The Pixies

Tromp grew on me. It's probably my second favorite now.

See also.

Black Francis had to have been envious of Kim's success with the Breeders.

Here Comes Your Man

I've seen them 19 times.

Kim Deal was the talent in that band.

The Breeders had the potential to be something big, but twin sister Kelly Deal's drug problems blew the whole thing up.

Pixies? It's the best candy Fannie May makes!

I saw them in England in 1988 but was so wasted I can't remember a damn thing.

A friend of mine worked on one of their albums and said they were really sick of each other by the end. Francis is a big fat ego who likes pretty girls in his bands as long as they don't get too much attention --he fired Kim Shattuck because she was enjoying herself too much. The Breeders' I Just Wanna Get Along was written to describe what a jerk he is. We have we have a mutual acquaintance on Facebook --Francis attacked me out of the blue over nothing in an exchange between us.

I think they changed music at least a little. They preceded Grunge and introduced a style that was poppy but also rocking, and their vibe was more playful and much less hetero than mainstream music at the time. Cobain said that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was a Pixies rip-off.

I didn't know that about "I Just Want to Get Along". I like that song.

Frank Black belittled Kim Deal's songwriting style in an interview saying that Kim writes cookies and he writes pizzas.

And Frank eats cookies and pizzas which is why he is such a fatso.

Are cookies and pizzas the new apples and oranges?

I liked Frank Black's solo albums too.

R9 Are you friends with Kelley on FB?

This, I think, is my favorite

No, I am friends with a man from Boston who knows Frank. Frank butted into the conversation and was very rude.

Kim was fired from the Pixies with a call from her manager.

In 1992? Or in 2013? Wonder why Kim split the second time.

Both Deal sisters have been clean and sober since 2003.

This dark scene from the '76 "Star is Born" was like something out of Poe's demented but brilliant imagination.

R21 Wrong thread.

One of my all-time favorite bands. Saw them at Lolla in '05, shortly after the reunion. I've got all their old stuff - Surfer Rosa/Come on Pilgrim, Doolittle, Bossanova, Trompe le Monde, and the Complete B-sides.

I've got a couple of questions, though:

1) Is their new stuff worth checking out?

2) Are they still Pixies without Kim?

No to both questions. Go see The Breeders.

For such an influential and seminal band, they really didn't put any effort into their image or stage presence. It was all about the music.

R25 Just like The Cars.

Was Kim a dyke?

Black Francis is gay

R27 No, and I want to be her boyfriend.

It disappears this near.

Ugh I HATE Gigantic

"Hey Paul Hey Paul Hey Paul lets have a ball..." annoying to me. Love when they went darker. I Bleed, Is she Weird, Monkey gone to Heaven are some of my favs.

I think that Charles/Francis is gay, too, and has is very conflicted (tortured?) when it comes to lust and sex.

It’s funny/sad how we took the Pixies and even the Breeders for granted back in the early 90s. They were each just another awesome band in a sea of awesome bands. Little did we know at the time that rock and pop music would soon turn to shit.

Not just shit r32 but completely dead and buried.

"Here Comes Your Man" was on several Gap Playlists including the June 1997 Gap In-Store Playlist.

Aren't the pixies touring with some other band?

Weezer!

Thom Yorke loved them...

Charles aka Black Francis is married with kids. He was in a side band with his wife Violet for several years in fact. She wrote and sang as many or more of the songs than he did, so I doubt he's intimidate by women as much as he and Kim just did not get along. Kim was an addict. Addicts tend to be difficult and very self-absorbed.

Anyway, it was HIS band, he hired Kim to play bass, not to co-write music. Some of you guys are sort of ridiculous, pretending you know these people. It's pretty cringe.

R17, for years I thought that song was about a lady playing fetch with her dog,

I really like this one from 2014.

Plenty of gay and bi men marry women

Saying “pretty cringe” is way cringe.

Kim Deal forever.

"Hey Paul, hey Paul, hey Paul, go get the ball," R39?

I'm always going to hear it that way now.

DL is such a Gen X board.

R43 In my queue there's this and the Janeane Garofalo thread, so yes it is.

Frank Black > Kim Deal.

R45 Bullshit.

They were okay but overhyped by their fans around the early 90s, the time of Surfer Rosa. I preferred Sonic Youth, Divinyls, The Replacements, Janes Addiction, Thrill Kill Kult, My Bloody Valentine, Sugarcubes, Cure etc. 1990 was a good year for alt rock.

The Breeders over The Pixies? You people don't know shit about rock music or songwriting. Just about every track on Doolittle is incredible. Then there's "Caribou," "Head On," "Is She Weird," "Tame"....almost every track they recorded was pure rock genius, made distinguishable by Joey Santiago's extremely unique, soaring lead guitar style. Francis is an extraordinary songwriter, and his first solo album was nearly flawless, too. Kim (Big) Deal was the token chick who thumped along on bass and provided background vocals, yet somehow everyone thinks she's the star? The true talent?

Go back to Third Eye Blind and Matchbox 20. I'm embarrassed for nearly all of you with zero appreciation of how influential and timeless their music is, and how gifted Francis is.

Bossa Nova and Doolittle are my favorite albums

Charles/"Frank" was married, wanted a baby but his then-wife didnt, so according to him, they divorced and he married this "Violet" lady, and they had kids.

And R38, his collaboration with "Violet" was totes cringe. I forgot what they called themselves but even their name was embarrassing, like a fake band name in a Lifetime movie in 1997.

They are one of my all-time favorite bands. But Kim has done more interesting things since then.

She also added a lot of appeal to the Pixies, regardless of whether or not she wrote the songs.

Francis sighting at R48, and boy is he feisty!

Who?

Who?

What?

That whole family is "feisty." I was back in Hyannis a couple of months ago and was shocked to see his late father's bar still open and in the family after decades of Sturgis-style shenanigans.

Yeah, loved them for a short while. Saw them at the Hollywood Palladium. Not that I keep up with sales and music talk but find it hard to believe The Breeders have anything over The Pixies. The latter are a huge influential indie band and aside from the cred issue, they put out some awesome music.

A post-Pixies concert review in the late 90's described Francis looking like a like an egg.

One of my husband's favorite bands...he went to school with the Deal sisters. I saw them live once and they were terrible.

Interesting, 56 posts and NOBODY said the Breeders were more accomplished than the Pixies, despite 48's post.

Somebody here (couldn't possibly be Francis posting here...) doesn't like Kim Deal getting any compliments on this thread.

Nobody is saying she's more accomplished, but many are saying she's better. R6 alone said "Kim Deal was the talent in that band," which is about the most asinine, tone-deaf (literally) thing I think I've heard anyone say about The Pixies. She is a competent musician, perhaps a lovely person, but if this is a thread about The Pixies, there is no justification for saying such a thing. Or that The Breeders were better. Love her all you want, Francis WAS that band, and they have influenced many more rock groups than just Nirvana.

R58, yeah, R55 here--yeah, regardless of his personality, Francis was the creative straw that stirred the drink in the Pixies. Can't believe anyone would argue otherwise. The Breeders were just about alright but hardly a force in music.

[quote]Francis was the creative straw that stirred the drink in the Pixies.

True, but his creative star faded a long time ago.

[quote]The Breeders were just about alright but hardly a force in music.

POD is a perfect album. For that album alone The Breeders will always be more than "just about alright".

[R60]

I agree with you.

The Pixies were a big thing when I was a college student. I bought several of their albums. They remind me of Pere Ubu and REM in that way. They were all were popular with my age bracket at the time. For whatever reason, their music became less interesting and "POD" is actually the only thing Pixies/Breeders related that I still have.

Francis fans may want to migrate over to the Hall of Fame thread and wonder why Janet Jackson has three nominations and Francis is not even an afterthought.

Rock and Roll HOF is pointless and witless. Still can't believe Bowie even bothered.

"They were okay but overhyped by their fans around the early 90s."

I'd say they were overhyped by casual observers not hardcore fans. Pixies were, at least for a while, a band that people who weren't music obsessives or snobs would name drop to make it appear they were. They some sort of cool cachet among the pre-frau set.

I absolutely loved them, one of the first bands I ever liked. My brother made me a mixtape when I was 6 with "Here Comes Your man" that I used to listen to all the time... Love Doolittle and Bossanova. It's one of the bands I don't get sick of. No matter how many times I hear Debaser it doesn't get boring. Couldn't listen to any of the new stuff, though, too scared of ruining that perfect image I had of them. I remember Frank Black saying when they split up the only way they'd get back together again was if his brother needed a kidney transplant...

Velouria

Love the Pixies. LOVE THE PIXIES! My playlist is such that if I have it on shuffle, I will hear a Pixies song every day.

Pixies interview in 1989

R67 That 80s hair made Kim look older than she was.

R67 Black Francis is cute in that interview. I remember at the timr people used to talk about how fugly he was.

The Pixies shared the same demise as The Smashing Pumpkins. Their lead singers thought they were the real geniuses and the rest of the band was just background.

Saw them last year in New Zealand.

I like Magdalena which is a new song.

Talking about Kim leaving the band at 3:48

"On the Road" 1989 Pixies documentary

R73 Kim's so cute.

They are surprisingly lacking pretense, unlike annoying poser bands like Pavement and Sonic Youth.

I think they would have been even more popular and well-known if Kelley Deal had been in the Pixies, which was a possibility.

OP? It’s just Pixies. There’s no article.

I always thought "Free" by The Martinis sounded like a Deal sister singing, which is ironic since Pixies members Joey Santiago and David Lovering were in the band at one time.

Sonic Youth was never pretentious-Amazing, Yes. Pretentious, No.

"I think I'll spend the day listening to Sonic Youth" - says no one ever

Sonic Youth were great to the very end. I saw one of their final gigs and it was fantastic. It's too bad Kim & Thurston's split meant the end of the band. Their albums in the mid-90s started to take on a more mellow, contemplative vibe which I loved.

I've spent my life listening to Sonic Youth. Agree - I love their mellow stuff.

The Pixies were a joke compared to Sonic Youth but I agree that Sonic Youth wasted a lot of time posing.

Kim Gordon is a joke compared to Kim Deal

No need to start woman on woman hate- when there was none.

Kim Gordon also co-directed the Breeders vid for "Cannonball" with Spike Jonze

Yup...more so than nirvana.

Their music holds up...

"Havalina" from Bossanova

use to love this one

I saw The Amps open up for Sonic Youth in Detroit

lucky reply 90

Sonic Youth was my fav band to see live. Seen them four times. Memorizing is how I would describe the experience. At 31 Ive seen The Pixies-twice. Left halfway through the second time. Too polished for my taste. It seemed like a band hired for a wedding to play The Pixies greatest hits. Mind you , I missed their original run-I am 31.

*mesmerizing and sorry for repeating my age twice-note to self not to smoke a splif and write anything-ever. I wasn't trying to write beat poetry.

I'd like to see the Breeders cover Pixies songs

R94 So funny I forgot to laugh.

It's a bummer seeing them live when you know how much they hate each other.

Right on on Pavement being a poor mans Pixies or better yet a Pixies for snobs. Or Sonic Youth going into a coma. Unfortunately per usual they were clumped with Sonic Youth and Sonic Youth are SO much better on their worst day that Pavement were on there best. I loathe that Pavement are always getting clumped with Pixies and Sonic Youth. When the three are packaged together I just smile and am like 😊”Yes! Amongst the greatest indie bands of an era.....*coughing* or *whispering*.....”and Pavement” ;) Cut You Hair makes me want to cut my throat ;)

I saw one of their first shows in London after reforming and they were enjoying themselves. There was a real buzz about the shows. Fast forward a few years and they barely acknowledged each other on stage. Still amazing music but the love was not there and I wasn’t surprised that Kim would call it a day. There was a rumour Frank and Kim were an item for a minute back in the early days and that also lead to the bad blood. Anyone know if there is any truth to that?

Kim and Frank are a perfect blend of vocals. Saw a Frank solo gig and it was too much of a good thing. Saw The Breeders and loved them but it wasn’t up there with a Pixies show. Have no interest in seeing them now Kim has left.

R62 it's not like Bowie really bothered. He sent Madonna to accept it.

I really liked Bowie’s version of Cactus. The album that the song’s on is pretty good too. Showed he still had the potential to make some more great albums and he did just that. Too bad the same can’t be said about the Pixies :( The Breeders on the other hand got great reviews for their last album which even made it to a few “Best Albums of ‘18” lists. So I guess Kim is having the last laugh :)

I like Bowie's Cactus as well, there's some pretty good live versions on youtube. He really rated The Pixies.

Love them. They were both ahead of their time and timeless. Their music still holds up. Fantastic band!

No. I got taken to one of their concerts and their glorious talent went right over my head and left me stupefied with boredom.

The reunited Pixies were a pale version of the band in the 90s. So if your first introduction to them was their reunion tour, you never really heard the band.

"Wheeeere is myyyyyyy mind?"

R103 I'm sure whoever brought you wishes they went alone

They should do a big bloated reunion tour again.

If it only consisted of Kim songs, I wouldn’t even be a fan of the pixies.

loudQuietloud

Pixies = fags and straight chicks love them.

Normal gay guys probably don't even know who they are.

R110 check out this insufferable queen

Pixies are for straight people who think all gay guys are dumb fags. Do you not know any REAL straight people, R111?

R112 confused self hating homo

R110 is triggered—she’s clearly distraught that there’s not enough about Madonna in this thread

Early Days

The Pixies were an amazing band—I think of them as the Velvet Underground of the late '80s/early '90s. I discovered them far past their heyday, when I was in high school in the mid-late 2000s. I remember playing the "UK Surf" version of "Wave of Mutilation" on repeat in my iPod my sophomore year. R64 is right, "Debaser" never gets boring.

I just rewatched The Leftovers, and in the 2nd season "Where is My Mind" is used so very well throughout as a theme. Reminded me how great The Pixies are.

Frank Black was my neighbor for years (Portland). He keeps a neat yard, and favors geraniums.

Does Frank still live in Portland R117? I remember reading that back when I first got into them as a teenager; I thought it was neat because I'm from there.

They kind of opened the door to everything for me. In junior high, I was so obsessed with the song Debaser that I researched the lyrics which led me to Un Chien Andalou. Which got me fascinated with Luis Bunuel and ultimately experimental cinema. My masters thesis on the No Wave film scene can be traced back to those moments as a kid.

I saw them only a few times. The most memorable was when they toured with The Cure and Love and Rockets. Epic show. Their sound was so big it blew the roof off the stadium (I was also high af).