Kim Shattuck, a celebrated LA punk musician who was once bassist with the Pixies, has died aged 56.

She died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a nerve condition.

Her most successful band was the Muffs, a trio who, beginning in 1993, released six albums of pop-punk and became well-known for their cover of Kim Wilde’s Kids in America, included on the soundtrack to teen film Clueless. “Besides being a brilliant songwriter, rocking guitarist and singer/screamer extraordinaire, Kim was a true force of nature,” her bandmates Ronnie Barnett and Roy McDonald wrote on Facebook. “We love you more than we could ever say.”

She was also a member of the Pandoras and the Coolies, and performed guest vocals for pop-punk bands including Nofx and Bowling for Soup.

In July 2013, Shattuck replaced Kim Deal as the bassist in rock band Pixies, but was dismissed five months later, a decision she said she was “super disappointed” with.

The Muffs reformed in 2014, and released a comeback album that year; they are due to release a new album later this month.

Various US punk figures have paid tribute to her, with Veruca Salt tweeting: “One of the all time greats. How could anyone be such a brilliant pop songwriter, singer, screamer, and such a total punk-rock badass, and be so insanely cute at the same time? No one funnier or cooler.” Brody Dalle-Homme wrote that she “was hugely underrated. Badass guitar player and great voice, really cool songs”, while Damian Abraham of Fucked Up called her “one of the all time great voices”.