Modern Psychedelic Rock Bands with Female Singer/Bassist
Looking for a modern psychedelic rock band with a female singer/bassist? Check out our list of the best bands currently making waves in the genre.
The Psychedelic Furs
One of the most criminally underrated bands of the 1980s, The Psychedelic Furs combined the raw power of punk with the sweeping grandeur of classic rock, and they did it with style to spare. Fronted by the charismatic Richard Butler and powered by the rhythm section of his brother Tim Butler on bass and drummer Vince Ely, the Furs were at their best when they were at their most epic.
The Furs’ sound and influences
The Furs’ sound has been described as a melding of post-punk, new wave, and pop rock. Their sound was initially more jagged and poppier than their later work; however, their first album was still darker thematically than many of their contemporaries. The Furs’ international breakthrough came with the release of 1980’s Mirror Moves, which produced the singles “The Ghost in You” and “Love My Way”. These and other tracks from the album were constanly in rotation on MTV throughout much of the early 1980s. The Furs have continued to record and tour throughout the years with various lineups, most notably with original guitarist John Ashton. The most recent lineup includes Tim Butler on bass, Rich Good on guitar, Mars Williams on saxophone, Paul Garisto on drums, and Amanda Kramer on keyboards.
The Furs’ place in the history of rock
The Furs were a part of the first wave of Brit-influenced American bands that hit in the late seventies and early eighties. As with many of their contemporaries, the Furs drew from a wide range of influences including British post-punk, new wave, and glam rock.
The Furs’ sound was defined by their dual lead guitars and the distinctive voice of singer/bassist Susie Bogdanowicz. The band’s biggest hit, “Love My Way,” perfectly encapsulated their sound and approach: a mix of hard-edged rock and sweet pop melodies, with Bogdanowicz’s seductive vocals floating over the top.
Despite their success, the Furs were never able to maintain the same level of popularity in the United States, and they disbanded in 1991. However, they remain an influential band, and their music has been cited as an influence by a number of modernpsychedelic rock bands with female singer/bassists, such as Best Coast and Warpaint.
The Furs’ legacy
As one of the most popular and iconic modern psychedelic rock bands, the Furs have had a profound impact on both the sound and legacy of psychedelic music. Formed in England in 1977, the Furs were original innovators of the ’80s post-punk and new wave scenes. Heavily influenced by early punk pioneers like the Stooges and the New York Dolls, the Furs combined these sounds with a more atmospheric and ethereal quality that was uniquely their own. With their signature blend of driving rhythms, jangly guitars, and soaring vocals, the Furs quickly gained a following among music fans looking for something new and exciting.
While the band would go on to enjoy great success throughout the ’80s with hits like “Love My Way” and “Pretty in Pink”, it is their influence on modern psychedelic music that is most significant. In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in psychedelia, with many new bands drawing inspiration from the Furs’ unique sound. One of these bands is Brooklyn-based garage rockers Thee Oh Sees, who cite the Furs as a major influence on their own sonic aesthetic.
So what is it about the Furs’ sound that has made them such an enduring influence on modern music? Perhaps it is their ability to seamlessly combine disparate genres like punk, new wave, and psychedelia into something that is both familiar and completely original. Or maybe it is simply their gift for crafting catchy hooks and melodies that resonate long after the last note has faded away. Whatever the reasons, there is no denying that the Furs are one of the most important bands in contemporary psychedelic music.
The Pixies
One of the most influential bands of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, The Pixies, were a modern psychedelic rock band with a female singer/bassist. With their unique blend of genres, The Pixies were able to create a sound that was both accessible and experimental.
The Pixies’ sound and influences
The Pixies are an American alternative rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts. They disbanded in 1993, but reunited in 2004. Their style combines elements of punk rock and surf rock.
The Pixies were influenced by bands such as The Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, and Television. They have also been cited as an influence by many modern bands, including Nirvana, Radiohead, and The Smashing Pumpkins.
The Pixies’ place in the history of rock
The Pixies are an American alternative rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986. The original lineup consisted of Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar), Kim Deal (bass, vocals), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), and David Lovering (drums). The band disbanded acrimoniously in 1993, but reunited in 2004. After Deal left the band permanently in 2013, the Pixies hired Kim Shattuck as their bassist and released their fifth studio album, Indie Cindy, in 2014. A sixth album, Head Carrier, followed in 2016.
The Pixies were considered one of the most influential bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s on both alternative rock and grunge music. Their sound contrasted with the hard rock style that dominated mainstream radio at the time; Francis’s sporadic shouts versus Deal’s Matter-of-fact singing fed directly into Kurt Cobain’s stated goal of “making people mosh one minute and weep the next”. Santiago’s guitar work was distinctive and often played with a surf/jangle pop edge; his use of wide vibrato giving an impressionistic feel to his solos recalls Bob Dylan’s experimentation with feedback during his mid-’60s “electric” phase.
The Pixies’ legacy
The Pixies are an American alternative rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts. The group currently consists of Black Francis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), David Lovering (drums) and Paz Lenchantin (bass, vocals).
The band was influenced by and has often been compared to the Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, the Beach Boys, and R.E.M., garnering a reputation for crafting pop songs with surrealist elements that were sometimes considered dark or abrasive. They released five studio albums before breaking up in 1993, when Black Francis left the group after disagreements with his bandmates over their musical direction.
A reunion tour in 2004 was followed by the release of their fifth studio album in 2014 and a sixth album in 2019. The Pixies have sold more than five million albums worldwide and inspired many modern psychedelic rock bands with female singer/bassist such as Best Coast, Waxahatchee, Speedy Ortiz and Girlpool.
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1989 by Kim Deal of Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with Deal being the only consistent member. They released their first album, Pod, in 1990, followed by the platinum-selling Last Splash in 1993.
The Breeders’ sound and influences
The Breeders’ sound is often described as alternative rock, but the band’s musical style is difficult to categorize. They have been influenced by a wide range of music genres, including punk rock, classic rock, shoegaze, and noise pop.
The Breeders were formed in 1989 by sisters Kim and Kelly Deal. They are best known for their hit single “Cannonball,” which was a top 10 hit in the UK and reached number 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The band has released five studio albums, the most recent being 2016’s All Nerve.
The Breeders’ place in the history of rock
The Breeders are an influential American alternative rock band, formed in 1989 by Kim Deal of Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band’s classic lineup consisted of Deal on vocals and guitar, Donelly on vocals and guitar, Josephine Wiggs on bass, and Britt Walford on drums. The band has undergone many changes in personnel over the years, with Deal being the only constant member.
The band’s first album, Pod (1990), was a critical and commercial success. The follow-up album, Last Splash (1993), was even more successful, spawning the hit single “Cannonball”. After a lengthy hiatus, the band returned with Title TK (2002) and Mountain Battles (2008), to critical acclaim. In 2018, they released All Nerve, their first album in a decade.
The Breeders are considered one of the most influential American rock bands of the 1990s. They have influenced a wide range of artists, from Nirvana to Pavement to indie rock icons such as Sonic Youth and Neutral Milk Hotel.
The Breeders’ legacy
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1989 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced several lineup changes, with Deal being the only consistent member. The band achieved their biggest success with the platinum-selling album Last Splash (1993), which was propelled by the single “Cannonball”.
The Breeders began in Boston, Massachusetts, when Deal was living with Donelly and wanting to start a new band. They were joined by Kelley Deal on guitar and Josefina Montoya on drums. The group’s first live performance was opening for Throwing Muses in 1989. They soon set out on their first tour, with bassist Mando Lopez replacing Montoya.
In 1990, the Breeders released their debut album, Pod, on 4AD Records to critical acclaim. John Peel included the album in his Festival of New Music entry and compared it favorably to My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless (1991). NME named Pod “Album of the Week” and praised it as “one of the most astonishing debuts of recent years”.
After touring for Pod, Donelly left the Pixies to focus on her new project, Belly. Kelley Deal took over lead vocals and guitar duties, and Michael McKagan (later of Guns N’ Roses) joined the band on bass. The new lineup recorded 1991’s Safari EP, which continued in the vein of Pod with its droning guitars and cryptic lyrics. Safari was released to critical acclaim but failed to generate much commercial interest.
