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T O P I C    R E V I E W
lonely persuader Posted - 03/16/2006 : 03:40:55
Im amazed by this album more and more recently. All the song are so clever. Lyrics.... Even the intro song (trompe le monde) refers to itself ("went to the store and got something great etc") and the second song "planet of sound" and the album as whole...
love the bit "for outer space and those who paid" links well with planet of sound "broadcaster"......

sorry to bore ye'all again...
35   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
picpic Posted - 10/11/2016 : 09:37:53
Yep. Mostly playing the first strings to tune the guitar "by ear". But cool anyway ;-)

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Arm Arm Arm Posted - 10/11/2016 : 09:30:06
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXZ7hLZ0CPw
picpic Posted - 10/11/2016 : 08:02:59
Nope, never noticed that ? Don't they just play the two first strings to check the tuning ?

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Arm Arm Arm Posted - 10/11/2016 : 06:07:38
quote:
Originally posted by picpic

Planet is a drop D, and they just... drop their guitar to D in 5 seconds.

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I remember being happily surprised at how easy it is to drop the E to a D, the first time I did it.

Besides, Frank does that cool little tuning riff when he drops down to D. I'm sure you've heard it from Catholics and Pixies shows. He'd do it before Planet.

cheers
trobrianders Posted - 10/11/2016 : 03:14:56
quote:
Originally posted by sdon

quote:
Originally posted by Bedbug

Sorry about the formatting of my question to you Peter. Still trying to figure out how this works



Subbacultcha was on the Purple Tape in 1987

And the removed chorus from "Subbacultcha" later appeared as the basis for "Distance Equals Rate Times Time"

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"

I love details like this. Like how the basis of Wave of Mutilation (demo) on Doolittle 25 turned up in Adda Lee or how Tame and Planet of Sound were derived from different attributes of Joe Jackson's Mad At You.

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Ed is the hoo hoo
sdon Posted - 10/11/2016 : 02:59:33
quote:
Originally posted by Bedbug

Sorry about the formatting of my question to you Peter. Still trying to figure out how this works



Subbacultcha was on the Purple Tape in 1987

And the removed chorus from "Subbacultcha" later appeared as the basis for "Distance Equals Rate Times Time"

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
picpic Posted - 10/11/2016 : 00:58:55
Not always. Sometimes they used guitars tuned a semi-step up so the songs were in the same key as the album. I noticed that on some videos (don't ask me which ones !). Including Memphis, Palace. I don't remember if Bird Dream was 1/2 step up, but it is also a Drop D.

I still bang my head against the wall from time to time about Bird Dream tuning. Sounds like DAEGBE on some shows. Haven't decided yet.

Interesting Pixies interviews from 91-92 about gear, guitar tunings, etc...: http://aleceiffel.free.fr/index_alec.html (old site, click on "instruments" in the left column)

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Ziggy Posted - 10/10/2016 : 23:58:31
Letter to Memphis and Palace of the Brine are both drop-D tuning and capoed on the first fret.

Judging from bootlegs, they didn't bother capoing for the live performances, and played them in a lower key as a result.

picpic Posted - 10/10/2016 : 18:26:02
BF once said the U-Mass "stupid" chord progression was created when he & Joey were roommates at... Umass.


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Bedbug Posted - 10/10/2016 : 12:41:56
Sorry about the formatting of my question to you Peter. Still trying to figure out how this works
Bedbug Posted - 10/10/2016 : 12:40:53
quote:
Originally posted by peter radiator

quote:
Originally posted by picpic

Interesting fact: as far as I know, Trompe is the only Pixies album wih drop-D tuned songs (at least 4 as far as I know). Very Metal.

I'll always wonder why they dumped half of Trompe songs on their setlists since the reunion.



Besides the fact that it seems most or all of them do not have particularly fond memories of the actual process of writing and making that record (which can weigh much more heavily than their knowledge of some fans' love for the finished product), you may have answered your own question.

The drop-D tuned songs often necessitate keeping extra guitars around in that tuning just waiting to be swapped out onstage.

They may simply view the combination of bad memories of (and/or lack of a personal connection to) those tunes and the hassle of using an alternate tuning as too much hassle for too little enjoyment on their own part.


Peter (or anybody)

Besides Subbacultcha are any of the songs on Trompe older pieces that made it on to this album?

--

"Real music is out there and real people are making it." ~ Webb Wilder

picpic Posted - 10/10/2016 : 11:28:19
Planet is a drop D, and they just... drop their guitar to D in 5 seconds. Even for songs like Havalina or Velouria that are tuned a half-step up, they had extra guitars on the last tour. So thats not really a "gear" issue.

Yep I remember being super excited after seeing the lightning console when they embarked on tour with Shattuck. Sigh !

Memphis... All over the world (!!!)... Jaime Bravo....The Happening... they rehearsed this one, I remember Black Francis tweeted "what was I smoking back then ?" referring to the ending lyrics of that song. Palace... Trompe... looks like they still hadn't dumped All Over The World at this point ? (Still lit up).

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peter radiator Posted - 10/10/2016 : 10:56:07
quote:
Originally posted by picpic

Interesting fact: as far as I know, Trompe is the only Pixies album wih drop-D tuned songs (at least 4 as far as I know). Very Metal.

I'll always wonder why they dumped half of Trompe songs on their setlists since the reunion.



Besides the fact that it seems most or all of them do not have particularly fond memories of the actual process of writing and making that record (which can weigh much more heavily than their knowledge of some fans' love for the finished product), you may have answered your own question.

The drop-D tuned songs often necessitate keeping extra guitars around in that tuning just waiting to be swapped out onstage.

They may simply view the combination of bad memories of (and/or lack of a personal connection to) those tunes and the hassle of using an alternate tuning as too much hassle for too little enjoyment on their own part.


--

"Real music is out there and real people are making it." ~ Webb Wilder
Ziggy Posted - 10/10/2016 : 09:17:58
quote:
Originally posted by picpic

Interesting fact: as far as I know, Trompe is the only Pixies album wih drop-D tuned songs (at least 4 as far as I know). Very Metal.

I'll always wonder why they dumped half of Trompe songs on their setlists since the reunion. Either they don't like those songs anymore, or those songs don't sound right onstage, maybe because of the lack of keyboards. They were performed live with Feldman onstage back then (and it sounded f-cking great).

Did they ever perform Space I Believe In live back ten ?

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And seemed tantalisingly close that we'd hear some of them back in 2013... 'Letter to Memphis' etc in Myles' lighting design list!

http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21001
picpic Posted - 10/10/2016 : 09:00:58
Maybe they didn't even played it back then because of the missing Tablas (played by Jefrey with one F, Feldman brother, in the studio). Personal theory ! ;-).

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Bedbug Posted - 10/10/2016 : 08:34:52
quote:
Originally posted by picpic

Interesting fact: as far as I know, Trompe is the only Pixies album wih drop-D tuned songs (at least 4 as far as I know). Very Metal.

I'll always wonder why they dumped half of Trompe songs on their setlists since the reunion. Either they don't like those songs anymore, or those songs don't sound right onstage, maybe because of the lack of keyboards. They were performed live with Feldman onstage back then (and it sounded f-cking great).

Did they ever perform Space I Believe In live back ten ?

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Totally agree Picpic. I agree that those Feldman performances were amazing. Can't understand why so few Trompe songs get performed by 2.0.

I've wondered if Space (I Believe In) was almost a B-side or just a recording of them jamming in the studio, with Frank maybe doing some stream of consciousness lyricizing? I could be totally wrong. It would be sick to hear it live.
picpic Posted - 10/10/2016 : 08:10:45
Interesting fact: as far as I know, Trompe is the only Pixies album wih drop-D tuned songs (at least 4 as far as I know). Very Metal.

I'll always wonder why they dumped half of Trompe songs on their setlists since the reunion. Either they don't like those songs anymore, or those songs don't sound right onstage, maybe because of the lack of keyboards. They were performed live with Feldman onstage back then (and it sounded f-cking great).

Did they ever perform Space I Believe In live back ten ?

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Bedbug Posted - 10/10/2016 : 05:02:27
Trompe also has the best "Pixies" font on the album artwork in my opinion.

Hard to believe that when I got home from Record World with my cassette of it the week it came out I was like, "That was pretty good."

Now it's my #1 favorite Pixies album if not my favorite thing Charles has ever done. I can't believe how little of it gets performed live by him / them.

And great point sdon re: The Sad Punk. It does seem like their epitaph. That song reaches levels that none of their other stuff ever has.
picpic Posted - 10/10/2016 : 02:34:46
For the french-speaking folks here, check this website: http://www.ed-wood.net/pixies2.htm. I fell in love with Trompe Le Monde (and the Pixies) thanks to this guy. He's crazy for Trompe Le Monde and really wrote the best Pixies/Frank Black reviews I've read so far. I think most of it was written prior to the reunion tour. Sometimes, I wonder if the author is/was a member of this forum.

On another note, when I heard that Peel interview, i was quite amused to hear that Black Francis thought "Trompe Le Monde" meant "Save the world" - of "something like that"- back then. And that this title had been suggested by his manager (like "Head Carrier"...).

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sdon Posted - 10/10/2016 : 01:52:59
quote:
Originally posted by speedy_m

Never heard the full band brackish boy before.


www.myspace.com/thepeacoats



as with the demo of Hang On To Your Ego, it's not Dave but a drum machine

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
sdon Posted - 10/10/2016 : 01:51:53
Sad Punk is the Pixies' epitaph
(at least Pixies 1.0)

I would add Sad Punk and Head On to the list, as the best "five consecutive songs" on an album


ps : Los Angeles always reminds me of a "soft" version of Sad Punk

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
picpic Posted - 10/09/2016 : 22:15:33
...and Sad Punk ! The most epic motherfucking song in the universe with the most epic motherfucking lyrics in the universe.

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Arm Arm Arm Posted - 10/09/2016 : 18:43:00
Trompe's my favorite Pixies album, tied with Surfer Rosa. The opening three songs could be my favorite opening three songs on any album; three of the most rocking songs, each one excellent, yet each one better than the one before. As soon as the fast, metallic Trompe ends, you get the HEAVY Planet, which feels epic in what, like 2mins? encompassing an interstellar trip...the title is quite creative, the idea of Earth being viewed as the Planet of Sound.

And then Alec...with such a great riff and yet....when that other part kicks in and then the outro....!

It's amazing. What a fucking run of great rock songs. I can understand why some didn't make the transition to FB's solo music but to lambast Trompe? It's like they they blew up the studio with the energy of these songs.

Bird Dream? Once again there's a song that's gentle, beautiful and different from anything else they've done. That's not counting Lovely Day's riff, the relentless groove of Subbacultcha with some of his best lyrics and the EPIC Motorway.

What a fuckin' album.
OLDMANOTY Posted - 10/08/2016 : 08:24:13
quote:
Originally posted by speedy_m

https://youtu.be/jR-WJKdwl3I

Trompe demo/alt mix clips


www.myspace.com/thepeacoats


The channel you got that from has lots of Pixies stuff on it, including this great Peel interview from '91 upon the release of Trompe.

"As far as I'm concerned, the best work that they've done" - interesting considering the lukewarm reception it received. Even more interesting (but perhaps not that surprising) is that BF clearly didn't regard Surfer Rosa as a particularly high watermark at the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsme7r_5RNE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVuxeEPlc64
speedy_m Posted - 10/08/2016 : 06:49:06
Never heard the full band brackish boy before.


www.myspace.com/thepeacoats
speedy_m Posted - 10/08/2016 : 05:29:13
https://youtu.be/jR-WJKdwl3I

Trompe demo/alt mix clips


www.myspace.com/thepeacoats
Jason Bravo Posted - 09/13/2016 : 16:51:14
Kurt Cobain famously admitted that when he wrote his mega-hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” he was “basically trying to rip off the Pixies.” But he might not have known that his fledgling band—who had released that single earlier the same month—were briefly considered as openers for their upcoming tour. “I was the one who said no,” Lovering later said. “I’d heard the album. I knew Nirvana were going to be the next big thing. It would have been lopsided.”

I think I remember hearing something along these lines a while back. I'm not so sure I agree with Lovering here, I don't know, maybe the timing just wasn't right or something. But, back in the day, meaning '91-'92, imagine seeing Pixies and Nirvana under the same roof! That would have been something special to say the least. That would have been too much energy for one show probably at that time, but I guarantee that I would have been there if it happened.
picpic Posted - 09/13/2016 : 12:09:37
Joey talked about those Trompe "widow tracks" a few years ago in an interview. Some have been recorded. Maybe one day...

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Sprite Posted - 09/13/2016 : 12:02:02
Missed this. Great write up. Love Trompe. From the moment I saw the cover in the record shop when I picked it up I knew it was gonna be good.
sdon Posted - 09/13/2016 : 04:09:10
thanks pixie punk
I think Black refusing Kim to sing on "Bird Dream" and "rejecting one of Deal’s songs" is not the same
Maybe we missed a great tune by Kim that never surfaced, even in demo format

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
pixie punk Posted - 09/13/2016 : 03:32:51
quote:
Originally posted by sdon

http://blog.siriusxm.com/2015/09/23/the-pixies-trompe-le-monde-was-released-on-september-23-1991/

About Trompe recording : Norton said that "Black rejected one of Deal’s songs" that he, the producer, thought was great.
Any ideas what song it could have been?
A never released song by Kim? Or maybe a song featured on Last Splash? or even on Safari?

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"

http://forum.frankblack.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12564

PUERTO RICO PIXIE
sdon Posted - 09/13/2016 : 03:17:41
http://blog.siriusxm.com/2015/09/23/the-pixies-trompe-le-monde-was-released-on-september-23-1991/

About Trompe recording : Norton said that "Black rejected one of Deal’s songs" that he, the producer, thought was great.
Any ideas what song it could have been?
A never released song by Kim? Or maybe a song featured on Last Splash? or even on Safari?

--
"Aristophanes! (gong sounds)"
Stevio10 Posted - 09/13/2016 : 00:21:41
http://thequietus.com/articles/20897-pixies-trompe-le-monde-review
natenate101 Posted - 09/08/2016 : 09:00:56
quote:
Originally posted by Cult_Of_Frank

I listened - apparently - to Subbacultcha for the first time in headphones and it took that song up a notch for me.


"If we hit this bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate."



It was hearing it live a few years ago that really elevated it for me. I appreciate the music so much more when before I certainly focused on the lyrics and vocals.
Cult_Of_Frank Posted - 09/08/2016 : 08:30:36
I listened - apparently - to Subbacultcha for the first time in headphones and it took that song up a notch for me.


"If we hit this bullseye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate."

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