{{Short description|American musician, designer, and photographer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Jennifer Finch | image = Jennifer-precious finch.jpg | caption = Finch performing in the 1990s | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | birth_name = Jennifer Finch | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|8|5|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S. | years_active = 1979–present | occupation = {{hlist|Musician|[[blogger (person)|blogger]]|photographer}} | instrument = {{hlist|[[Bass guitar|Bass]]|vocals}} | genre = {{hlist|[[Alternative metal]]|[[grunge]]|[[punk rock]]|[[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]]}} | label = | associated_acts = {{hlist|[[L7 (band)|L7]]|[[Sugar Babydoll]]|[[The Pandoras]]|OtherStarPeople|[[Betty Blowtorch]]|[[The Shocker (band)|The Shocker]]}} | website = }} '''Jennifer Finch''' (born August 5, 1966) is an American musician, designer, and photographer most notable for being the primary [[Bass guitar|bass player]] of the punk rock band [[L7 (band)|L7]]. Active in L7 from 1986 to 1996, Finch also wrote music and performed with her bands OtherStarPeople and [[The Shocker (band)|The Shocker]] in the interim before joining the reunited L7 in 2014.
==Early life== Finch was born August 5, 1966, and grew up in [[West Los Angeles]]. She was adopted in 1967 by Robert Edward Finch, an aeronautics engineer, and his wife Sandra Jacobson; they later divorced in 1974.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jenniferfinch.com/jennifer-finch-about/|title=About Jennifer Precious Finch|website=JenniferFinch.com|access-date=September 8, 2019}}</ref> Finch credits the support of her adoptive father, who was also an amateur photographer, as being instrumental to her creative development.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/bed-and-breakfast-and-fisting-v18n8/|title=Jennifer Finch's Scrapbook|last1=Mérigeot-Magnenat|first1=Clarisse|date=March 25, 2011|work=Vice|access-date=September 7, 2019|last2=Mérigeot-Magnenat|first2=Pauline}}</ref> Finch took an interest in photography at an early age and attended a summer art session at [[Otis College of Art and Design|Otis Parsons]] in 1980.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.laweekly.com/14-and-shooting/|title=14 and Shooting|last=Albert|first=John|date=November 1, 2006|work=LA Weekly|access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref>
==Career== ===Music=== Finch began her musical career in the mid 1980s. She played bass in the San Francisco-based band [[Sugar Babydoll]] (or Sugar Babylon) from 1984 - 1986.<ref>{{Cite book|title=We Were Going to Change the World: Interviews with Women from the 1970s and 1980s Southern California Punk Rock Scene|last=Russo|first=Stacy|publisher=Santa Monica Press|year=2017|isbn=9781595807953|location=Solana Beach, California}}</ref> The band featured [[Courtney Love]], future founder of [[Hole (band)|Hole]], and future [[Babes in Toyland (band)|Babes in Toyland]] founder [[Kat Bjelland]].<ref name=":4"/> This line-up produced a demo recording which remains unreleased.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sugar Babylon |url=http://www.katbjelland.com/sugarbabylon/indexsugar.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060424141441/http://www.katbjelland.com/sugarbabylon/indexsugar.html |archive-date=24 April 2006 |website=katjabelland.com}}</ref> Finch subsequently played in the short-lived Hollywood band [[The Pandoras]], formed by bassist Gwynne Kahn.
In 1986, Finch joined the Los Angeles-based punk rock group L7.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://pleasekillme.com/jennifer-precious-finch-l7/|title=One More Thing - Catching Up with L7's Jennifer Precious Finch|last=Jasmine|first=Lucreita Tye|date=August 28, 2019|work=Please Kill Me|access-date=September 8, 2019}}</ref> In the [[documentary film]] ''L7: Pretend We’re Dead'', bandmate [[Donita Sparks]] described Finch as "persistent" and stated that after Finch joined the band, her networking skills and stage energy continued to significantly boost the momentum building within the group. She remained with L7 throughout the band's most successful period in the early 1990s. Finch contributed to the albums ''[[L7 (album)|L7]]'' (1988) ''[[Smell the Magic]]'' (1990), ''[[Bricks Are Heavy]]'' (1992), and ''[[Hungry for Stink]]'' (1994). Finch was the sole songwriter during this period for several of L7's songs including "(Right On) Thru", "[[Everglade (song)|Everglade]]", "One More Thing", and "Shirley".
In 1994, Finch and her L7 bandmate [[Demetra Plakas|Demetra "Dee" Plakas]] performed with Japanese musician [[Hide (musician)|Hide]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqPSqDVZOP0 |title=hide – Eyes Love You (live POP JAM 1993.08.11) |publisher=YouTube |date=December 3, 2007 |access-date=February 19, 2012}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=http://spillmagazine.com/spill-feature-l7/|title=Spill Feature: L7|last=Dean|first=Mark|date=September 20, 2016|work=The Spill Magazine|access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref> also appearing in the original video for his song "[[50% & 50%|Doubt]]".<ref name="asouvenir">As seen on [[Hide (musician)|Hide]]'s home video release, ''A Souvenir''.</ref>
In 1994, Finch was featured in a music video for [[Hole (band)|Hole]] for their breakthrough album ''[[Live Through This]]'', as the original bassist [[Kristen Pfaff]] had died of an over-dose in June of that year. In 1995, after the death of her father, Finch adopted the name "Precious" as an homage to him.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://jenniferfinch.com/music-history/ |title=Music History |access-date=April 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070241/http://jenniferfinch.com/music-history/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Finch officially departed L7 in 1996. In the band’s 2016 documentary ''L7: Pretend We’re Dead'', Finch cites health and money issues, as well as grieving over the loss of her father and the band’s roadie and friend Umbar as reasons for her departure.
After departing from L7, Finch wrote music and sang for her band OtherStarPeople with Xander Smith.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/other-star-people-mn0000496306/biography|title=Biography: Other Star People|last=Phares|first=Heather|work=All Music|access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> OtherStarPeople completed their debut record ''Diamonds In The Belly Of The Dog'' in 1998; the group were signed with [[A&M Records]]/[[Interscope Records|Interscope]] and the album was released in August 1999.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/29h04.html|title=Interview: OtherStarPeople|last=Steininger|first=Alex|date=March 2000|work=In Music We Trust|access-date=September 7, 2019|issue=29}}</ref> [[Joshua Clover]] of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' magazine described the OtherStarPeople record as bringing "less weight and more strangeness than Finch's old crew - it's L.A.-slick and punky-dirty".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Clover|first=Joshua|date=August 1999|title=Reviews: The Shredder|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nQRXCTo-FtUC|journal=Spin|volume=15|pages=157|via=Google Books}}</ref>
Finch was also involved with [[Betty Blowtorch]], appearing in the 2003 documentary film ''Betty Blowtorch And Her Amazing True Life Adventures''.<ref name=":1" />
Finch founded the punk rock group [[The Shocker (band)|The Shocker]] in Los Angeles in 2002. The band played dates on the [[Warped Tour]] in 2003 and 2005. The Shocker released ''Up Your Ass Tray'' as an EP in 2003, followed by a full-length album in 2006 on [[Go-Kart Records]]. Finch served as the sole songwriter and primary singer of The Shocker through 2006.
In January 2011, Finch co-founded new band Sex in Progress along with Evie Evil of [[Evil Beaver (band)|Evil Beaver]].
Finch produced a [[Ramones]]' tribute album<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Brats-On-The-Beat-Ramones-For-Kids/release/3423544|title=Brats on the Beat: Ramones for Kids|date=November 2006|website=Discogs|access-date=September 9, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Brats on the Beat]]'' for the [[St. Jude Children's Research Hospital]]. The album features "kid friendly" versions of Ramones' songs with guest vocals and music provided by various [[Punk rock|punk]] musicians.<ref name=":5" /> [[File:L7 - Rock am Ring 2015-9409.jpg|thumb|Finch performing with L7 in 2015]] In 2014, L7 reformed with the primary line up of Finch with [[Suzi Gardner]], [[Donita Sparks]], and [[Demetra Plakas|Dee Plakas]]. They toured extensively and released new singles in 2017 and 2018.
L7's latest full album ''[[Scatter the Rats]]'' was released on [[Blackheart Records]] on May 3, 2019, to generally favorable reviews. Finch wrote the song "Garbage Truck". The band resumed a six-week national tour starting on May 10, 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.laweekly.com/music/scatter-rats-l7s-back-10150065|title=Scatter, Rats! L7's Back With Their First Album in 20 Years|last=Callwood|first=Brett|date=May 1, 2019|work=L.A. Weekly|access-date=May 5, 2019}}</ref>
===Photography=== At the age of 13, Finch began to take photos of her friends in Los Angeles on a camera given to her by her father. These pictures eventually documented the early punk scene that she became involved in before joining L7 in 1986. Her photography (1979–1995) was on display at an ''[[LA Weekly]]'' sponsored art show at Aidan Ryley Taylor Gallery in Hollywood, until November 18, 2006.<ref name=":0" /> The collection, called "14 and Shooting" features a number of notable figures, including photographs of [[Red Hot Chili Peppers|The Red Hot Chili Peppers]], [[Bad Religion]], [[Red Kross]], and [[The Cramps]]. John Albert of ''LA Weekly'' reflected that Finch's images often depict the musicians in more intimate moments as well as providing a generally dark perspective of youth in Southern California.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/14andshooting |title=Myspace |publisher=Myspace |access-date=February 19, 2012}}</ref> Finch's photographs traveled to the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] for display in January 2007.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/2010-interview-jennifer-precious-finch/2053|title=Interview: Jennifer Precious Finch|last=Forson|first=Kofi|date=April 2010|work=White Hot Magazine|access-date=September 16, 2019}}</ref>
===Television and film=== Finch has acted in the 1984 film ''[[The Census Taker]]'' and in the 1994 [[John Waters]] film ''[[Serial Mom]]'' as part of the fictitious band the Camel Lips.<ref name=":1" /> Finch appeared as herself in the 2007 documentary ''[[Punk's Not Dead (2007 film)|Punk's Not Dead]]''.<ref name=":1" /> Her music was featured in the 1999 film [[Office Space]] and on the popular TV series ''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]]'' in 2008.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0277419/|title=Jennifer Finch|website=IMDb|access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref>
Finch appears in interviews and original footage throughout the documentary film ''L7: Pretend We're Dead'', directed by [[Sarah Price (filmmaker)|Sarah Price]] and released in November 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6288290/|title=L7: Pretend We're Dead (2016)|website=IMDb|access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref> The film was nominated for a VO5 NME Award for Best Music Film.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/l7-reveal-tour-slam-capitalist-motherf--kers-on-new-song-w516529|title=L7 Announce Tour, Slam 'Capitalist Motherf--kers' on 'I Came Back To Bitch'|last=Grant|first=Sarah|date=February 9, 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=April 7, 2018|archive-date=February 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180209175800/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/premieres/l7-reveal-tour-slam-capitalist-motherf--kers-on-new-song-w516529|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Personal life== In the early 1990s, Finch dated [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]]'s [[Dave Grohl]]<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://bigtakeover.com/profiles/finch-takes-flight-again-a-profile-of-l7-s-jennifer-finch|title=Finch Takes Flight Again: A Profile Of L7's Jennifer Finch|last=Rosenschein|first=Ari|date=November 22, 2015|work=The Big Take Over|access-date=September 7, 2019}}</ref> and later [[Billy Corgan]] of [[The Smashing Pumpkins]]. She was married to actor, musician and race car driver [[Chris Pedersen (actor)|Chris Pedersen]] from 2000 to 2007. Finch resides in [[Culver City, California|Culver City]], California.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stompandstammer.com/feature-stories/l7/|title=L7|last=Clark|first=Jeff|date=August 2, 2016|website=Stomp and Stammer Magazine|access-date=September 8, 2019}}</ref>
==Discography==
===L7=== *[[L7 (album)|''L7'']] (1988) *''[[Smell the Magic]]'' (1990) *''[[Bricks are Heavy]]'' (1992) *''[[Hungry for Stink]]'' (1994) *''[[Scatter the Rats]]'' (2019)
===OtherStarPeople=== *''Diamonds in The Belly of The Dog'' (1999)
===The Shocker=== *''Up Your Ass Tray'' EP ([[Oglio Records]], 2003) *''Up Your Ass Tray: The Full Length'' ([[Go-Kart Records|Go Kart]], 2006)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.jenniferfinchphoto.com/ Jennifer Finch Photography] *[http://www.myspace.com/bratsonthebeat Ramones for Kids website]
{{L7}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finch, Jennifer}} [[Category:1966 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American adoptees]] [[Category:American punk rock bass guitarists]] [[Category:American women bass guitarists]] [[Category:American women punk rock singers]] [[Category:American punk rock singers]] [[Category:L7 (band) members]] [[Category:American feminist musicians]] [[Category:Riot grrrl musicians]] [[Category:American abortion-rights activists]] [[Category:San Francisco State University alumni]] [[Category:Activists from California]] [[Category:Guitarists from Los Angeles]] [[Category:20th-century American bass guitarists]] [[Category:20th-century American women guitarists]] [[Category:Punk Rock Karaoke members]] [[Category:Women in punk]]