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Ten Percenter
- FB Enquirer -

United Kingdom
1733 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  02:03:42  Show Profile
Another four star review, but the conclusion of this article is utter bollocks:

Frank Black

Underworld, London

Alexis Petridis
Thursday July 10, 2003
The Guardian

It's one of modern rock's more perplexing questions. What exactly happened to Charles Thompson's career? The Pixies, the band he fronted in the late 1980s under the nom de plume Black Francis, may well be the most important artists of their era. Kurt Cobain famously robbed them blind for inspiration. When Channel 4 made a Pixies documentary in 2001, artists queued up to lavish them with praise: not just Radiohead and Blur, but Bono and David Bowie, too.
Thompson has never transformed the Pixies' legend into sales of his solo albums, recorded using the pseudonym Frank Black. Tonight, he is playing an acoustic set in a tiny club, cunningly laid out so that any artist with more than 12 fans is rendered completely invisible to most of the audience. Rendering Thompson invisible is a feat worthy of magician David Copperfield - he's no starveling - but the Underworld obliges.

You can't see him, but it is definitely Thompson up there. He may no longer go in for the lung-ripping scream he judiciously employed in the Pixies (a decision that necessitates a degree of improvisation: during the cathartic Crackity Jones, he barks like a dog instead), but his voice remains entirely unique: an angelic falsetto one moment, an affected nasal growl the next.

It is also hard to think of anyone else who can attack an acoustic guitar with such force. Even slow songs such as Jane, the Queen of Love seem to lurch ferociously along.

The roar that goes up whenever he delves into the Pixies' back catalogue tells its own story but, in truth, there seems to be little difference in quality between his early work and his subsequent oeuvre. But there is a problem. Listening to Western Star and All My Ghosts in stripped-down form, it is impossible not to start daydreaming about what they would sound like performed by the Pixies rather than his unremarkable recent backing bands.

You are left with an uncomfortable answer to the conundrum about Thompson's career: a decade after the Pixies' demise, he has proved entirely incapable of finding another band that can do his songs justice.



No man is an island, unless he is in the bath

[MOVED]

Edited by - El Barto on 09/07/2003 19:03:56

Stuart
- The Clopser -

China
2291 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  03:15:48  Show Profile  Visit Stuart's Homepage
Bloody one dimensional Pixies fans. I bet that guy hasn't even taken the time to listen to the newer stuff.

War....... Its not fantastic
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gary13th
= Cult of Ray =

United Kingdom
632 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  04:46:44  Show Profile  Visit gary13th's Homepage  Click to see gary13th's MSN Messenger address
all thru the interview it goes on and on about the pixies, must be a pixies fan who hasnt listened to FBs solo/catholics stuff !

~you will get used to me, welcome to your new joy
Heloise by FB&TC
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bazza
* Dog in the Sand *

Ireland
1439 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  05:21:52  Show Profile
its a pretty shite review to be honest. get over it man - the pixies are in the past.

Is your work done? Are all pigs fed, watered and ready to fly?....
- David Brent

Edited by - bazza on 07/22/2003 05:47:08
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frank_black_francis
= Cult of Ray =

Canada
895 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  05:34:43  Show Profile  Visit frank_black_francis's Homepage
UNREMARKABLE BACKING BAND?....WHAT THE FUCK?
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ramona
"FB Quote Mistress"

USA
3988 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  06:45:12  Show Profile  Visit ramona's Homepage
WTF??? People grow up, but I guess this mofo reviewer did not.
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blackpurse
= Cult of Ray =

USA
299 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  07:04:16  Show Profile
quote:
Originally posted by frank_black_francis

UNREMARKABLE BACKING BAND?....WHAT THE FUCK?


I suspect that the Catholics are so good, and not just a bunch of wankers, that people don't notice just what really good musicians they are. People don't notice something done well as much as they notice shit. The Catholics are so good you almost take them for granted.

And I agree with others here, some people can't accept that the Pixies had pretty much worn out their welcome. I believe that breakup was the best thing that happened to all of 'em.

"Sacred cows make the best burgers!"
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NimrodsSon
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1938 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  07:38:14  Show Profile
goddamn ass-holes! They don't even have a clue what the hell they're talking about. Not only are the Catholics incredibly REMARKABLE, but notice in the article it says "unremarkable recent backing bands". What are they talking about. He's had the same fucking band for the last 7 years
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =

Canada
11687 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  07:53:21  Show Profile  Visit Cult_Of_Frank's Homepage
Yeah, well, I guess a person can say whatever they want instead of doing a little research and/or listening when they're in the media.
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <

South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  08:36:56  Show Profile
Most professional critics are just failed musicians anyway. What do you expect?


Edited by - BLT on 07/22/2003 08:37:27
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Perhaps
- FB Fan -

133 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  08:57:11  Show Profile
was his band at this show? I thought it was a solo gig. If so, of course it's "stripped down". Seems like the band would have had to have been there to remark about them.
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Erebus
* Dog in the Sand *

USA
1834 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  08:57:54  Show Profile
quote:
Originally posted by BLT

Most professional critics are just failed musicians anyway. What do you expect?

Most writers for the Guardian are failed human beings.
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Dave Noisy
Minister of Chaos

Canada
4496 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  10:06:09  Show Profile  Visit Dave Noisy's Homepage
I thought they was smarter people in London...?
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KingOfSiam
- FB LinkMaster -

USA
460 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  11:16:36  Show Profile

She could've made a good whore.....

What a waste of flesh!
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blarg007
= Cult of Ray =

USA
493 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  11:30:35  Show Profile
that article was posted on the 10th in the pixies reunion folder
..jeesh i had no idea some lamos opinion was such hot material...

R
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blarg007
= Cult of Ray =

USA
493 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  11:33:06  Show Profile
..you have to remember; people in england eat meat pastries and wrap
greasy fish in newspaper for consumption fer cryin' out loud..

R
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Perhaps
- FB Fan -

133 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  16:47:05  Show Profile
...so is that why they are stuck on the Pixies? The pixies certainly seem more meat pastry than FB. Thanks for clearing ithat up.
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Dave Noisy
Minister of Chaos

Canada
4496 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  16:47:38  Show Profile  Visit Dave Noisy's Homepage
Speaking of stupid people, some dork sent a message throught the Contact page asking when the Pixies would be touring...good grief.
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <

South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts

Posted - 07/22/2003 :  18:45:28  Show Profile
quote:
Originally posted by Dave Noisy

Speaking of stupid people, some dork sent a message throught the Contact page asking when the Pixies would be touring...good grief.



They'll be opening for the Beatles, right?
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