Written by: Alex Green

Debi Martini, who played bass in the punk band the Red Aunts has died.

Martini was believed to be in her mid 40’s and the cause of death is unknown at this time.

The band got their start in 1991 in Long Beach and quickly put out five albums on labels like Epitaph and Sympathy For The Record Industry before disbanding in 1998. Their tenure was commemorated with a 2014 career-spanning compilation called Come Up For A Closer Look.

SEM’s Matt Sloan caught the band in the ’90s in the UK and he wrote of their performance: “This is one of those occasions where the band playing is having as much fun as the audience. The Red Aunts were loose and raucous, yet their sound remained tight and catchy. One of the best live shows of the year…”

The Red Aunts got back together in 2016 on the occasion of their 25th anniversary and the band began touring again.

On Social Media the band posted this tribute to Martini: “With tremendous sadness we are heart broken to announce the sudden and unexpected passing of our sister and friend Debi . She was our rock goddess and our anchor and we will always treasure our time together and all that we accomplished . Thank you to all our friends and fans – we love you forever . If you would like to send a message please email theredaunts@gmail.com and we will share with Debi’s family and friends . We are devastated . We love you Debi.”