The Return of Betty Blowtorch Betty Blowtorch was one of the most ferocious, hard-rocking, and riotously in-your-face all-female rock bands to ever tread onstage. From 1998-2001, drummer Judy Cocuzza, guitarists Sharon Needles and Blare N. Bitch, and bassist/vocalist Bianca Halstead played hard, toured harder, and released the blissfully belligerent Are You Man Enough [Foodchain Records] in 2001. The year 2001 should have been a year of success and career ascension. Betty Blowtorch won a Best of Los Angeles Music Award, jumped on the Warped Tour, had a guest spot in the movie Bubble Boy, and logged more than 200 shows. Instead, 2001 brought tragedy. While on tour with Nashville Pussy, Cocuzza and Needles left the group, and were replaced by former L7 guitarist Jennifer Finch and drummer Dave Gara. Then, after a show in New Orleans, Halstead accepted a ride back to the band’s hotel from a fan on December […]

August 2021 Issue