L7 Bassist Jennifer Finch Dies at 59 After Battle with Brain Cancer

Jennifer Finch, the bassist of the influential rock band L7, passed away on Saturday after a courageous battle with brain cancer at the age of 59.

L7 confirmed Finch’s death in an Instagram post that read: “With a very heavy heart we announce that our beloved bandmate, friend, and fellow troublemaker Jennifer Finch has passed away today. She endured a long, courageous fight with brain cancer and was loved by countless friends, musical peers, and fans worldwide. We love you, Jennifer.”

The band added that a statement through their representative said: “We are devastated by the loss of our bandmate, sister, and friend Jennifer Finch. Her fierce spirit, humor, and boundless creativity shaped L7 and will forever influence those who knew her. Jennifer lived completely on her own terms, and the impact she left on music, art, and all who were lucky to know her cannot be measured. We love her beyond words and will carry her memory with us always. Rest in power, dear friend.”

Earlier this month, Finch disclosed that she was undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Initially, the diagnosis was thought to be manageable with radiation, but complications required multiple surgeries, leaving her with significant physical limitations and necessitating extensive ongoing care. (She had also been diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2011.)

Due to her was diagnosis and subsequent treatment, Finch withdrew from the U.S. leg of L7’s “Last Hurrah” tour—originally planned under the assumption of full health. She encouraged her bandmates to carry on with the tour as scheduled.

L7 formed in 1985, and Finch joined the group in 1987. A 2017 Rolling Stone profile titled her an “ill‑behaved and untrained bassist who added instant verve to their live act.” The band released its self‑titled debut in 1988, and Finch served as bassist during L7’s most successful years of the 1990s before departing in 1996 at the age of 30, following sobriety and the loss of her father. She remarked that “the pressure of expectations was overwhelming when I was younger, and I knew I had succumbed to that pressure.”

Beyond L7, Finch played in OtherStarPeople, the Shocker, founded her own label, Little Pusher Records, and pursued photography. She reunited with L7 in 2015 and contributed to their 2019 album, Scatter the Rats.

Friends and familyвает launched a GoFundMe to cover the costs associated with her treatment and recovery, as well as to support a planned archive of Finch’s work and the completion of a significant creative project slated for release next year.

This story is developing.

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