Editing Violent Femmes (section)

== Horns of Dilemma ==
In their shows, the Femmes employ a horn section called the Horns of Dilemma. For many years, it consisted of Peter Balestrieri, [[Steve MacKay]] on saxophones and [[Sigmund Snopek III]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sigmundsnopek.com/|title=SigmundSnopek.com – Welcome to the Official Web Site of Sigmund Snopek III|website=SigmundSnopek.com|access-date=October 14, 2014|archive-date=October 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018111441/http://www.sigmundsnopek.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> on keyboards and other instruments.<ref name="Peter Balestrieri">{{cite web|last=Cohn|first=Yale|title=Talking With: Peter Balestrieri of the Violent Femmes |url=http://patv.tv/blog/2013/01/23/talking-with-peter-balestrieri-of-the-violent-femmes/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319005921/http://patv.tv/blog/2013/01/23/talking-with-peter-balestrieri-of-the-violent-femmes/ |archive-date=March 19, 2016}}</ref> It was augmented by various musicians who the band invited to play with them. The band now uses local acquaintances (famous or otherwise), friends, relatives or associates of the band, particularly their [[road crew]]. Instrumentation varies widely and includes saxophones, trumpets, trombones, [[sousaphone]], flute, clarinet, antique hunting horn, kazoo, and percussion. The group doesn't back up the band in the way that a traditional horn section would; instead, they provide a free-form noise jam. When the band plays "Black Girls" or "Confessions", the only direction given to the players is to play freely and as wildly as possible during certain sections. Currently, the leader of the Horns of Dilemma is [[Blaise Garza]], who plays saxophone. Famous members have included [[John Zorn]], [[Dick Parry]], and [[the Dresden Dolls]]. Longtime band associates and employees who have played with the Horns include soundman Caleb Alexander and manager Darren Brown.<ref name="Horns of Dilemma">{{cite web|title=Horns of Dilemma|url=http://www.vfemmes.com/horns.html|publisher=Violent Femmes|access-date=May 23, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140523054003/http://www.vfemmes.com/horns.html|archive-date=May 23, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Before becoming the band's drummer, John Sparrow played [[cajón]], starting in 2005.<ref name="Setting aside strife">{{cite news|last=Levy|first=Piet|title=Setting aside strife, Milwaukee's Violent Femmes reborn|url=http://archive.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/setting-aside-strife-milwaukees-violent-femmes-reborn-b99674230z1-370282691.html|newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|access-date=July 22, 2017|archive-date=May 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519104757/http://archive.jsonline.com/entertainment/musicandnightlife/setting-aside-strife-milwaukees-violent-femmes-reborn-b99674230z1-370282691.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Various bassists stand in for Ritchie during "Gone Daddy Gone," when he plays xylophone. These musicians are all considered members of the Horns of Dilemma.<ref name="Horns of Dilemma" />