THE (Sniveling Little Rat Faced) GITS:
Andy Kessler (a.k.a. Joe Spleen): guitar
Matt (Fatty) Dresdner: bass
Mia Zapata: Vocals
Steve Moriarty: Drums
DANCING FRENCH LIBERALS OF '48: THE GITS add Julian Gibson: guitar
EVIL STIG: add Joan Jett
My name is Steve... and I am a Sniveling Little Rat Faced Git.
I played drums in THE GITS among other bands for a long ass time. Not all the bands were that great but THE GITS were. We formed THE GITS in 1986. I was not the first drummer. Bob Lee of L.A. bands: ClawHammer, Mike Watt and Lazy Cowgirls. In '86 I was better than he was, I hung out a lot with Matt, Mia and Andy so I got his job. We originally called the band The Sniveling Little Rat Faced Gits, stolen from a Monty Python episode, this was the only name which could describe our dorkiness and general lack of social grace. We shortened it to THE GITS to fit on our demo tape, which eventually became the Kings and Queens CD.
We wrote songs and played shows. Mia and Andy wrote most of the songs but I was always there to help with rhythms and arrangements. Mia and I could sync up effortlessly and that became true of all of us as a group.
Oh a BIO. I get it... let me see...we started in Yellow Springs Ohio. There we played shows and recorded the aforementioned demo. In the summer of '89 we moved to Seattle for no particularly good reason. A whole group of our friends moved as well and we rented the Rathouse. It was where we lived, rehearsed and communed with other gits and misfits.
We played live as much as we could and hatched many a scheme for touring. No one stepped up to to finance or publicize our projects or tours so we played the clubs up and down the West Coast of the U.S. relentlessly.
During that time we played the scene with small up-and-coming bands like: Nirvana, Beck, Sublime, No Doubt and Green Day.
THE GITS were never as financially successful as any of those bands. The most we ever made at a gig was $500. All the money we made went into maintenance and gas for our 1976 GMC van. It ran on (very green) leaded gasoline. We lived out of that van on tour. We just wanted to play and tour. We were purists and we loved what we were doing.
In 1991 we booked a tour of punk squats and community centers across Western Europe and Scandinavia. We loved playing in Europe and the people we played for loved us too. Energized by the tour, we came back to the states and played with a mission and rage like no other band out there. ANd there were a lot of bands in Seattle at the time. We recorded our first album, "Frenching the Bully", which ended with the song that seemed to have something special. That song was Second Skin.
It was our fan's version of a hit. Not in the top 40 sense, but in the realm of human connection and universality. I have been told more than once that "Second Skin" saved some one's life.
"Frenching the Bully" was very well received in the press and got widely reviewed around the world. The album got unprecedented reviews for such a relatively unknown small band. Even the snobby English press like N.M.E. and Melody Maker gave it great write-ups. So we continued to play live as much as possible, and went into the studio to record a second album. We had finished most of the music tracks and decided to do a tour before putting on the finishing touches.
On that tour we played flawlessly. Intent on showing the L.A. record executives (a.k.a. Hollywood Pinocchios) that if they wanted anything to do with us, they had to catch up. In other words, we weren't playing their games, and we would continue to tour and put out records independently.
But after a pair of well attended shows in L.A. the record companies did take notice of our band. An A&R dude at Atlantic Records drew up a contract to offer to us. We never got the offer because on July 7, 1993 our friend and singer Mia was brutally raped and murdered by a stranger on the street in Seattle.
There's a lot more to this story and much of it can be decifered in our music after Mia died...
Just a note to let you know I ordered The Gits documentary since it didn't show anywhere near me... I can't WAIT til it gets here... How's the house and insurance thing going? I hope everything is going better. Lots of love,
Thanks Steve. Hope you'll check out Life After Life. It's a wild and crazy band Andy and I were/are in also has Dave from A Snowball's Chance in Hell. Looks like we are going to Czech again in Sept. I'm not Really advertising it yet tho ;-)
The Gits cd is great and best wishes with The American Professionals. Cheers, ~ Robley;D (again ;)
Thanks for the addiola and thanks for sharing the great movie. It was awesome! Good luck with your home sitch and hopefully I'll catch yer new band sometimes. It sounds cool.
Hey Steve, I received the GITS dvd today and must say its way worthy to add to the music collectors dvd section along with Hendrix, Woodstock, Stevie, Doors etc! Great to watch more than once is why its a must own. Outstanding interviews & stories and totally awesome music. Its so sad to think that some in society can be so cruel! Thank You and Everyone for Sharing Your Memories.
Hey honey..... I'm so sorry to hear about your house. I sure hope things work out so you can get back into a home soon. More than anything I'm so glad you guys are ok. Send my love to Emily and give her a big squeeze from me.
I Just Recently Heard About The Tragic News Regarding Your Home :( If Wish There Was Something I Could Do Or Say To Help The Situation...Best Wishes To You. If You Can Think Of ANyway A Struggling Photographer/Bike Messenger Can Help, Drop Me A Line!
Really sorry that happened. I read the blog and am relieved to know you all are okay. You have many friends who are just waiting to show their how much you all are cared about...including me! xoxo, Lucy
Hey Steve! I am so sorry to hear about your house and all of your personal items that were taken from you. I hope you are still able to come up for the showing in Seattle! Keep in mind that you and Emily are in my thoughts. Best, Megan
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Hey Sniveling Little Rat Faced Gits and Friends, I just bought you for $616. <br/><a href='http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=361263053&source=ni_comment._link...._newCash._v1......'>Click here to find out what you can do with all your new cash!</a><br/><br/><a href='http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=361263053&source=ni_appended_img1...._random.._v1......'><img src='http://cdn1.slicezero.com/oyf_prod/images/ffs_money2_myspace.gif' border='0' /></a><br/>
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HI! I know you're far away, but if you have to get up early you can listen to my live radio show on Saturdays from 8-10am on www.wirelessfm.net It's called "Noise Cakes" I have interviews with some cool "Angry Women in Rock" coming up. And there's a live chat. Maybe see you there. xo
<h2 style="margin:0;">Hey Sniveling Little Rat Faced Gits and Friends, I want to see your video playlist!</h2><br /><br /><p><a href="http://www.profileplaylist.net/cron/clck.php?em=200563520&camp=11240&ctype=comment" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> to see my playlist and get YOURS too!</a></p><br /><a href="http://www.profileplaylist.net/cron/clck.php?em=200563520&camp=11240&ctype=comment" target="_blank"><img src="http://us.ent1.yimg.com/images.launch.yahoo.com/000/045/238/45238919.jpg" alt="Seaweed by The Gits" style="width:100px;height:60px;"/><img src="http://us.ent1.yimg.com/images.launch.yahoo.com/000/044/486/44486250.jpg" alt="Breathe (2am) by Anna Nalick" style="width:100px;height:60px;"/><img src="http://us.ent1.yimg.com/images.launch.yahoo.com/000/045/235/45235943.jpg" alt="Hardly Wait by Juliette Lewis" style="width:100px;height:60px;"/><img src="http://us.ent1.yimg.com/images.launch.yahoo.com/000/044/527/44527906.jpg" alt="I Don't Want To Grow Up by The Ramones" style="width:100px;height:60px;"/></a><br/><br /><p><a href="http://www.profileplaylist.net/cron/clck.php?em=200563520&camp=11240&ctype=comment" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> to get YOUR Video Playlist!</a></p><br /><br /><img src="http://indimusic.us/idhhs_em_200563520_camp_11240_ctype_comment.jpg" width="1" height="1" alt="!"/>
Check it out<br /><br />
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I'm stoked to have found u on Eric G's page.. I have browsed ur profile and pics... it has brought back so many memories.. and right now at this very moment- i have this feeling inside which, in part, i am overjoyed to remember ... but the other part hurts to remember and to think about what was and what should have been... no longer grieving... it's just been a while since I have visited the past in this manner... good to see u here.. all my love-T
COME BY "MYSPACE" PAGE AND PEEP ON SUM REAL HIP-HOP, DON'T BE NO STRANGER AND IF YOU POP THRU LEAVE A COMMENT, KEEP SUPPORTIN' THE MOVEMENT OF UNSIGNED STREET ARTISTS LIKE MYSELF !! -1-
