Bassist Brian Ritchie came up with the band's name, and it's not as dark or aggressive as it might sound at first. It was the irony of the name that stuck: “Violent” contrasts sharply with “Femmes”, creating a quirky, playful vibe. The combination fit perfectly with the band's offbeat sound and nonconformist attitude.

Gordon's father was a minister. So that was something he was into. Vic and I weren't religious, but we thought it was funny to play those songs for a punk crowd and rub them the wrong way. To me, it's more punk to defy your audience than to play what they want to hear.

The band disbanded in 2009 as a result of Ritchie's lawsuit against Gano.

Cover. The cover model is Billie Jo Campbell, a three-year-old girl who was walking down a Los Angeles street when she and her mother were approached and offered $100 for the photograph that became the album cover.