Violent Femmes’ Violent Femmes

Violent Femmes were a staple of the ’80s alternative scene. Songs like “Blister in the Sun,” “Kiss Off,” “Add It Up,” and “Gone Daddy Gone” were a big part of the soundtrack to Gen X teens, including mine. These songs were all part of their self-titled debut album, released in 1983. If anyone needs proof that I’m one of those Gen X kids who know the Femmes’ music, I got my LP as part of a “12 records for a penny” deal from Columbia House. //Violent Femmes’ Violent Femmes// was one of my favorite albums and spent a lot of time at the top of my rotation.

Violent Femmes’ Violent Femmes is part of Bloomsbury Publishing’s 33 1⁄3 series, a collection of short books that explore individual albums, offering in-depth analysis, history, and cultural context. Atheneum drummer and Femmes fan Nic Brown authored this volume. His book gives the reader an up-close and personal look at the band’s formation, vivid descriptions of the members and their unique instruments, and details and anecdotes about the songs drawn directly from interviews with the original band members. This book is a flashback to the mid-’80s and a must-have for any true fan of the Violent Femmes.