logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
3h 23m

The Breeders with Caryn Ganz

The Ringer
About this episode

Kim Deal initially formed The Breeders with her sister Kelley as a side project while she was in the Pixies so that she could record her own songs, but it definitely turned into something way bigger, more iconic, and more influential than that. Through shifting line ups and several starts and stops, the band managed to make some of the best rock albums of the 90’s and beyond, setting the bar for coolness and influencing artists from Nirvana to Olivia Rodrigo along the way. Author and New York Times pop music editor Caryn Ganz joins us to talk about their history, their impact, and of course, their incredible music.


Follow Caryn Ganz on Twitter @mehpatrol


Listen to songs we detail in the episode HERE


Host: Yasi Salek

Guest: Caryn Ganz 

Producer: Jesse Miller-Gordon

Audio Editor: Adrian Bridges

Additional Production Supervision: Justin Sayles

Theme Song: Bethany Cosentino

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Up next
Jul 25
Remembering Ozzy Osbourne, with Kory Grow and Rob Harvilla
Rob Harvilla and Rolling Stone senior writer Kory Grow join Yasi to discuss Ozzy Osbourne’s bodies of work with Black Sabbath as well as solo, his incredible impact on not just music but pop culture at large, and his enduring legacy. Read Kory’s piece ‘Ozzy and Me: How I Got to K ... Show More
54m 6s
Jul 17
MOVIE NIGHT: ‘Pavements’ With Hua Hsu, Plus an Interview With Director Alex Ross Perry
Yasi chats with New Yorker staff writer, Pulitzer prize–winning author, and known Pavement aficionado Hua Hsu about the 2025 film 'Pavements.' Is it a documentary? Is it a biopic? Is it a secret third thing? Did we like it? All these questions and more are answered. Plus, Yasi ha ... Show More
2h 10m
Jun 19
Elastica with Miranda Sawyer
Boots on the ground from Notting Hill, Yasi unpacks the inimitable Elastica with music journalist Miranda Sawyer. Thanks to their angular, concise music, incredible style, and unapologetic live chops, they seized charts and stages on both sides of the Atlantic in their short but ... Show More
2h 45m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
Kim Deal
Kim Deal is an indie-rock icon. In the mid-80s, she joined The Pixies as the band’s original bassist and co-vocalist. After the release of their debut album Come On Pilgrim in 1987, followed by the alt-rock classics Surfer Rosa and Doolittle, Kim took a break from The Pixies to f ... Show More
49m 8s
Aug 7
'Bite Me' | Every Single Album: Reneé Rapp
Nora and Nathan break down the second studio album from Reneé Rapp, aptly titled 'Bite Me.' They talk about her Broadway origins and how that manifests in her music (1:00), whether or not "Leave Me Alone" was the correct choice for the first single (27:59), and the mid-2000s pop ... Show More
1h 16m
Dec 2024
“Complicated”—Avril Lavigne
Rob looks back at the music career of pop star Avril Lavigne while celebrating her smash hit “Complicated.” Along the way, Rob dives deep into the idea of the anti-Britney Spears and much more! Later, he is joined by Marissa Moss to discuss Avril Lavigne’s potential influences, d ... Show More
1h 20m
Jul 9
“Can’t Stop”—The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rob initiates this week’s show by waxing poetic on the mortality of his musical idols and the treasure trove of emotional tribute songs that proliferated after the tragic passing of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. His insightful homage leads perfectly into a loving soliloquy on the ... Show More
1h 31m
Nov 2022
Kathleen Hanna + Syd
What happens when we take the writer away and ask two groundbreaking female artists from two different genres to interview each other? On the final episode of Musicians on Musicians, Kathleen Hanna meets with Syd to talk about learning to sing, star signs, and what it means to be ... Show More
42m 25s
May 27
'Endless Summer Vacation' | Every Single Album: Miley Cyrus
'Endless Summer Vacation' brought Miley Cyrus her biggest hit and her first Grammy. Nora and Nathan talk about the massive success of "Flowers" and why that song became such a big hit (1:00), songs like "Used To Be Young" and "Violet Chemistry" that might have been overshadowed b ... Show More
1h 19m
May 15
'Younger Now' | Every Single Album: Miley Cyrus
With 'Younger Now,' Miley Cyrus debuted a softer side of herself after 'Bangerz' and 'Dead Petz.' Nora and Nathan talk about why this album should work in theory but doesn't quite get there (1:00), the breakout hit of "Malibu" (29:28), and which song Nathan believes Taylor Swift ... Show More
1h 7m
Nov 2024
'The Great Impersonator' | Every Single Album: Halsey
Nora and Nathan break down Halsey's intensely personal album 'The Great Impersonator.' They discuss the rollout for this and whether or not it needed to be a concept album (1:00), how Halsey's health struggles inspired many of the songs on this record (22:42), and what comes next ... Show More
1h 8m
Jul 2024
A Summer Pop Mailbag | Every Single Album
Nora and Nathan open up the mailbag to answer a few questions about our year in pop music so far. They make some predictions about who will win the Big Four Grammy Awards (Best New Artist, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year) (1:00), discuss Kamala Harris' ... Show More
1h 16m
May 2020
Whitney Houston: Whitney's Billboard Run Contains Multitudes
It's hard to underestimate Whitney Houston’s stardom. For better and for worse, the world knows so much more about the late diva than we do about most artists from her era. Houston's meteoric rise would eventually place her own personal life under a microscope, and it's the tragi ... Show More
33m 8s