Did you feel any more pressure this time making the new one? I know BRICKS ARE HEAVY did much, much better than Slash was originally expecting -- did that raise their expectations for this one? Or did they have the good sense to step back and leave you the hell alone to go ahead and make it your way?

L7: The pressure that we feel is internal. It comes from within ourself. We wanted to create a better record, write better songs and overall improve. In regards to Slash, they are a very hands-off kind of label anyway. I actually had to insist that our representative Randy Kay come down and hang out. He is a friend of ours and we were getting so busy we did not get any opportunities to see him socially, but he did not want to come because he did not want to "interrupt" the creative process.

DA: What exactly is L7's relationship with Rock For Choice? I'm still kind of fuzzy on that....

L7: [refers DEAD ANGEL to the band bio, written by Bob Cantu of FLIPSIDE, which says: "... L7 played and organized a number of stateside benefits for Rock For Choice, an organization they founded to raise awareness in the rock community of the growing threat to our civil liberties, women's rights and a woman's right to a safe, legal abortion. Bands that have participated in Rock For Choice concerts have included Nirvana, X, Bikini Kill, Joan Jett, Pearl Jam, Hole, Mudhoney, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and many others. One of L7's goals was to set up Rock for Choice as an in house project of the Feminist Majority Foundation (who are the beneficiary organization). Since the onset of Rock For Choice, L7 have been slowly stepping back from their active roles, allowing other co-ordinators to take over. Rock for Choice is now a full time project and L7 act as consultants when needed. More info on Rock For Choice and the Feminist Majority Foundation can be obtained by calling: (213) 651-0495."]

DA: Could you tell me more about the benefit you and Nirvana did a while ago for the women in Bosnia/Yugoslavia? And will there be any more similar benefits in the near future?

L7: Chris' [Novelsic, bassist for Nirvana] family lives in Yugoslavia and he felt frustrated with the bullshit that was going on over there, and decided to do a benefit and hopefully open some eyes to what is up over there, with an emphasis on the fucked-up situation women have to deal with. Money from the concert went directly to an organization that supplies rape survivors with medical care, consoling, and basic supplies that are often over looked or unobtainable during war like tampons, gynecological supplies, etc. Concert goers where encouraged to sign a petition that was sent to the United Nations requesting that rape become a war crime (this is a touchy subject since in wars past it has been our boys doing the raping).

DA: Is it getting harder to stay "normal people" and keep your heads screwed straight with all the stuff happening around you?

L7: Only our therapists know for sure!!!

DA: Does it feel weird to think that, between your activism w/Rock For Choice and being a long-standing band, etc., that there are people who look up to you as heroes ("sheroes"?) How you feel about that?

L7: It's cool, I guess. We never intended to be anything more then a working band so when people come up or write saying how we have inspired them, it's cool.

DA: Does it ever bother you that when the lyrics/intent of the songs get misinterpreted? I'm thinking of "Diet Pill" specifically -- when BRICKS came out and SPIN reviewed it, the reviewer talked about how funny the song was, without ever apparently realizing what the song was actually about. Does stuff like that bother you, or do you assume it's going to happen and just ignore it?

L7: We find it amusing and expect it.

DA: Will the band be touring on its own after the Lollapalooza thing is over?

L7: Yes, we are going out right after we get back. The US, Australia, Japan and Europe, the whole nine yards.

DA: How have the early Lollapalooza dates been so far? Are you having a good time? The new stuff getting a good response?

L7: Seems to be. We are playing so early in the day that [DA: !!! part of the message got lost in transmission, oops....]

DA: One of the things I've always liked most about L7 is that you're what I've always considered a seriously independent/ alternative band, and a no-bullshit band at that. So does it aggravate you when people give you a hard time about being on Slash, a "major" label? (Do you think, like I do, that people worry too much about this kind of stuff?)

L7: Well Slash is not a major label but is distributed by a major distributor (WEA). Actually, Slash has fewer employees and a smaller office then Sub Pop. But actually all this is sort of nil in any kind of defense because we may have signed with Slash but now we are on Slash/Reprise (Reprise was once owned by Frank Sinatra) and is financed by Warner Brothers.

DA: Another thing I like is that L7 is actually a BAND, instead of just one or two "personalities" in front with everybody else pushed into the background. Has it always been that way, or were early members weeded out because they couldn't get with that particular program?

L7: We have always been a democracy. Everyone is encouraged to write as much as possible and we always bounce ideas off each other.