The Gits… that band always felt special.
I first heard them when someone played me “Second Skin.” Mia Zapata’s voice just hit you. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it had this power that got under your skin right away. From that first listen I was hooked. To me, Mia was the voice of Seattle, even though she wasn’t even born here. She grew up in Ohio and moved out west, but once she got here she made this city hers. She had something nobody else in the scene could touch.
They were more punk than anything else — fast, loud, no-frills rock ’n’ roll with attitude. But when their second album Enter: The Conquering Chicken came out, you could hear a little of that Seattle sound creeping in, just a touch of the heavier vibe that was happening around town at the time. It still felt like The Gits, but it had this extra weight to it. I loved that record.
I saw them live on February 27th, 1993 at the Satyricon in Portland. It was a good night. The place wasn’t huge but it was packed tight, and they played with so much heart. Mia was jumping around, screaming into the mic, laughing with the band between songs. You could tell they were having fun up there. It was one of those shows where the whole room felt alive. I still think about that night a lot.
They were one of those bands that never got the big break they deserved. They just kept playing shows, making records, and doing it their own way. No chasing trends, no selling out. Just music for the people who got it.
And then… that tragedy that took Mia from us on July 7th, 1993. When I heard the news, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Almost everything changed after that. It was a trauma for the fans, for the scene, and for the city… nothing was ever the same. It was like a light went out. She was only 27. It still messes me up thinking about it.
These days in 2002 I still pull out their records sometimes. Frenching the Bully, Enter: The Conquering Chicken, the live stuff… and every time I do, I think about Mia and how good they were. It’s a damn shame things turned out the way they did. I really hope one day they catch the guy who did it and he pays for what he took from us. Mia deserved better. We all did.
The Gits weren’t just another band. They were the real deal. And Mia… man, she was the voice. I don’t think we’ll ever hear anything like her again.