Kim Deal

Who is Kim Deal?

Kimberley Ann Deal is an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the former bassist and backup vocalist of the alternative rock band Pixies, and the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for The Breeders. Deal joined the Pixies in January 1986 as the band's bassist, adopting the stage name Mrs. John Murphy for the albums Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa. Following Doolittle and the Pixies' hiatus, she formed The Breeders with Tanya Donelly and Josephine Wiggs. After the Pixies reconvened in 1990, Deal felt increasingly sidelined by the band's frontman, Black Francis, which led to the Pixies' breakup in early 1993.

After the Pixies, Deal returned her focus to the Breeders, who released the platinum-selling album Last Splash in 1993. In 1994, the Breeders went into hiatus after Deal's identical twin sister, Kelley, entered drug rehabilitation. During their eight-year break, Deal adopted the stage name Tammy Ampersand and formed The Amps, recording a single album, Pacer in 1995. She resumed her role as the Breeders' guitarist for their third album Title TK in 2002, and reunited with the Pixies in 2004. She left the Pixies in 2013.