Pixies have shared news of the departure of bassist Paz Lenchantin, sharing a statement on social media announcing that she has ‘exited the band to concentrate on her own projects. We are grateful for Paz’s contributions, and wish her all the best going forward.’
To replace Lenchantin, Pixies have recruited Emma Richardson, formerly of UK rock group Band of Skulls. Richardson will make her debut when Pixies kick off their 2024 tour in Dublin, Ireland on March 8th. They’ll also be embarking on a co-headlining North American tour with Modest Mouse starting in late May, and they’ll open for Pearl Jam in Australia in November.
Lechantin joined Pixies in 2014, replacing bassist Kim Shattuck, known for her 1990s band The Muffs. Shattuck was with the Pixies briefly in 2013, after longtime bassist Kim Deal left that year to concentrate on her band The Breeders. Shattuck died in 2019 after a two-year battle with ALS.
Lechantin appeared on three Pixies albums: 2016’s Head Carrier, 2019’s Beneath the Eyrie, and 2022’s Doggerel. In a statement provided to Rolling Stone, Lenchantin said her “departure is a bit of a surprise to me as it is to many, but it looks like they have a solid plan figured out which in turn has pushed me to move onwards onto new projects that I am excited about.”
Editorial credit: Graeme J Baty / Shutterstock.com