"She had a long courageous fight with brain cancer." — L7 bandmates
Longtime L7 bassist Jennifer Finch has died at age 59 following a battle with brain cancer. The musician had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2011 and revealed an aggressive brain cancer diagnosis in the week prior to her death.
Announcement and Statements
Finch's death was announced by her L7 bandmates Donita Sparks, Suzi Gardner, and Demetra "Dee" Plakas via Instagram. In their statement, they described her as a "beloved bandmate, friend, and fellow troublemaker" who "had a long courageous fight with brain cancer."
Musicians including Courtney Love, Kathy Valentine of the Go-Go's, Lunachicks, and Garbage have publicly expressed mourning.
Medical Details and Treatment
Following her brain cancer diagnosis, Finch was scheduled to join L7 on their farewell tour in 2025 but withdrew from the performances. According to her bandmates, she gave the band her blessing to continue without her. A GoFundMe campaign raised approximately $400,000 to support her treatment. Initial radiation treatment led to complications, resulting in multiple surgeries and a series of difficult setbacks.
Early Life and Career
Jennifer Finch was born on August 5, 1966, in Los Angeles and was raised by adoptive parents. She developed a passion for photography and documented the city's punk and alternative rock scenes, photographing bands such as The Cramps and Bad Religion.
In the early 1980s, she played bass in Sugar Babydoll (alongside future Hole frontwoman Courtney Love) and The Pandoras.
L7 Tenure and Musical Legacy
Finch joined L7 in 1986, one year after the band was formed. The group released their debut album in 1988 on Epitaph Records. With the addition of drummer Dee Plakas, L7 released Smell The Magic in 1990, becoming one of the few non-Seattle bands on the Sub Pop label and an early all-female group in the grunge movement. The band's 1992 album Bricks Are Heavy included their best-known single, "Pretend We're Dead."
L7 co-founded the concert series Rock for Choice in 1991, which supported reproductive rights.
Finch left L7 in 1996. She subsequently played in OtherStarPeople and The Shocker, and launched Little Pusher Records. After a split in 2001, L7 reunited in 2014 with Finch returning to the band. They released the album Scatter The Rats in 2019 and toured, including performing Bricks Are Heavy in full during a 2023 tour of Australia.