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By: Shannon Sweet. Band Lineup . Black Francis- Lead vocals/Rhythm guitar David Lovering - Drums Joey Santiago- Lead guitarist Kim Deal- Backup vocals/Bass. Black Francis . Born: April 6, 1965 in Boston, Massachusetts. Birth name: Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV
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Band Lineup • Black Francis- Lead vocals/Rhythm guitar • David Lovering- Drums • Joey Santiago- Lead guitarist • Kim Deal- Backup vocals/Bass
Black Francis • Born: April 6, 1965 in Boston, Massachusetts. • Birth name: Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV • Performed at David Bowies birthday party, at Bowie’s request.
Kim Deal • Born: 10 June 1961in Dayton, Ohio. • She formed a solo band called the Breeders in 1990. • Instruments: vocals, bass, guitar, and drums.
Joey Santiago • June 10, 1965 inManila, Philippines. • Instruments: lead guitar, keyboards, and vocals. • After the Pixies broke up, Santiago composed scores and songs for movies and television shows.
David Lovering • Born: December 6, 1961 in Burlington, Massachusetts. • Also know as The Scientific Phenomenalist, (his magician name.) • Instruments: Drums, guitar, bass guitar, and vocals.
Humble Beginnings • Black Francis met Joey Santiago at the University of Massachusetts. • They both dropped out of college and started the Pixies • The pixies found Kim Deal through a classified ad seeking a female bass player who loved HüskerDü and Peter, Paul, and Mary. • The drummer, Dave Lovering, was recruited after kimDeal remembered meeting him at her wedding reception.
Albums • Come On Pilgrim EP (1987) • Surfer Rosa (1988) • Doolittle (1989) • Bossanova (1990) • Tromp Le Monde (1991)
Come On Pilgrim (1987) • The title of the album is a reference to Christian rock singer Larry Norman’s catchphrase, "Come on pilgrim, you know He loves you“. • Contains lyrics about incest/voyeurism, reincarnation, and the rock’n’roll lifestyle. • Like the other albums, Come On Pilgrim was more popular in the UK than in the US.
Surfer Rosa (1988) • This album is often considered one of the most influential alternative rock albums ever according to music journalist and fellow musicians. • The most famous song from the album, “Where is My Mind?”, was featured in the cult classic film, fight club. Also, the song is about snorkeling. • Peaked at number 2 on the UK indie charts, and was certified gold in 2005.
Doolittle (1989) • As a surprise hit, Doolittle reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart. • Accolades were high for the album, NME ranked it the second best album of all time. • Lyrics range from surreal films to several songs about biblical violence to global warming.
Bossanova(1990) • Sound was inspired by surf and space rock, and with lyrics about extraterrestrial life and “bad talking heads rip-offs”. • Although often considered the weak link of the pixies discography, it is still regarded as one of the best alternative rock albums of the decade. • Reached number three on the UK charts. • Reached number seventy on the US charts.
Trompe le Monde (1991) • Title translates into “Fool the World”. • Album contains no Kim Deal songs, which turned away some fans. • Contains more lyrics about aliens and UFOs. • Many welcomed it as a return to the Pixies punk rock roots.
Breakup • Black Francis and Kim Deal did not necessary get along. • Tension rose during the ill fated tour with U2. • Black Francis broke up the band during a interview with BBC radio 5. • He sent a fax to his band mates announcing his decision.
Influence on the music scene • Kurt Cobain of Nirvana idolized the Pixies. He famously admitted to ripping them off in a Rolling Stone interview. "I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it [smiles]. When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily I should have been in that band - or at least in a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard.“- Kurt Cobain • The Pixies are often credited with creating a quiet-loud-quiet dynamic and combining abrasive punk rock with melodic pop hooks. • David Bowie called them “just about the most compelling band of the 80’s”, and even covered a song of theirs. • Artist such as Tom Yorke of Radio Head, Bono of U2 and Weezer swear by the pixies and credit them as their ultimate influence.
The Breeders • As the most successful solo band after the Pixies broke up, Kim Deal and the Breeders also had a great impact on the music scene. • Released the extremely successful album, Last Splash (1993), that contained hits like “Cannonball”. ‘ • Kurt Cobain listed POD (1990) as the third most influential album of his life, describing it as "an epic that will never let you forget your ex-girlfriend."
Audio Samples • http://youtu.be/3BLtLRTFimA (“Tame”) An example of the Pixies’ abrasive nature. • http://youtu.be/XycBLF6kWuY (“Monkey Gone to Heaven” An example of the Pixies’ melodic pop side.
Citations • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixies#Bossanova.2C_Trompe_le_Monde.2C_and_break-up_.281990.E2.80.932002.29