Inspired by proto-punk and New Wave bands like The Modern Lovers and the Talking Heads, Violent Femmes formed in 1980 in Milwaukee. Though the band's quirky '83 debut wasn't really a hit at first, its lo-fi folk-punk feel eventually found a prominent place in alt-rock history. During the ‘80s, the band released a series of edgy, folk-inspired albums. By 1991, alternative had gone mainstream, and Violent Femmes had finally gone Platinum. Ultimately, the off-kilter outsiders became an alt-rock institution.