Twin sisters Kim and Kelley Deal pass the phone back and forth like siblings accustomed to dividing everything. Today they're sharing an interview, and only the tone of their near-identical voices indicates who is on the line. Kelley's measured, Midwestern accent remains at a clipped, cordial distance, while Kim speaks with the casual slur of someone sprawled out on a sofa, catching up with friends after a long trip.
And let's welcome her back. With only three official albums and nearly a decade separating their last two releases, Kim's indie-rock outfit, The Breeders, has been a frustrating exercise in fame and misfortune, in platinum records and missed opportunities. They're back on track, however, playing Tokyo this week to promote 2002's "Title TK." Perhaps it's time to get reacquainted.
The Deal sisters first tasted show business playing at truck stops near their hometown of Dayton, Ohio. "Our claim to fame was, well, we were 17," recalls Kelley, "and we opened up for John Kay Steppenwolf."