Bassist Jennifer Finch to skip L7’s farewell tour after diagnosis
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L7 bassist Jennifer Finch has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, her bandmates announced on 13 July 2026, just two months after the group revealed plans for a farewell run of shows. Finch will not join L7 on their upcoming "The Last Hurrah Tour", due to start on 6 October in San Diego, but has asked her bandmates to carry on without her. Frontwoman Donita Sparks said the band was "devastated" and was working to protect Finch's privacy while helping raise funds for her care.
Finch's friends and family have launched a GoFundMe to cover the mounting costs of her treatment, recovery and round-the-clock care, explaining that what was initially thought to be treatable with radiation "progressed rapidly", leading to multiple surgeries and significant physical limitations that now require outside nursing support. R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe is among those who have publicly backed the fundraiser, praising Finch's influence on punk and alternative music. Finch has played bass in L7 since its 1985 formation, and the band, now completed by Sparks, Suzi Gardner and Dee Plakas, will proceed with the tour in her absence as planned.
- L7 bassist Jennifer Finch diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer
- She will miss the band's farewell "Last Hurrah" tour from October
- GoFundMe launched for her care; Michael Stipe among backers
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Jennifer Finch has played bass in L7 since the band formed in Los Angeles in 1985, helping build its reputation as a pioneering, hard-edged force in punk and alternative rock. Earlier this year the group announced a farewell run of concerts, giving longtime fans a chance to see the classic line-up one more time before it stopped touring.
That plan has now been complicated by news that Finch has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her illness was first thought to be treatable, but it worsened quickly and has required several operations, leaving her with serious physical limitations and a need for ongoing nursing care.
The other members of L7 are Donita Sparks, Suzi Gardner and Dee Plakas, who have been open about their shock at Finch's diagnosis while trying to respect her wish for privacy. A fundraising campaign has been set up by Finch's friends and family to help with her medical costs, drawing support from figures such as Michael Stipe of R.E.M., which gives a sense of the wider musical community's regard for her.
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Originally published by NME as “L7 bassist Jennifer Finch diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer”.