Jamaica Plain's Lizzie Borden Keeps Rockin'

It’s always one of the first questions: Is your name really Lizzie Borden? Yup. Elizabeth Borden, and she headed up the all-girl punk band Lizzie Borden & the Axes throughout most of the 1980s, starting when Borden, on bass, was around 13. They initially worked as a quartet, then added a fifth member, playing local hot spots such as the Rat, the Space, and Cantone’s. After some personnel changes and label problems, and even a forced name change – to Mata Hari – the band folded, and Borden started up Lava Beat, then the Finch Family.

These days Borden, who has lived in Jamaica Plain for two decades, is a guitarist-singer in the Liz Borden Band, with Kelly Johnson (bass, vocals), Seth Kellogg, guitar, vocals), and John Kokas (drums). A recent release, titled “Under the Covers,” is an album of favorite cover tunes. A new one, “Don’t Stand in My Sunshine,” comes out in May.

Who was in the original band?

Before the Axes, I played guitar in a bunch of punk bands. Lizzie Borden & the Axes happened after I met [guitarist] Rita Lavacchia at the Rat.  She wanted to start a band with me but I said no way. I was a punk with an attitude. But she finally she talked me into coming to her house, and there happened to be a bass sitting there. She had a female band called the Hoodsies, who were all teenagers from the suburbs. And when I showed up looking the way I looked, acting the way I acted, most of the band quit. So Rita and I brought in my friend Cyndie Barone, who played drums. Then we got Daria Smith to be the singer. Daria left, and then we became popular with Heather Rice. Kathy Perry later joined on keyboard.

Who came up with the band’s name?

Well, it is my name. The Axes was a group decision. We were driving in the van, throwing things around – and axe is another name for a guitar.

Was it tough playing in an all-female band?

It was really tough, and as we started playing out more, we started getting abused at gigs. One Halloween we were onstage at the Rat, and all of a sudden I felt something in my eye. One of the security bouncers was squirting stuff at us, and it was stinging. All I remember is leaping off stage, onto the bouncer, grabbing a chair, trying to bash him over the head, with him hitting back. In the end a couple of people were fired and a couple of people apologized to us.

What happened when you finally called it quits?

I was laying on the couch depressed for a year, then I called up Rita and said we’ve gotta play. So we started Lava Beat around 1991. That was a pop-dance-alternative band mixed with electronic and real instruments. We
did that until 1993, and then, from 1995 till 2002 there was the Finch Family, which was very ’90s alternative grunge. That’s when I switched back to guitar. Then we started the Liz Borden Band.

So how do you describe the Liz Borden Band?

It’s an alternative melodic indie band with an edge.


The Liz Borden Band plays as part of the Pride Goddess Show at The Spot Underground in Providence, R.I. on Sunday, March 25 at 1 p.m. They’ll have a CD release party for “Don’t Stand in My Sunshine” on June 2 at the Hard Rock Café in Boston.