L7 - Everglade

In the early-mid 90s L7 were a fairly big name in the 'grunge' movement, probably due in part to their distinctive look (i.e. being an all-female band in a male-dominated genre) and Riot Grrrl attitude. They helped set up Rock for Choice; a women's rights group that was supported by other big names of the rock community, like Red Hot Chili Pepper and Nirvana. Now it seems that all most people remember them for is Donita Sparks dropping her pants on 'The Word' and flashing her "mons pubis" (as Wikipedia specifies), and for raffling off their drummer at a 2000 show. That's some confusing gender politics right there for a nice, middle-class English boy living in a post-feminist society to get his head around.

It's no surprise that these salacious acts have outlived the memory of the music, which hasn't stood the test of time if this single is to go by. Even in 1992 this must have sounded kind of dated; big, dumb, hair-metal riffs with snarling, snotty mob vocals, 'Everglade' seems more in tune with everything 'grunge' purported to hate. L7 never really fitted the 'grunge' sound; sure there was 'Pretend We're Dead', which was kind of melodic in a Hole-like way, but really they got lumped in with it due to their look and the sudden marketability of 'grunge'. They were signed up by Slash Records, by then owned by London Records and recorded their major-label debut Bricks are Heavy with....can you guess.....yep, Butch Vig. Who else?

'Everglade' was promoted via a fist-pumping, head-banging video:

The cover makes a point of mentioning the "exclusive new track FREAK MAGNET", which couldn't have stayed exclusive for long as it was later included on L7's 1994 album Hungry for Stink. I'm not sure if that was the same version or a re-recording, but either way the song sucks. It starts with a laughably heavy and cheesy riff, then shifts tempo and explodes into another all-out metal extravaganza. This treads the same ground as the A-side, although those with a sense of irony (or just really, really drunk) may find it marginally more enjoyable.



Well, this record is the pits. The only thing to recommend it is the nice cover by famous poster artist Coop, and maybe the green vinyl. The memory of the mons remains.