Why did Kim Deal leave the Pixies in 2013?
Many of the artistic standards set by the Pixies in the 1980s are still widely heard across the music industry today. Even their latest album, The Night The Zombies Came, establishes a level of excellence that makes it hard to establish whether this band sounds like everything else that came before or whether “everything else” is just the Pixies sound. Chicken and egg, maybe?
Zombies is a brilliant affair, but its exceptional execution hinges on the prospect of never, not for one moment, sounding like a faded entity whose only lasting appeal is compounded by sounding like a distant cover band. When they first broke onto the scene in the ’80s, many musicians likely didn’t anticipate how much they would alter the scene forever, showing that music could be both delicate and aggressive in a way that hadn’t been done before.
Through the 1990s, Pixies had a heavy hand in sparking the grunge movement with their confidence and flair, the kind that urged countless others to create a sound that held emotional depth without compromising on core messaging. Their sound even captivated the attention of Kurt Cobain, who once admitted ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ was a direct “rip off” of Pixies.
Discussing their broader impact, he said: “When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily I should have been in that band — or at least in a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.”
What drew Cobain and many others to their sound was the work of Kim Deal—joining the band might have occurred as a serendipitous affair, but she immediately instated her position, playing dynamic basslines that gave each song a more weighted feel, even if the broader arrangements carried an overt layer of intricacy. Ultimately, she helped to balance out Black Francis’ freewheelin’ and erratic disposition, ensuring their sound always felt focussed.
However, in 2013, Deal became fatigued with Francis’ restrictive approach and longed for more creative control over her music. As a result, she formed The Breeders, an all-female lineup that incorporated many of the aspects that first put Pixies on the map. Though respecting her decision to venture into new pastures, the band knew their sound would suffer without Deal’s input. As David Lovering said in 2014 during an interview with Brooklyn Vegan: “When we were in the lurch when Kim Deal left — it was a tough decision. Basically, no one can replace Kim Deal. It would be impossible to do.”
Will Pixies ever reunite with Kim Deal?
Although Lovering and Joe Santiago have previously welcomed Deal’s return to their lineup, it seems unlikely that she will ever return to the band. This is compounded by various factors, like her consistent desire to hold complete control of her own work and vision and the perceived lingering tension between Deal and Francis.
Although the idea is not out of the question, Deal has long been focused on The Breeders and other solo projects, and Pixies have since recruited post-Paz Lenchantin powerhouse Emma Richardson. Judging by the sound of Zombies, their current lineup works wonders, even if it will never live up to the appeal generated by Deal’s inclusion.
However, as the saying goes, never say never. Despite the circumstances surrounding Deal’s departure, it seems that whenever she wishes, she will likely be welcomed back. If for nothing else, at least there’s a sense of mutual respect between the two parties, with Francis admitting in 2022, “We’re always friends, but nothing is forever.”
