Kelley Deal
Encyclopedia
Kelley Deal is an American musician. The identical twin
sister of Kim Deal
, she is the lead guitarist of The Breeders
, besides having a solo career.
, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. The sisters first played together in their late teens, Kim playing guitar and both sisters singing Hank Williams songs in biker bars. They both had an opportunity to join the Pixies in the mid-'80s, with Kim on bass and Kelley on drums; Kim followed through while Kelley opted to move to California
. While Kim made her mark as an indie
musician, Kelley worked in computer programming.
(lead guitarist of Throwing Muses
) formed the next incarnation of The Breeders. Kelley was asked to play on the band's debut, Pod, but couldn't get time off from work.
left to form Belly
a little after the release of Safari. Kim suggested Kelley should be the band's new drummer. After Kelley insisted on lead guitar, Kim gave her a crash course on all the songs in the band's set. Kelley picked up quickly and learned all the lead parts on Pod and the new parts on the album they were about to record, Last Splash
. A new drummer from Dayton, Jim MacPherson
, joined them. After Last Splash was released in 1993, the band toured, opening for Nirvana
, and also got a slot on the Lollapalooza
tour in 1994.
In rehab, Deal began writing her own songs and after rehab, she started The Kelley Deal 6000
. The band released two albums on Deal's Nice Records label, Go To The Sugar Altar
in 1996 and Boom! Boom! Boom!
in 1997, and went on hiatus when The Breeders were reunited.
Deal also joined the The Last Hard Men with Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach
, Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin
, and Jimmy Flemion
of The Frogs
. She played bass for them and they recorded an eponymous album in 1997, which was released in a limited edition on Deal's own label, Nice Records, and in 2001 on Spitfire Records
.
Deal teamed back up with her sister in the late 1990s and began recording new demos for the Breeders. With a new line up, they released Title TK
in 2002. Title TK features three songs recorded in 1999, where the Deal sisters played all the instruments. In April 2008, The Breeders released Mountain Battles
.
as part of an effort to stay sober. She specializes in knitted handbags, which she sells on her website, and appeared on the DIY Network
knitting show Knitty Gritty, and in 2008 released a book of her knitting handbag patterns, Bags That Rock: Knitting on the Road with Kelley Deal. One of her patterns is included in the DIY Network's book Knitty Gritty Knits: 25 Fun & Fabulous Projects.
She co-wrote and played guitar on Magnetophone
's "Kel's Vintage Thought". She has also performed duets with Kris Kristofferson
and Supersuckers.
Twin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
sister of Kim Deal
Kim Deal
Kimberley Ann Deal is an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the bassist of the alternative rock band the Pixies and the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for The Breeders. Deal first joined the Pixies in January 1986 as the band's bassist, adopting the stage name Mrs...
, she is the lead guitarist of The Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
, besides having a solo career.
Early days
Kelley Deal was born 11 minutes before her sister. The Deal twins grew up in Huber HeightsHuber Heights, Ohio
Huber Heights is a city in Montgomery, Miami, and Greene Counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. Huber Heights's motto is "America's largest community of brick homes." The city is named for Charles Huber, the developer who constructed a number of the houses that would later comprise the city. Suburban...
, a suburb of Dayton, Ohio. The sisters first played together in their late teens, Kim playing guitar and both sisters singing Hank Williams songs in biker bars. They both had an opportunity to join the Pixies in the mid-'80s, with Kim on bass and Kelley on drums; Kim followed through while Kelley opted to move to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. While Kim made her mark as an indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
musician, Kelley worked in computer programming.
Musical career
In 1989, Kim Deal and Tanya DonellyTanya Donelly
Tanya Donelly is an American Grammy-nominated singer songwriter and guitarist based in New England who co-founded Throwing Muses with her stepsister Kristin Hersh. She then went on to work in The Breeders and Belly in the 1990s...
(lead guitarist of Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses is an alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Newport, Rhode Island, that toured and recorded extensively until 1997, when its members began concentrating more on other projects. The group was originally fronted by two lead singers, Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly, who both wrote the...
) formed the next incarnation of The Breeders. Kelley was asked to play on the band's debut, Pod, but couldn't get time off from work.
The Breeders
In 1992, Kelley Deal joined the band as third guitarist, even though she didn't really know how to play. The Safari EP was the first recording she appeared on. Guitarist Tanya DonellyTanya Donelly
Tanya Donelly is an American Grammy-nominated singer songwriter and guitarist based in New England who co-founded Throwing Muses with her stepsister Kristin Hersh. She then went on to work in The Breeders and Belly in the 1990s...
left to form Belly
Belly (band)
Belly was an alternative rock band formed in 1991 by former Throwing Muses members Tanya Donelly and Fred Abong. The band was based in Boston, Massachusetts, though all of the original members grew up in Newport, Rhode Island. The band consisted of Donelly on lead vocals and guitar, Abong on bass,...
a little after the release of Safari. Kim suggested Kelley should be the band's new drummer. After Kelley insisted on lead guitar, Kim gave her a crash course on all the songs in the band's set. Kelley picked up quickly and learned all the lead parts on Pod and the new parts on the album they were about to record, Last Splash
Last Splash
Last Splash is the second album by indie rock band The Breeders, released August 1993. Originally formed as a side project for Pixies bassist Kim Deal, The Breeders quickly became her primary recording outlet....
. A new drummer from Dayton, Jim MacPherson
Jim Macpherson
Jim Macpherson is a United States percussionist who has played with well-known rock groups, including Guided by Voices, The Breeders, The Moping Swans, The Raging Mantras, Killjoys and The Amps...
, joined them. After Last Splash was released in 1993, the band toured, opening for Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, and also got a slot on the Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
tour in 1994.
Drug arrest
Kelley Deal had been addicted to heroin since her teens, and her heroin use became public and problematic in 1994, after the success of Last Splash and extensive touring. She was arrested for possession in the fall of 1994 and entered rehab in Minnesota in 1995, which temporarily halted The Breeders.Other projects, return to the Breeders
The Kelley Deal 6000
The Kelley Deal 6000 was an alternative rock band formed in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, and was active between 1995 and 1997. They were formed by Kelley Deal when she got out of rehab in 1995.-History:...
. The band released two albums on Deal's Nice Records label, Go To The Sugar Altar
Go To The Sugar Altar
Go To The Sugar Altar is the first album by Kelley Deal 6000, released in 1996. It was released on Kelley Deal's own record label Nice Records.-Track listing:#"Canyon" – 3:10#"How About Hero" – 2:43...
in 1996 and Boom! Boom! Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Boom! Boom! Boom! is the second album by Kelley Deal 6000, released in 1997.-Track listing:#"Shag" – 2:26#"Future Boy" – 2:11#"Baby I'm King" – 3:27#"When He Calls Me Kitten" – 3:23#"Brillo Hunt" – 3:34#"Box" – 2:24#"Stripper" – 2:02...
in 1997, and went on hiatus when The Breeders were reunited.
Deal also joined the The Last Hard Men with Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted within Broadway plays, and leads a successful solo career.-Early life:Bach was born Sebastian...
, Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin is an American drummer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. After a drug-related incident with touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin in 1996, Chamberlin was fired from the band and joined The Last...
, and Jimmy Flemion
Jimmy Flemion
Jimmy Flemion is a founding member, with his older brother Dennis Flemion, of controversial independent rock band The Frogs. Jimmy is mostly the lead singer and guitarist for the group. He has been known to play solo shows with just an acoustic guitar....
of The Frogs
The Frogs (band)
The Frogs are an American rock music band founded in 1980, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by brothers Jimmy and Dennis Flemion. The brothers mainly write and perform short, catchy pop songs, but they are also known for their improvised home recordings which are delivered in a comedic style, and often...
. She played bass for them and they recorded an eponymous album in 1997, which was released in a limited edition on Deal's own label, Nice Records, and in 2001 on Spitfire Records
Spitfire Records
Spitfire Records was a subdivision of Eagle Rock Entertainment located in New York, United States.In September 1998, Paul Bibeau founded, launched and rapidly developed Spitfire Records Inc. from a two-man operation located in his home bedroom in suburban Long Island, New York, to one of the...
.
Deal teamed back up with her sister in the late 1990s and began recording new demos for the Breeders. With a new line up, they released Title TK
Title TK
Title TK is the third album from the American alternative rock band The Breeders. The album was released on May 20, 2002 by 4AD in the United Kingdom and distributed by Elektra records in the United States. Title TK was engineered by Steve Albini, who also engineered The Breeders' debut album Pod...
in 2002. Title TK features three songs recorded in 1999, where the Deal sisters played all the instruments. In April 2008, The Breeders released Mountain Battles
Mountain Battles
Mountain Battles is the fourth album from the American alternative rock band The Breeders. The album was released on April 7, 2008 by 4AD in the United Kingdom and April 8, 2008 in the United States....
.
Other collaborations and projects
Deal turned to knittingKnitting
Knitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can...
as part of an effort to stay sober. She specializes in knitted handbags, which she sells on her website, and appeared on the DIY Network
DIY Network
DIY Network is a channel owned by Scripps Networks Interactive that focuses on do it yourself projects at home.Television stations air local versions with local hosts with segments produced by the network. Branded DIY Network programming is also broadcast in Japan and the Philippines...
knitting show Knitty Gritty, and in 2008 released a book of her knitting handbag patterns, Bags That Rock: Knitting on the Road with Kelley Deal. One of her patterns is included in the DIY Network's book Knitty Gritty Knits: 25 Fun & Fabulous Projects.
She co-wrote and played guitar on Magnetophone
Magnetophone
Magnétophone are an electronic / art-rock band originating from Birmingham UK, composed of Matt Saunders and John Hanson...
's "Kel's Vintage Thought". She has also performed duets with Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
and Supersuckers.
The Breeders
- Safari (EP)Safari (EP)Safari is a four song EP by The Breeders released in 1992 on 4AD/Elektra Records. By the time of this release, Kim Deal had enlisted her twin sister Kelley to play guitar for The Breeders...
(1992) - Last SplashLast SplashLast Splash is the second album by indie rock band The Breeders, released August 1993. Originally formed as a side project for Pixies bassist Kim Deal, The Breeders quickly became her primary recording outlet....
(1993) - Title TKTitle TKTitle TK is the third album from the American alternative rock band The Breeders. The album was released on May 20, 2002 by 4AD in the United Kingdom and distributed by Elektra records in the United States. Title TK was engineered by Steve Albini, who also engineered The Breeders' debut album Pod...
(2002) - Mountain BattlesMountain BattlesMountain Battles is the fourth album from the American alternative rock band The Breeders. The album was released on April 7, 2008 by 4AD in the United Kingdom and April 8, 2008 in the United States....
(2008)
External links
- Kelly Deal's knitting on Wire and Twine
- Rock Star Bag, Knitty Gritty (DIY NetworkDIY NetworkDIY Network is a channel owned by Scripps Networks Interactive that focuses on do it yourself projects at home.Television stations air local versions with local hosts with segments produced by the network. Branded DIY Network programming is also broadcast in Japan and the Philippines...
)