PATIENCE HODGSON
THE BREEDERSI picked up an Amps single in 2001 for one dollar at an op shop, because I liked the cover. I played the heck
out of it and caught all kinds of guff from my music-obsessed flatmates for playing “rubbish tunes”. A visitor
pointed out that The Amps were Kim Deal from The Pixies’ side-side project – her main side project being
The Breeders – so I set about getting some Breeders CDs. Then, holy shit: it was like nothing else. Songs
driven by bass; cradled by sludgy guitars; incredible vocals. A band of females who looked like real females,
not popstars. God, it was so inspiring. To be honest, though, I find their usual merch style pretty boring!
It’s usually a screenprint of an album cover or band logo on a dark-coloured shirt. I’ve flipped that into
something completely uncharacteristic of the band. Bright colours with glitter and tinsel to celebrate how
much I love them. It’s a party – a baby shower, I guess! I was pregnant when I made the design, so I ran with
that theme to celebrate everything that Kim and Kelly Deal never wanted to be: ‘breeders’, like the rest of
the people in the town they grew up in. I couldn’t help myself. I think they’d hate it, but find it hilarious, too.
I’m convinced they’re all such humble people that they’d find a way to appreciate the laudation. I questioned
what I wanted to do over and over again. Choosing my favourite band of all time really set the bar high. In the
end, it is mostly collage – I love the outrageous neck chain! So tacky, but its addition lifted the ‘ancient earth
mother’ look of a wonderfully pregnant body into the here and now. (Also, the tinsel pubes.)
hands on