Ousted Pixies Bassist Kim Shattuck Speaks Out About Her Sudden Departure

BY Alex HudsonPublished Dec 11, 2013

A couple of weeks back, news emerged that recent Pixies recruit Kim Shattuck had been relieved of her bass-playing duties, and she voiced her disappointment via Facebook. Now, Shattuck has shed more light on her alleged firing.

Interviewed by NME, she complained that the band didn't tell her of the decision face-to-face, and they let their manager deliver the news.

"I was surprised. Everything had gone well, the reviews were all good and the fans were super-nice about everything. They were like, 'We love you, New Kim!'" she said. "We said goodbye at the airport and the following morning the manager called me and said: 'The band has made the decision to go with another bass player.' I was shocked."

According to Shattuck, she had already made a verbal agreement to tour with the Pixies in 2014, so why did the band end their arrangement?

"I get the feeling they're more introverted people than I am," Shattuck speculated. "Nobody really talked about deep issues, at least out loud. There was a show at the Mayan in Los Angeles where I got overly enthusiastic and jumped into the crowd, and I know they weren't thrilled about that. When I got offstage the manager told me not to do that again. I said, 'Really, for my own safety?' And he said, 'No, because the Pixies don't do that.'"

Even though Shattuck's account doesn't reflect particularly well on the band members, and she noted that she would have preferred to have been told in person, the bassist added, "They're nice people. I'm still a fan of the Pixies."

A couple of days ago, the Pixies announced that former A Perfect Circle member Paz Lenchantin had signed on as their new touring bassist. Their 2014 schedule includes North American gigs in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

Shattuck, meanwhile, has said that she will return her focus to her band the Muffs.

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