Zapata's Death Inspires Jett To Lend Her Voice To The Gits

----------------------------------------------------------------- Club and concert preview

The Gits, Joan Jett and the Dancing French Liberals of '48, 9 tonight, RKCNDY, with the Posies, Ovarian Trolley and Micron 7; and 8 p.m. tomorrow, King Theater, with the Presidents of the United States, Hater, Chagrin and Kathleen Hanna; $10 at the door, each show. -----------------------------------------------------------------

Evil Stig.

That's the name Joan Jett and Gits members Steve Moriarity, Joe Spleen and Matt Dresdner tagged their recent collaboration. Read backward, it's Gits Live. And despite the loss of lead singer Mia Zapata, the Gits do.

When Zapata was murdered almost two years ago, her surviving friends and band mates of eight years were devastated, unsure if they could continue. But they knew they wanted Mia's murderer found, even if they had to hire their own investigator, which they did. The band persevered, and with the help of others like 7 Year Bitch, began putting on benefits to pay the bills.

But there was no replacement for Zapata to be found. Spleen took over the vocals, guitarist Julian Gibson signed on and the Gits became the Dancing French Liberals of '48. They wrote all new songs. They'll release the album "Powerline" in May. But on stage, there's always a spotlight that belongs to Zapata.

Joan Jett learned of the Zapata fund and the subsequent formation of the self-defense group Home Alive from Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna, when the two were collaborating on Jett's last album. Jett dedicated the video for "Go Home" to Zapata, noting at the end that the killer had never been caught. She told her fans about it in her fan club newsletter, dedicated "Go Home" to Zapata at live shows and put a Home Alive sticker on her guitar. Moriarity got in touch with Jett last August.

"I could have just written them a check," says Jett, "but it didn't feel right. I never knew Mia, but there was something about her I felt. I wanted to do a benefit or something. I wanted them to get to play Mia's songs again."

When the group debuted before a sold-out crowd at the La Luna club in Portland three weeks ago, Jett could see how much it meant to everyone involved.

"It was very, very emotional. It worked on so many levels. I could see the faces in the crowd, people were crying, people were singing. And the guys in the band seemed so happy to be doing these songs again. I was just humbled by it."

Moriarity agrees. "I didn't think we could ever do those songs with anyone. But we've felt right about this with Joan from the very beginning. It just came together so naturally. Like it had to be."

Proceeds from tonight and tomorrow's performances will go to the Mia Zapata Investigative Fund, Home Alive and Seattle Rape Relief.