The Breeders

One of alternative rock's most promising -- and frustrating -- bands, The Breeders were conceived initially as a way for Pixies bassist Kim Deal and Throwing Muses guitarist Tanya Donelly to let out some suppressed creative energy and to take a break from being the second bananas in each of their main bands. Deal and Donelly both played guitar, leaving bass for Josephine Wiggs of Perfect Disaster. Taking their name from the group Deal led with her twin sister, Kelley, in their teens, The Breeders combined the spareness of Throwing Muses with the shifting dynamics and warped pop sensibilities of The Pixies. Pod, their critically acclaimed debut album, was released in 1990. Two years later, the group delivered Safari, a four-song EP that found the band getting more muscular and melodic. Soon after its recording, Donelly left The Breeders to form her own group, Belly. Kim Deal brought in her sister Kelley as her replacement. By this time, their permanent drummer was Jim Macpherson, who was billed as "Mike Hunt" on Safari. 1992 also saw the group play its first high-profile gigs, opening for Nirvana on their European tour.

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