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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
 Posted - 06/28/2005 : 02:15:09
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Nice interview in today's Liberation. I don't have time to translate it but in short it says:
- Honeycomb is "probably his best written, arranged and sung record in ages" (that's the journalist speaking)
- the Catholics' last tour didn't go well, they fought a lot and that pretty much ended the band. :(
- there's a line which says "I consider myself as an excellent songwriter", seems weird that Frank would say that (even if it's true). Could be a bad translation...
The rest is no news but sill pleasant to read.
http://www.liberation.fr/page.php?Article=307172
[edit: thanks two_reelers for the babelfishing. I'm trying to correct the biggest mistakes:]
<<Frank Black was more gracious than ever in Paris last month. Greeting the interviewers with a smile and a cordial handshake before indicating seats around one of these large tables usually reserved to "sales force" seminars. "I asked for felts and a board to illustrate my answers", he jokes. The general tone will be quite as courteous (even when the questions are done more embarrassing). Frank Black making the clown many times, tenerdly making fun of the "scrogneugneu" behaviour of the rheumatic musicians who accompany him on this unexpected recording. After a series of rough albums with The Catholics, "garage-rock" combo with which he'll never know the shade of the success of Pixies, Honeycomb could be the continuation of Cult Of Ray of 1996. A disc of alleviated ballades, recorded in the prestigious studios of Nashville. Certainly its best written, arranged and sung album in ages.
- Honeycomb was recorded more than one year ago, why such a late exit?
- My albums with Catholics were released on a small label from NY which did not have really the means of defending them. It took me time to find a label better adapted to this "americana" record, like one says today. And if some want to see a strategic aspect in this solo release a few months after the reformation of Pixies, I certify to you that that is not a good interpretation. Unless my manager is yet more skilful than I think.
- Why Nashville?
- Musically, this city does not represent much for me, but I am conscious that it had a strong impact on people I love like Bob Dylan or Neil Young. I appreciate for example the legend which surrounds the recording of Fair Blonde one [ha! Fair Blonde One. That's funny. It means Blonde On Blonde]. These old studio musicians who play cards while Dylan, of which they've never heard, writes his splendid songs. However, the time changed; but I wanted to play with these high level mercenaries, ground in all the working conditions.
- Had they heard about you?
- Not at all. I believe that the bass player David Hood vaguely knew Pixies by his son, no more. There was no preliminary discussion between us. I arrived with my songs, and they played them their manner, without saying a word. We never did more than two or three catches. They're old guys who put their glasses on to read the partition and who grumble all the time. But, as soon as the tempo was given to them, they play like crazies. They need the partition, but can be also forget it when they have an intuition, which appears generally good.
- What differentiates them from the musicians with whom you are accustomed to working?
- I remember Spooner Oldham the pianist, receiving with a smile the congratulations after a particularly moving solo. In fact, he had uncrossed the arms only to play a small splendid note, as if his fingers had touched the keyboard by mistake. Greeted for its phlegm, he answered: "It's the teaching of many years passed in the studios." And, imperturbable, he put on his glasses.
- It is your calmest and warmest disc to date.
- At the time of its writing, I was going through an animated period. The last Catholics tour had gone bad. There had been much stress, we had spent all the time have discussions in the bus. The group did not go back from there. It had been almost ten years that I was on the road. I also divorced and left Los Angeles, only to find myself alone, in a loft, where I listened only to jazz or classical radio stations, twenty-four hours out of twenty-four. I couldn't decide: to reform Pixies or not? At this moment of my life, I probably wanted a calmer album, something which makes you relax a little.
- A rumour wants that it is Courtney Love singing on the song Strange Goodbye.
- That's an idiocy that appeared on the Internet. It is my ex-wife who sings. It is a farewell song, a peaceful manner of finalizing our divorce publicly, with a touch of humour.
- What did you listen to as a child?
- When you grow up in the USA, you're naturally nourished by rock, in the broad sense, which plays on the radio or on your mother's record player: Presley, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding... People don't always have a historical knowledge of this music, but it forms part of their natural environment.
- Is Honeycomb a form of homage to the American music?
- Nothing prohibits to consider it like such. But the idea was just to make a good actual disc of popular music. However, the presence of the guest musicians, heirs of a tradition of country, soul or gospel, contributes in connoting the recording. But I believe that the only criterion of appreciation takes place only between good and bad songs. However, I regard myself as excellent a songwriter, my course pleads in my favour, and I worked with excellent musicians, so...
- Your solo career has had more downs than ups.
- I have a manager who negotiates good contracts and brings back the most possible money. I am not ingenuous: I know how things work, and my states of heart [etats d'ame, how does it translate?] come second. I've always earned my living with the music, and people prefer Pixies than my solo albums. It's like that. Even if confidential, my personal career made it possible for the Pixies to remain alive. The public kept on humming our songs, which didn't sink into oblivion. Twelve years later, the band returns. Everybody's happy.
- It is frequently said that Pixies was reformed only for the money.
- Yes and no. It is also that, having better feelings one towards the others, it seemed possible to play again together. If the money only had counted, we could have reformed earlier. Or never have disbanded. But that is the life of a band: much success, excitation, then lassitude, the estrangement, the time which passes. Joey Santiago had children, a large family, I divorced, Kim Deal stopped drinking... And we came back again.
- Why didn't you make any promotion around the Pixies?
- It's a marketing strategy. One decides to do another tour, to take a maximum of money, it is thus necessary to sell the most tickets possible. For that, we either multiply interviews, or we create a certain excitation by not speaking. It is comfortable, that way of working. The more so as there was not much to tell, and that we were going to be asked everywhere the same questions.
- During concerts, there are many young people in the room.
- That means that our albums remain relevant in the alternative rock culture. They aged well. Our first gold disc in the United States was Doolittle, that took five years! Twelve were necessary for it to become platinum. Surfer Rosa became gold disc after seventeen years. We don't sell enormously, but regularly.
- Will there be a new Pixies album one day?
- We would need a good reason, which wouldn't be financial this time. For a concert, the appreciation is immediate: we play that evening, in that place, come and buy tickets. The album, has vocation to last. It requires another form of implication.>>
Denis
I know the god of rock n roll / Yeah I sold him my soul! |
Edited by - vilainde on 06/28/2005 07:57:15 |
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 02:32:41
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I wasn't aware of fighting in the band - is that documented elsewhere?
How's that for a slice of fried gold? |
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-
France
2715 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 02:40:05
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J'ai l'impression que le King a renoncé à toute forme de modestie. Je dirais même que ses réponses frôlent le cynisme par moments...
Join the Cult of France / And get Honeycomb weeks in advance |
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Teafer
- FB Fan -
90 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 03:11:12
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Aaah what a victory for me to finally have it acknowledged that the last catholics tour went wrong (to say the least). I remember having been totally bashed by french dicksuckers around here when i said that imho the concert at the bataclan was bad w/ a lot of tension and fuck ups on stage, and that was really obvious. What did i read at the time ! "you don't like FB so fuck off" "you are stupid and outta your mind" etc etc. Funny in retrospect.
As to FB saying he considers himself an excellent songwriter the next thing he says is "my track record is here to prove it" which I think no one can serioulsy deny.
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Teafer
- FB Fan -
90 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 03:14:39
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Frog
j'ai l'impression que ce que tu appelles cynisme est simplement de la franchise bien dessalée. Il y amha une grosse différence entre les deux.
Ou vois tu du cynisme ?
"Si seul l'argent avait compté, on aurait pu se reformer plus tôt" c'est pas vraiment le top du cynisme, non ?
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two reelers
* Dog in the Sand *
Austria
1036 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 03:32:18
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strange thing about the catholics. the concert i saw (nov. 2003, pretty much end of tour) was the best concert ever, especially from the point of musical tightness & perfection. until than i didn't know what a good band really is....musically they seemed to harmonize up to 150%.
I joined the cult of Souled American / 'cause they are a damn' fine band |
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-
France
2715 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 04:01:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Teafer
Frog
j'ai l'impression que ce que tu appelles cynisme est simplement de la franchise bien dessalée. Il y amha une grosse différence entre les deux.
Ou vois tu du cynisme ?
"Si seul l'argent avait compté, on aurait pu se reformer plus tôt" c'est pas vraiment le top du cynisme, non ?
Je dis qu'il "frôle" le cynisme. Nuance.
Je n'ai jamais imaginé que les Pixies s'étaient reformés pour taper le carton ou se faire des câlins, mais quand je lis "C'est une stratégie marketing, on décide de refaire une tournée, de prendre un maximum de fric, il faut donc vendre le plus de billets possible", je me dis que c'est un peu plus que de la franchise dessalée. Bien sûr, il est très possible que le traducteur ait simplifié ou caricaturé ses propos...
Join the Cult of France / And get Honeycomb weeks in advance |
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Joey Joe Jo Jr. Chabadoo
* Dog in the Sand *
1079 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 05:21:04
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Moi j'aime les arbres...
Sugar and Spice, Luring Disco Dollies on a Life of Vice |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 06:23:09
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I thought the 2001 catholicshows were amazing (talkish Frank, long sets, supertight)
and the 2003 shows a bit tame (no word from frank, shorter sets, song after song, basically just too loud)
I'm happy that there's an indication for that now
 "I joined the cult of Jon Tiven/Bye!" |
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jediroller
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1718 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 08:46:16
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It seems to me that Frank is being realistic and practical. Maybe there's only a thin line between that and being a cynic.
Wot di fuk? |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2005 : 15:53:27
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| Great interview, thanks vilainde. |
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Great interview - in French and Babelfished
