"Real life" sometimes happens, even when you're a rock star in the middle of your tour. The Breeders experienced a simultaneous blow and blessing this week with three dates left to go on their East Coast swing. The bad news first: bassist Mando Lopez had to bail and hop on the first flight back to L.A. this past Wednesday. The good news? His wife was in labor. It's certainly a great excuse, and appropriate as well -- after all, as bandmate Kelley Deal points out to Spinner, "We ARE called the Breeders."

But what about the remaining three shows? The band doesn't exactly travel with an understudy, but they do have a former member who currently lives in New York, not too far from their current tour path. So founder Kim Deal invited original bassist Josephine Wiggs to finish out the tour with them, just like the old days. Which is also great and all, except that Wiggs' last splash with the band was a one-off anniversary show in 2005 -- and it was more than a decade before that gig since Wiggs was actually a touring member. "Josephine is so nervous," Kelley tells Spinner. "It's really fun watching her be so nervous, because she's usually really calm and cool -- very British."

Despite keeping in contact and remaining friends with the Deal sisters, Wiggs had to reacquaint herself with all the classic material as well as learn all the new tunes, all in two days' time. The band is running through everything on acoustic guitars in the back of their van and plan to take long soundchecks in lieu of rehearsals. "It's going to be interesting," says Kelley.

Congratulations to the Lopez family. But next time you plan on making babies, check your tour schedule first.