Behind the revolving door: Pixies' unique female bassist saga continues

Pixies, the iconic alt-rock band, has seen a revolving door of bassists since Kim Deal's departure in 2013. Back then, Pixies stated on their Facebook page: "We are sad to say that Kim Deal has decided to leave the Pixies..." After a brief stint by the late Kim Shattuck of The Muffs, Paz Lenchantin, renowned for her tenure with A Perfect Circle, assumed bass duties in 2014, solidifying her role as a full-fledged member for a decade.

However, the band recently revealed Lenchantin's exit alongside news of an upcoming European tour, with Emma Richardson of Band Of Skulls stepping in. The band revealed that Lenchantin is leaving "to concentrate on her own projects."

However, Lenchantin expressed surprise at the decision, albeit emphasizing her gratitude for her time with Pixies while also hinting at new ventures ahead. In fact, the band has sometimes framed itself in an almost business-like manner during interviews; For example: "Music moves forward. It was the right combination of people to make that kind of music with different influences," Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago said back in 2018. Pixies have always walked the fine line between alternative rock and something more experimental, and were influential for that reason — but a female bassist/contributing vocaist has also been a long-term part of their unique story.

Pixies' history with personnel changes isn't without its dramatic twists

From Black Francis' notorious fax breakup with Kim Deal and David Lovering in 1993 to the dismissal of Kim Shattuck in 2013, the band has had its share of abrupt transitions.

While Lenchantin's departure appears more amicable, it echoes the band's past dynamics.
Specifically, Paz Lenchantin had this to say about the band's decision: "It has been a dream of dreams these past 10 years to have been accepted as a Pixie by the band and by fans and an honor to have contributed to the Pixies legacy. My departure is a bit of a surprise to me as it is to many, but it looks like they have a solid plan figured out which in turn has pushed me to move onwards onto new projects that I am excited about."

Band reunions are also quite common, and they had previously reunited with Kim Deal. However. it's not yet clear how amicable this breakup truly was, or if Paz and the rest were just trying to be nice in front of the press. Either way, all musicians involved are likely to continue making music that fans return to, and that's obviously one of the big things that matter.