The Breeders

The Breeders are an American rock band, formed in 1977 as a folk rock duo featuring twin sisters Kim and Kelley Deal of Dayton, Ohio which playe

The Breeders are an American rock band, formed in 1977 as a folk rock duo featuring twin sisters Kim and Kelley Deal of Dayton, Ohio which played country covers at truck stops and bars and dissipated in the early 80's, only to be revived as a side project in 1988 for Kim who by then was playing bass for Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. After those original bands became less active, The Breeders became more important to both artists. A tape recording of their original demos with drummer Mickey Bones and violinist Carrie Bradley was sent to Ivo Watts-Russell, who immediately signed the band to his 4AD Records label in 1989. Their debut album, Pod, was recorded by Steve Albini in Edinburgh, and was released on 4AD in 1990. Deal's influence is obvious, but bassist Josephine Wiggs and Slint drummer Britt Walford (credited here as Shannon Doughton) add to the ensemble sound.

By the release of four-song EP Safari in 1992, Deal was done with Pixies and had enlisted her twin sister Kelley to play guitar for the Breeders. Donelly exited the band to form Belly, and drummer Jim MacPherson joined in time for Last Splash in 1993. The album spawned the hit "Cannonball." Cannonball hit #2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts, and the album "Last Splash" was certified Platinum thereafter. The band opened for Alternative Rock monsters Nirvana in their 1993-1994 In Utero tour, it was the last Nirvana tour, singer Kurt Cobain died in early 1994.