Comprising Mia Zapata (vocals), Matt Dresdner (bass), Steve Moriarty (drums), and Joe Spleen (guitar), the Gits are one of the most tragic stories in the history of punk. Formed at Antioch College in Ohio during the mid 1980's, in 1988 they released their first album, "kings and queens" by themselves in an edition of only 150 copies (recently re-pressed on CD and vinyl by Broken Rekids). Two more albums followed on C/Z Records in Seattle. Just before the third album was released though, Mia Zapata was brutally raped and murdered while walking home from a bar at night in 1993. Her killers were never found. Although fitting into the grunge/punk scene with their aggressive sound, the Gits, through their singer Mia, portrayed an aspect of hope and beauty in their lyrics missing from most nihilistic punk bands these days. Today, the rest of the band are still together as "The Dancing French Liberals of '48", and, with Joan Jett (yes, THAT Joan Jett!) on vocals and guitar, haved played live as "Evil Stig", which is "Gits Live" spelled backwards. The Home Alive Foundation was founded in Mia's memory, and teaches self-defense to women. In 1994 they released a double CD titled "home alive: the art of self-defense" as a fundraiser, featuring many excellent seattle-based bands from various generations of Seattle music history. Featured on it, besides The Dancing French Liberals of '48, are the Fastbacks, Ann and Nancy Wilson (from Heart), Love Battery, Tribe 8, Supersuckers, the Posies, 7 Year Bitch, as well as such superstars as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam.
