The Amps

The Amps

Company type	Musical group
Industry	Music
Founded	1995
Founder	Kim Deal
Defunct	1996
Headquarters	Dayton, Ohio , United States
Products	Alternative rock music

The Amps were an American alternative rock ensemble established by Kim Deal in 1995 during a break from her work with the Breeders. The group consisted of Deal on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Luis Lerma handling bass duties, Nate Farley on lead guitar, and Jim Macpherson—also from the Breeders—on drums. Kim's twin sister, Kelley Deal, was briefly part of the band but exited due to substance abuse challenges. The band's name evolved from Kim adopting the nickname Tammy Ampersand, which then became Tammy and the Amps, before finally settling on the Amps. Their sole album, Pacer, was recorded across various studios in the United States and Ireland.

Pacer was launched in October 1995 and followed by tours throughout the U.S., Europe, and Australia, sharing stages with groups such as Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, and Guided by Voices. Critics highlighted the band's raw and unpolished live sound. The Amps dissolved in 1996 when Deal chose to revive the Breeders name. By the year 2000, Macpherson, Lerma, and Farley had all left, each occasionally collaborating with Guided by Voices' Robert Pollard. Kim Deal’s subsequent major release under the Breeders banner was Title TK, arriving seven years after Pacer.

Background and formation

Between 1986 and 1992, Deal performed with the Pixies and took leadership of the Breeders starting in 1989. The Breeders released their platinum-selling album Last Splash in August 1993, which also earned gold certification in Canada and silver in the UK. This lineup featured Kim’s twin Kelley Deal, bassist Josephine Wiggs, and drummer Jim Macpherson. After an intensive touring cycle culminating at Lollapalooza in 1994, the band entered a prolonged hiatus. Kelley Deal faced legal issues related to drug use and entered rehab, while Wiggs pursued separate musical ventures based in New York.

Wanting to continue making music, Kim initially intended to record a solo album playing all instruments herself but invited Kelley to participate in demo sessions as part of her recovery process. This collaboration eventually led to forming a new band rather than a solo project. The new lineup included Macpherson on drums, Luis Lerma on bass, and Nate Farley on guitar. Kelley eventually left to undergo rehabilitation in Saint Paul, Minnesota. For amusement, Kim adopted the stage name Tammy Ampersand and named the band Tammy and the Amps before shortening it simply to the Amps.

Recording and touring

The Amps produced one album titled Pacer, which was recorded at several studios. Initial recording took place at Easley Studios in Memphis, with engineers Davis McCain and Doug Easley overseeing sessions. Among the tracks recorded there was "Tipp City," which became a single from Pacer. While working on a Guided by Voices project as producer, Deal utilized leftover studio time to record her own material. Additional recording occurred at six other studios located in Chicago, Los Angeles, Dublin, and Dayton—Deal’s hometown. Renowned engineers such as Steve Albini, John Agnello, and Bryce Goggin contributed to these sessions. The album was officially released in October 1995.

During 1995 and 1996, the Amps embarked on extensive tours. Early performances included shows in June and July 1995 at Dayton’s Gilly's alongside Guided by Voices, as well as concerts with Poster Children. In September of that year, they toured the United Kingdom with Guided by Voices and Chavez, playing venues in cities such as Sheffield, Glasgow, Brighton, and London; where they were notably joined backstage by Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders. An additional performance with Guided by Voices took place in Ohio during October.

In October and November 1995, the band toured across America supporting Sonic Youth, performing shows in Detroit and Chicago alongside Helium, Seattle and Portland with Bikini Kill, and Los Angeles featuring Mike Watt. Following this leg, they toured Europe, including a December 7 concert in London. In January 1996, they appeared at Australia’s Summersault festival. That same year saw them touring U.S. venues alongside Foo Fighters, playing cities like Chicago (with support from That Dog), Worcester, Austin (with Jawbreaker), culminating with a final show alongside Guided By Voices in Newport, Kentucky during March. This last event marked an irreparable split between Deal and Robert Pollard due to conflicts during soundchecks. The Amps also shared stages with bands like the Tasties and Brainiac.

Live performances were often described as rough around the edges but captivating. The Chronicle's Drema Crist commended their shows for being "fun-spirited and silly". Greg Kot from Chicago Tribune described their Chicago appearance as "off-kilter," noting that Deal's vocals were sometimes overpowered by guitars. The Chicago Reader characterized their sound as "low-key" and laid-back. Matt Ashare of The Phoenix regarded their 1995 Boston show as somewhat disjointed yet recognized it as an authentic outlet for Deal during her Breeders hiatus. Similarly, Boston Rock portrayed their concert as "sloppy" but endearing around Kim’s vocal delivery and stage presence.

Reforming the Breeders

Toward the end of 1996, Deal reverted to using the Breeders name for her band while initially retaining much of the Amps’ lineup. She had postponed reassembling the Breeders until both Wiggs and Kelley were available to record together again. However, by May 1996 Wiggs declined immediate participation while Kelley remained near her rehab center in Saint Paul. Choosing not to wait any longer, Deal reformed the band including violinist Carrie Bradley, who had appeared on the Breeders’ Pod, along with Macpherson, Lerma, and Farley; they performed live shows during 1996 supporting acts like Primus.

By 1998 Kelley rejoined while Macpherson departed; Lerma and Farley exited by 2000. The lineup featuring both Deal sisters alongside Mando Lopez and Jose Medeles released two albums: Title TK (2002) and Mountain Battles (2008). Meanwhile, Macpherson played with Guided by Voices between 1998 and 2001, continuing collaborations with Robert Pollard until 2005. Lerma and Farley became members of the Tasties, contributing also to Pollard’s Lexo and the Leapers project in 1999; Farley additionally performed with Guided by Voices from 1999 through 2004. In 2013, the original Last Splash lineup—Kim Deal, Kelley Deal, Macpherson, and Wiggs—reunited for a twentieth-anniversary tour.

Members

• Kim Deal – lead vocals, guitar
• Kelley Deal – guitar
• Luis Lerma – bass guitar
• Nate Farley – guitar
• Jim Macpherson – drums

Albums

Title	Release Date	Record Label
Pacer	1995	4AD / Elektra

Singles

Year	Title	Album	Label
1995	"Tipp City"	Pacer	4AD / Elektra