Based out of Olympia, WA, The Need were an experimental pop duo at their core. Formed after the breakup of the mighty Kicking Giant, drummer/singer Rachel Carns teamed up with with guitarist/bassist Radio Sloan to create the best band of 2001 all the way back in 1996. The first recorded work by The Need would be a contribution to the Destination compilation, followed by a slew of 7"s on labels such as Kill Rock Stars and Outpunk. Then in 1997 The Need would release their first full length, self titled album on Chainsaw. Around about this time the duo would join up with Miranda July to collaborate on the "Margie Ruskie Stops Time" 7" before going on to release the "Vaselina" 10" e.p. with new addition Joe Preston (of Melvins fame). Following the e.p. they would go back into the studio to record their next full length record, again on Chainsaw titled (and sadly prophetically) The Need is Dead... Unless of course you count The Transfused indie rock opera that Rachel and Radio co-wrote as The Need. At this point they became very busy, touring Europe and North America with Blonde Redhead and started working on a split single with Le Tigre. More recently, Rachel has been fronting a new band, King Cobra.