▁for ▁the ▁group . ▁The ▁Fem mes ▁briefly ▁dis band ed , ▁with ▁G ano ▁re le asing ▁an ▁album ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁the ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁g ospel ▁side ▁project ▁Mer cy ▁Se at . ▁R itch ie ▁also ▁released ▁several ▁solo ▁LP s . ▁The ▁group ▁came ▁back ▁together ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁re le asing ▁ 3 , ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁band ' s ▁earlier , ▁stri pped - down ▁sound . ▁Why ▁Do ▁Bird s ▁Sing ? ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁after ▁the ▁band ▁signed ▁to ▁Re prise ▁and ▁featured ▁another ▁minor ▁hit , ▁" American ▁Music ," ▁which ▁became ▁a ▁concert ▁st ap le . ▁ ▁Post - De L oren zo ▁years ▁( 1 9 9 3 – 1 9 9 8 ) ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁De L oren zo ▁depart ed ▁the ▁group ▁to ▁act ▁and ▁make ▁solo ▁records . ▁Guy ▁Hoff man , ▁formerly ▁of ▁the ▁O il ▁T aster s ▁and ▁Bo De ans , ▁was ▁brought ▁in ▁to ▁tour ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Vi ol ent ▁Fem mes ' ▁biggest - s elling ▁records , ▁the ▁Add ▁It ▁Up ▁( 1 9 8 1 – 1 9 9 3 ) ▁collection . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁nine ▁years , ▁the ▁band , ▁with ▁Hoff man , ▁recorded ▁five ▁full - length ▁CD s ▁and ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁one - offs ▁for ▁motion ▁picture