The Gits

The Gits originated in 1986 at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where Mia Zapata on vocals, Andy Kessler (Joe Spleen) on guitar, Matt Dresdner on bass, and Steve Moriarty on drums formed the band. Initially named ‘Snivelling Little Rat Faced Gits’ after a Monty Python sketch, they soon shortened it to The Gits. Their early unofficial album, “Private Lubs,” was self-released in 1988 but gained wider release in 1996 as “Kings & Queens.”

In 1989, the band relocated to Seattle, Washington, establishing themselves at “the Rathouse,” a shared living and rehearsal space. Their energetic performances quickly earned them a strong local following. They released their debut single, “Precious Blood,” in 1990, followed by “Second Skin” and “Spear & Magic Helmet” in 1991. Their first full-length album, “Frenching the Bully,” was released in 1992 through C/Z Records. The Gits began to attract wider attention, touring nationally and internationally, and were in discussions to sign with Atlantic Records in June 1993. However, the band’s trajectory was tragically altered with the murder of Mia Zapata in July 1993.

Following Zapata’s death, the surviving members, along with the Seattle music community, organized benefit concerts and hired a private investigator to pursue her case. The case remained unsolved for nearly a decade until DNA evidence led to the arrest and conviction of Jesus Mezquia in 2004. In the aftermath, the remaining Gits members formed Evil Stig with Joan Jett, releasing a self-titled album in 1995 to help fund the investigation. The band’s legacy also includes the establishment of Home Alive, a non-profit self-defense organization, and continued recognition through documentary films and reissues of their discography, including a 2024 remaster by Sub Pop.