The Breeders

The Breeders began as a loose-knit supergroup of Boston rock women, led by two who were somewhat overshadowed in their own bands: Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The group formed for a single 1989 gig at "Ed's Kitchen", a coffeehouse-type monthly event put together by indie-folk group Ed's Redeeming Qualities, whose singer/violinist Carrie Bradley was an original Breeder. Afterward they recorded a stack of demos, which were accepted by the Pixies and Muses' label 4AD. Though they initially pictured the Breeders as a dance band, the debut album Pod (engineered by Steve Albini, and introducing English bassist Josephine Wiggs) leaned toward an artful, loud-guitar pop sound that recalled their parent bands and included a cover of the Beatles' "Happiness is a Warm Gun." The original plan was to feature Deal's songs on the first Breeders album and Donelly's on the second; however, Donelly left to form Belly after a between-albums EP Safari (which had another '60s cover, the Who's "So Sad About Us"). The group then set into its most familiar lineup with Deal, Wiggs, drummer Jim MacPherson and Deal's twin sister Kelley sharing vocals and guitar (Bradley remained a frequent guest). Meanwhile Frank Black fired the rest of the Pixies, and Deal threw herself into the second Breeders album Last Splash. Retaining the Pixies' surreal wordplay and fractured pop hooks, the album had a more eclectic sound with touches of surf and Hawaiian music, plus the playfully sexy singles "Cannonball" and "Divine Hammer." It wound up outselling anything the Pixies had done, going platinum and charting at #33. However personal problems, including Kelley going into rehab, led to the band's not making a followup. Kim wound up recording much of the next album on her own with MacPherson on drums, and releasing it as Pacer by the Amps. It took a few more years before the sisters reunited, fronting a new Breeders lineup that included three members of the LA punk band Fear. This lineup debuted on 2002's Title TK, which got a mixed reaction: Fans generally applauded the maturity and vulnerability in Kim's songwriting, while wondering if the slicker playing and punk-metal chops were really needed. Though made with the same lineup, 2008's Mountain Battles veered closer to the DIY sound of Last Splash. The latter album received a deluxe reissue four years later and the band again toured with the Last Splash lineup. The Pixies had also successfully reunited, but following the Breeders tour Kim split with the Pixies a second time, this time of her own accord. The reunited Breeders continued working on new material, first releasing a single, "Wait in the Car" in fall 2017, then the classic lineup's first album in 25 years, All Nerve in March 2018. A notable guest was modern indie star Courtney Barnett, a fan who had covered "Cannonball" live.