By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – Los Angeles, The landscape of alternative rock and the gritty annals of the Los Angeles punk scene are set to receive a definitive, firsthand account from one of their most influential figures. Jennifer Finch, the powerhouse bassist whose rhythmic foundations anchored the legendary grunge-punk outfit L7, will speak to her fans one last time through a posthumous memoir. Titled Shooting Up and Making Out: A Memoir of My Life in LA and L7, the book is slated for release on January 19, 2027, through Da Capo Press. This announcement comes as a bittersweet milestone for the music community, arriving just months after Finch’s passing in July 2024 at the age of 59.
The memoir is the result of a dedicated two-year collaboration between Finch and co-author Jeff Alulis. Unlike many posthumous projects that are pieced together from fragments and interviews after a subject’s death, Finch was able to see this manuscript through to its completion. Alulis, who worked closely with the musician to ensure her voice remained uncompromised, expressed a mixture of grief and pride regarding the project’s upcoming release. In a recent statement, Alulis highlighted Finch’s meticulous nature, noting that they spent twenty-four months refining the text to ensure she was satisfied with every sentence. He described her as an incredibly intentional and thoughtful individual, qualities that made the writing process both challenging and rewarding. While he lamented that she would not be present to see the book on store shelves, he emphasized his commitment to sharing her complex legacy with the world.
Shooting Up and Making Out promises to be more than just a standard rock biography; it is a raw, unvarnished look at the cultural shifts of the late 20th century through the eyes of a woman who was at the epicenter of several musical revolutions. The narrative begins with Finch’s formative years, navigating the volatile and vibrant punk rock subculture of Los Angeles during her teens. This period was instrumental in shaping her defiant worldview and her sonic identity. The memoir will delve into the early 1980s scene, a time when the boundaries between hardcore punk, heavy metal, and what would eventually become "alternative" were still fluid and dangerous.
One of the most anticipated segments of the book involves Finch’s involvement in the short-lived but mythologized band Sugar Babydoll. This group is a cornerstone of underground rock history, featuring a lineup that included Courtney Love and Kat Bjelland (later of Babes in Toyland). The memoir is expected to shed new light on the creative and personal dynamics of this trio, whose members would go on to define the aesthetics and sounds of the 1990s. For historians of the "Riot Grrrl" movement and the broader feminist rock landscape, Finch’s perspective on these early collaborations is invaluable.
However, the core of the book naturally centers on L7. Formed in 1985 by Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner, the band became a juggernaut with the addition of Finch and drummer Dee Plakas. L7 occupied a unique space in the music industry; they were too heavy for the traditional punk scene and too subversive for the mainstream metal world. They eventually became synonymous with the grunge explosion, particularly with the release of their 1992 masterpiece Bricks Are Heavy. Produced by Butch Vig, the album featured the hit "Pretend We’re Dead" and solidified the band’s reputation for sludge-heavy riffs and sharp, satirical lyricism. Finch’s memoir will chronicle the highs of international tours and the pressures of being a pioneering female act in a male-dominated industry.
Beyond the stage lights, the memoir addresses the darker realities of Finch’s life with unflinching honesty. The title itself alludes to her struggles with heroin addiction, a battle that was shared by many of her peers during the height of the Seattle-led grunge era. By addressing her substance abuse and her journey toward recovery, Finch provides a cautionary yet humanizing look at the toll the rock lifestyle can take. Her story is one of survival and resilience, qualities that defined her until her final days.
The news of the memoir’s release date comes as the music world continues to mourn Finch’s death on July 18, 2024. Her passing followed a long and courageous battle with various forms of cancer. She was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2011, a condition she fought with the same tenacity she brought to her bass playing. More recently, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. According to information shared via a GoFundMe campaign organized by her L7 bandmates, Finch’s health took a turn for the worse due to "unforeseen complications" stemming from radiation treatments. These complications necessitated multiple surgeries and an intensive period of medical care.
Despite the severity of her illness, Finch remained focused on her art and her band. Before her death, she gave her full blessing for L7 to proceed with their scheduled professional commitments. This includes the band’s highly anticipated North American farewell tour, which is set to begin in October. The tour will serve as both a celebration of the band’s storied career and a moving tribute to Finch’s contribution to their sound and spirit. Fans attending these shows will be witnessing the end of an era, as the group prepares to take their final bows after four decades of influence.
Finch’s impact extended far beyond the notes she played. She was a co-founder of Rock for Choice, a series of benefit concerts that raised funds and awareness for reproductive rights, featuring major acts like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Rage Against the Machine. Her activism was a natural extension of L7’s ethos—fearless, political, and unapologetically loud. She was also an accomplished photographer, capturing candid moments of the 1990s rock scene that have since become iconic artifacts of that time.
As the publication of Shooting Up and Making Out approaches, it stands as a final testament to a life lived at full volume. The memoir is expected to provide a missing piece of the puzzle for fans of the L7 story, offering a personal context to the music that defined a generation. It is a chronicle of a woman who refused to be sidelined, who faced her demons with her head held high, and who helped pave the way for countless women to pick up instruments and demand to be heard.
When the book arrives in early 2027, it will undoubtedly be a bittersweet moment for the surviving members of L7 and the global punk community. However, through the work of Jeff Alulis and the determination of Finch herself, her voice will remain as sharp and vital as ever. The memoir ensures that while the bassist may have left the stage, her story—and the history of the scene she helped build—will never be forgotten. For those who found strength in the heavy, distorted chords of L7, Shooting Up and Making Out will serve as a definitive guide to the heart and soul of the woman behind the bass.
