If you were a rocker in L.A. in the late ’90s, the Pretty Ugly Club was the place to be. As I was arriving fashionably late, hobbling up the pavement in my too high heels, an assault of noise echoed into the street. Violent guitars and banshee wails filled the night time air… and it was good. I had to know who was emitting such dulcet tones. I went as fast as my platforms could carry me and as I stumbled into the club, and what I saw did not disappoint.

Judy Molish held down a thunderous, no-nonsense beat, Blaire N. Bitch‘s guitar blistered through, Sharon Needles held down the fort with steady rhythms and signature backing vocals, and snarling over the whole beautiful mess was charismatic rock goddess Bianca Butthole. In the coming years, I would have the pleasure of seeing Betty Blowtorch perform a number of times before it all came to a screeching halt. On December 15, 2001, Bianca was killed in an automobile accident leaving fans, friends, and family devastated.