Grunge Icon Battles Aggressive Brain Cancer, Cancels Tour

Jennifer Finch, bassist and vocalist for the 1990s grunge band L7, has been diagnosed with brain and pulled out of the group's farewell tour.

Finch, 59, was one of the earliest and longest-lasting members of the girl band, which she joined in 1986, the year after they first formed in .

She also featured in a music video for 's group Hole as a replacement for bassist Kristen Pfaff, who had died at 27 of a heroin overdose.

Although she left L7 in 1996 and the band broke up altogether in 2001, she got back together with her old colleagues when L7 reformed in 2014.

This May, they announced that they would be embarking on their final tour called The Last Hurrah 2026 with dates to begin this October.

However L7 released a joint Instagram statement on Monday announcing Finch's withdrawal because of an 'aggressive' brain tumor.

The Daily Mail has contacted Finch's representatives for comment.

'Our beloved bandmate, sister and friend Jennifer Finch has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer,' L7 shared on social media.

'Following multiple surgeries and serious complications, Jennifer now requires extensive medical care, rehabilitation and professional in-home support.'

They announced a GoFundMe with the aim of covering her medical fees and enabling her to keep living at home through the course of her treatment.

L7 explained that their tour 'was planned along with Jennifer when all four of us were in good health and spirits,' and that they were continuing without her at her urging.

'We will honor her request while making her care and well-being our immediate priority,' L7 continued. 'We love her, and we want her to feel the full strength of the community that has loved and supported her for so many years.'

By Tuesday morning, her GoFundMe had already raised more than $225,000 against a goal of $350,000, with funds going to such causes as 'home-care expenses that will allow Jennifer to remain safely and comfortably at home.'

The crowdfunding page also requested money to help recover the 'significant out-of-pocket medical expenses and legal fees' already paid for her care.

Taking stock of the 'the difficult reality that Jennifer may have more good days behind her than ahead,' her loved ones also requested money so they could maintain Finch's 'legacy by creating an archive of her artistic and creative work.'

Born in Los Angeles, Finch began her career in San Francisco as part of Courtney Love's early pre-fame band Sugar Babydoll in the 1980s.

In 1986 she joined L7, which was formed the previous year by Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner, habituees of the art scene of Los Angeles' bohemian Echo Park area.

The band rose to its greatest heights of success in the early- to mid-1990s with a lineup comprised of Finch, Sparks, Gardner and Demetra 'Dee' Plakas. 

Perhaps their best remembered song is their 1992 breakout single Pretend We're Dead, which they played on The Late Show with David Letterman.