'''Violent Femmes''' или '''Вайълънт Фемс''' (в превод "Яростни жени") е американска рок-група, създадена в началото на 80-те години в Милуоки, щата Уисконсин. 

== История ==
Първият албум на групата излиза през 1982 г. и съчетва американска фолк-музика с инди рок, а текстовете се отнасят главно за младежки теми като любов и секс. Групата не добива голяма популярност, въпреки че някои от песните им стават известни ("Add It Up", "Blister in the Sun" и "Kiss Off"). По-късно, през 1993 г. дебютният им албум става платинен.

През следващите години Violent Femmes издават няколко албума, които имат по-малък успех от дебютния. През 1993 г. излиза и най-продаваният за групата албум ''Add It Up (1981-1993)'', който е сборен и съдържа най-добрите песни в периода 1981-1993. Следват още няколко студийни албума, последният от които е ''Freak Magnet'' през 2000 г.

== Членове на групата ==
*Гордан Гано - Вокал,Китара
*Брайън Ричи - Бас и различни иснтрументи
*Виктор ДеЛорензо (1981-1993, и след 2002) - барабани
*Гай Хофман (1993-2002) - барабани

== Дискография ==

* ''Violent Femmes'' (1982)
* ''Hallowed Ground'' (1984)
* ''The Blind Leading the Naked'' (1986)
* ''3'' (1988)
* ''Debacle: The First Decade'' (1990)
* ''Why Do Birds Sing?'' (1991)
* ''Add It Up (1981-1993)'' (1993)
* ''New Times'' (1994)
* ''Rock!!!!!'' (1995)
* ''Viva Wisconsin'' (1999)
* ''Freak Magnet'' (2000)
* ''Something's Wrong'' (2001) (mp3 издание)
* ''Violent Femmes (Deluxe Edition)'' (2002)
* ''Permanent Record: The Very Best of Violent Femmes'' (2005)

{{Infobox musical artist
| Name                = Violent Femmes
| Img                 =

| Img_size            = 
| Background          = group_or_band
| Origin              = Milwaukee, USA
| Genre               = Alternative rock<br>College rock<br>Post-punk<br>Folk punk
| Years_active        = 1980 - present
| Label               = Slash, Reprise, Elektra, Mushroom, Beyond
| URL                 = [http://vfemmes.com/ Official website]
| Current_members     = Victor DeLorenzo <br />Brian Ritchie <br />Gordon Gano <br />Guy Hoffman 
| Past_members        = 
}}
The '''Violent Femmes''', formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1980, is a three-piece American alternative rock band, noted for laying the groundwork for folk punk. The band has had four members: singer, guitarist and songwriter Gordon Gano, bassist Brian Ritchie, and two drummers, Victor DeLorenzo and Guy Hoffman.

==History==
The Violent Femmes were founded by bassist Oriental Theatre, the Milwaukee venue that The Pretenders would be playing later that night. self-titled album that they had recorded in July 1982. The music was an innovative combination of American folk music and Punk rock, and commonly referred to as "folk-punk". The lyrics were the common themes of yearning for love, sex and affection. The group quickly gained following that never veered into mainstream commercialism. A few songs that gained recognition include "Add It Up," "Blister in the Sun," "Gone Daddy Gone," "Kiss Off," and "Please Do Not Go." The debut album went platinum 10 years after its release.

After their debut album ''Violent Femmes'', they released ''Hallowed Ground'', which moved the group towards a T. Rex. The group disbanded, with Gano releasing an album in 1987, the result of a gospel side project 3'', a return to the band's earlier, stripped-down sound. ''Reprise and featured another minor hit, "American Music," which became a concert staple. 

In 1993, DeLorenzo departed the group to act and make solo records. ''South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut'' soundtrack, and other compilation projects. The first full studio album with Hoffman on drums, ''New Times'' (Elektra Records), was released in 1994. The record featured some of Gano's best songwriting, and the band scored another minor hit with the song "Breaking Up." ''Rock!!!!!'' (Mushroom Records) was released in 1995 in Australia only, though it has since become available in the United States.

''Beyond, and was followed by ''demos and live tracks to coincide with a 20th anniversary reissue. DeLorenzo asked to rejoin for what was to be a farewell tour, thus reinstating the original lineup.

2005 saw the release of two collections of past work – a CD called ''Slash/Rhino and a DVD, ''Rhino, which showcases a concert performance from 1991, along with many of the group's videos. The CD is the first record that recognizes all four musicians and their contributions on the same disc. 

After touring in promotion of ''Freak Magnet'', primary songwriter Gano decided that they would no longer make new music, but the band would continue to play shows when booked. On New Year's Eve of 2005, and for one show in January of 2006, all four Violent Femmes members played together.

In 2007, Gano surprised many long-time fans by selling advertising rights for the classic "Blister in the Sun" to Wendy's Hamburgers.

Ritchie responded to the use of the song in the commercial by saying:
<blockquote>
"For the fans who rightfully are complaining about the Wendy's burger advertisement featuring Blister in the Sun, Gordon Gano is the publisher of the song and Warners is the record company. When they agree to use it there's nothing the rest of the band can do about it, because we don't own the song or the recording. That's showbiz. Therefore when you see dubious or in this case disgusting uses of our music you can thank the greed, insensitivity and poor taste of Gordon Gano, it is his karma that he lost his songwriting ability many years ago, probably due to his own lack of self-respect as his willingness to prostitute our songs demonstrates. Neither Gordon (vegetarian) nor me (gourmet) eat garbage like Wendy's burgers. I can't endorse them because I disagree with corporate food on culinary, political, health, economic and environmental grounds. However I see my life's work trivialized at the hands of my business partner over and over again, although I have raised my objections numerous times. As disgusted as you are I am more so."<ref>onmilwaukee.com March 6 2007 [http://www.onmilwaukee.com/music/soundcheck/articles/femmeschili2.html]</ref>
</blockquote>

Ritchie filed a lawsuit against Gano in August 2007, seeking half ownership of the Femmes' music and access to royalty accounting. Since the band finished playing all the shows that had been booked prior to the dustup between Gano and Ritchie in late 2007, there have been no new dates announced, and no updates to the band's official site, leading many to speculate that the band has broken up for good. However, there has been no formal announcement of any break-up.

Violent Femmes have recently announced the release of a new single, a cover of "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley who had previously covered "Gone Daddy Gone".

==Horns of Dilemma==
In their shows, the Femmes employ a horn section called the Horns of Dilemma. For many years, it consisted of Peter Balestrieri and Steve MacKay, from the Stooges, on saxophones, with Sigmund Snopek III on keyboards and various instruments. It was augmented by whatever musicians the band invited to play with them on a particular night. The band also employs local acquaintances, famous or otherwise, friends, relatives, or associates of the band. Instrumentation varies widely and includes saxophones, trumpets, trombones, sousaphone, flute, clarinet, antique hunting horn, kazoo, and percussion. When the band plays "Black Girls" or "Confessions," the only instructions given to the players are to play as freely and wildly as possible. The group doesn't back up the band in the way that a traditional horn section would; rather, they provide a free-form noise jam. Famous members have included John Zorn, Dick Parry, Blaise Garza and The Dresden Dolls. Longtime band associates and employees who have played with the Horns include soundman and Oil Tasters' saxophonist Caleb Alexander and manager Darren Brown. Additional Horns of Dilemma include John Sparrow, who plays cajón box, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Hamilton on guitar, bass, mandolin, bass trumpet and harmonica. Various bassists stand in for Ritchie during "Gone Daddy Gone," when he plays xylophone.

==Pop culture==