Drawing from the raw energy of Seattle's punk outfit the Gits, fronted by the intense Mia Zapata, 7 Year Bitch stands out as one of the fiercer acts in the U.S. independent punk circuit. Selene Vigil handled vocals, Stefanie Sargent played guitar, and Valerie Agnew sat behind the drums in the Seattle band Barbie's Dream Car until their bassist departed for Europe. Elizabeth Davis joined on bass, and the band debuted live alongside the Gits. Following their untitled first single from 1990, the group inked a deal with C/Z Records. Their inaugural full-length Sick 'Em came out in 1992, though Sargent's passing right prior to its launch cast a shadow over the release; Roisin Dunne stepped in as guitarist the next year. Mia Zapata suffered a violent death in Seattle during July 1993, prompting 7 Year Bitch to cut ¡Viva Zapata! in her honor. Afterward, they moved to Atlantic, issuing Gato Negro in 1996 as their entry on a major label.
