Kim Deal

Whether you love or hate Kiss bassist/marketing mastermind Gene Simmons, the main revelation of his second solo album is how eclectic he can be with his musical choices. (This is, after all, a guy who covered "When You Wish Upon a Star" on his solo debut at a time when he was still sporting demon make-up.) Apparently, the cocky bassist's Rolodex got quite a workout for this project. Former Kiss bandmates Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer were recruited for the swaggering "Weapons of Mass Destruction", Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro shows up on a scorching cover of Prodigy's "Firestarter", and Bob Dylan, of all people, helped co-write the heartfelt ballad "Waiting for the Morning Light". Throughout the record Simmons shifts gears, from the ZZ Top-flavored boogie of "Sweet & Dirty Love" to the Beatlesque ballad "Now That You're Gone", to the surprisingly catchy title cut…

Surfer Rosa is often cited as a favorite of music critics, and is frequently included on professional lists of the all-time best rock albums. Many alternative rock artists, including Billy Corgan, Rivers Cuomo and PJ Harvey, have cited the album as inspirational; Nirvana's Kurt Cobain frequently acknowledged that Surfer Rosa was a strong influence on Nevermind, and in 1993 hired Albini to produce his band's album In Utero.

Trompe le Monde is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies. After the surf-pop of Bossanova, the band returned to the abrasive sound of the band's earlier releases. Recorded in Burbank, California, Paris and London, the album was produced by Gil Norton, and was Pixies' final studio album before their subsequent break-up two years later. Trompe le Monde is the last album to feature founding bass guitarist Kim Deal.

Surfer Rosa is the debut full-lenght studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in March 1988 on the British label 4AD. It was produced by Steve Albini. The album contains many of the elements of Pixies' earlier output, including Spanish lyrics and references to Puerto Rico. It includes references to mutilation and voyeurism alongside experimental recording techniques and a distinctive drum sound. "Surfer Rosa" is often included on critics' lists of the best rock albums.

A defining album of the 90s, Last Splash by The Breeders turns 30 this year. Recorded by the ‘classic’ Breeders line-up of Kim Deal, Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson, and featuring the infectiously appealing ‘Cannonball’, Last Splash immediately became an alt-rock classic, achieving platinum status in the UK and US, and is ranked in Pitchfork’s Top 100 Records of the 1990s. To celebrate this anniversary, the album has been remastered from the original analog tapes – previously thought to be lost – a process which also brought to light two unreleased tracks, a discovery that will delight fans.

Landing at the start of a new decade, after much had happened in both producer Ivo Watts-Russell’s life and with his 4AD label, the fi nal part of the This Mortal Coil trilogy, Blood (1991), felt like a perfect conclusion. Meticulously orchestrated, vocalists Alison Limerick, Deirdre and Louise Rutkowski return from the second album with Caroline Crawley (Shelleyan Orphan / Babacar) and 4AD signees Heidi Berry, Kim Deal (Pixies / The Breeders), Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses / The Breeders / Belly) and Pieter Nooten all signed up.

"Surfer Rosa" is the debut full-lenght studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in March 1988 on the British label 4AD. It was produced by Steve Albini. The album contains many of the elements of Pixies' earlier output, including Spanish lyrics and references to Puerto Rico. It includes references to mutilation and voyeurism alongside experimental recording techniques and a distinctive drum sound. "Surfer Rosa" is often included on critics' lists of the best rock albums.

"Trompe le Monde" is the fourth studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies. After the surf-pop of "Bossanova", the band returned to the abrasive sound of the band's earlier releases. Recorded in Burbank, California, Paris and London, the album was produced by Gil Norton, and was Pixies' final studio album before their subsequent break-up two years later. "Trompe le Monde" is the last album to feature founding bass guitarist Kim Deal.