Legal Weapon were a Southern California-based punk band, initially composed of singer Kat Arthur and guitarist Brian Hansen (both previously of the Silencers), bassist Patricia Morrison (formerly of Bags and later of the Gun Club, the Sisters of Mercy and the Damned), drummer Charlie Vartanian and guitarist Mike R. Livingston. With her powerful voice, Arthur was often called "the Janis Joplin of punk". She died October 14, 2018, at the age of 62.