Kelley Deal, a prominent member of The Breeders, recently participated in an NME quiz series called ‘Does Rock ‘N’ Roll Kill Braincells?!’ where artists are challenged to recall details about their careers. The quiz aims to determine how well they remember their experiences and whether the years of rocking have affected their memories. This week, it was Kelley’s turn to take the ultimate test.
During the quiz, Kelley was asked about the ranking of The Breeders’ 1990 debut album ‘Pod’ on the late Kurt Cobain’s list of favorite albums, as mentioned in his journals. This question prompted Kelley to reflect on the relationship between her band and the legendary Nirvana and their music’s role in influencing one another. Deal’s answer to this question revealed a eye opening connection between the two bands and their shared history and mutual admiration.
As the quiz unfolded, Kelley was still determining the exact ranking of ‘Pod’ in Cobain’s list, guessing it to be either his first or tenth favorite album. However, the correct answer was that Cobain had listed ‘Pod’ as his seventh favorite album and later updated it to his third favorite. After learning this, Kelley expressed her joy and shared a touching memory from her time touring with Nirvana and the time when she jumped on their bus to the next gig.
Kelley Deal’s words about their debut album being one of Kurt Cobain’s favorites read:
“Number 1? Ten?, Well, that’s fantastic! Touring with Nirvana was amazing. My dad drove The Breeders around in an RV, and I remember one time in Florida, I overslept – shock! I’d been out with Dee [Plakas], the drummer from L7, the night before, and we got up to shenanigans. The RV had already left without me, so Nirvana was nice enough to let me jump on their bus to the next gig, as I’m telling them: ‘I’m such a loser! My dad’s going to be so mad at me!’ [Laughs] It’s stuff like that I remember about them. At the time, it all seemed normal, and it’s only when I look back on it that I see how special it was and think: I lived through a cool part of music history and somehow ended up touring with the biggest band in the world.”
Kelley’s fond recollection of her time with Nirvana showcases the strong camaraderie between these iconic bands. Her experience serves as a reminder that, beyond the music, the friendships and connections made along the way truly stand the test of time.
