{"id":6092,"date":"2021-04-23T09:28:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-23T08:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=6092"},"modified":"2026-05-02T09:09:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T08:09:57","slug":"l7-peak-years-showed-they-could-rock-just-as-hard-as-the-boys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ipamusic.co.uk\/?p=6092","title":{"rendered":"L7 peak years showed they could rock just as hard as the boys"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ALBUM REVIEW: L7 – Wargasm – The Slash Years 1992-1997 (HNE Recordings\/Cherry Red)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Music fans of a certain age will remember L7<\/strong> as a grunge-punk band who created a bit of a stir in the late 80s\/early 90s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formed by singing guitarists Suzi Gardner and Donita Sparks in LA in 1985, bassist Jennifer Finch and drummer Anne Anderson completed the line-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their self-titled debut album L7<\/em>, released on Epitaph Records<\/a><\/strong> in 1988, was a straightforward punk rock record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two years later, with Dee Plakas now on drums, they followed it with Smell The Magic on influential Seattle label Sub Pop<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grunge appeal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Touring the UK as openers for Nirvana just as grunge took off, their place in the movement was assured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, they weren’t punk, grunge, riot grrrl, or hard rock, but appealed to fans of all those genres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A move to Slash Records (distributed by Reprise\/Warner) followed, and it’s the three albums they made there which form this set.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"L7
Bricks Are Heavy was L7’s third album, but their first for Slash Records.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Third album Bricks Are Heavy (1992), saw them work with big-name producer Butch Vig, who made their sound heavier and dirtier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hook-filled breakthrough single Pretend We’re Dead, a hit in the US and UK, is an obvious standout, but there’s plenty more to enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yoko Ono-sampling opener Wargasm<\/em>, Shitlist <\/em>and Diet Pill <\/em>are all grungy delights, as are the singles Everglade <\/em>and Monster<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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