Editing Violent Femmes (section)

===Later years and brief split (1984–1992)===
[[File:Violentfemmessydney90.png|thumb|left|1990 at Sydney Opera House]]
After their debut album ''Violent Femmes'', the band released ''[[Hallowed Ground (Violent Femmes album)|Hallowed Ground]]'', which moved the group toward a [[country music]] sound and introduced Christian themes. Mark Van Hecke produced the band's first two efforts,<ref name="allmusic1">{{cite web |last=Mark VanHecke |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mark-vanhecke-mn0000332664/credits |title=Mark Van Hecke &#124; Credits |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=September 12, 2016 |archive-date=September 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924130108/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mark-vanhecke-mn0000332664/credits |url-status=live }}</ref> but their third album, ''[[The Blind Leading the Naked]]'', saw a change in the studio. This time, another fellow Milwaukee native, [[Jerry Harrison]] of [[Talking Heads]], did the producing. It was more mainstream and pop-oriented, resulting in a minor hit with "[[Children of the Revolution (song)|Children of the Revolution]]", originally by [[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]].<ref name="Larkin80">{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=2003|edition=Third|isbn=1-85227-969-9|page=484|title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref> In 1985, Van Hecke ended his collaboration with the group and became a composer and producer in the rapidly growing video game industry. He would return later to produce two more albums for the group.<ref name="allmusic1"/> The Femmes briefly disbanded, with Gano releasing an album in 1987, the result of a [[gospel music|gospel]] side project Mercy Seat. Ritchie also released several solo LPs. The group came back together in late 1988, releasing ''[[3 (Violent Femmes album)|3]]'', a return to the band's earlier, stripped-down sound.<ref name="Larkin80"/> ''[[Why Do Birds Sing?]]'' was released in 1991 after the band signed to [[Reprise Records|Reprise]]<ref name="Larkin80"/> and featured another minor hit, "American Music," which became a concert staple.