5. D'Arcy Wretzky (Smashing Pumpkins): An original member of the Smashing Pumpkins, Wretzky was the band's bassist for eleven years, before parting ways in 1999. Since then, she's been arrested for possession of crack cocaine, arrested (again) on a drunk-driving charge, and was recently ticketed for "failing to control her horses." We were hoping to crack a joke at Wretzky's former bandmate and Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, for his peculiarly evident insistence on replacing D'Arcy with a string of exclusively female look-alike bassists, but sadly, Wretzky seems to be the natural butt of this joke. Nevertheless, she's been missed by Pumpkins fans in Corgan's recent resurrection of the band, and remains one of our favorite female bassists ever.
4. Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads): A founding member of alt-rock innovators Talking Heads, Weymouth was one of the first lauded female bassists of rock and roll, adding her art-rock bass lines to the band's signature funky sound. Weymouth was also a member of Tom Tom Club (with husband and Heads' drummer Chris Frantz). More recently, she contributed backing vocals and percussion for Gorillaz.
3. Kim Deal (Pixies, The Breeders): Talk about a rock-and-roll resume. An original member of the Pixies, Deal quickly and effectively shattered any lingering stereotypes of women in rock. During a Pixies hiatus (that eventually led to their break-up), Deal, alongside her twin sister Kelley, formed the Breeders, with which she released four albums. She is currently on a reunion tour with the Pixies.
2. Sean Yseult (White Zombie): It takes one very tough chick to thrash alongside metal-man Rob Zombie, but Yseult fit the bill flawlessly, as the bassist in White Zombie for eleven years. She chronicled her time in the band in 2010's I'm in the Band, a book of her White Zombie tour diaries and photos. Yseult now lives between New York and New Orleans, where she co-owns a popular dive-bar called The Saint. She also owns a design company for which she crafts accessories and hand-drawn prints. Basically, she's one the coolest chicks ever.
1. Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth): I mean, she's the Godmother of Alternative Rock, for crying out loud. A founding member of Sonic Youth, Gordon defines our every notion of "cool;" in addition to playing bass in one of the best bands ever, she is a mother, established visual artist, clothing-line owner, and, over the years, she's had her creative hands in everything from co-directing the Breeders' "Cannonball" video with Spike Jonze, to appearing in Gus Van Sant's fictionalized Kurt Cobain biopic, Last Days. She's a true renaissance woman, a pleasure to watch rock-out onstage, an admirable role-model, and clearly, our favorite female bassist ever.
