Call & Response with Kim Deal Issue #34

Before she releases the Breeders’ next album in April 2008, the Pixies bassist tells it like it really is

By Venus Zine Readers
Published: December 1st, 2007 | 12:00am

What kind of a mindset is helpful to a female musician looking to succeed (and enjoy herself) in such a male-dominated field? How do you personally ensure you’re taken seriously?
— Sarah Lynn Knowles of Brooklyn

There is no way for a male or female to ensure that they are taken seriously in any capacity, in any business. I was in a band with three guys, right — so we were at the Whiskey a Go Go in the ’80s, and the monitor guy was a real jerk. Now remember that this was the heyday of hair metal, before the word “alternative” was ever a marketing tool. The guy was such a jerk to each of us. It crossed my mind right then that if I were in an all-girl band, I would have assumed he was acting like this because we were females. But, really, he was just a jerk. It didn’t have anything to do with me.

I think about this stuff too. Each individual is on her own. I think it’s weird that you think that music is a male-dominated field. Beyoncé, Gwen, Madonna? I think it’s a money-dominated field. If you pay for the studio session, you will be treated seriously. If you get a house engineer who is an asshole, tell the studio owner and they will get someone else more suited to you. If all else fails, do what my sister, Kelley, does. Start singing Metallica songs really loud with the wrong lyrics. Guys can’t stand it.

I’ve been playing guitar for four years, but I’ve never written a song. Can you describe your songwriting process? Does “music theory” play any part?
— Jeff Noble of Mount Prospect
I’ve tried very hard to make sure music theory does not play any part in any music I am involved in. I believe music theory is important only when trying to communicate one’s ideas to someone else who knows music theory. Out of 100 people who I know who play music, only a handful will know theory. I learned how to read music when I was in junior high school. I played alto sax in the band. I know my chords and my notes. But do I need to know that an augmented G Major won’t ring well with an E Major suspended fifth? No. As a matter fact, for me, it’s crucial not to have these assumptions before you play the chords together. Jeff, it’s hard. Sit down and write the fucking song.

I’ve been a fan of yours for years now, and I am wondering what you think of the adoration of the Breeders and the Pixies after the fact. It seems more people like the music now than they did when it was initially released.
— Danielle Searby of Australia
I don’t know about the adoration part, but I did notice something that started happening in the late ‘90s. If I was having a conversation with someone I didn’t know and the conversation turned to my being in the Pixies, inevitably that person would say, “Yeah, I saw you guys.” This was happening a lot, but the numbers weren’t adding up. Not all these people saw us! So I started asking, “Where did you see us?” 98% of the time people said, “Opening up for the Cure.” I don’t know what my point is.

I live in Dayton, Ohio. Actually, I live in a small town outside of Dayton. Some of the kids at our Starbucks have heard of the Pixies. On the reunion tour the Pixies were going to play Hara Arena in Dayton, but we only pre-sold 500 tickets, so we cancelled the show. But then we played five nights in Chicago! I do remember in 2003, Spin magazine had a photo shoot, and one of the models was wearing a “Death to the Pixies” T-shirt. I thought, cool, maybe we have the new, cool, old shirt thing going on.

If you could rewrite your history a bit and take on a totally different career or lifestyle, what would it be and why?
— Lisa Bensing of Queens
Cell biology and genetics, but my math background is so poor, I wouldn’t be able to pass the physics classes. I also think electrician, maybe — a rich, beautiful electrician. I could be like Nicole Kidman in the movies. I could be the research scientist who’s about to save the planet. I could do that ... but what are the hours?

What can we expect from the new Breeders album, and when will it be released?
— Bonnie Rue of Austin
The only show I ever blacked out at because I was drunk was in Austin. Sorry about that.

The new Breeders record is scheduled to be released in April 2008. There are 13 songs. Mando Lopez is still on bass, Jose Medeles on drums, Kelley Deal, my evil twin, on guitar and vocals, and I'm playing guitar and vocals.

The songs are just songs. But for instance, one song Kelley and I did live. She played stand-up bass and I played acoustic guitar while we sang. Steve Albini taped it live like that. Yet another song has Kelley playing bass and Mando playing rhythm guitar. I'm playing the lead and Kelley and I are singing throughout. On song has Mando playing a lead guitar which Albini then backward masked. One song has three, count 'em, three basses on it....

Maybe because I am a Midwesterner myself, one of the reasons I’ve always been a huge fan of the Breeders is because of their Ohio roots. They are one of the — and arguably THE — most successful alternative band to come out of middle America. How does being Midwestern affect your music or your identity as a musician?
— Gina Brandolino of Bloomington, Indiana
Good question. I'm sure that it does, but I have no idea how it does. The east and west coasts have really good access to shows that we just didn't. We relied on mix tapes passed between friends. Maybe that isolation encouraged experimentation. The evil Internet, with its mean, icky attitude that I can't stand … crap, now I forgot what I was going to say.

If you could form a super group with any living musicians, whom would you choose?
— Allison Tenn of Chicago
I'm too bossy for a super group. I would have liked to be onstage at the Book T and the MG's playing the keyboard or the lead guitar at 1960s London gigs. I would have liked to have played the guitar on the Johnny and Santos, “Sleepwalk”; Duane Allman's guitar part on “Layla”; done the handclaps on “Tighten Up” by Archie Bell; played the tambourine on any Stones song or the dog barks on Pink Floyd's Animal. I would like to have written “I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry” by Hank Williams. I would have liked to have played the snare on the “Fame” recording by David Bowie; the drums on Cannonball Adderley's “Stand Tall.” I would have liked to have done the recording of “Madcap Laughs” by Syd Barrett. Some of the off-the-mic singing on the Clash's London Calling. Every track on there sounds like a mic was left on and it's picking up some guy talking or shouting or singing. I would have liked to have been that guy. Of course, I’d like to have played Clyde Stubblefield's drums on pretty much any James Brown song and/or the bass and organ on the early Faces stuff. That's a start. There is an all-girl surf band from L.A. called the Neptunas. I would like to be the announcer guy who says, "Door slammer stay home!"

What is your songwriting process and how have you taught yourself so much about playing and recording music in such a male-dominated genre? I have read everything I can find and have yet to see you talk about this — your sparse but melodic music. How do you do it?
— Carrie Vrabel of Los Angeles
I don't talk much about the subject of male domination in the music industry because it’s not my problem. I'm sure there are guys who wouldn't want to play with me because I'm a girl, so why would I want to play with them? They can listen to their White Snake album without me in the room. There isn't anything wrong with them if they don't want to play with me or listen to albums that girls are on. It's their choice. Are you referring specifically to a person or a studio? If there is a situation that you can't go through, go around it.

Honestly, just pretending I'm stupid has gotten me out of a few excruciatingly painful situations. Kelley [Deal], who is typing this for me, has glared at me and pointed out that a lot of feminists would think this is the wrong tactic. But I say to Kelley — unless a caped superhero with a big “F” on her bosom flies into the room at that painful moment and helps me out with her superpowers of righteousness and reason — I am going to do what it takes to make the work continue forward. That is my goal. I am not put on this earth to teach each loser a lesson. Just talk slower and keep your focus. Finish up the track. For example, 1992: Kelley, Josephine [Wiggs of the Breeders], and I went to pick up a 12-inch Celestial guitar speaker. Before the old drunk man handed it over, he looked at Josephine and said, "Can I get my hug?" Honestly, I don't think guys know sometimes what we put up with. But that beautiful lesbian leaned over and hugged that old drunk man's neck. Now that's taking one for the team.

Another example: Erika Sharkey. Fucking fantastic engineer. In the '90s, Erika flies from New York to Dayton to work in a studio here. The Vietnam vet/studio owner asked her every day: "Why don't you wear more skirts?" What did she do? She ignored him. Told him to shut up, rolled her eyes a few times, but she kept working. She didn't spend her energy trying to fix him. She spent her energy on the task at hand. Decide what battles you want to fight, and remember, guys have to put up with shit too. Ben Mumphrey, a Breeders' engineer, met this same studio owner in 2005 and the guy was such an asshole that Ben refused to work with him. Generally, jerks will be jerks to everybody.

Other tricks: If you are having a party — hide your guitars. This will prevent Bozo from presuming everybody wants to hear him play bad blues licks and sing cloyingly for the next three hours. This will also prevent you from having to de-vibe your instruments on Sunday.

A fail-safe for recording? Just go to Steve Albini at Electrical Audio Recording in Chicago. He doesn't give a shit whether you are male or female. He won't give a shit about you at all or your music. But he will professionally record your session to the best of his ability and sincerely hope you're happy with it. Other engineers I can vouch for:

• Manny Nieto, distortionfelix [at] yahoo.com, in L.A.
• Erika Sharkey, erikamerika76 [at] hotmail.com, in L.A.
• Ben Mumphrey, studiointhecountry.com, benmumphrey [at] mac.com, in Bogalusa, Louisiana
• Bryce Goggin, troutrecording.com, in Brooklyn

Carrie, about playing an instrument, it's a lot like typing. The more you do it, the better you get. Jeff, are you listening?

In the documentary loudQUIETloud, we see you recording music for the new Breeders album on your tour bus. How much was the new album influenced by your experience of re-uniting and going on tour with the Pixies?
— Tamara Matthews of Chicago
That four-track recording was done on an RV that I rented. My brother-in-law Todd was the driver. If you are asking when I left the Pixies stage, did I go onto the RV and write a song about that? The answer is no. Actually, so much of one's life experiences somehow get into the writing process, but touring and playing had nothing to do with anything I was thinking about. I think it's bad subject matter for songs.