The Gits
The Gits were an American punk rock band from Yellow Springs, Ohio, formed in 1986. The band was founded by vocalist Mia Zapata, guitarist Andy Kessler, bassist Matt Dresdner, and drummer Steve Moriarty. As part of the burgeoning Seattle music scene of the early 1990s, they were known for their fiery live performances, with Zapata earning particular praise for her powerful vocals.
Establishing themselves as one of Seattle's most promising bands, the Gits had accepted an offer to be signed to Atlantic Records in June 1993. However, their career was cut short when Zapata was raped and murdered in July 1993, shortly before the band were about to embark on their first national tour. In response, the surviving members of the Gits formed the supergroup Evil Stig with Joan Jett, organized benefit concerts, and raised $70,000 to hire a private investigator to find Zapata's killer. The case went cold for nearly a decade due to lack of evidence, suspects, and witnesses, becoming one of the most notorious unsolved murders in Seattle history. After DNA evidence linked Jesus Mezquia to the crime in December 2002, he was arrested in Miami in January 2003, convicted of first degree felony murder in March 2004, and sentenced to 36 years in prison.
The Gits released two studio albums, one compilation of early recordings, one live recording, and three 7-inch singles through C/Z Records, and appeared on various compilations. In 2003, the band's entire discography was remastered and expanded with bonus tracks, which was reissued through Broken Rekids. In 2024, their discography was remastered again by Jack Endino and reissued through Sub Pop.
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