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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
 Posted - 05/19/2006 : 10:23:08
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Your very welcome, kfs!
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/273259_siff09.html
LoudQUIETloud: A FILM ABOUT THE PIXIES (U.S.): The title refers
to the style of alternating quiet verses with loud choruses, a gimmick originated
by The Pixies and later appropriated by Nirvana. After five years and six
albums, the Pixies broke up. This film, documenting their 2004 comeback
tour, portrays the band members as disturbed and unlikable people who
cannot communicate with each other. It is a long ride on this tour bus with a
drug addict, a former drug addict, an insecure egomaniac and a guitar player
who is just trying to get along. The concert footage offers clips of varying
lengths from a wealth of songs. The rest of it is a non-exploitive glimpse at the
stress disorders that can develop when average people with problems become
popular celebrities. (B.W.) Grade: C+
Plays Saturday at 9:30 p.m., Neptune; plays again Sunday at 11 a.m.,
Broadway Performance Hall
LoudQUIETloud: A FILM ABOUT THE PIXIES (U.S.): Grade: C+.
See in Saturday's reviews. Plays Sunday at 11 a.m., Broadway
Performance Hall
http://seattleweekly.com/music/0624/notable-shows.php
Face the Music Rock Party
In addition to the other awesomeness SIFF's Face the
Music has given us this year, they've managed to
wrangle some of our finer local pop bands to
celebrate the music of Devo, the Pixies, Harry
Nilsson, and more. Carrie Akre will collaborate with
the Presidents' Dave Dederer; Sean Nelson and
Awesome will collaborate on a nine-song medley. But
the highlight of the evening will easily be the special
reunion of shamelessly self-assured glam-punks, the
Girls. Neumo's, 8 p.m. $6
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/273811_siff15.html
Also tonight, for those 21 and over, the festival will host a "Face the Music
Rock Party," at Neumo's, with local bands covering artists profiled in SIFF
'06's numerous music documentaries (the Pixies, the Police, Leonard Cohen,
Harry Nilsson and more). The performers include Sean Nelson, Carrie Akre
and the Girls.
http://www.seattlest.com/archives/2006/06/16/siff_rocks_neumos.php
As to the show itself, Seattlest arrived during Trespassers William's set. The
press release indicated that they'd be covering Sigur Ros and Bjork, but if they
played songs by those artists, we missed it. We asked a friend of ours who had
been there all night, and he wasn't sure either, though he did say that the band
opened with something "atmospheric." Since that term, as well as "soporific,"
could be used to describe anything the band plays (including last night's covers
of the Pixies and Bonnie Prince Billy), that didn't clear things up any.
Go Like Hell (the best band of the evening
featuring a screaming dude wearing a dress) played the Pixies' "Tony's Theme,"
which would have gone completely unrecognized, were it not for the spoken
word at the beginning.
Despite their late set time, a lot of the crowd stuck it out for "Awesome," who
did their standard multi-instrument smart-funny thing, covering The Police, Devo,
The Pixies (in conversation form), and a Sean Nelson-led ber-medley of Harry
Nilsson songs.
According to Amazon, there's a US DVD release on October 10th!!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GTLB12/qid=1152839988/sr=11-1/ref=sr_11_1/103-8516725-6606240?n=130 |
Edited by - Carl on 07/14/2006 10:20:00 |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 08:08:38
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http://www.nme.com/news/pixies/23609
"Meanwhile the premiere of the band's new documentary 'LoudQUIETLoud', which is the warts-and-all tale of their 2004 reunion tour, is premiered at The Edinburgh Film Festival on August 22 and 25. It's released on DVD on November 4."
Tha link also confirms the UK release of the Newport show.
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 10:20:36
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Great, looks like we have a UK DVD release date too!
Join the Cult Of Pob! And don't forget to listen to the Pobcast!
http://www.antimusic.com/news/06/july/2507.shtml
Pixies loudQUIETloud
07/25/06
(PR) MVD and are pleased to announce the home viewing release of
The Pixies - loudQUIETloud for worldwide distribution on DVD
November 7, 2006.
loudQUIETloud is an intimate portrait of the band members and their
difficult, tense and ultimately triumphant return as one of rock music's
greatest bands. When college rock darlings the Pixies broke up in
1992 on the cusp of mainstream success, their fans were shocked
and dismayed. When the Pixies reunited in 2004, those same fans
and legions of new listeners were ecstatic and filled with high hopes.
loudQUIETloud follows the rehearsals and the warm up shows for the
full-fledged, sold out reunion tour. It also catalogs, in the cinema verite
style of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" and Bob Dylan's "Don't
Look Back", the less glamorous side of the touring band lifestyle,
getting as close to this enigmatic act as anyone is ever likely to get.
Old wounds have not completely healed and the extreme pressure of
the tour takes its toll on the band, but nevertheless, they deliver the
goods onstage. loudQUIETloud captures the Pixies, their families and
their fans in what seems to be a once in a lifetime chance at rock n roll
redemption.
Tracklist: Where Is My Mind? * Hey * Here Comes Your Man * Umass
* Caribou * Gouge Away * Nimrod's Son * In Heaven * Wave Of
Mutilation * Something Against You * Bone Machine * Cactus *
Vamos * Monkey Gone To Heaven * Iris
Trailer: http://files.dvdnote.com/pixiestrailer.htm
http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article?article_id=3135
News
{Web Exclusive}
2006-07-25
Pixies DVD Chronicles Bands Reunion Tour
MVD Visual has announced a worldwide Nov. 7 release of loudQUIETloud, a DVD
capturing legendary college rock group the Pixies.
After an unexpected breakup in 1992, the Pixies reunited in 2004 to embark on a
sold-out tour. loudQUIETloud will focus on the rehearsals and warm up shows for
the bands reunion tour while presenting an intimate look at the less glamorous
side of the touring band lifestyle.
To view a trailer of loudQUIETloud, click here.
http://www.livedaily.com/news/Briefly_Rod_Stewart_Oasis_Xzibit_Pixies-10438.html?t=98
Briefly: Rod Stewart, Oasis, Xzibit, Pixies
July 25, 2006 05:08 PM
by LiveDaily Staff
The DVD edition of the Pixies (music) documentary
"loudQUIETloud" is set to be issued Nov. 7. The film follows the
band as it rehearses and plays warm-up shows for its 2004
reunion tour.
"It also catalogs, in the cinema verite style of the Rolling Stones'
'Gimme Shelter' and Bob Dylan's 'Don't Look Back,' the less
glamorous side of the touring band lifestyle, getting as close to
this enigmatic act as anyone is ever likely to get," says a press
release. "Old wounds have not completely healed and the
extreme pressure of the tour takes its toll on the band, but
nevertheless, they deliver the goods onstage."
http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/37585/Another_Pixies_DVD_on_Its_Way
Another Pixies DVD on Its Way
Are you drama-lovers ready to see Frank Black and
Kim Deal at odds... in your very own living room?
loudQUIETloud, the Pixies reunion documentary
that premiered earlier this year at South by
Southwest's film festival, is now scheduled for a
November 7 DVD release courtesy of MVD.
The film follows the band's reunion tour, unveiling
the hardships of life on the road. Cry me an effing river.
As previously reported, another Pixies DVD, Pixies: Acoustic - Live in Newport, is also
on its way. It will see release on Eagle Rock Entertainment come August 22.
Tracklist:
01 Where Is My Mind?
02 Hey
03 Here Comes Your Man
04 U-Mass
05 Caribou
06 Gouge Away
07 Nimrod's Son
08 In Heaven
09 Wave of Mutilation
10 Something Against You
11 Bone Machine
12 Cactus
13 Vamos
14 Monkey Gone to Heaven
15 Iris
Posted by Kati Llewellyn in dvd on Wed: 07-26-06: 07:00 AM CDT | Permalink
http://www.varsity.co.nz/movies/articles.asp?id=5727
loudQUIETloud: A Film about the Pixies
written by fishmeal on 27 Jul 2006
loudQUIETloud: A Film about the Pixies
Directors: Steven Cantor, Matthew Galkin
Opening with a quote from Kurt Cobain announcing
just how much Nirvana was in debt to the Pixies,
loudQUIETloud sets about its job to document the
2003 reunion tour reasonably unobtrusively. Twelve
years after breaking up (Charles Thompson famously
announced the band's termination on British radio,
he'd neglected to actually run it by the band first) the
four misfits are back together, this time as middle
aged fuck ups.
So where are they now? Thompson is one of those
ubiquitous fat American men releasing albums as
Frank Black. We see a meeting with his producer on
his new album, who is a perfect music industry
version of South Park's Mr Garetty. Joey Santiago
now scores docos and, in one of his many candid interviews, is struggling to scratch
together two bits to keep his family afloat. Kim Deal, who briefly reached post Pixies
fame with The Breeders, is a smoking, drinking shut-in looking after her sick mother,
who's in turn looked after by her sister. And David Lovering is now well, best you just
watch the film to find that out.
The doco is not as probing and as explosive as Some Kind of Monster (the brilliant
Metallica doco), but as the camera goes backstage you do get an unobtrusive view of
the different personalities in the band. Happily they're all likeable. Here's four people
who were once friends, thrown back together through financial necessity and surviving it
all by not speaking to each other. There are moments of interaction, but they always tail off
into silence. Luckily for the audience all the band members (even grumpy Thompson)
have a sense of humour. It's evident in how they play up to the camera, even if it is a
subdued kind of playing up.
Behind it all is the music and the concerts are filmed wonderfully. Happily free of too
much jerking around, but framed so as to convey the importance of the tour, the music
sounds great. The twelve year break might as well have been twelve minutes, there's no
desirable let up in the emotion behind the sound. Thank Christ for that.
Overall the film is a joy. For fans of the Pixies who were there from the start it's
particularly rewarding because, as the final titles tell us, the tour was a financial success.
Something that cruelly denied them at the hight of the Pixies' powers.
http://www.nysun.com/article/37151
Rocking Out On the Big Screen
Movies
By MARTIN EDLUND
August 2, 2006
With the rare exception of a "Don't Look
Back," "Gimme Shelter," or "Message
to Love," rock documentaries are minor
works. They are inevitably the work of
fans who else would think to give
these subjects such serious,
thoroughgoing treatment and, as a
result, appeal exclusively to fellow fans.
They offer all the excitement of liner
notes brought to life which is either a
good or bad thing depe nding upon how
you feel about the band in question.
"Play It Loud: Rockdocs 2006," a nine-
day, nine-film series of New York,
American, and North American
premieres beginning today at Lincoln
Center, is representative of the genre.
There's one magisterial film: "No
Direction Home," Martin Scorsese's
elegant if uncritical documentary
of Bob Dylan's Icarus-like rise and
crash between 1964 and 1968. Sunday
will be its big-screen debut, offering the
chance to see the larger-than-life Dylan
of 1967 all skinny hound's-tooth
suits and backlit Jewfro hair actually
larger than life.
"Everyone Stares: The Police Inside
Out" will do just the opposite: make the
Police seem smaller than they are.
Spliced together from Super 8 footage
shot by Police drummer Stewart
Copeland during the band's rise to
international fame (he bought the camera with their first paycheck), it promises to be a
session of tantric home-video porn for the Sting-obsessed.
A second category of film explores the various subcultures and scenes that music spawns.
"Glastonbury," by director Julien Temple, includes footage from the 30-plus year history of
the massive almost-annual event in Southwestern England. "Noise" offers a similar look at a
smaller-scale event: 2005's determinedly avant Art Rock Festival in Saint Brieuc, which
featured performances by the likes of Jim O'Rourke, Alan Licht, Thurston Moore, and Kim
Deal.
"Between the Devil and the Wide Blue Sea" takes up the subject of European electronic
dance music, the popularity of which continues to baffle America. "Metal: A Headbanger's
Journey" travels more familiar territory. With its thin mustaches, bitchin' Camaros, and guitar
histrionics, Heavy Metal galloped onto the American stage like the fifth horseman of the
Apocalypse in 1986. Director Sam Dunne, a trained anthropologist and avowed metalhead,
proves to be a capable Virgil as he leads the viewer through the lower circles of the scene.
For those, like me, who know heavy metal only at a safe distance the Quiet Riot mask
was enough to scare off my 11-year-old self the film is an education.Among the facts
you'll learn: the ubiquitous devil horns hand sign was popularized by hair-metal imp Ronnie
James Dio, who learned it from his Italian grandmother; the chord that puts the heavy in
heavy metal is the diminished fifth, a sound so timelessly evil that it was used in the Middle
Ages to summon Satan; and, depending on who you ask, the first heavy metal band was
either Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin, or Black Sabbath although Alice Cooper graciously
nominates himself. But Metal also claims more distinguished forebears: Wagner and
Beethoven. The classical pedigree only sounds absurd until you see Eddie Van Halen
performing a virtuoso guitar solo.
Two of the best films in the series tell essentially the same story."Not A Photograph"
chronicles the charmingly embarrassed return to the stage of post-punk legends Mission of
Burma in 2002. (Totally gratuitous disclosure: I served as a guitar tech on the tour and
appear fleetingly in the film.) "loudQUIETloud" does the same for the Pixies' reunion two
years later.
The two bands have much in common.
Both had short, modest careers in the
American music underground
Mission of Burma's was a little more
modest and both have seen their
reputations grow exponentially since
breaking up. jBoth reunion tours were
immensely successful, and both bands
continue to play shows. Burma, in fact,
has now been reunited longer than they
were united the first time around.
Beyond that, however, the bands'
experiences diverge sharply. Now in
their mid-40s, the Burma guys are
modest to a fault. (They named the
reunion tour "Inexplicable.") Bassist
Clint Conley smiles awkwardly as his
wife and TV-news coworkers explain
they had no idea that soft-spoken Clint
was actually an indierock icon. Burma
drummer Peter Prescott can't quite
believe it, either. He's thrilled and
intimidated by the constellation of minor
stars who show up to pay their
respects and play with the band: Mike
Watt, Moby, members of Sonic Youth,
Gang of Four, and Yo La Tengo. "I
spent a lot of time getting way less
than I thought I deserved, now I'm
getting way more," Mr. Prescott says. "
I don't know which is right."
Initially, the Pixies react in much the same way. After more than a decade apart, they're all
nerves and grins as they play a sold-out warm-up show. But as they move from tiny clubs to
sold-out theaters, old tensions threaten to tear the band apart all over again..
"loudQUIETloud" plays like an expertly cast reality TV show. Inflatable front man Charles
Thompson (better known as Black Francis or Frank Black) seems totally incapable of
communicating with his bandmates. In 1992, he broke up the group in an interview with the
BBC. Now he lets them know he wants to record a new album through a reporter at Rolling
Stone.
When his father dies midtour, drummer David Lovering (now a professional magician and
amateur metal-detecting beachcomber) retreats into an iPodand-Valium haze. After a while,
he has trouble keeping time during shows. Bassist Kim Deal, fresh out of rehab herself,
follows the rest of the band in an RV with sister and ex-bandmate Kelly, with whom she
shares a weird telepathic codependency. Stoic guitarist Joey Santiago, meanwhile, silently
judges the parade of neuroses with his eyebrows. The film masterfully captures the quiet
desperation that grows up between them.
On stage, neither band has lost a step. Though their new compositions don't quite live up,
Burma performs classics like "That's When I Reach For My Revolver" and "Max Ernst" with
the same angular intensity that made them moderately famous. The Pixies sound even
better with age: They're slightly less abrasive, allowing their lyrics and internal dynamics
(which are far more functional onstage) to shine through.
It's hard to imagine anyone who isn't already a fan attending either film. But it's almost too
bad even in their dotage, both bands are good enough to win converts.
Until August 10 (Walter Reade Theater, 165 W. 65th St., between Broadway and Amsterdam
Avenue, 212-496-3809).
http://www.startribune.com/457/story/607625.html
First Avenue, Pixies stars of Sound
Unseen
Last update: August 11, 2006 5:04 PM
With a slow week and a half of
live gigs upon us (not counting the
"American Idols" concert), there
are still plenty of chances for music
nuts to feed their addiction, thanks
to the seventh annual Sound
Unseen Film & Music Festival.
The eight-day fest's two standout
movies this year are both showing
on opening night, Wednesday, at
the Riverview Theater in
Minneapolis. "First Avenue: HayDay," which screens at 7 p.m., is a
collection of old live footage and interviews compiled by Rick Fuller, half of
the reputable video and filmmaking crew Harder/Fuller Films. Bands
featured include the Replacements, Hsker D, Soul Asylum, Babes in
Toyland, etc.
The other big film is "loudQuietloud: a film about the Pixies," showing at
9:30 p.m. A hit at the South by Southwest Film Conference, the
documentary follows the band's 2004 tour from rehearsals to finale.
Portions were filmed at the Fine Line in Minneapolis, where the tour
kicked off.
Other Sound Unseen highlights include documentaries on the quirky
Trachtenburg Family Sideshow Players, unsung jazz hero Albert Ayler,
Sympathy for the Record Industry label founder Long Gone John, and
Sufjan Stevens' Christian cohorts, the Danielson Family. There's also a
band vs. fan bowling night to go along with a "Big Lebowski" screening
Saturday. Check out www.soundunseen.com.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2650" target="_blank">www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2650" target="_blank">http://www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2650
Steve Yasgar, who was responsible for booking bands for this years festival, initially became
involved because he loved the fact that they give props to local music, he says. They take a
documentary about a certain band and type of music, and then they give a nod to a local band
that fits with that. I think thats cool. Fans of the Pixies can catch a screening of new indie film
loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies alongside a set by local Pixies cover band Be Lonna,
for example, while rock history scavengers will appreciate Wasted Orient, a documentary
about Chinese punk band Joyside and an evening of music with local punk rockers The Haves
Have It. |
Edited by - Carl on 08/16/2006 17:48:16 |
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prozacrat
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1186 Posts |
Posted - 08/17/2006 : 19:43:40
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I just saw that this is showing tomorrow in Minneapolis. I have to go. Somehow.... Have to... DAMN!
http://www.prozacrat.com |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2006 : 12:31:29
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http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/entertainment/15296491.htm
Sound Unseen: Festival of movies about music. This week: "LoudQuietLoud" (a film
about the Pixies), 11:30 p.m. today; "My Name Is Albert Ayler" (the story of the jazz
musician who was shunned by the mainstream music industry while being admired by
fellow musicians), 1 p.m. Saturday; "Old Joy" (two friends reunite for a weekend
camping trip), 9:40 p.m. Wednesday; Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave. S., Mpls.
"Dowtown Locals" (six New York City subway performers struggle to earn a living and
defend their right to perform in the city's increasingly regulated underground), 7:30 p.m.
today, 5 p.m. Sunday; "Wasted Orient" (documentary on Chinese punk band Joyside),
10:10 p.m. today; "LoudQuietLoud" (a film about the Pixies), 7:45 p.m. Saturday; "High
Tech Soul" (documentary on techno music), 10 p.m. Saturday, 9:30 p.m. Wednesday;
"Let's Be Active: Keep the Fuzz Off My Buzz" (eight days on the road with an ensemble
that includes folk singers, women in wolf masks and an irreverent comic), 7:30 p.m.
Sunday; "Danielson: A Family Movie (or, Make a Joyful Noise Here)" (musician/visual
artist Daniel Smith's path to indie music stardom), 9:30 p.m. Sunday; "Cold
Hearts" (Icelandic shorts and music videos), 7:30 p.m. Monday; "Beyond Beats and
Rhymes" (documentary on the rap industry), 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; "All Kindsa
Girls" (traces the evolution of garage/punk rock), 9:45 p.m. Tuesday; "Monks: The
Transatlantic Feedback" (five American GIs in Cold War Germany form a band and bill
themselves as the anti-Beatles), 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. Thursday; "The
Treasures of Long Gone John" (the story of the man who helped launch the careers of
several musicians), 7:20 p.m. Wednesday, 9:45 p.m. Thursday; Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810
W. Lake St., Mpls.; $7-$5 per film (all-access passes, $75-$65); 612-870-9300 or
www.soundunseen.com.
http://www.startribune.com/1553/story/617832.html
First Avenue and Pixies are stars of
Sound Unseen fest
The annual music-movie festival returns Wednesday night
with a tribute to the Twin Cities' premiere club.
Last update: August 16, 2006 1:15 PM
With a slow week and a half of
live gigs upon us (not counting the
"American Idols" concert), there are
still plenty of chances for music
nuts to feed their addiction, thanks
to the seventh annual Sound
Unseen Film & Music Festival.
The eight-day fest's two standout
movies this year are both showing
on opening night, Wednesday at
the Riverview Theater in
Minneapolis. "First Avenue:
HayDay," which screens at 7
p.m., is a collection of old live
footage and interviews compiled
by Rick Fuller, half of the
reputable video and filmmaking
crew Harder/Fuller Films. Bands
featured include the Replacements,
Hsker D, Soul Asylum, Babes in
Toyland, etc.
The other big film is
"loudQuietloud: a film about
the Pixies" showing at 9:30 p.m.
(see review below). A hit at the
South by Southwest Film
Conference, the documentary
follows the band's 2004 tour from
rehearsals to finale. Portions were
filmed at the Fine Line in
Minneapolis, where the tour
kicked off.
Other Sound Unseen highlights
include documentaries on the
quirky Trachtenburg Family
Sideshow Players, unsung jazz hero Albert Ayler, Sympathy for the
Record Industry label founder Long Gone John, and Sufjan Stevens'
Christian cohorts, the Danielson Family. There's also a band vs. fan
bowling night to go along with a "Big Lebowski" screening Saturday.
Check out www.soundunseen.com.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
loudQuietloud: A Film About the Pixies
*** out of four stars
One's a recovering addict. One's trying to make a living as a magician.
One has his second child on the way. And then there's the one who can't
get anybody to buy his solo albums. The Pixies went into their 2004
reunion tour with open wounds and excess baggage, and they
encountered more problems along the way. But, as shown in this all-
access documentary (co-produced by Pixies sibling Kelley Deal), the
tour was for the most part an artistic and commercial triumph. The film
debunks a few myths about the band. Kim Deal and Black Francis/Frank
Black -- whose antagonistic relationship purportedly caused the band's
breakup -- are actually pretty sweet to each other. At the same time, it
also bolsters the legend. The scenes showing off the excitement around
the band's very first show at the Fine Line in Minneapolis are touching
enough to make you cry. Local connection or not, though, this is one
priceless rock doc. (9:30 p.m. Wed., Riverview, and 7:45 p.m. Sat.,
Bryant Lake. 85 min.) CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
SOUND UNSEEN
When: Through Thursday.
Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl, 810 W.
Lake St., Mpls. Riverview Theater,
3800 42nd Av. S., Mpls.
Tickets: $7, $5 students. $75/$65 for
festival pass.
Info: www.soundunseen.com |
Edited by - Carl on 08/18/2006 12:55:12 |
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prozacrat
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1186 Posts |
Posted - 08/21/2006 : 03:00:24
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I managed to go to this twice. It was hard to be objective, but I'm pretty sure it was a damn fine documentary. I think I even saw myself during the Fine Line part!
http://www.prozacrat.com
www.myspace.com/prozacrat |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2006 : 16:00:21
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http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/68417.html
loudQUIETloud: a film about the Pixies
MILES FIELDER August 22 2006
This rock-doc was filmed during the
2004 reunion tour of one of the most
influential post-punk bands of all time.
The films follows the now middle-aged
quartet of musicians (who originally
emerged from Boston in the late 1980s)
as they play to unwaveringly adoring
crowds in Europe and America. In
between gigs, singer Frank Black,
bassist Kim Deal, guitarist Joey Santiago
and drummer Dave Lovering are filmed
rehearsing together and interviewed
separately.
It's been reported that the Pixies split
because they got sick and tired of
spending so much time in each other's
company, particularly Black and Deal,
who experienced creative rivalry and a
clash of egos. And if you read your music
press, you'll know that the Pixies
reformed largely because they were
broke. loudQUIETloud doesn't really add
anything to that, but we do get to hear this
somewhat dispiriting story from the band
members themselves.
What's left is concert footage.
The songs stand the test of time and
the band play well, but it makes you wish
you were at one of the gigs in 2004, or
lucky enough to be at one the first time
around. This is neither a great
rockumentary nor a good concert movie.
One for Pixies fans only.
Cameo, today, 10pm; Friday, 9.30pm.
http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1231112006
LoudQUIET - loud: a film about Pixies
****
ALISTAIR HARKNESS
DIRECTED BY: Steven Cantor, Matthew Galkin
MUCH more worthwhile candidates for your time and money are the music
documentaries loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies and Air Guitar Nation.
The former is exactly what it says on the tin: a film about the hugely
influential US indie rock band The Pixies, who revolutionised the alternative
music scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s (Kurt Cobain confessed to
"ripping off" their "loud quiet loud" sonic dynamic for Nirvana's seminal track
Smells Like Teen Spirit). Though the band split up in 1993 - singer Charles
Thompson (then called Black Francis and now recording as Frank Black)
announced the split during a live British radio interview before informing the
rest of the band - their music never went away and, when they decided to
get back together in 2004, they found themselves playing sold-out gigs that
were rapturously received by critics and fans.
It's this reunion tour that
directors Steven Cantor and
Matthew Galkin document with
their film, in the process
providing a fascinating insight
into the workings of one of the
most credible and celebrated
bands in the history of rock.
Though there was an
undeniable commercial
imperative behind the reunion
(particularly for drummer Dave
Lovering, who became a
magician to supplement his
dwindling royalty cheques),
what comes across most clearly
is a band trying to get to grips
with what made them so
special. Their first rehearsal for the tour is a hair-prickling moment as they
realise that despite their differences, everything clicks. They're also
genuinely humbled by the reverential response they receive from their first
warm-up shows.
As the tour progresses, however, we get an insight into what caused the
original split. Kim Deal insists on bringing along her sister Kelly (they were
also in the band The Breeders together) to keep her off drugs and alcohol.
Lovering, whose father is dying of cancer, starts using sedatives and alcohol
to help him cope, which leads to onstage bust-ups. Guitarist Joey Santiago
increasingly feels the pull of home life, while Thompson tries to decide if he
wants to be sucked back into the maelstrom of being in a creative band (he
repeatedly dodges questions about recording new material as The Pixies).
They're brutally honest about the fact that they're not really friends. Unlike
Metallica they don't see any need to involve a therapist either, because
they've essentially realised that when they're on stage everything falls into
place, which seems to be enough.
That makes them tough to warm to as people (although the sight of Kim Deal
knitting on the tour bus is quite sweet), but just hearing a few bars of
Debaser, Where is My Mind? or Wave of Mutilation - originally recorded in
this very city - is enough to remind any music fan why The Pixies will always
matter.
LoudQUIETloud: A Film about The Pixies, tonight 10pm, 25 August 9pm,
Cameo; 27 August 12.20pm, Filmhouse;
Last updated: 21-Aug-06 00:53 BST
http://www.pr-inside.com/pixies-fury-at-manipulative-documentary-r15940.htm
PIXIES FURY AT 'MANIPULATIVE'
DOCUMENTARY
Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment
News Network (www.wenn.com)
2006-08-22 14:03:13 -
The PIXIES are furious with the results of a new documentary that follows the band on
the road, and have slammed film-makers for "manipulating" them.
loudQUIETloud, which debuts today (22AUG06) at the Edinburgh Film Festival in
Scotland, trails the US rockers on their 2004 reunion tour.
But the DEBASER stars are unhappy with how their personal issues have been
portrayed in the movie, directed by STEVEN CANTOR and MATTHEW GALKIN.
Singer FRANK BLACK says, "I've got nothing against the film or the film-makers, but
they manipulated the whole thing.
"They wanted a story, and that story became this tension within the band, how awful
we got along, and DAVE's (LOVERING, drummer) downward spiral. Whereas Dave
was actually the one who was holding us together.
"KIM (DEAL, bassist) wasn't happy with the film at all. It made her look like she was
hardly there, clutching her beer and chain-smoking cigarettes. It made it look as if we
had just scooped her out of the gutter."
http://www.newtimesbpb.com/Issues/2006-08-17/music/outtakes.html
Pixie Progress
How to view the regrouping of the Pixies, one of the most mercurial bands of the late '80s, a
group many claim opened the door for Nirvana and the grunge generation of the early '90s?
Those early efforts still sound shocking menacing, malevolent melodies pierced by torrents of
jagged guitar and stuttering rhythms, all underscored by leader Black Francis' nihilistic
pontificating. Internal dissension caused the band to split a scant five years after its first
recording the superb Surfer Rosa and a mere three years after its major-label
breakthrough, the dazzling Doolittle.
Following the breakup, Black Francis opted to reverse his moniker and venture out on a prolific
if uneven solo career as Frank Black. His two most recent opuses, Fast Man Raider Man and
Honeycomb, showed him newly entrenched in Americana territory and soaking up a sizable
infusion of Blood on the Tracks. Bassist Kim Deal went on to moderate success with the
Breeders and struggled with sobriety. Drummer David Lovering and guitarist Joey Santiago
formed the Martinis before Lovering left to tour with Cracker, study engineering, and reinvent
himself as a performance artist, or, as he terms it, a "scientific phenomenalist." Santiago's lately
settled into a more urbane occupation as a soundtrack composer.
What a surprise, then, that a tentative Pixies reconciliation resulted in a 2004 tour that found
the band as potent as ever. Two new DVD releases LoudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies
and Acoustic: Live in Newport show opposing views of this perpetually conflicted outfit and
its retooled presence in the new millennium. The former is perhaps the most revealing, an
intimate portrait of the personalities involved who, between various concert clips from their
recent reunion gigs, lay bare their inner souls, a tack that makes them decidedly less
intimidating to their fans and, one supposes, to one another. The acoustic offering shows them
in the most unlikely of circumstances at the venerable Newport Folk Festival, the venue
where Dylan went electric and was bombarded by catcalls in return. "We're a rock band," Deal
announces before they launch themselves unplugged on an opposite route, managing to make
angst-ridden anthems like "Monkey Gone to Heaven," "Bone Machine," and even "Wave of
Mutilation" less a series of sanitized sing-alongs than actual hints of the essential if irascible
melodies that lie at their core.
So how do the Pixies fare? Remarkably well considering their infamous in-fighting and the
passage of time. By allowing themselves to reveal their own humanity and accessibility, each
offering demonstrates in its own way that while one might mellow, it doesn't have to be at the
expense of passion or purpose. At the very least, it's a case worth considering. Lee
Zimmerman
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1855522,00.html
'I used to have a band, and now
I don't'
When the Pixies reformed, they invited a film crew to
join them for the ride. Frank Black talks to Xan Brooks
about the train-wreck of a tour that followed
Tuesday August 22, 2006
The Guardian
The great should-have-beens of American music ... The Pixies. Photograph:
Chapman Baehler
The artist formerly known as Black Francis answers the phone
and explains that he can't talk; he is in crisis. He's in
Pennsylvania but can't say where, exactly, because he has
switched hotels twice in the past few hours. He has four children
and they are very hungry. He has lost his charger and reckons
there is maybe 40 seconds of life left in the mobile. "You could
say that I'm facing a lot of challenges in my life right now," he
bellows. Charles Thompson (aka Frank Black, aka Black
Francis) is currently tripping eastwards on a solo tour of the US.
It sounds nearly as fraught as on his last outing with the Pixies.
I have been chasing Thompson for several days now, eager to
gauge his reaction to loudQUIETloud, a rambunctious little
documentary about the Pixies's 2004 reunion tour, which debuts
today at the Edinburgh film festival. Directed by Steven Cantor
and Matthew Galkin, the film is a bit like a Pixies song itself. It
is film where simmering tensions erupt into primal storms, where
high tragedy goes cheek-by-jowl with low comedy, and where
the drummer goes mad and won't finish his solo. "We knew the
band had an acrimonious break-up so we knew it wouldn't be
plain sailing," Cantor tells me. "That said, there were still some
surprises along the way."
The Pixies were the great should-have-beens of American
music, an impish, ill-starred quartet who indirectly kick-started
the grunge movement and then imploded too soon to reap the
rewards. They recorded songs that flared red hot and ice cold in
the space of a heartbeat, that played the Old Testament as
sexed-up soap opera ("You crazy babe, Bathsheba"), and led
Kurt Cobain to write Smells Like Teen Spirit in a vain attempt to,
in his words, "basically try to rip off the Pixies".
Once upon a time this band meant something. But by the time
of their reunion they have been defunct for 12 years and the
royalties have dried to a trickle. Thompson (rechristened Frank
Black) is struggling to sustain a solo career. Guitarist Joey
Santiago is "eking out" a living writing TV soundtracks, and
drummer Dave Lovering has lost his home and needs the cash
to support his new job as a conjurer. As for Kim Deal, the
Pixies' iconic bassist, she is fresh out of rehab and living at
home with her folks. The tour was wonderful news for Kim, her
mother explains "She needs something to do besides writing
poetry and, er, sleeping all day."
If the aim was to boost the band's bank balance, the Pixies
comeback was a huge success (tickets sold out within
minutes). But, behind the scenes, matters were more torrid.
Initially conceived as a celebration, loudQUIETloud quickly veers
into train-wreck territory. Lovering is the first to crash.
Devastated by his father's death, he hits the bottle, guzzles
valium and suffers a public breakdown on stage in Chicago. His
behaviour appears to impact on Deal. Having initially stipulated
that the tour should be alcohol free, she is shown surreptitiously
nursing a bottle of beer during a stopover in Reykjavik. "Hey, it's
only 5% proof," she insists. "Pretty much all beer is 5% proof,"
retorts her sister, Kelley.
Actually there was plenty more in this vein, Cantor says. It's just
that the band ordered him to take it out. "Kim, in particular, felt
there were too many scenes that showed her trying to stay
sober," he explains. "She felt that there was more to her than
just being, like, rehab woman. So yes, we had to tone it down."
At times the band's intervention was more forceful. In one scene,
during a protracted drugs debate between Deal and Lovering,
Thompson seizes the camera and pushes it to the floor.
Was the band happy with the final version? "Oh yes," the
director assures me. "They think it's really truthful. They
recognise themselves in the movie." Yet he sounds slightly
doubtful.
Rumour has it that the Pixies remain unimpressed with
loudQUIETloud. Perhaps this is why Thompson is proving so
elusive. Exasperated, the film's distributors suggest that I try a
new tactic. I should approach his management company, tell
them I want to discuss Frank Black's solo tour, and don't
mention the film at all. I should pretend, in fact, to be unaware
that there even is a film.
The day after our aborted conversation in Pennsylvania, I
trackThompson to a hotel in Washington DC. It's eight in the
morning and I get him out of bed. "Hold the line for a moment,"
he croaks. "I must pass my urine or I won't be able to think." He
is gone so long I start to wonder if he's slipped away again.
On stage, Thompson is an electrifying presence: big, bald and bawling;
a furious baby grown to the size of a barn. But he
emerges from the documentary as an oddly distant figure. For
some reason, the film features numerous shots of him lolling,
semi-naked in bed, lovingly patting his belly, or stroking at his
scalp. He looks like a cross between Leigh Bowery and Marlon
Brando in Apocalypse Now.
Thompson flushes the loo and returns to the phone. I ask him
what he thinks of the documentary and he hums and haws.
"Look," he says, "I've got nothing against the film or the film-
makers, but they manipulated the whole thing. They wanted a
story, and that story became this tension within the band, how
awful we got along, and Dave's downward spiral. Whereas Dave
was actually the one who was holding us together. His
breakdown only came at the end of the tour when he was upset
about his dad's death. Then he became this kind of Jekyll and
Hyde figure, dulling the pain with red wine and pills."
Deal's portrayal proved the other sticking point. "Kim wasn't
happy with the film at all," he admits. "It made her look like she
was hardly there, clutching her beer and chain-smoking
cigarettes. It made it look as if we had just scooped her out of
the gutter." So they asked for some scenes to be removed?
"Well, yeah. We told them we didn't care for the original cut. We
ended up putting a lot of stuff back in."
The problem, Thompson suspects, is that the film-makers never
really understood their subject matter. "They were naive, like a
lot of people who don't understand how rock bands are when
they go on tour. They'd roll into the hotel every morning and say,
'So what are you guys going to do today? Ooh, are you going to
go buy some ice cream?' I guess they expected us to be like
the Monkees, always up to mischief. But we're boring, you
know. And touring is boring. You just sit around not talking to
each other."
This, at least, is something that the film was able to pinpoint.
"The movie as it stands is basically truthful, even though it's
exaggerated," Thompson says. "But it does suggest something
that is correct: the awful lack of communication within the band.
That silly dysfunctional quality. Sometimes we don't speak
enough."
Thompson famously broke up the Pixies by fax back in 1992. At
the time he thought this was the classy way to call it quits. He
says now that he regrets the decision, and that the band still
hate him for it. Recently he has been angling for a longer-term
collaboration: he wants to corral the Pixies into a studio and
test-run some new material. "But there is some reluctance, let's
put it that way. They don't trust me." He sighs. "They used to
trust me."
I had been hoping to wring a quick quote or two out of
Thompson. But we have now been on the phone for more than
40 minutes. He keeps beating back into the past; unpicking old
grievances and festering rivalries; discussing who's still mad at
who, and why; spotlighting all the waste and loss that lurks in
the wings of loudQUIETloud.
"I used to have a band," he laments. "And now I don't have a
band anymore. That's why I'm off doing my little solo tour. That's
why I'm sitting in a hotel room telling you all about it".
Rockumentaries that went wrong
Cocksucker Blues (1972)
The genre's seedy antecedent trails the Rolling Stones on their
1972 American tour. But the group was so incensed by the
portrayal of them as narcissistic, drug-guzzling hedonists that
they sued to prevent its release. It remains under a court order
to this day.
Ramones: End of the Century (2003)
Johnny steals Joey's girlfriend, Dee Dee is a junkie and Tommy
struggles to keep time and make peace. The Ramones might
not have been real brothers, but the fraternal tension is palpable.
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)
There is a decided whiff of Spinal Tap about this portrait of a
band bedevilled by death, drugs and galloping self-absorption -
particularly when their management hires a costly therapist to
sort them out.
Dig! (2004)
The Dandy Warhols and the Brian Jonestown Massacre start
out as allies with a mission to get "a full-scale revolution going
on". One band ends up on a Vodafone advert; the other goes
down in a hail of rotten fruit.
New York Doll (2005)
In which bassist Arthur Kane quits the Dolls and becomes a
Mormon, but finally rejoins the band at the Meltdown festival.
Meanwhile, three other band-mates have long since died and
gone.
LoudQUIETloud is at the Edinburgh International Film festival
on August 22, 25 and 27. Details: 0131-228 4051. The film is
released on DVD in November.
These sites also have the 'Pixies fury at manipulative documentary' story:
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=193112180&p=y93yyz886
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breaking/story.asp?j=222926950&p=zzz9z7765&n=222927836
http://www.eveningecho.ie/news/bstory.asp?j=143603250&p=y436x3775&n=143603852
http://www.examiner.ie/breaking/story.asp?j=238518160&p=z385y9x3z&n=238519038&x=
http://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/08/23/story273530.html
http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/pixies%20toned%20down%20documentary_1006104
PIXIES 'TONED DOWN'
DOCUMENTARY
Rockers THE PIXIES forced the directors of their
new documentary LOUDQUIETLOUD to "tone
down" the film, because bassist KIM DEAL was
devastated by how debauched she appeared.
The DEBASER stars teamed up with film-
makers STEVEN CANTOR and MATTHEW
GALKIN to create a personal account of their
2004 reunion tour, which debuts today
(22AUG06) at the Edinburgh film festival in
Scotland. But the bass player was concerned
she was being portrayed as "rehab woman".
Cantor says, "Kim, in particular, felt there were
too many scenes that showed her trying to stay
sober. "She felt that there was more to her than
just being, like, rehab woman. So yes, we had
to tone it down."
23/08/2006 07:36
Above news also at PR Inside:
http://www.pr-inside.com/pixies-toned-down-documentary-r16033.htm
http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2006/aug06/20060823_pixies.html
Pixies Unhappy With Tour Documentary
by Daniel Zugna
August 23 2006
Pixies frontman Frank Black has called film-
makers Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin
"nave", explaining that the band are unhappy
with the way they are portrayed in Cantor and
Galkin's tour documentary.
The film, loudQUIETloud, documents the
band's 2004 reunion tour. It premiered on
Tuesday at the Edinburgh International Film
Festival.
Speaking to The Guardian, Black said the
film-makers "were naive, like a lot of people
who don't understand how rock bands are
when they go on tour." He went on to claim,
"they'd roll into the hotel every morning and
say, 'So what are you guys going to do
today? Ooh, are you going to go buy some
ice cream?' I guess they expected us to be
like the Monkees, always up to mischief. But
we're boring, you know."
Whilst Black said he had nothing against the
film-makers themselves, he confirmed that
bassist Kim Deal asked for, and succeeded
in, getting several scenes cut. "It made her
look like she was hardly there, clutching her
beer and chain-smoking cigarettes" the
singer said. "It made it look as if we had just
scooped her out of the gutter.
Pixies
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds36221.html
Frank Black unhappy with Pixies film
Wednesday, August 23 2006, 21:53 BST - by David Cribb
Frank Black has revealed he was unhappy with the way the Pixies' recent documentary
was made.
The reformed band were filmed on their 2004 tour, and the resulting production was
shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival on Tuesday. Black branded the filmmakers
"nave", claiming they did not know their subject.
"(They) were nave, like a lot of people who don't understand how rock bands are
when they go on tour," he told The Guardian. "They'd roll into the hotel every morning
and say, 'So what are you guys going to do today? Ooh, are you going to go buy some
ice cream?' I guess they expected us to be like the Monkees, always up to mischief.
But we're boring, you know."
He also criticised the lack of footage of bassist Kim Deal, who asked to be cut from
many scenes: "It made her look like she was hardly there, clutching her beer and
chain-smoking cigarettes. It made it look as if we had just scooped her out of the
gutter."
http://www.nme.com/news/pixies/24060
Frank Black criticises new
Pixies documentary
'They manipulated the whole thing' claims
frontman
Pixies frontman Frank Black has criticised a new
documentary on the band's 2004 tour, calling it
"exaggerated" and the filmmakers "nave".
The film, 'loudQUIETloud', was premiered at the
Edinburgh Film Festival yesterday (August 22).
Speaking to The Guardian, Black said: "I've got
nothing against the film or the film-makers, but they
manipulated the whole thing. They wanted a story,
and that story became this tension within the band,
how awful we got along."
He also criticised the directors, Steven Cantor and
Matthew Galkin, saying: "They were nave, like a
lot of people who don't understand how rock bands
are when they go on tour.
"I guess they expected us to be like The Monkees,
always up to mischief. But we're boring, you know.
And touring is boring. You just sit around not talking
to each other."
However, Black, known as Black Francis in Pixies'
heyday, has also admitted that the conflict captured
in the video is a reality for the band. He said: "The
movie as it stands is basically truthful, even though
it's exaggerated."
Pixies Frank Black 1
24.Aug.06 12:00pm
I'm not gonna bother pasting this up. It's offensive and stupid:
http://www.drownedinsound.com/content/view/1097747 |
Edited by - Carl on 08/25/2006 11:23:55 |
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2006 : 16:06:48
|
i was hoping for more live stuff, hopefully they will release more of that footage b/c i am sure that it's good.
i do agree with frank that not only kim but david and even fb weren't portrayed in the best light. i did think the film was interesting and well shot but it is also good hearing fb's thoughts b/c we will never know what was edited out.
i really like the scene where they showed kim's bedroom b/c that's how my bedroom looks sometimes. lol. |
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fumanbru
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1462 Posts |
Posted - 08/25/2006 : 21:30:27
|
quote:
Originally posted by Daisy Girl
i really like the scene where they showed kim's bedroom b/c that's how my bedroom looks sometimes. lol.
cause there's coke and heroin everywhere.....HAHA..HA!
..i'm hoping to see the movie pretty soon.
 "I joined the Cult of Frank/ cause I'm a real go-getter!" |
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2006 : 12:36:08
|
| well i was thinking about this over the weekend for some reason and I really did think that although kim came across as very likeable but in a negative light. i don't know if that makes sense. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2006 : 04:38:21
|
Myabe somebody should have switched a positive light on. But then maybe she'd become unlikeable.
What am I saying?!
 |
Edited by - Carl on 08/31/2006 04:39:10 |
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2006 : 09:41:11
|
| yes, I agree about a positive light, and I think people stil would have liked her. In stead of portraying her as a weak person, they could have treated her as a strong person given all she's done to turn her life around. That's hard and that could have been portrayed as she's a really strong person. I don't think Dave was portrayed very well any way.g |
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Homers_pet_monkey
= Official forum monkey =
United Kingdom
17125 Posts |
Posted - 09/12/2006 : 04:56:05
|
http://www.nme.com/news/pixies/24295
Pixies documentary hits the UK
Controversial film part of festival
Pixies controversial documentary 'loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies' is to get another airing in the UK.
The film, which got its' UK premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival last month, is one of the main attractions of Resfest, the touring cinematic festival.
The Pixies film will be shown as part of the festival's Bristol residency at the Watershed between October 25-29.
As previously reported by NME.COM, the controversial film was criticised by Pixies leader Frank Black. He referred to the finished version as "exaggerated" and the filmmakers "nave".
Also showing at the festival is a retrospective of Radiohead videos, 'Radiohead, the Visionaries: A Decade of Breaking New Talent' and 'Rock The Bells', a documentary about the Wu Tang Clan.
Resfest will call at:
Bristol Watershed and Arnolfini (October 25-29)
London National Film Theatre (November 14-19)
Dublin Irish Film Institute (December 7-10)
For full details go to Resfest.co.uk.
 I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2006 : 07:26:06
|
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/15516128.htm
THE PIXIES gave it all up for rock music. That's their one and only cause as far as I can
tell, though feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. They etched the blueprint for that
howling/haunting, start/stop, loud/quiet/loud style that, done less expertly, passes for
today's alternative rock. The Pixies 2004 reunion tour, though incredibly well-received
critically and commercially, was not all what it seemed to be ... a triumph of will and
strength and rock 'n' roll. Rather, it had a hard-rock underbelly: Black Francis, aka
Charles Thompson, aka Frank Black, was mid-divorce, Kim Deal was fresh out of
rehab and David Lovering was dealing with his dad's diagnosis of inoperable cancer.
And yet, these troupers returned to the stage and gave the people what they wanted.
Oh, the price these rockers pay to play. The Pixies movie "loudQUIETloud" opens Sept.
29 at the Roxie Theatre in San Francisco. Showtimes are 6:15, 8 and 9:40 p.m.
Weekend matinees are 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Call 415-431-3611 for information.
Showing at the 25th Vancouver International Film Festival, at the Empire Granville 7, Thursday Oct 5 and Monday Oct 9:
http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2006/filmguide/eventnote.php?notepg=1&EventNumber=0880
FILM GUIDE
loudQUIETloud: A Film About the
Pixies
USA, 2006, 82 min, Color, Sony HD Cam
Canadian Premiere
Directed By: Steven Cantor,
Matthew Galkin
PROD: Steven Cantor
CAM: Jonathan Furmanski, Paul Dokuchitz
ED: Trevor Ristow
MUS: Daniel Lanois
CITR Radio
In 2004, alt-rock's most influential band, the Pixies, reunited to tour for the first time in 12 years. It quickly sold
out. Your monkey will feel like it's gone to heaven after witnessing Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin's vivid
capturing of the ins and outs of the tour, including the terrific performances, the troubled band dynamic, and the
ultimate triumphant return of four living legends--bigger, louder, and even more dysfunctional than ever. Black
Francis and Kim Deal (who went on to front the Breeders with her twin sister Kelly) were the two titans who clashed
most ferociously in the band's heyday. Although the pair appears to have mellowed somewhat (if a scene depicting
Kim's trading in alcohol for near-beer is any indication), the tension between band members floats at the edge of
every scene. As the 2004 reunion tour (dubbed "The Pixies Sell Out" naturally enough) ballooned to two years on
the road, the question became: Would they record or write any new material? Or would they break up all over
again? The business of being rock legends, and it is very much a business, may seem to detract from the entire
point of the Pixies, but it's their ability to spawn new prog sprogs (kids jumping around in basements screaming
"Where is my mind") that is perhaps the band's ultimate legacy--witness Kurt Cobain's famous quote about
Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit being his attempt to rip-off a Pixies' song. (As an aside, Pixie Joey Santiago wrote
the music for Radiant City, also in this year's VIFF.)
sponsored by:
Screening Schedule
Date Time Venue Tickets
Thu, Oct 5 9:45 pm Empire Granville 7 Theatre 2 $9.50
Mon, Oct 9 3:30 pm Empire Granville 7 Theatre 2 $7.50
http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2006/filmguide/psource.php?notepg=1&EventNumber=0880
Resources for loudQUIETloud: A
Film About the Pixies
Print Source
Karla Kirby
Stick Figure Productions
New York, NY
USA
Phone: (212) 277.3600
Email: karla@stickfigureproductions.com
Web Site: www.stickfigureproductions.com
http://thetyee.ca/Entertainment/2006/09/21/VIFF/
There are plenty of films that may
rock your world, but the one to get
tickets to early is loudQUIETloud: A
film about the Pixies.
YAYYAYYAYAYYAYYAY. If you're a
Pixies fan don't waste any time,
hasten to the theatre, because this will be as close as you're likely to get to see
the band play, before they break up once again. Although there has been a
veritable onslaught of music documentaries lately (everyone from Townes Van
Zandt to Roky Erickson), loudQUIETloud is a scream, and easily one of the
better films about the business of rocking out. Black Francis and Kim Deal, who
fronted the band, went on to solo careers, but the Pixies overshadowed almost all
their subsequent output. Although the Pixies imploded after only six years, they
resemble the first Velvet Underground record. It only sold 100 copies, but it
seemed like everyone who bought the album went out and formed their own band.
www.viff.org/tixSYS/2006/filmguide/eventnote.php?notepg=1&EventNumber=1644" target="_blank">www.viff.org/tixSYS/2006/filmguide/eventnote.php?notepg=1&EventNumber=1644" target="_blank">http://www.viff.org/tixSYS/2006/filmguide/eventnote.php?notepg=1&EventNumber=1644
Featuring songs by
Joey Santiago of The Pixies (stars of loudQUIETloud, also playing in this year's VIFF). |
Edited by - Carl on 09/21/2006 10:20:08 |
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darwin
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
USA
5454 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2006 : 10:33:46
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| Off topic: Does anyone know what the Roky Erickson movie (mentioned in the above review) is called?? |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2006 : 11:04:25
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Must be this:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0791268/
LQL is also showing at the Ghent Film Festival....free 11 Oct opening-day showing?:
http://www.filmfestival.be/?&lang=en
This page is not available in English!:
http://www.filmfestival.be/about.cgi?go=detail&id=199&lang=nl
Nieuws
17/09/2006
The Pixies, Beastie Boys, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young n Slayer op festival!
source: Filmfestival
Nee, niet de groepen zelf maar wel ongemeen boeiende muziekdocumentaires over
de artiesten zijn te zien op het komende Filmfestival Gent. Van keiharde
rockumentaries tot meer klassieke portretten van muzikanten: je ziet ze voor het
eerst, en in sommige gevallen zelfs uitsluitend, op het festival!
LoudQuietLoud: A Film About the
Pixies is de gratis publieksopening van
het filmfestival in Vooruit op 11 oktober.
In de late jaren 80 en de vroege jaren
90 baanden The Pixies zich een unieke
weg door de moderne muziek. Na iets
meer dan vier albums, een paar
tournees en eindeloze speculaties over
de relatie tussen de vier
oorspronkelijke leden, kwam er in 1993
een abrupt, bitter einde aan de groep.
Maar in 2004, tot grote verwondering
van hun talloze fans, kwamen The
Pixies weer samen. loudQUIETloud is meer dan alleen maar een concertfilm; het is
een intimistisch portret van de groepsleden en hun moeilijke, zenuwslopende en
uiteindelijk triomfantelijke comeback als een van de grootste rockbands.
Na de film zullen A Brand, Coca Cola with God (Tim Vanhamel & Eric Thielemans),
The Diary Sucks (David Bove, Tom Wouters & Tom Theunis), The Germans en
Pornorama in de huid kruipen van Frank Black, Kim Deal en co om hun eigen versies
van The Pixies klassiekers te brengen.
http://www.filmfestival.be/about.cgi?go=detail&id=199&lang=fr
Nouvelles
17/09/2006
The Pixies, Beastie Boys, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young et Slayer au Festival!
source: Filmfestival
Non, les artistes ne seront pas prsents physiquement bien sr mais ce sont bien
des documentaires musicaux sur ces artistes qui seront montrs au Festival du Film
de Gand. Des documentaires rock aux plus classiques portraits de musiciens, voici
un aperu de la programmation.
LoudQuietLoud: A Film About the
Pixies est louverture publique officielle
et gratuite du Festival au Vooruit le
mercredi 11 octobre. A la fin des
annes 80 et au dbut des annes 90,
The Pixies ont trouv un chemin unique
travers la musique moderne. Aprs 4
albums, deux tournes et des
spculations sans fin propos des
relations entre les quatre membres
originaux, le groupe se spare
brutalement en 1993. Mais en 2004,
grande surprise pour leurs
innombrables fans, The Pixies se reforment. loudQUIETloud est davantage quun film
de concert live; cest un portrait intimiste des membres du groupe et leur difficile,
exasprant mais finalement triomphant comeback qui les impose comme lun des
plus importants groupes de rock.
http://www.watershed.co.uk/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Watershed.woa/wa/exhibit?daysToDisplay=3&typesToDisplay=0&object=754
Resfest: loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies
 Cert: 15
 Dir: Steven Cantor/Matthew Galkin 2006 USA 87 mins
screening on:
Fri 27 Oct
As the feature film culmination of a day which
sees screenings of Radiohead, the Visionaries
and the ever popular (and LOUD!) Videos That
Rock music videos programmes, RESFEST is
proud to present in association with Plexi -
the English premiere of this fabulous concert
movie.
In the history of modern American music there were few bands like the Pixies. Theirs was an
unparalleled musical path, influencing countless others despite modest financial success. In 1992, their
chief songwriter and vocalist Black Francis announced his intention to quit via a blunt facsimile. That it
seemed, was that.
Then to the amazement of everyone, the Pixies reunited in 2004. loudQUIETloud is the story of this
unforeseen plot twist - a deeply compelling portrait of four band members and their difficult, tense and
ultimately triumphant return. The Pixies, as it turns out, are one of rock musics great bands.
From the first rehearsal after their reunion to the final bow nearly one year later, the press shy Pixies
granted unprecedented access to NY directors Steven Cantor & Matthew Galkin. The result is an
insiders perspective of the Pixies and a fascinating document of the modern touring band.
Relationships with each other, relationships with family and relationships with fans are brought sharply
into focus alongside striking concert footage. From the loud emotional highs of performing to renewed
tensions between band members, the Pixies combustible stage dynamic is laid bare.
Please note: The advertised times are the actual starting times of each programme for all RESFEST
screenings.
 Fri 27 Oct 2100
Resfest
Wed 25 - Sun 29 Oct
Resfest: loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies is part of Resfest
Watershed welcomes back RESFEST, the global, travelling festival of innovative film, music, art, design,
fashion, culture and technology.
Now listed on MovieWeb:
http://www.movieweb.com/movies/film/14/4514/summary.php |
Edited by - Carl on 09/25/2006 10:19:26 |
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VaughnBittner
- FB Fan -
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2006 : 17:55:24
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Edited by - VaughnBittner on 09/30/2006 09:44:06 |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2006 : 17:47:11
|
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=1745&l=1
ROXIE 3117 and 3125 16th St, SF; (415) 863-1087,
www.roxie.com. $4-8. Fratricide (Arslan, 2006), Wed-Thurs, 7,
9 (also Wed, 2, 4:30). An evening with Richard Heinberg,
author of The Oil Depletion Protocol, Thurs, 7. loudQUIETloud:
A Film about the Pixies (Cantor and Galkin), Sept 29-Oct 5,
6:15, 8, 9:40 (also Sat-Sun, 2:30, 4:30).
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=1706&catid=110&volume_id=147&issue_id=253&volume_num=40&issue_num=52
PIXIES STICK
BY MICHELLE DEVEREAUX
A smiling Kim Deal holds up a T-shirt with "Pixies Sellout"
emblazoned across the back. "Where did you get the
inspiration?" she asks guitarist Joey Santiago, who named
the band's comeback tour. Cause we sold out in minutes!"
he offers sans irony. Santiago might not be in on the joke
(somewhat inexplicably), but for the rest of us the subtext is
clear. Sure, the Pixies are now well into middle age and
showing it, but to claim these indie rock demigods are simply
trying to cash in on past success is a little unfair.
Since they were never really able to enjoy major-league
(outside of the United Kingdom) success (which happened
after the breakup) in the first place, they're just now getting
used to this whole rock-glory thing.
LoudQUIETloud, shot during the band's 2004 world tour,
frames their collective "holy shit, they love us!" state of shock
perfectly while still managing to focus on the individual
members' personal struggles with art, family, and commerce.
Before the tour's start, lead singer-songwriter Charles
Thompson (a.k.a. Black Francis) is plugging away at solo gigs
and Nashville records; a newly sober Deal (the only Pixie left
with any hair) hasn't recorded with the Breeders in years and
is holed up in Ohio; Santiago is scoring films and raising kids;
and drummer David Lovering is pursuing "hobbies of magic
and metal detecting" (seriously).
Still, amid all the drug tiffs, card tricks, and mostly energetic
renditions of classic tunes like "Caribou" and "Hey," we get
precious little insight into the Pixies much-ballyhooed musical
influence. Even the film's title a reference to the band's
signature seesawing song structure is never explained.
Actually, the title is a good characterization of the movie
itself: despite the notorious rancor between members that
ultimately led to the band's demise, for the most part they
come off as quiet, funny eccentrics in between the
thunderous live footage. They're so unrelentingly low-key, in
fact, it's hard not to wish one of them would explode, like a
Pixies chorus, into something a little less tame. (Michelle
Devereaux)
http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0639,farrar,74586,20.html
Tracking Shots
'loudQUIETloud'
by Justin F. Farrar
September 26th, 2006 3:15 PM
Directors Steven Cantor
and Matthew Galkin titled
their documentary about
the Pixies' 2004 reunion
tour loudQUIETloud
because the band's well-
rehearsed performances
are indeed loudage
hasn't stolen a single
decibel from the group's
genre-defining fusion of
angular post-punk and
catchy powerpop. But
behind the scenes, all is
quiet: Charles Thompson
(a/k/a Black Francis), Kim
Deal, Joey Santiago, and
David Lovering have little
to talk about. They've
grown into very different
individuals who have just
one thing in common: cashing in on a sound that has spawned a
worldwide cult of rabid fans, even more so since the Boston quartet
broke up in 1992. It's the personal lives behind the myth that Cantor and
Galkin examine, though there's not much to work with. All four are fairly
average and pretty likable, dealing with problems we all deal with:
substance abuse, divorce, death, parenthood, etc. Beyond Lovering
popping Valium and bumming out his bandmates, the entire affair looks
and feels like a reality television show minus the cheap drama.
loudQUIETloud
Directed by Steven Cantor and
Matthew Galkin
http://seattleweekly.com/film/0639/loud.php
September 27, 2006
 loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies
Runs at Grand Illusion, Fri., Sept. 29 Thurs., Oct. 5. Not rated. 82 minutes.
By Rachel Shimp
A dozen years after the band broke up, the Pixies'
2004 reunion was met with unanimous cheers, even
though their motivations (ka-ching) couldn't have
been more transparent. Still, fans flocked to their
reunion tour, which this short and satisfying
backstage documentary follows. Should it be
surprising what normal people they seem to be?
Before the reunion, drummer David Lovering is
occupied with magic and metal detecting. Joey
Santiago is raising kids and playing to empty rooms with the Martinis. Bassist Kim Deal's
mother says the reunion will give her daughter "something to do besides sewing and making
snowflakes, crafty stuff." Group leader Black Francis (aka Charles Thompson) is interviewed in
his underwear. More than once. Awkward. We also see how past tensions plague the reunion
tour; they still barely speak between performances. For attendees of the reunion shows, the
concert footage will be nothing special. The highlight is watching the Pixies come to realize their
impact on popular music, particularly after the first show. "That was so exciting," says a wide-
eyed Deal. "Those first few moments I was fucking freaking out." She's not the only one.
RACHEL SHIMP
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Listings?oid=81101
 loudQUIETloud: A Film About the
Pixies
Few indie-rock reunions caused as much
fervor as the return of the Pixies in 2004.
This straightforward documentary doesn't
spend much time digging up the reasons
why the influential band shattered back in
1994, but this choice may have less to do
with passive direction than with the band's
obvious, enduring apprehension toward both
outsiders and one another. Backstory aside,
the pre-tour rehearsal footage, extensive
interviews with band leader Black Francis,
and the backstage tension that precedes
their first reunion show are must-see
moments for Pixies fans. (HANNAH LEVIN)
Grand Illusion, Weekdays 7, 9 pm, Sat-Sun
3, 5, 7, 9 pm.
It's showing tommorrow night at the Irish Film Institute, I might go. The DVD will include deleted scenes and outtakes. Here's the cover:
http://www.indiewire.com/people/2006/09/indiewire_inter_28.html
Pixies band member Charles Thompson (aka Frank Black) on stage in Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin's
"loudQUIETlound: A Film about the Pixies." Image courtesy of the filmmakers.
indieWIRE INTERVIEW: Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin, co-
directors of "loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies"
by Brian Brooks (September 28, 2006)
Co-directors Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin's doc "loudQUIETloud: A
Film about the Pixies," which premiered in March at the SXSW Film
Festival, caputres the 2004 reunion tour of American band the Pixies from
their rehearsals through to their final show one year later. The film depicts
interaction between the normally press shy band members as well as their day
to day lives with their families and personal dramas. The film provides an
"insider's perspective" of a touring band's life, from the loud, emotional highs of
performing to sell out crowds, to renewed friction that arose between band
members in addition to the striking concert footage highlighting some of the
band's most compelling music. Steven Cantor has directed for television as
well as film, including "Bounce: Behind the Velvet Rope" in 2000, which won
an audience award at the Los Angeles Film Festival. He also received an
Oscar nomination in 1994 for "Blood Ties: The Life and Work of Sally
Mann" (shared with Peter Spirer). This is the first directorial effort for
Matthew Galkin, who has produced for television including other projects with
Galkin. The film opens Friday, September 29 in New York's Cinema Village and
in San Francisco at The Roxie Cinema.
What initially attracted you to filmmaking, and how has that interest
evolved during your career.
SC: I grew up in New York City and always loved movies, but it never really
occurred to me that it was a potential career. My first job out of college was
at MTV and while there I made a short documentary about the photographer
Sally Mann, which not only helped me get into USC film school, but also went
on to screen at Sundance and earn an Oscar nomination. After that, directing
work became a little easier to get and I have just kind of run with it ever
since.
MG: I grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland as a relatively happy and sheltered
child, but I was quite shy. Putting a camera in my hands was like the golden
key -- I could talk to anyone, I could go anywhere. I studied film at NYU and
was extremely myopic in my desire to direct narrative films for a living. It
wasn't until I got out of school that I began to realize that documentaries
were thrilling to make. Here I was spending a lot of time and money trying to
create an artifice that one would buy as truth, when there were truthful
things happening all around -- things which were much more interesting and
accessible than anything I was creating out of thin air.
Are there other aspects of filmmaking that you would still like to
explore?
SC: Unlike Matthew, I am intrigued by the creative avenues that open up in
fiction, so I am trying to make a move to a narrative feature right now. I have
two scripts that I have developed and love.I might come running back to docs
after a few negative experiences, but there's only one way to find out. I have
also just signed with a commercial producer called Independent Media, which
specializes in bringing long-form directors into commercials.
Please talk about how the initial idea for "loudQUIETloud" came about.
MG: Steven and I were in production on the HBO documentary series "Family
Bonds" when the line-up for the 2004 Coachella Music Festival was
announced. We were shocked that the Pixies were one of the headliners. They
had broken up twelve years earlier and the idea of a reunion had seemed
impossible -- they had split acrimoniously.
SC: Our first reaction was to order tickets. While we were waiting for
Ticketmaster to process our request, we exchanged this weird knowing look
that said "Wait a minute, we're filmmakers. Let's make a Pixies movie. To hell
with tickets. We can get backstage passes."
Please elaborate a bit on your approach to making the film, including
your influences (if any), as well as your overall goals for the project?
MG: Steven and I were very clear to the band and to each other that we
were not going to make a "behind the music," archival-driven rock film. There
was something potentially dramatic about these four people getting together
after essentially not speaking for twelve years.
SC: We wanted to capture the reunion as unobtrusively as possible. So the
verite masters -- Pennebaker, Maysles -- and their groundbreaking rock
films ("Gimme Shelter" [and] "Don't Look Back") were certainly influences on
us.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in either
developing the project or making and securing distribution?
MG: Just getting and keeping the access to the band was a challenge. They
are managed by a notoriously prickly and protective guy and they themselves
are not particularly outgoing so it was touch and go for a while. Apparently,
we beat out about fifteen other filmmakers who had also approached the
manager about making the film.
SC: Once filming began, we had the challenge of finding a story between four
people who really do not communicate with one another and rarely leave their
individual hotel rooms when they are on the road. I had a little voice in my
head saying, "If we just get one good minute a day, we'll be okay in the long-
run." Then some days we would shoot some very intimate or particularly
relevant scenes and those good days would carry us through the slow ones,
which were the majority.
How did the financing for the film come together?
SC: I have a company called Stick Figure Productions that is ten years-old
and has in recent years moved into the TV series world ("Family Bonds,"
"Amish in the City," "#1 Single" etc.) And we financed it ourselves, secure in
the knowledge that the Pixies were woefully under-documented in their prime
and that there was a built-in fan base.
Who and/or what are some of the creative influences that have had the
biggest impact on you?
SC: For me the greatest influences have been the successful artists I have
managed to spend time with. In making films about Sally Mann and Willie
Nelson and developing a friendship with Peter Gabriel and some others. I
have spent hours upon hours talking to them about their work and inspiration
and the creative process in general. I have always felt like an apprentice
learning at their feet, even if I was directing a film about them. Sally, in
particular, is remarkable at psychologically dissecting and then explaining her
process. She and I have an HBO/BBC film coming out, "What Remains," which
delves into that territory.
MG: The documentary that really spun my head around was "Brother's
Keeper." It was one of the most involving, exciting, and disturbing films I had
ever seen. Up until that point, documentaries to me were boring things my
father watched on Sunday afternoons. "Brother's Keeper" changed my entire
view of what a nonfiction film could be. And then the verite filmmakers of the
Sixties and Seventies certainly had an impact on me creatively. Beyond that, I
have complete admiration for designers like Charles and Ray Eames -- who
not only designed furniture, but also made films, textiles, toys, installations,
etc. They lived to create and all of their designs were startling in their fusion
of form and function.
What other genres or stories would like to explore as a filmmaker? What is your
next project?
MG: I am currently directing, and Steven is producing, an HBO documentary
about PETA and its founder Ingrid Newkirk.
SC: I'm turning my attention to scripted material, hoping to make a fiction
feature next year.
What are some of your all-time favorite films, and why? What are some of your
recent favorite films?
SC: I tend to veer more towards narrative features as my favorites, whereas
Matthew is more of a doc lover. I love (and crave) the ability to impart a
clearly thought out visual structure on a film, which is difficult with
documentaries. Last night I was watching "Network," which is incredible.
Every shot of Faye Dunaway is harsh and white and flatly lit and every one
of William Holden is warm and deep and lit from the side. Even when they
are in the same scene. Sidney Lumet is a master craftsman in my book. I
couldn't pick a favorite though.
What are your interests outside of film?
SC: My outside interests have been steadily falling by the wayside since my
wife and I had a baby girl, Clara Blue, three years ago. That said, I collect fine
art photography, a hobby jump-started by my ongoing friendship and working
relationship with Sally Mann. I try to a take as much cultural advantage as
possible of living in New York City, so we go to theater and art galleries and
museums as much as possible.
MG: I am interested in all kinds of design -- industrial, furniture, graphics. I
also have a small obsession with baseball -- a beautifully designed game.
What general advice would you impart to emerging filmmakers?
SC: As far as documentaries go, it's shocking how many times I hear ideas
that have no story; perhaps some interesting character, but nothing going on
in their lives. My best advice would be pick a story you can follow -- someone
setting out on an interesting journey or quest of some sort. That, and a
comfortable pair of shoes because you're on your feet a lot. When the director
sits, everyone sits.
MG: Yeah I would say pick your subjects carefully, because the road to
bringing your story to the screen will be long and painful, at times kind of like
going to battle, and you can't tire of your initial idea. Often, that is all you will
have to motivate you.
Will you please share with us an achievement from your career so far
that you are most proud of?
MG: I am proud of "loudQUIETloud." I think we achieved what we set out to do
-- make an observant, humanistic portrait of the Pixies, a cryptic band if there
ever was one I am also proud that Steven and I survived co-directing a film
and are still speaking. In fact, I think the experience drew us closer.
SC: Well put, Matthew. I would go to battle with you anytime.
( posted on Sep 28, 2006 at 05:52PM | filed under Interviews )
http://www.avclub.com/content/node/53504
CINEMA
loudQuietloud
Director: Steven Cantor, Matthew Galkin
Documentary
Rated: Not Rated
82 minutes
Reviewed by Scott Tobias
September 28th, 2006
Coming more than 10 years after an acrimonious breakup, the
Pixies' reunion tour was called "Pixies Sell Out," a cheeky
reference to their instantly sold-out shows and the blunt reality
that they're doing it for the money. No one should begrudge
them the latter: It's one thing for bands to crash on couches
and blow the door proceeds on beer and greasy spoons at the
beginning of their careers, but once they get into their 30s and
40s, there are bills to pay. For fans of the seminal alt-rock
quartet, the Pixies' reunion was momentous, but in the solid
behind-the-scenes documentary loudQuietloud, the band
comes across as considerably more muted in its enthusiasm.
While there are no big meltdowns, the members don't really
function that well as a unit, and by all indications, they
wouldn't spend another minute together if the tour weren't
refilling the depleted accounts that royalties can no longer
cover.
A nice balance of well-photographed live footage and
backstage anti-drama, loudQuietloud is probably the only all-
access (or part-access, anyway) recording of the '04 tour, and
it's valuable for that alone. Following the Pixies from their first
rehearsal through the last night of their tour-ending New York
City stint, the film contrasts the fans' passion and energy with
the band members' cool professionalism. They all have
reasons for distraction: Frontman Charles Thompson (a.k.a.
Frank Black) and guitarist Joey Santiago both have wives and
children back home; bassist Kim Deal, accompanied by her
twin sister/sole confidante Kelley, is only one year removed
from drug and alcohol rehabilitation; and drummer David
Lovering is dogged by a Valium addiction that nearly derails
the tour. When they aren't performing together, they retreat
into solo projects: Thompson looks for a new label for his
Frank Black records, Deal works on songs for her band The
Breeders, Santiago labors over a independent-movie score,
and Lovering practices his magic act.
The documentary dashes any lingering hope that Pixies would
ever record a new album, even though it makes no definitive
statement to that effect. Whatever serious issues they might
have had with each other in the past seem to have been tabled
for nowindeed, they aren't ever hostile or even unkind in the
whole filmbut they don't exactly come across as a family,
either. Make no mistake: Theirs is a mercenary reunion, and
one they've paid plenty of dues to deserve.
A.V. Club Rating: B
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/movies/286856_limited29.html
loudQUIETloud:
A FILM ABOUT THE PIXIES
The title refers to the style of alternating quiet verses with loud choruses, a
gimmick originated by The Pixies and later appropriated by Nirvana. In 1993,
after five years and six albums, the Pixies broke up. Steven Cantor and
Matthew Galkin's documentary of their 2004 comeback tour portrays the
band members as disturbed and unlikable people who cannot communicate
with each other. Singer/guitarist Black Francis battles insomnia by reciting self-
affirmations such as "you are cute" and "people like you," while bassist Kim
Deal clings to her sister as feverishly as she clings to sobriety. On this tour bus,
where pill-popping drummer David Lovering is hooked up to his iPod as if it
were an I.V., only guitarist Joey Santiago, who agreed to the reunion for
economic reasons, seems normal. The concert footage, which is exceptionally
well photographed and recorded, offers clips of varying lengths from a wealth
of songs. The rest of the film glimpses the stress disorders that can develop
when average people with problems become popular celebrities. (Bill White)
GRADE: C+
At the Grand Illusion
through Thursday. 82
minutes. Unrated.
http://www.indiewire.com/movies/2006/09/new_this_week_t_2.html
NEW THIS WEEK: "The Queen," "Broken Sky,"
"loudQUIETloud," "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints," "The
Last King of Scotland"
Also on tap this week are Julian
Hernandez's "Broken Sky" as well as Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin's
Pixies doc "loudQUIETloud."
"loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies" (September 29), directed by
Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin. Distributor: Roxie Releasing. Official
website
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2003279868_loud29.html
Friday, September 29, 2006 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Movie Review
"loudQUIETloud": Pixies fans new and old
here comes your band
By Ted Fry
Special to The Seattle Times
When the Pixies were making super-cool rock 'n' roll from 1986 to 1993,
they represented what was probably the definitive example of college radio.
That's not to say that only college kids liked them or they were heard only on
the airwaves of college-run stations. It's just a good explanation of their appeal
as progressive post-punk rock gods whose influence became universal to a
huge but specific audience.
And it wasn't just a generational thing. The Pixies have held sway for original
fans, as well as for those turned on to them secondarily.
By way of summary, the excellent, exceptionally well-informed documentary
"loudQUIETloud" starts with a quote from Kurt Cobain, who told Rolling Stone
magazine that in writing "Smells Like Teen Spirit" for Nirvana, "I was basically
trying to rip off the Pixies."
What Cobain was talking about and what
the title captures so cleverly is the
signature device that made the Pixies'
brand so distinct: the structure of quiet
verse/loud chorus/quiet verse that pretty
much defined their songwriting technique.
In the many enthralling performances
from the Pixies' 2004 reunion tour the
movie follows, that sound still resonates
and has the same impact on devotees new and old.
The Pixies reveal that rare ability to create musical timelessness. As it is
when reacquainting with close friends with whom we've lost contact, the
intervening years disappear and we pick up exactly where we left off.
The filmmakers and band members are elusive about the Pixies' acrimonious
split, though it's widely acknowledged that bad feelings between leader
Charles Thompson (aka Black Francis, aka Frank Black) and bassist Kim
Deal led to Thompson's surprise announcement during a radio interview that
the band would be no more.
The movie is equally ambiguous about why they decided to try it again a
decade later, but clearly they've made peace and fall back into a groove that
sells out even the largest venues within hours. Collectively they are still the
band that remains immortal in pop-music history, though a lot has changed for
them individually.
Thompson maintains an erratic recording career (lately as Frank Black and
the Catholics). Deal, recently out of rehab, is working on resurrecting her post-
Pixies band the Breeders with twin sister Kelly. Guitarist Joey Santiago does
film scoring and plays music with his wife. Drummer Dave Lovering stages a
goofy nightclub magic act when he's not collecting royalty checks and
bumming around the beach.
They're all friendly, but not necessarily friends. Thompson and Santiago are
serene family men with kids. Deal is confidently dealing with difficult life
issues while Lovering is still suffering with his own, some of which also involve
substance abuse (leading to the only bout of onscreen confrontation). All of
this separate and collective intimacy is observed with great affection and
modesty. What's unabashedly brash is the music, magnificently captured in
crystalline high-definition picture and sound.
"We don't talk to each other that much," says Thompson. "Not because we
don't like each other, it's just the kind of people we are." "LoudQUIETloud"
proves that kind of thing doesn't change between people, but it also proves
that the Pixies' music will forever remain the same.
Ted Fry: tedfry@hotmail.com
Copyright 2006 The Seattle Times Company
Movie review 
"loudQUIETloud: A Film About
the Pixies," a documentary
directed by Steven Cantor and
Matthew Galkin. 85 minutes. Not
rated; suitable for mature
audiences. Grand Illusion.
http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/06/09/29/100ae_ae13loud001.cfm
Published: Friday, September 29, 2006
Film catches up with influential rockers,
Pixies
By Robert Horton
Herald Movie Critic
The Pixies never sold enough
albums to qualify as a
household name, but the
group had a devoted
following and huge credibility.
And breaking up after just a
handful of albums only added
to the status as alt-rock
heroes.
A new documentary,
"loudQUIETloud: A Film
about the Pixies," catches up
with the band's four members
as they embark on a reunion
tour, 11 years after their
acrimonious 1992 breakup. Things are still a little tense, but age and financial need
make the four come back together.
Singer-songwriter Black Francis (real name Charles Thompson) has had a relatively
steady solo career, and his roly-poly presence is still the group's focal point. Guitarist
Joey Santiago has been working on a film score, and drummer David Lovering has
worked up a somewhat peculiar magic act.
Bassist Kim Deal had initial post-Pixies success with The Breeders, although at the
beginning of the film she has just gotten out of rehab for a serious drug addiction.
Accompanied on the tour by sister Kelley, she appears so fragile in spirit that she might
crumble with a strong breeze.
Somehow it all works, although the film shows some amusing backstage footage of the
band members sitting in uncommunicative silence around each other.
And, although "loudQUIETloud" is shy of "Spinal Tap" levels of drama, a subplot
develops about Lovering's use of valium. There is one bizarre episode where he loses
his place in a concert and goes off on an impromptu drum solo, much to the
bewilderment of his bandmates.
Backstage material is limited, although there's a nice late payoff to a story about a
teenage girl who worships Kim Deal's example. The spectacle of watching Black
Francis deal with rock journalists gives a good picture of how awkward such
encounters are.
The film includes Kurt Cobain's oft-quoted remark that his landmark song "Smells like
Teen Spirit" was a Pixies imitation. And the music is the point here. We don't get much
history about how the band began, or the development of its sound. But we do get the
music.
The concert sequences are excellent, potently shot and recorded. The coiled power of
The Pixies' songs comes through well in these sequences, and the now-aging rockers
appear still committed to the music - even if they did get back together for the money.
"loudQUIETloud: A Film about the
Pixies"HHH Documentary: About the
reunion tour of the Pixies, an influential (if
never big-selling) alt-rock band of the late
1980s-early '90s. The concert stuff is
strong enough to justify the outing,
although the film isn't interested in
providing a history of the band. Rated: Not
rated; probably R for language Now
showing: Grand Illusion, 1403 NE 50th St.,
Seattle; 206-523-3935
http://www.spin.com/features/news/2006/09/060929_pixies/
Pixies Ready Pair of DVDs
September 29, 2006
A live DVD will hit shelves Tuesday, while the buzzed-about
documentary, loudQuietloud, will arrive a month later.
Pixies fans, this is your
season, as Oct. 3 will see the
release of a live DVD, and
an acclaimed documentary
on the band will arrive Nov.
3. Pixies Live at the Paradise
in Boston includes one of the
band's 2004 reunion shows
at Beantown's Paradise Club,
featuring songs like
"Debaser," "Wave of
Mutiliation," "Bone Machine,"
and "Monkey Gone to
Heaven," as well as 25
others. The set also includes
never-before-seen footage
of one of the Pixies' first
performances, shot in Oct.
1986 at TT The Bear's in Boston. One month later, loudQuietloud, which
premiered at this year's SXSW, will arrive in stores. The documentary
follows the preparation for and execution of the Pixies' 2004 reunion tour.
Talk: How do you get your Pixies fix? COMMENT
On the Web:
pixiesmusic.com
Pixies' Kim Deal
http://www.gigwise.com/news.asp?contentid=23214
Also accompanying the impressive live line-up are documentaries about
Leonard Cohen and the Pixies, plus Awesome I Fuckin Shot That a
film about the Beastie Boys from their fans' perspective.
http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=134627
LoudQuietLoud (E)
Plot
Documentary
behind-the
scenes of the 80s
band touring and
surviving.
Empire
Review
No Pixies = No
Grunge = No
Nirvana. Although
the influential 80s
indie rock band
were around for
only six years and
four albums, their
reunion in 2004 met with universal acclaim. This film isnt a concert
performance you can get that elsewhere but something much more
intimate than the typical tour documentary.
Tension between the four band members is so evident, with bassist Kim
Deal getting over rehab and drummer David Lovering heading for a
breakdown, that their fragile professional relationship seems poised to fall
apart at any moment. Its a total-access backstage pass for fans, but
perhaps doesnt cast its net wide enough for newcomers.
Verdict
Perhaps a little lacking in exposition for anyone other than
hardcore fans.
Reviewer: Alan Morrison
Film Details
Certificate
E
Cast
Frank Black
Kim Deal
David Lovering
Joey Santiago.
Directors
Steven Cantor
Matthew Galkin.
Screenwriters
Running Time
85 minutes
http://theedge.bostonherald.com/movieReviews/view.bg?articleid=163109&srvc=edge
Pixies end tour with whimper in loudQUIETloud
By Brett Milano
Friday, October 20, 2006
loudQUIETloud
| Critic: B+
The Pixies remain one of the most beloved bands in Boston history. But after watching the
documentary loudQUIETloud, you might wish you could smack some sense into them.
Filmmakers Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin followed the first year of the Pixies blockbuster
reunion tour, catching a band that would still be great if its members could only keep it together. But
from the looks of things, the Pixies arent just dysfunctional, theyre impossible. Unlike fellow Boston
legend Mission of Burma, a band that has done some of its best work since reuniting, the Pixies have
managed exactly one new song and an endless stream of live albums and DVDs (including this film,
due for release next month) in the three years since regrouping.
When we first meet the Pixies, theyre conflicted about getting back together. Frontman Frank Black
has moved on with his career; bassist Kim Deal is working hard to keep sober (though she chain-
smokes through the film); guitarist Joey Santiago and drummer David Lovering have mixed feelings
but need the money. Somehow it all works at first: The early rehearsals are a joy to watch as the band
regains its chemistry and culminates with a vibrant club gig. There is obvious camaraderie and high-
fives all around.
But the chemistry evaporates fast, and before long the band members are sitting backstage looking
bored and not speaking to one another. The shows likewise get less dynamic (theres no Boston
footage, other than a quick drive past their old rehearsal space). We dont see exactly what went
wrong, but its obvious how little they have in common beyond the music. The sweet, eccentric Deal
comes off as the most likable as she makes a point of meeting fans.
The film makes a scapegoat out of Lovering, who comes slightly unglued as his father dies during
the tour. His drugging, drinking and excessive iPod use dont go over well with his bandmates, and
the films dramatic center is an apparent meltdown he has onstage (as with most of the live footage,
the city isnt identified). Yet it doesnt look like much really happens: Lovering keeps playing after a
song finishes; Black gets exasperated and walks off - but they return, and the show goes on.
The Pixies reunion now appears to have ended, so loudQUIETloud will at least remind fans how
unlikely it was to have happened at all.
(LoudQUIETloud contains profanity.)
At Coolidge Corner Theatre.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/10/20/pixies_film_tones_down_the_insights/
MOVIE REVIEW
Pixies film tones down the
insights
By Ty Burr, Globe Staff | October 20, 2006
As rock 'n' roll survival stories go, the Pixies are particularly cheering.
Beloved by a hardy cult and ignored by the mainstream during their
1986 to 1993 heyday, the noisy foursome from Boston laid down the
floor plan for alterna-rock that Nirvana and other bands would sell to the
masses like processed cheese. Even Kurt Cobain admitted that with
``Smells Like Teen Spirit," ``I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies."
So by the time the inevitable reunion rolled
around in 2004, the pump had been well
and truly primed. To the band's shock, the
shows sold out instantly, and audiences
were reverent, loud, and surprisingly young
-- kids who heard Pixie dust in the DNA of
everything they listened to.
It's the rare happy rock 'n' roll ending, but
``loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies"
does next to nothing with it. Directed by Steven Cantor and Matthew
Galkin, the 85-minute documentary takes a torpid , fly-on-the-wall
approach , providing little context, few insights, and not enough music.
For instance: The Pixies' break-up back in 1993 arose from long-
simmering tensions between songwriter/lead singer Black Francis
(a.k.a. Frank Black) and bassist Kim Deal, but the subject is barely
broached by the film, and when it is, guitarist Joey Santiago -- filling
the George Harrison peacemaker slot -- simply says, ``You put four
people in a room for five years, there's going to be tension."
Similarly, Kim Deal's experience with her twin , Kelley , in the post-
Pixies band The Breeders left a scarred trail of drug abuse and
powerful recordings, but even though Kelley comes along on the tour to
keep her sister flying straight, the filmmakers seem too awe struck to
press the matter.
There's irony in the fact that these former firebrands are now (mostly)
sober family folk, with cute kids they talk to from the road via iCamera.
It's certainly a jolt to see the Buddha-sized Black recite daily
affirmations before going to bed -- this after unleashing his psychic
demons on stage in venerable numbers like ``Gouge Away" and
``Where Is My Mind."
Other ironies seem to pass by unnoticed. The directors talk to a
sweet, geeky teenage girl who idolizes the group (we later see her
playing with her own garage band) and is thrilled to meet them after a
show . That she's separated from the Pixies by a locked chain-link
fence (before they climb into their waiting limo) says all sorts of
accidentally profound things about alt-rock then and now.
``loudQUIETloud" -- a good description of the band's sound, incidentally
-- is too much the fan document to spoil the fun with larger surmises.
Even a fan, however, might prefer the excellent, recently released
concert DVD ``Pixies: Live at the Paradise in Boston" to this tepid
behind-the-scenes experience.
Ty Burr can be reached at tburr@globe.com. 
Copyright 2006 Globe Newspaper Company.
http://www.originalalamo.com/downtown/frames.asp?b=/online_tix/show_details.asp?show_id=4096
THE PIXIES: loudQUIETloud
Theater: Alamo Downtown
Director: Steve cantor & Mathew Galkin
Rating: NR
Runtime: 82min.
Age Policy: 18 and up; Children 6 and up will be
allowed only with a parent or guardian. No children
under the age of 6 will be allowed.
OCT. 23- 9:45PM: THE PIXIES: LOUDQuietLOUD
OPENS OCT. 27 AT ALAMO SOUTH LAMAR!
DIRECTOR: STEVE CANTOR & MATTHEW GALKIN 2006
82MIN.
Introduced by Pixies biographer Josh Frank, who will
introduce and have copies of his book 'Fool the
World' available in the lobby!
Beautifully shot and wrenchingly intimate, this doc
gives us unprecedented access to one of rock's
greatest (and usually press-shy) bands, the Pixies.
From first rehearsal to final bow of the band�s
massively successful 2004 reunion tour , we are
treated to an insider's view of the group. From the
emotional highs of a sold-out show to the quiet times
between performances; from feelings of renewed
tensions between the band members to the missed
life experiences (birth of a child, death of a parent)
while on tour, loudQUIETloud is a great reminder that
while their split in 1992 was acrimonious - Black Francis, as the story goes, broke up the band via fax -
there is an undeniable 'combustible dynamic' when the four come together on stage. OPENS OCT. 27
FOR A FULL RUN! ABOUT 'FOOL THE WORLD: AN ORAL HISTORY OF A BAND CALLED PIXIES':
It's the 1980s, and the rock landscape is littered with massive hair, synthesizers, and monster riffs, but
there is an alternative being born in the sleep East of America - we just don't know it yet.
Before the Internet, MTV, and iPods, provided far-off music fans with information and communities -
and before Nirvana-kids across the world grew up in relative isolation, dependent on mix tapes and self-
created art to slowly spread scenes and trends. It was under these conditions that four young
musicians found one another in Boston, Massachusetts, and started a band called Pixies.
During their initial seven-year career, Pixies would play some of Europe's most gigantic festivals, keep
the press guessing, and cultivate a fervid international fan base hungry for more and more of their
unique surf punk. The band worked fast, cranking out four albums at a breakneck pace, but ultimately
the pressures of the road and personality clashes took their toll: Pixies broke up just as bands like
Nirvana were singing their praises as the rock'n'roll innovators.
For twelve years a Pixies reunion seemed impossible, but a sudden announcement in 2004 proclaimed
the unthinkable - Pixies were getting back together. Their extremely successful reunion tour finally gave
the group something they'd always lacked in their homeland: proof that their bone-rattling music had
left an indelible impact.
Fool the World tells Pixies' story in the words of those who lived it, from the band members to studio
owners, from A&R executives, producers, and visual artists who worked with them to admirers of their
music, such as Bono, PJ Harvey, Beck, and Perry Farrell. With new cartoons by Trompe Le Monde
illustrator Steve Appleby and prints by Simon Larbalestier (photographer of all Pixies covers) Fool the
World is a complete journey through the life, death, and rebirth of one of the most influential bands of
all time.
BOOK WEBSITE
View Other Music Monday Screenings
Showings (click on a show time to buy tickets):
Monday, October 23
9:45 pm
Austin 360 get their info from the above page:
http://www.austin360.com/event/events2/etc/userEventDisplay.jspd?eventStatus=Approved&eventid=102880
The Press Enterprise repeat the Boston Globe review:
http://www.pe.com/entertainment/movies/stories/PE_Fea_Daily_D_movie.pixies.24cc454.html
http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=26047258
In other Pixies legacy-exploiting news, there will be another best-of collection released
in time for the holidays. Black, however, had no kind words for the recent
documentary film LoudQUIETLoud, which covers their reunion tour. Black told NME.com
he believes portrays drummer-cum-magician David Lovering in a negative light. You
can see for yourself when CMJ sponsors a screening of the film at the Glass Lands
Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Nov. 9 at 9 p.m.
http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1161818741162160.xml&coll=7
Charting Pixies' reunion
Friday, October 27, 2006
Charting Pixies' reunion
When the Pixies broke apart after six years in 1992, the divide was so
rancorous that some members of the band didn't speak to one another for a
decade. But during that time, the Pixies were hailed as key architects of the
pop-punk sound that blossomed in Seattle with Nirvana (big Pixies fans).
Like the Velvet Underground, the Pixies proved more influential after they split
up than during their existence. So in 2004, their personal wounds healed, the
original band reunited for a few rehearsals and then a tour of Europe and the
States, almost as if they wanted to see whether the rumors of their large,
rabid cult of fans were really true.
"LoudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies" is a chronicle of that period of
getting to know one another again, going out into the world as the Pixies
again, connecting with those fans, and dealing with things about each other
that have changed and things that haven't.
It's a lively, charming film, and if it gave us a little more of the band's history, it
would be perfect. As it is, it's a perfect introduction to some great songs and
fascinating characters.
85 minutes; unrated, probably R; Northwest Film Center, Sat. and Sun. only;
Grade: B+
-- Shawn Levy
http://www.gapersblock.com/slowdown/archives/2006/11/03/#015827
Pixies documentary @ Film Center
The Music Box Theatre presents loudQUIETloud: A Film About The
Pixies, which documents the reunion tour that the band went on in
2004. If you're a Pixies fan, you know you want to see it. The film runs
through November 9; see the Music Box for full details. Music Box:
3733 N. Southport. (773) 871-6604.
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=52266049&blogID=186678952
Monday, October 30, 2006
QUIETLoudQUIET: Pixies Documentry screening and afterparty... This Friday!
Category: Parties and Nightlife
Friday 3rd November will mark the ultimate night that Pixies fans have been waiting form.
To celebrate the UK release of the hugely anticipated and critically acclaimed Pixies documentary -
LoudQUIETloud, Bright Young Things Club presents the LoudQUIETloud Pixies Night at the Proud
Gallery in the Stables Market, Camden.
As well as an exclusive screening of the film, fans will have the chance to get their bone machines
on the dance floor with a wave of mutilating, gigantic rock music with guest DJs from 4AD Records
and NME spinning Pixies favourites as well as a whole planet of sound from the Breeders to
Zeppelin.
The screening starts at 8pm (doors open at 7pm), to reserve in advance email
quietloudquiet@yahoo.co.uk for reduced entry of 4 on the guest list and request your favourite
Pixies song to be played on the night.
5:26 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment
http://www.cleveland.com/music/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/friday/1161950297145140.xml&coll=2&thispage=2
A new documentary, "loudQUIETloud," follows the Pixies on their 2004
reunion tour. (The film screens Friday, Nov. 3, at the Cleveland Institute of Art
Cinematheque and arrives in stores Tuesday, Nov. 7, on DVD.)
http://thelondonfilter.blogspot.com/2006/10/pixies-at-ica-tomorrow-111.html
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2006
PIXIES AT THE ICA TOMORROW 1/11
The documentary loudQUIETloud , which charts the musical path created
by cult band Pixies, is being launched tomorrow at London's ICA. The
influential band, which was broken up in 1992 when their chief songwriter
and vocalist Black Francis announced his intention to quit the band via a
blunt facsimile, reunited in 2004 and announced a series of shows that
would become some of the fastest selling in music history.
The film will be screened in the ICA theatre to allow the full impact of the
film's live performances to be felt. Director Steven Cantor will be present
to answer questions from the audience.
http://www.ica.org.uk/files/video/loudQUIETloud.mov
http://www.ica.org.uk/
POSTED BY ANTONIO PASOLINI AT 8:O4 PM
http://www.perfectporridge.com/2006/11/loudquietloud_a_film_about_the.html
loudQUIETloud : A Film About the Pixies
loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies
Screening: November 6th, 2006
Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis, MN
"I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies"
Kurt Cobain on "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
-- opening credit of the film.
Whether you believe they were the first
indie rock band or not, there's no
question of the Pixies' musical influence
on rock music today.
Odds are you already know the story of
the group, their 1992 break-up and
influential permeation of rock culture. The film catches up with Charles, Joey and
the Deal sisters as they kick-off their sold-out 2004 reunion tour at Minneapolis' own
Fine Line (maybe you can see your silhouette if you were there).
What follows is the sad, poignant behind the scenes saga of the Pixies - now middle
aged, balding, portly and unable to hold their liquor.
In fact, the Pixies are just everyday people, and as we watch Charles take his fam to
the aquarium, Kim struggle to keep it together and Joey write documentary
soundtracks in a hotel while chatting with his baby via Webcam, it's obvious the
ecstasy and hope we see on stage doesn't always transcend on the road. It's a must
watch for any indie rock aficionado.
Our single complaint about loudQUIETloud is the underuse of location and date
identifiers, which are a downright necessity for a fan film.
Check out a special, one time, FREE screening of loudQUIETloud at the Fine Line on
Monday, November 6, 2006. The North American DVD release is slated for Tuesday,
November 7th (MVD Entertainment Group).
Posted by Perfect Porridge on November 1, 2006 7:06 AM | Permalink
http://www.timeout.com/film/news/1505.html
Pixies event at the ICA
The TOMB attends a special screening of the
excellent new rock documentary 'loudQUIETloud'.
 Chris Tilly | Nov 2 2006
I caught a special screening of
the new Pixies documentary
'loudQUIETloud' last night, and
am pleased to report it's a
fascinating insight into one of the
world's most enigmatic bands.
Directors Steven Cantor and
Matthew Galkin were granted
unprecedented access to the
band at the time of their long awaited reunion in 2004,
and the resulting footage is electric.
A compelling portrait of four people who just don't get
along, the film features highly charged and emotional
live performances juxtaposed with awkward scenes of
the band failing to communicate with each other on
any level.
By turns funny, sad, exasperating and illuminating, it's
as fine a rock doc as I've seen this year, and plays at
the ICA tonight before hitting DVD on Monday, so
check it out if you can.
After the screening director Cantor participated in a
Q&A in which he discussed the difficulties involved in
maintaining access to the band, admitting that their
friendship with Kim Deal's twin sister (and their
willingness to let her shoot the odd interview) was
invaluable.
He said he was surprised at how self-conscious the
band were off-stage and admitted that all four were
shocked when they first saw the finished article, but
had grown to admire its raw honesty (some more so
than others).
The audience then retired to the bar to enjoy a
selection of Pixies hits, where I took the director to
task for not asking the difficult questions about the
band's acrimonious split in the film. He explained that
he didn't set out to tell The Pixies story, but rather to
observe them in action. 'I wanted to make a film that
cracks the egg, but doesn't break it so much that you
lose the mystery of the band'. In that respect, he's
most certainly succeeded, and the enigma of The
Pixies remains.
http://www.sfist.com/archives/2006/11/02/when_the_lights_go_down_in_the_city.php
Pixies fans are in for a treat because Amoeba's hosting a free DVD screening of
loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies at 12 Galaxies.
http://www.moviehabit.com/reviews/lou_kc06.shtml
loudQUIETloud: A Film about
the Pixies
review by Ris Keller
 
loudQUIETloud: a film about the Pixies opens with
a quote from Kurt Cobain about his band Nirvanas
album, Smells Like Teen Spirit, now considered a
classic: I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. This
hints at the kind of influence the Pixies enjoyed in their
ten years and six albums.
Spanning the Pixies 2004 reunion tour, the
rockumentary tries to get behind the scenes; but after an
hour and a half with the group, its not so hard to see
why they could not get along.
After starting to play together in Boston in 1986 and
enjoying a few years of moderate success, the Pixies split up. A few years later, the money was
running out. Drummer David Lovering was living in hotels and sleeping on friends couches while
he pursued his hobbies, magic and metal detecting. Lead guitarist Joey Santiago had been eking
it out, scoring a documentary for a friend. Bassist Kim Deal had completed drug rehab, moved
back home with her mother, and had enjoyed some success with her band The Breeders, which
she fronted with her sister Kelley. Charles Thompson (aka Black Francis, aka Frank Black) had,
like Santiago, started a family and had recorded and toured on his own.
When the opportunity to play on a reunion tour came up, despite their past acrimony, all agreed
that the reunion tour could not have come at a better time. One of the band members titled the
tour shirts Pixies Sellout because when tickets for the tour went on sale, all of the tickets for the
tour sold out within a few minutes. Saying that the band reunited for the money might not be so
far off the mark, whatever their fans may want to believe.
Before their first show on the reunion tour, a nervous Kim Deal frets about whether shell be able
to remember how to play the songs and imagines peoples reactions before she goes onstage:
Theres a lot of people, its sold out, youd think the bitch would have learned the song.
The tensions that broke them up in 1992, reflects Santiago, revolved around Kim and
Charles. Kim all of a sudden turned into this darling. Big darling. It mighta crimped his ego.
We dont talk to each other that much. Its not that we dont like each other, Thompson
clarifies, Its just the kind of people that we are.
In the next scene, Kelley Deal says to her sister, You know, Ive never seen four people not be
able to talk to each other. You guys are the worst four communicators ever. Ever!
The filmmakers dont draw big conclusions about the band, perhaps because there isnt much
material to draw from. The members of the Pixies dont talk with each other much. Mostly we
see the bands day-to-day lives backstage, in their hotel rooms, and in the bus or van (one of the
funniest moments is Charles in his bunk on the bus listening to a tape and repeating, I have a
positive mental attitude. I can do it. I am cute!).
The tensions surge over drug use after Lowering spins out of control on the drums at a
performance one night. Santiago condemns Lowerings Valium use since the death of his father
during the tour. Charles recommends therapy and a psychiatrist who can prescribe. Not so
much because of what he or she is going to prescribe to you, but because he or she can assess
what you have been prescribing yourself. Hear hear, Kim agrees. Lowering is quick to assent,
agreeing to curtail his drug use.
The films title comes from the quiet verse/loud chorus structure of the Pixies songs, but it might
be hard to understand their tremendous appeal unless you are already a big fan of the bands
music.
Yet everyone wants to know what the future will bring for this band.
Kelley Deal asks her sister, Ive heard you talk about how you wouldnt mind going to do some
festivals next year.
Kim responds noncommittally, It seems that if theres the demand and people are really excited
to see us, and they can have shows booked, it always seems like fun. But if its like its peaked
and nobody wants to see us, and were going to have to struggle to show up someplace, then it
wouldnt be fun.
By the end of the film, the question of the hour is whether the bands next step is record a new
album. But as with most other topics, they never take this one up as a group.
We should really just start over, with a different name. Thats the only way we could keep it
honest, Charles says in an interview with a Rolling Stone reporter. Just go start playing clubs.
Start all over, from scratch.
Are we doing another album? I dont know. I dont think so. This tour hasnt really been about
that at all, says Kim to her sister.
And so the financially successful tour comes to its end, with each of its members steeped in their
own ideas and the group having achieved some comfort with one another but no intimacy. All of
which add up to a somewhat entertaining but less-than-satisfying filmic package for anyone but
the die-hard Pixies fan.
The Pixies take center stage
http://ivorytowerz.blogspot.com/2006/11/after-unlikely-pixies-reunion.html
11.03.2006
After the Unlikely Pixies' Reunion
by Stephen
Tringali
In 2004,
something
entirely unlikely
happened the
Pixies reunited.
If this news had
come only ten
years earlier, the
U.S. might have
responded with a
collective shrug.
Who are the
Pixies again? Sure, the rock critics would celebrate, and the Pixies
countless alt-rock admirersDavid Bowie, Radiohead, U2, Blur, Bob
Mould of Husker Du, Weezer, TV On The Radiowould all gush over
the importantance of the band.
But the Pixies didnt. The announcement came 12 years after the
bands discordant split, more than enough time for the Pixies
material to have filtered into the stereos and laptops of a new and
younger generation.
Still, some worried about the reunion. Many demanded new material.
Instead, the band provided a rehashing of the old: a new compilation
disk; a previously unreleased concert; another concert featuring
footage from the reunion tour; and an acoustic concert in Newport,
RI.
And now loudQUIETloud, the documentary chronicling the Pixies
reunion tour, will be released next Tuesday. While the trailer
promises a picturesque look at the Pixies reunion gigs, band
members, particularly frontman Frank Black, have voiced concerns
over the documentarys content.
Drummer David Lovering had a difficult time coping with his fathers
death, but the filmmakers, Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin, edited
the film such that his grief appeared to carry on throughout the entire
tour, Black told NME (New Musical Express) according to Pitchfork.
[Lovering] was OK [for most of the time], but as it got toward the
end of the tour, he started drinking heavily, Black said. But [Cantor
and Galkin] re-edited this [film] to look like it happened in the middle
of our tour, and it looked like this whole tour careered [sic] into this
drunken stupor with David. It really wasnt like that at allhe was
solid for, like, 90 percent of it.
Despite these releases, demand for new studio material still
remained. Black responded by first saying that a new album was
certainly possible. Then, he called off all bets. The Pixies would never
record another album, he said. However, Black announced in late
October that a new album will be recorded.
Were rehearsing in January, if we can persuade [bassist] Kim [Deal]
to come out of her house, Black said. We offered to go to her, but
we figured if we book the rehearsals, shell show up.
The Pixies have, presumably, understood the implications that go
along with an endless touring schedule that doesnt promote new
material: they become a static classic rock act like Crosby, Stills, and
Nash or (until recently) The Who.
Or have they?
Black later clarified his comments in an interview with The Winnipeg
Sun, which ran Nov. 2. There are no definite plans for a new album,
he said. Its just NME running with some scrap that is much less than
that, of course.
Black described his interview with the weekly British music magazine:
Whats the plan, Frank? Whens the new album coming? What's the
plan?Well, were getting together to do a little jamming, maybe in
Januarythats it, no plans.Ohhh, they're going to make a new
record!
So, were back to square one. The Pixies are, once again, straddled
safely on the fence of uncertainty. There might be a new album, and
then again, there might not be. Who really knows? Many fans,
including this one, are probably screaming inside their skullsplease
just make a decision.
(Promotional photo of the Pixies, courtesy of the loudQUIETloud website. To see a
trailer for the Pixies' new film see below.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY3wmIPxkwU&eurl=
http://barstory.blogspot.com/2006/11/pixies.html
saturday, november 04, 2006
The Pixies
The name says it all--
the PIXIES. In folklore
of course, a Pixie is a
mischievous creature
who according to
legend was not good
enough for Heaven or
bad enough for Hell.
And now at a
Blockbuster near you,
LOUDQUIETLOUD, a film
about the Pixies 2004
reunion tour and as a tie-in to the November 6th movie release, the
documentary will appear on the big screen in select theaters in the U.S. The big
screen venues include Denver, LA, Madison, Chicago, and Austin. Joey Santiago
and Charles Thompson (a.k.a. Black Francis) were UMass students when they
formed the band in 1986. The Pixies had a short run, recording only a few
albums before falling apart between 1992 and 1993. The exact moment of the
band's break up is hard to pinpoint as are the synergies of the falling out.
Wagging fingers point to Kim Deal's drug and alcohol problems, Black's need to
go solo, but the truth is
most likely that
strange fiction of
creative differences, in
other words, the Pixies
fell victim to the bad
behaviors and tensions
that plague many
creative ventures. I
guess we all must get
this movie! The Pixies
were a bit more
popular in the UK than
the US, and many
Alternative Music fans have not given the Pixies their due, but bands like
Nirvana have acknowledged the sonic influence. The Pixies last album was
released fifteen years ago, but their music is omnipresent in movieland----the
exit music in Fight Club, background music in Unbreakable, two songs in The
United States of Leland, a tune in The Weather Man, and my favorite Pixies tune,
"Monkey Gone to Heaven" is everywhere, in TV shows like The Gilmore Girls
(Lordy!) and films. News is that the Pixies are going to record, according to
Frank Black they will start rehearsing in January. Studio time may be
essential, the tour was a couple of years ago, and the last Pixie album, Trompe Le
Monde was released in 1991.
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Edited by - Carl on 11/05/2006 07:39:36 |
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2006 : 08:45:17
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| My DVD just came in the mail the other day! I can't wait to watch it again. |
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Surfer Rosa
> Teenager of the Year <
4209 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2006 : 09:36:45
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| I watched it the other night and am totally ambivilent over it. It hardly excited me in the slightest. Thought it was disjointed and the most interesting person in it for me was in fact Kelly Deal. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2006 : 08:48:24
|
http://www.betweenplanets.co.uk/2006/11/05/loudquietloud-the-pixies-dvd
loudQUIETloud - The Pixies DVD
In the history of modern American music there are few bands like the Pixies. Theirs was an
unparalleled musical path, influencing countless others despite modest financial success. In
1992, their chief songwriter and vocalist Black Francis announced his intention to quit via a blunt
facsimile. That it seemed, was that.
Then to the amazement of everyone, the Pixies reunited in 2004. loudQUIETloud is the story of
this unforeseen plot twist - a deeply compelling portrait of four band members and their
difficult, tense and ultimately triumphant return.
Beginning with the very first rehearsal to the final show nearly one year later, the press shy Pixies
granted unprecedented access to NY directors Steven Cantor & Matthew Galkin for the duration
of their 04 tour. From the loud emotional highs of performing to renewed tensions between
personnel, the bands combustible stage dynamic is laid bare.
Featuring the seminal Where Is My Mind, Gouge Away, Hey, Caribou and many more Pixies
songs.
loudQUIETloud is released by Plexi.
Press Quotes
Fascinating documentary about the Pixies 2004 reunion tour, contrasting footage of their
electric performances and excitable fanbase with stilted backstage scenes
TIME OUT
A study of an older and wiser band tentatively treading the reunion trail
TOTAL FILM
A must-have for any Pixies fanthe film charts the progress of the tour from the bands
perspective, encompassing meetings with obsessed fans, family visits and the various
simmering tensions within the group
HOTDOG
A subtle, sensitive record of a group of people struggling to figure out what they once achieved
UNCUT - DVD OF THE MONTH
Its been the daddy of all rock reformations, Pixies airing all their classics with ferocity and
somehow sustaining their enigma and this straight ahead on-the-road documentary capturing it
all is totally riveting.
MOJO
A rock doc gem that goes beyond the boundaries.
CLASH
Its part Some Kind of Monster and part Spinal Tap, but mostly its a descendant of, and as good
as, the really great fly-on-the-wall music docs like Pennebakers Dont Look Back.
STOOL PIGEON
[ 4AD, DVD, Frank Black, Kim Deal, Plexi, Press Release, Reform, Split, The Pixies]
About this entry
Youre currently reading loudQUIETloud -
The Pixies DVD, an entry on
Betweenplanets
Published: 11.5.06 / 9pm
Category:
Press Release
4AD
DVD
Split
Reform
The Pixies
Frank Black
Kim Deal
Plexi
Return to homepage:betweenplanets.co.uk |
Edited by - Carl on 11/06/2006 09:45:43 |
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pudmeister
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
159 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2006 : 15:14:42
|
I like when the guy in the guitar shop asked kim if she listened to the breeders!!!
"A plutonic friend to a woman is like a dick in a glass case 'in case of emergency, break open glass'!" - Chris Rock |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2006 : 13:10:23
|
http://www.eightbehind.com/2006/11/the_pixies_loudquietloud.php
The Pixies - loudQUIETloud
In the history of modern American music there
are few bands like the Pixies. Theirs was an
unparalleled musical path, influencing countless
others despite modest financial success. In
1992, their chief songwriter and vocalist Black
Francis announced his intention to quit via a
blunt facsimile. That it seemed, was that.
Then to the amazement of everyone, the Pixies
reunited in 2004. loudQUIETloud is the story of
this unforeseen plot twist - a deeply compelling
portrait of four band members and their difficult,
tense and ultimately triumphant return. From
the first rehearsal after their reunion to the final
bow nearly one year later, the press shy Pixies granted unprecedented access to
directors Steven Cantor & Matthew Galkin for the duration of their 04/05 tours.
The result is an insiders perspective of the Pixies, some of the fastest selling shows
of all time and a fascinating document of the modern touring band. The Pixies
relationships with each other, their relationships with their family and their fans are
brought sharply into focus alongside striking concert footage. From the loud
emotional highs of performing to renewed tensions between personnel, the bands
combustible stage dynamic is laid bare.
http://www.subculturemagazine.com/newsdetails.php?id=1599
 Pixies Screen Film At Various Locations Throughout The US
Posted by: Admin on: Tue, Nov 07, 2006
MVD Entertainment Group, Stick Figure Productions and various retail and publication sponsors will be
coordinating screenings of the documentary on the legendary PIXIES in promotion of the DVD release
on November 7th. loudQUIETloud is an intimate portrait of the band members and their difficult, tense
and ultimately triumphant return as one of rock music's greatest bands. When college rock darlings
the Pixies broke up in 1992 on the cusp of mainstream success, their fans were shocked and
dismayed. When the Pixies reunited in 2004, those same fans and legions of new listeners were
ecstatic and filled with high hopes. loudQUIETloud follows the rehearsals and the warm up shows for
the full-fledged, sold out reunion tour. It also catalogs the less glamorous side of the touring band
lifestyle, getting as close to this enigmatic act as anyone is ever likely to get. Old wounds have not
completely healed and the extreme pressure of the tour takes its toll on the band, but nevertheless,
they deliver the goods onstage. loudQUIETloud captures the Pixies, their families and their fans in
what seems to be a once in a lifetime chance at rock n' roll redemption. Soundtrack by Daniel Lanois.
loudQUIETloud screenings:
SEATTLE, WA In conjunction with Easy Street Records
Jewelbox Theater
Monday, November 6th - Show @ 7
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - In conjunction with Electric Fetus & City Pages
Fine Line Music Caf
Monday, November 6th Doors @ 7 & Show @ 8
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 18+
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - In conjunction with Big Es & SLUG Magazine
Brewvies Cinema Pub
Monday, November 6th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
TEMPE, AZ - In conjunction with Zia Records
Harkins Centerpoint
Monday, November 6th - Show @ 10pm
PHILADELPHIA, PA In conjunction with Repo Records, Y-Rock on XPN & Philadelphia Weekly
Trocadero Theatre
Tuesday, November 7th Doors @ 7 & Show @ 8
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - In conjunction with Amoeba & SF Bay Guardian
12 Galaxies
Tuesday, November 7th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
NEW ORLEANS, LA In conjunction with Louisiana Music Factory & Antigravity
One Eyed Jacks
Tuesday, November 7th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 18+
CHARLOTTESVILLE , VA - In conjunction with Plan 9
Satellite Ballroom
Tuesday, November 7th - Show @ 8pm
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
NEW YORK, NY - In conjunction with CMJ
The Glass Lands Gallery
Thursday, November 9th - Show @ 9pm$2 @ Door - 18+, 21 + w/ ID to drink
HOLLYWOOD, CA - MVD Presents... A FREE Double Feature Screening of The Pixies' loudQUIETloud &
Mission of Burma's Not A Photograph
Knitting Factory Hollywood
Tuesday, November 21st - 9:30 to 11pm (Pixies DVD), 11:30 to 12:45 (Mission of Burma DVD)
FREE TO THE PUBLIC - ALL AGES
http://www.spinner.com/2006/11/07/pixies-loudquietloud-screenings-announced/
Pixies' 'loudQUIETloud' Screenings
Announced
Posted Nov 7th 2006 10:04AM by Mike Spinella
Filed under: News, Film
The new DVD 'loudQUIETloud' focuses on the hugely hyped 2004 return of alt-
rock forefathers (and mother) the Pixies. The film promises to take a intimate
look into the less-glamorous side of the sold-out tour, the reopening of old
wounds and the drive to deliver the goods onstage. Keep reading for screening
information in a town near you, the trailer and more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GElc16pzRwc&eurl=
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - In conjunction with Electric Fetus & City Pages
Fine Line Music Caf - 318 First Avenue N - Minneapolis, MN 55401
Monday, November 6th Doors @ 7 & Show @ 8
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 18+
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - In conjunction with Big E's & SLUG Magazine
Brewvies Cinema Pub - 677 S 200 W # D - Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Monday, November 6th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
TEMPE, AZ - In conjunction with Zia Records
Harkins Centerpoint 11- 730 South Mill Avenue - Tempe, AZ 85281)
Monday, November 6th - Show @ 10pm
PHILADELPHIA, PA In conjunction with Repo Records, Y-Rock on XPN &
Philadelphia Weekly
Trocadero Theatre - 1003 Arch Street - Philadelphia, PA 19107
Tuesday, November 7th Doors @ 7 & Show @ 8
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - In conjunction with Amoeba & SF Bay Guardian
12 Galaxies - 2565 Mission Street @ 22nd - San Francisco, CA 94110
Tuesday, November 7th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
NEW ORLEANS, LA In conjunction with Louisiana Music Factory & Antigravity
One Eyed Jacks - 615 Toulouse St - New Orleans, LA 70130
Tuesday, November 7th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 18+
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - In conjunction with Plan 9
Satellite Ballroom - 1435 University Ave. - Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Tuesday, November 7th - Show @ 8pm
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
NEW YORK, NY - In conjunction with CMJ
The Glass Lands Gallery - 289 Kent Avenue (between S. 1st and S. 2nd Streets)
- Brooklyn, NY
(Williamsburg, accessible from L train and BQE)
Thursday, November 9th - Show @ 9pm
$2 @ Door - 18+, 21 + w/ ID to drink
HOLLYWOOD, CA - MVD Presents... A FREE Double Feature Screening of The
Pixies' "LOUDQUIETLOUD" &
Mission of Burma's "Not A Photograph"
Knitting Factory Hollywood - 7021 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA
Tuesday, November 21st - 9:30 to 11pm (Pixies DVD), 11:30 to 12:45 (Mission
of Burma DVD)
FREE TO THE PUBLIC - ALL AGES
http://www.avclub.com/content/node/55002
According to NME, the Pixies have plans to
record their first album since 1991's Trompe
Le Monde, but if loudQuietloud: A Film
About The Pixies (Music Video Dist.) is any
indication, fans probably shouldn't hold their
breath. This solid behind-the-scenes look at
the band's successful reunion tour finds the
members polite but hardly unified, each more
interested in solo projects and family matters
than in coming together as a creative unit.
http://www.3hive.com/junkdrawer/2006/11/pixies_loudquietloud_dvd_relea_1.php
PIXIES LOUDQUIETLOUD DVD RELEASE AND FREE
SCREENINGS...IN YOUR TOWN?
Hi, Shan here. I'm stepping down tonight from my
ivory tower to speak to you from the heart, because I heart the Pixies. Before
seeing loudQUIETloud, my love was mainly one of reverent worship, perhaps
like your own love of your personal God. You might say the Pixies were my
personal Gods. In fact, I swore never to see them on their reunion tour in 2004
because I just couldn't look my Gods in the eyes after so many years had
passed. It would have been too painful.
Luckily, Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin followed them around on that tour,
and after seeing their chronicle I not only worship the Pixies but, perhaps more
importantly, I respect them. loudQUIETloud is unlike any music documentary
you have ever seen. The volatile rise and fall of the Pixies is of such grand
proportions that it reads like the Old Testament of college rock. Yet, this New
Testament is so profound not because it builds on the Pixies' legend but
becauseit dismantles it piece by painstaking piece and then puts it back
together in ways you'd never expect. If Ang Lee made a rockumentary,
loudQUIETloud is what it would look like.
And all of these are reasons why you should take the opportunity to see a free
(or really cheap) screening of it, courtesy of MVD Entertainment Group and Stick
Figure Productions. And if it isn't in your town, go out and buy the DVD (out
today on MVD) or add it to your NetFlix queue. Heck, even if you see the movie
for free you're going to want to buy the DVD anyway. Check the dates below
and for more information visit the MVD and loudQUIETloud websites. (And scroll
to the bottom of the entry for the movie's track listing!)
SEATTLE, WA In conjunction with Easy Street Records
Jewelbox Theater - 2322 2nd Ave. - (Belltown) Seattle, WA
Monday, November 6th Show @ 7
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - In conjunction with Electric Fetus & City Pages
Fine Line Music Caf - 318 First Avenue N - Minneapolis, MN 55401
Monday, November 6th Doors @ 7 & Show @ 8
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 18+
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - In conjunction with Big Es & SLUG Magazine
Brewvies Cinema Pub - 677 S 200 W # D - Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Monday, November 6th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
TEMPE, AZ - In conjunction with Zia Records
Harkins Centerpoint 11- 730 South Mill Avenue - Tempe, AZ 85281)
Monday, November 6th - Show @ 10pm
PHILADELPHIA, PA In conjunction with Repo Records, Y-Rock on XPN &
Philadelphia Weekly
Trocadero Theatre - 1003 Arch Street - Philadelphia, PA 19107
Tuesday, November 7th Doors @ 7 & Show @ 8
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - In conjunction with Amoeba & SF Bay Guardian
12 Galaxies - 2565 Mission Street @ 22nd - San Francisco, CA 94110
Tuesday, November 7th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 21+
NEW ORLEANS, LA In conjunction with Louisiana Music Factory & Antigravity
One Eyed Jacks - 615 Toulouse St - New Orleans, LA 70130
Tuesday, November 7th Show @ 9
FREE TO THE PUBLIC 18+
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - In conjunction with Plan 9
Satellite Ballroom - 1435 University Ave. - Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
Tuesday, November 7th - Show @ 8pm
FREE TO THE PUBLIC
NEW YORK, NY - In conjunction with CMJ
The Glass Lands Gallery - 289 Kent Avenue (between S. 1st and S. 2nd Streets)
- Brooklyn, NY
(Williamsburg, accessible from L train and BQE)
Thursday, November 9th - Show @ 9pm
$2 @ Door - 18+, 21 + w/ ID to drink
HOLLYWOOD, CA - MVD Presents... A FREE Double Feature Screening of The
Pixies LOUDQUIETLOUD & Mission of Burmas Not A Photograph
Knitting Factory Hollywood - 7021 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA
Saturday, November 25th - 9:30 to 11pm (Pixies DVD), 11:30 to 12:45 (Mission
of Burma DVD)
FREE TO THE PUBLIC - ALL AGES
TRACK LISTING: Where Is My Mind?, Hey, Here Comes Your Man, Umass,
Caribou, Gouge Away, Nimrod's Son, In Heaven, Wave Of Mutilation,
Something Against You, Bone Machine, Cactus, Vamos, Monkey Gone To
Heaven, and Iris.
http://www.mvdvisual.com/loudquietloud/
http://www.loudquietloud.com/
Posted by shan on 11.07.06
http://wavedrumor.blogspot.com/2006/11/pixies-loudquietloud-thursday-night.html
11/08/2006
Pixies loudQUIETloud Thursday night screening
Williamsburg's Glass Lands Gallery hosts a $2 showing of the Pixies doc loudQuietloud
Thursday night. Details below.
The Glass Lands Gallery - 289 Kent Avenue (between S. 1st and S. 2nd Streets) - Brooklyn ,
NY ( Williamsburg , accessible from L train and BQE)
Thursday, November 9th - Show @ 9pm
$2 @ Door - 18+, 21 + w/ ID to drink
Fresh to you from Dfactor at 12:00 PM
http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2006/11/08/loudquietloud.php
NOVEMBER 8, 2006
loudQUIETloud
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GElc16pzRwc&eurl=
It's just after CMJ and we're still not ready to get back in to a venue yet. However, some music would be nice. So a
film about music is a perfect compromise. Lucky for us, loudQUIETloud will be screening in New York tomorrow. The
documentary is an intimate portrait of The Pixies and their "difficult, tense and ultimately triumphant return as one of
rock music's greatest bands".
The band originally broke up in 1992 when they were just on the cusp of mainstream success, they reunited in 2004
(it didn't seem like they were gone for over a decade). The film includes footage of rehearsals and warm up shows -
gearing up for the reunion tour. It also documents the other side of music, the life and lifestyle of a touring band - and
we're guessing the demons being battled on The Road (ie: Kim Deal staying sober).
A little big of Dig!, a little bit of Behind the Music, loudQUIETloud captures the Pixies, their families and their fans in
what seems to be "a once in a lifetime chance at rock n roll redemption". We caught a show here in 2004, and if we
remember correctly, they rocked.
Tracklist: Where Is My Mind?, Hey, Here Comes Your Man, Umass, Caribou, Gouge Away, Nimrod's Son, In
Heaven, Wave Of Mutilation, Something Against You, Bone Machine, Cactus, Vamos, Monkey Gone To Heaven, and
Iris
Thursday November 9th // The Glass Lands Gallery [289 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn] // $2
Posted by Jen Carlson in Event , Film | Link | Comments (3) | Recommend this! (3) | [+]
This is just a retread of a Boston Globe review posted above:
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149191586518&path=%21flair&s=1045855936229
http://www.nypress.com/19/45/dvds/dvd.cfm
DIG FOR FIRE
New doc reveals Pixies are people, too
By Eric Kohn
In the breathless universe of rock n roll
mythology, bands tend to either gain momentum
with time or vanish from public awareness. The
Pixies managed to achieve a little bit of both. The
Boston-based quartet achieved mild success from
the late-1980s through the early 90s, blending
punk-inflected anger with soothing melodies. Kurt
Cobain famously credited the group as his
inspiration, which was enough to boost record
sales for years; when the band reunited for a
world tour in 2004, diehard rockers felt a spiritual
renewal.
Filmmakers Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin
gained intimate access to the group during this
time, and the resulting documentary,
loudQUIETloud, shows it. Following each individual
member, Cantor and Galkin manage to demystify
the holiness associated with the music by
humanizing its creators. The tone is resoundingly
passive but necessarily so: It seems as though the
members of the Pixies unloaded the bulk of their
anger a decade earlier, and the music is hardly
more than a flashback.
All four bandmates have moved on but not to
great acclaim. Lead singer and guitarist Charles
Thompson (aka Frank Black) has slipped in solo
projects while simultaneously building a family.
Joey Santiago, lead guitarist, is also balancing dad
duties alongside freelance film composition. Bassist
Kim Deal spends her time reveling in newfound
sobriety, recording tracks for her band The
Breeders and nuzzling with her supportive partner.
The saddest face is drummer David Lovering, who
turned to magic shows for his post-Pixies
employment and appears to suffer from an
addiction to Valium.
The band is relatively complacent about their own
estranged relationship. The general sense is that
even if dark times have passed, the future holds
lame prospects. When the film isnt busy filling in
random narrative details with distracting title cards,
the story unfolds in pure verit. Its the right
method to illuminate how disinterested the band
members seem to be with each other.
Fortunately, their musicianship hasnt dwindled,
and footage from the tour is mercifully preserved.
The filmmakers showcase a number of
performances, with classic tunes like Wave of
Mutilation and Hey! receiving their well-earned
attention. If the pacing slows down occasionally,
the gorgeous set pieces restore energy. Theres
no need for coherent conflict in loudQUIETloud,
since inspired music tells the story best.
Release party Nov. 9. The Glass Lands Gallery, 289
Kent Ave. (betw. S. 1st & S. 2nd Sts.),
Williamsburg.
http://onfilm.chicagoreader.com/movies/briefs/30604_LOUD_QUIET_LOUD_A_FILM_ABOUT_PIXIES.html
Listings for Friday, November 3, through Thursday, November 9, 2006
Loudquietloud: A Film About Pixies
Capsule by J.R. Jones
From the Chicago Reader
Back in the 80s, when the Pixies were in their prime, the indie-rock press scorned any 60s band
that reunited to play its back catalog on the concert circuit. By the time the Pixies patched up their
differences and hit the road for sold-out reunion tours of Europe, Japan, Canada, and the U.S. in
2004, such quaint notions of artistic integrity had long since evaporated. This documentary by
Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin keeps threatening to turn into a real story as bassist Kim Deal
tries to stay sober, singer Frank Black tries to tolerate Deal, and drummer David Lovering
becomes addicted to Valium. But the famously passive-aggressive musicians manage to keep any
real drama offscreen; the overriding impression is of four people enduring each other long enough to
get their retirement portfolios in order. 85 min.
This movie is currently playing at: Music Box
http://blog.podbop.org/archives/2006/11/09/pixies_documentary_screening_tonight_nyc/
PIXIES DOCUMENTARY SCREENING TONIGHT (NYC)
What: loudQUIETloud: The Pixies 2004 Reunion Tour (Official Flyer)
When: Thursday November 9th @ 9pm
Where: The Glass Lands Gallery (289 Kent Ave, Brooklyn)
How Much: Only $2
The behind the scenes documentary of The Pixies 2004 reunion tour. Apparently it has gotten some
bad reviews from the Pixies themselves because it portrays them in a negative light, but maybe that
means it'll be brutally honest?
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GElc16pzRwc&eurl=
Maybe I'll see you there!
Posted on Nov 9 by Taylor McKnight. Tags: the pixies , loudQUIETloud , documentary
http://www.filter-mag.com/news/interior.3630.html
LA & NY Screenings For New Pixies Doc
by Staff | 11.09.2006
LoudQUIETloud, the new feature-
length documentary on The
Pixies reunion was released on
DVD this week and to celebrate
there will be a couple of free
screenings. Fans in New York will
get a chance to check out the
film November 9th at the The
Glass Lands Gallery in Brooklyn.
While over on the west coast
there will be a screening
November 25th as a double
feature with Mission Of Burma's
Not A Photograph at the Knitting
Factory in Hollywood.
The film documents the band's successful 2004 reunion all the way
from their first rehersals to the completion of their sold-out world
tour. Singer/guitarist Frank Black recently stated that the band has
begun working on their first new album since 1991's Trompe le
Monde.
http://www.cw.ua.edu/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/11/10/455446a259763
Don't miss out on Pixies film, new pop punk group
Underground Entertainment
By Phil Owen
Assistant Entertainment Editor
November 10, 2006
Movie: "loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies"
Let me just get this out right away: I am a big fan of The Pixies. I love
them, and I don't understand why anyone wouldn't. Sure, their sound can
be a little strange to new listeners, but the music is so fantastic that it
should transcend any notion of "taste."
That said, this film's opening, which shows the band playing "Where is
My Mind?" to open the first show of their reunion tour in 2004, had me
completely covered in goosebumps. As the camera panned the crowd at
that show, and put on display the screaming, crying and obviously very
emotional fans, I couldn't help but get even more emotional myself, and I
came close to the point of tears.
The beginning was undeniably powerful for me, though at this point it's
hard to say if it will have such a strong effect on non-fans.
The strength of the film, though, beyond its emotional beginning, is its
interesting story. The film is a chronicle of that reunion tour from the first
rehearsal, and while it may appear to some to simply be a new "Behind
the Music" special, it's so much more than that.
It's a completely engrossing documentary that for the first time really
sheds light on their relationships not only as musicians but also as
people. "loudQUIETloud" is a must-see for Pixies and music fans and
would make for an interesting diversion for everyone else.
The film was released this week on DVD.
http://aquariumdrunk.blogspot.com/2006/11/loudquietloud-film-about-pixies.html
11.11.2006
Loudquietloud :: A Film About the Pixies
In my mind The Pixies canon is hallowed ground,
so much so that I opted out of seeing them live
when they re-formed in 2004 for fear the
experience might taint the music and memories
for me. After watching this DVD I see that my
fears were unwarranted as the band comes off
as tight as they were when I saw them live at 16
in 1991. I'm impressed.
The documentary follows the reunited foursome
from their first rehearsals together in twelve
years through to the end of their exceptionally successful tour. Expertly scored
by Daniel Lanois, Loudquietloud succeeds in pulling back the curtain just enough
to witness the inner workings of the group without sacrificing too much of the
magic. Speaking of magic, in a few bizarre scenes you get to witness drummer
David Lovering perform magic, as he now works as a professional magician at
L.A.'s famed Magic Castle.
Here's a track off The Pixies 1988 album, Surfer Rosa, which I hope everyone
already owns, or has at least heard in it's entirety.
http://jbreitling.blogspot.com/2006/11/review-pixies-loudquietloud-dvd.html
11.12.2006
Review: The Pixies | loudQUIETloud [DVD]
You will see the following quote in every review of the Pixies documentary "loudQUIETloud."
Not far into the film Charles Thompson, he also known as Black Francis and Frank Black,
admits that "[The Pixies] don't talk to each other that much. And it's not that we don't like
each other, it's just that that's the kind of people that we are." This characterizes in a tidy
manner the non-raderie of the band on its 2004 reunion tour. It's the kind of discomfort that
inaudibly screams throughout a scene in which guitarist Joey Santiago, Mr. Thompson and
drummer David Lovering sit together silently at folding tables, fiddling with their cell phones.
Before the first show of the tour someone in the band proposes a toast (with non-alcoholic
champagne, as bassist Kim Deal began rehabilitation for alcohol in 2002), and there is a
moment of silence as no one knows what to toast to. Ms. Deal's twin sister and foil Kelley,
who accompanied the Pixies tour at her sister's insistence and has had her own struggles
with addiction, plays an interesting role as an quasi-omniscient narrator, offering pointed
analysis in real-time of the curious aphasia and tensions among the band. It takes Thompson
two days to tell the band that his wife is having a child.
But, although the film makers insist the film (which
must have seen ominously static to them as they
were capturing the footage) is about a band whose
members can only communicate whilst performing,
and although superficial blog posts will focus more
broadly on Dinosaur-sized intraband dysfunction if
anything at all, the over-arching theme of
"loudQUIETloud" is uncertainty. Uncertainty that is
even greater than "Will the Pixies record a new
album?" Can Deal stay sober? Will the new
Breeders material she writes -- while riding in an RV
separate from the band with Kelley -- drive a wedge
between her and the rest of The Pixies? Can Mr.
Lovering, whose bi-annual royalty checks have
dwindled and who prior to the tour considered
"magician" and "metal detector" his primary
avocations, dispel the demons that he fights off with
red wine and Valium in the wake of his father's
death? Will Mr. Santiago speak up? Will Thompson, who at the end of the film characterizes
his current solo records as a form of passive-aggressive pressure on his bandmates to write
new Pixies material, ever just ask them? Will he get what he now seems to want?
While the film relays many, many more questions than it answers, it is far from impotent.
Although the film makers never show a complete song being performed, a decision that
emphasizes the sense of uncertainty that imbues the film, the live footage presented is
electric and arresting. The band sounds as otherworldly and exciting as ever, despite the
missing hair and gained pounds. Sure, you bought the eponymous Pixies DVD 4AD released
in 2004, but this is a different beast altogether. If you didn't get a chance to see it in the
theater, you can already order the DVD from distributor MVD at the link below.
posted by jbreitling @ 11/12/2006 04:30:00 PM
http://itcamefromculturecity.blogspot.com/2006/11/2007-plug-awards-media-nominees-and-now.html
Best Music DVD of the Year
16 Horsepower - Live
Bad Brains - Live At CBGB OMFUG 1982
Daniel Johnston - The Devil And Daniel Johnston
Del The Funky Homosapien - 11th Hour
Eagles Of Death Metal - DVD By Sexy
Liars - Drum's Not Dead
Minutemen - We Jam Econo
The Pixies - loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies
Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players - Off & On Broadway
Various Artists - Chrome Children
Various Artists - Burn To Shine 03: Portland
Various Artists - Coachella
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/11/15/223419.php
The Pixies Reunion on Film
Written by Modern Pea Pod
Published November 15, 2006
In an era when mystery was virtually as
important to the development of a great
alternative rock act as guitar or drums,
the Pixies were quite possibly the most
mysterious of them all. Armed with
inscrutable lyrics about Surrealist cinema
and Nimrod's sons, an arty visual
aesthetic which precluded group photos
on the album covers, and a stage
presence that boiled down to standing
stock still and playing as viscerally as
possible, they were a truly enigmatic
force, more like a coven of obscure
European avant-gardists than a mere
American rock band.
Even today, elements of their all-too-
brief epoch remain shrouded in mystery - things like the precise motivations behind
their breakup in 1992, or the much whispered about sexual tension between Kim Deal
and Charles Thompson. There's still a sense that we'll never really get to know the
Pixies, and if anything, that makes them all the more enticing.
It also goes a long way toward explaining why their reunion in 2004 came as such a
surprise; engimas don't get back together for sold-out world tours, they don't conduct
extensive interviews, and they certainly don't release upwards of half a dozen CDs and
videos within a two-year period to document their return to the concert stage. But
the Pixies did. And so you'll have to excuse my kneejerk reaction to the first couple
minutes of their new DVD Live at the Paradise in Boston, which is something along the
lines of, "This is the most surreal thing I've ever fucking seen." There they are, the
mythical Pixies, in all their glory, playing what might be their last intimate club date as
a band together. And what do they do? Stroll onstage, shuffle around a little bit, and
then tear into... "La La Love You?"
Doolittle deep cut before Thompson
brings it screeching to the halt. He
then essays a pretty decent
Springsteen impersonation, and, all
smiles, leads the others into a second
attempt at the song. And that, more
or less, is how the show proceeds.
They take requests, they crack jokes,
they talk to each other. Not a single
guitar gets kicked across the stage.
And it's great, but for people like me
who came of age with little to know of the Pixies but their stand-offish reputation, it's
also weird as hell.
In all honesty, though, the Pixies have probably never sounded better than they have
in the years 2004-2006. They're tighter than a band who spent most of the last 15
years in acrimonious distance has any right to be; Joey Santiago's guitar playing,
though still stylistically unique, is technically better than it ever was during the "peak"
era (his solo during "Vamos" kills); and contrary to what his solo work might have you
believe, the artist formerly known as Black Francis can still manage a surprisingly
blood-curdling howl (see: "Something Against You").
But watching this music come out of the players onstage, with their receding hairlines,
baggy jeans and (in the case of Kim Deal) soccer mom haircuts, can be an awfully
disconcerting experience, especially in today's world where a fashionable MySpace
haircut and a waifish waistline is de rigeur for any up-and-coming indie rocker. Maybe
it's a commentary on the inevitability of middle age, maybe it's just my own youthful
shallowness, but the visual side of the Pixies reunion reminds me of nothing more than
watching my friends' parents clamber onstage at a wedding reception, plug in - and
then, through some bizarre and miraculous fluke, sound about a thousand times cooler
than they look.
But then, the Pixies never really were
"cool," at least not in the traditional
sense of the word. That all-pervading
image described above, that air of
mystery, was if anything a convenient
veil for a group of people who never
quite fit in with their hip surroundings,
either in the Boston indie scene (a
song like "Subbacultcha" could only
really be written from the perspective
of an outsider looking in) or amidst the
Anglo goth milieu of 4AD Records.
David Lovering, if you'll recall, was a Rush fanatic before he joined the band; Deal used
to show up to gigs wearing the same outfit she wore as a secretary temp; Thompson
was/is a UFO enthusiast. And let's not forget that the infamous break-up wasn't some
kind of coke-fuelled blow-out - it took place over a fax machine, the perfect end to
half a decade of sustained awkwardness. In that sense, then - and with another film,
Steven Cantor's and Matthew Galkin's documentary loudQUIETloud, in mind - the
reunited Pixies we see in Live at the Paradise aren't surprising for their brazen, lovable
dorkiness. It's more of a surprise that they're talking at all.
loudQUIETloud is a portrait of four individuals, as sublimely mismatched as the day
they met, who have reconvened after 15 years of separation to face some of the
biggest audiences of their careers. All that would be an awkward enough experience to
begin with, for any group of people; but when the subjects happen to the Pixies,
perhaps rock's most notoriously asocial band, you can only imagine. Indeed, more than
any other document to come before it, loudQUIETloud paints a striking picture of what
the Pixies reunion really is, more vivid and consequently more brutally frank than any
interview snippets or concert-night speculation could ever be.
In beautifully-shot performance sequences (which, incidentally, take place in much
larger venues than Live at the Paradise, thus driving home just how "big" this
comeback has become), we see the band make some of the most impressive music
together that they've ever made, ascending to the career heights they were never
allowed in their initial run. Then we follow them backstage, and see neither "one big
family" amiability nor icy tension in the tradition of Wilco's almost unwatchably pissy
doc I Am Trying to Break Your Heart. Instead, we mostly just see the quiet, friendly,
somewhat formal interactions of a group of professionals in the middle of a very
important, very lucrative job.
This isn't to say that the Pixies
reunion has been exposed by this film
as the kind of "comeback for cash"
we've all seen too much of; I'm pretty
sure it isn't that at all, and if it is,
well, the band does such a good job
of hiding it onstage that I couldn't
really be bothered to care.
It's also worth noting that Thompson
was reportedly none too pleased
about the filmmakers' portrayal of
Lovering's brief descent into substance abuse, claiming that Cantor and Galkin based
their entire narrative arc around what really only affected a fraction of the tour. If
he's right, and there is some kind of substantial story-tweaking going on, then for all
we know the Pixies could be hugs all 'round backstage and the middle-aged ennui seen
in loudQUIETloud is just an invention of the editing machine.
Something tells me, however, that this is not the case. The mood captured by
loudQUIETloud is just too real to be an exaggeration, and when the directors say in
the commentary that they frequently found themselves despairing because so little
was happening on camera, it checks out with everything we've heard about the Pixies
before. For a band whose lyrics were vivid and grotesque, their music unrelentingly
powerful, Thompson, Santiago, Lovering and Deal just aren't terribly expressive people.
Which, again, shouldn't be taken to mean that they're not compelling. It's actually
fascinating and poignant to see the Pixies all grown up, starting families and kicking
addictions just like other forty-something rock stars. The inside look at the rehearsals
leading up to their warm-up tour helps to humanize a musical event which has often
been described in near-supernatural terms, capturing the anxieties and self-doubt of
an aging band so out of touch with their younger selves that they have to consult an
iPod just to remember how one of the old songs goes.
And of course, there are plenty of Spinal Tap-esque moments to entertain us as well,
like the strange and arguably staged scene where we eavesdrop on a post-therapy
Thompson reciting self-affirmations to himself. The fact is, loudQUIETloud happens to
be a very good movie; but as much as I appreciate it, something in me prefers the
chatty, joking, peacefully unhip Pixies of Live at the Paradise to the flawed human
beings seen here, the same way you'd rather see distant relatives put on a good face
at Christmas time than delve into their marital problems. And maybe, after all, that's
the point.
Because in the end, none of us will
ever truly fathom the Pixies reunion,
at least not on the personal level
which the Pixies themselves do. We'll
never really know whether they got
back together for love or for cash or,
as one fan puts it in loudQUIETloud,
"because they were too good" not to.
So why not just buy our tickets,
watch our movies, and settle into the
ideal of our choice?
There's Charles and Kim during the Paradise performance, joking back and forth about
the former's decision to "bring it down" in the middle of "Gigantic." "I've never brought
it down before," she giggles. "How does it feel?" he asks. "Really weird," goes the
reply. It's a perfect little moment, the kind you imagine would never have happened
while the Pixies were together the first time around, certainly not after the Doolittle
tour. But is it genuine?
Who cares? After all, we've got to leave at least a little bit of mystery.
by Zach Hoskins
http://www.seland.org/new/79/16th-oslo-international-film-festival/
Loudquietloud: A Film About The Pixies. The band The Pixies started out in 1986. Six
years later they disbanded. In 2004 The Pixies reformed. The film follows the band
before and after their very successful reunion tour, and shows the different members
and the friction between them that clue us into the reasons for their complicated
break-up.
http://www.oslofilmfestival.com/2006/movie.asp?movieID=96
LOUDQUIETLOUD: A FILM ABOUT THE PIXIES
LOUDQUIETLOUD: A FILM ABOUT THE PIXIES
Fantastisk dokumentar med utgangspunkt i gjenforeningsturneen til kultbandet The
Pixies. Bandet ble startet i 1986. Seks r senere ble de opplst. I 2004 kom The
Pixies sammen igjen. Filmen flger bandet fr og etter deres svrt populre
gjenforeningsturn og viser de ulike bandmedlemmene og gnisningene mellom
dem, noe som gir en pekepinn p hva som var grunnen til det kompliserte bruddet.
The Pixies har vrt mediesky, men filmskaperne gis full adgang til bandet fr
deres frste turn p over ti r og flger dem til vingslokaler i Los Angeles,
gjennom deres forberedelser og videre ut p veien. We don't talk to each other
that much, sier Frank Black. Not because we don't like each other, it's just the
kind of people we are. Teknisk vellaget, med bra foto og meget bra konsertlyd,
loudQUIETloud gir et menneskelig ansikt til et svrt spennende band.
REGISSOR
Steven Cantor ble Oscar-nominert for kortfilmen Blood Ties: The Life and Work of
Sally Mann (1993), en Emmy-nominasjon for Devil's Playground (2002) og en
Emmy for filmen Willie Nelson: Still is Still Moving (2002). Han har ogs regi p
dokumentaren What Remains om/med fotografen Sally Mann. Filmen vises flere
ganger under OIFF i r.
Matthew Galkin har tidligere jobbet med tv-serien Family Bonds.
USA
2006, 85 min.
Regi:
Steven Cantor, Matthew
Galkin
Med:
Frank Black, Kim Deal,
David Lovering, Joey
Santiago
Offisiell site:
www.loudquietloud.com
VISNINGER:
Fredag, 17. nov 19:15 [Filmens Hus Lillebil]
Mandag, 20. nov 21:30 [Filmens Hus Tancred]
Onsdag, 22. nov 21:30 [Filmens Hus Lillebil]
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/7492/pixies-loudquietloud-a-film-about-the-pixies-dvd/
Pixies
Loudquietloud: A Film About the Pixies [DVD]
US release date: 7 November 2006
by Jake Meaney
Been Tryin' to Meet You
Authors note: The following in no way is meant to
disparage the Pixies, or their strange, beautiful
music, in any manner whatsoever. My
disappointment with loudQUIETloud (hereafter LQL)
has nothing to do with the band, and everything to
do with the filmmakers chosen aesthetic for the
film they made covering the overwhelmingly
successful reunion of one of the seminal American
bands of the late 80s and early 90s. As Im sure is
common with many of my age cohort (late 20s/early
30s), the Pixies effected a seismic shift in my
musical education. If they arent my single favorite
band of all time, they definitely share the top of the
roost. So, then, this criticism, born of love,
devotion, and disappointment.
Question: What is the film
loudQUIETloud about?
Well, from its subtitle, this is a film about
the Pixies. This is both true and untrue. Ostensibly, the film follows the
bands improbable 2004 reunion tour (which, really, was such a fantastical
event, right up there with the Red Sox winning the World Series the same
year, that I still have a hard time believing it really happened)from the
early rehearsals and warm-up gigs through to their five night stand in NYC
to close out the year. In actuality, the film is much more about the four
disparate individuals whove grown too far apart to ever reignite the spark
that brought them together initially. Its about the unbridgeable quiet
between friends now drifted apart, and the noise that cannot reunite
them. I think the emphatic QUIET is capitalized and sandwiched
between loud in the title not as some analog to the musical dynamic of a
Pixies song, but more as an indicator that the overwhelming silence
between the band mates has taken precedence, drowning out the
beautiful sound.
This is not to say that the tour and its concerts werent exciting,
triumphant, and (especially for those of us who never saw them the first
time around) transcendent. While on stage, the Pixies still manage to
obliterate any doubt that they arent still relevant and capable of running
rings around most current bands. But in LQL, the songs are few and far
between, and mostly cut short. This is not a concert film, but a
barebones, verite travelogue, the journey between the concerts and of
diverging lives. What we see behind the scenes is often in direct contrast
to what fans saw on stage: general listlessness, awkwardness, and
lingering resentments.
Question: Why did the Pixies decide to reunite?
This is never answered directly by the band. In a phone interview with an
NME reporter, head Pixie Charles Thompson (aka Black Francis, aka Frank
Black) matter of factly relates that he spoke to guitarist Joey Santiago
about the possibility, who mentioned it to drummer Dave Lovering. Not too
sure who told Kim Deal. There was obviously some trepidation and initial
nervousness, but from scenes of early practices and shows, it seemed like
everyone thought it was a good idea going in. As the tour rolls along, and
they become more comfortable together musically, the personal comfort
and investment seems to wane.
But investment is key. Interviewing a queue of British fans, Kelly Deal
(Kims twin sister and confidant) asks first Why did the Pixies break up?
The coy, but idealistic answer by most: they were just too good (maybe,
but the more mundane reason was that old standby creative differences,
between Thompson and Deal). But when asked why the Pixies got back
together, the consensus is overwhelming: money.
Now, if thats not entirely the truth, I am not going to begrudge them this
mercenary motive. If any band deserves to finally reap the spoils of its
catalog and reputation (which has grown exponentially over the last
decade and a half), its the Pixies, who went out a cult act forever on the
cusp of big time success. As with many such eccentric American bands
that have come up from the underground, they were bigger in England
than they ever were in the States. That their reunion turned out to be a
runaway success warms the heart, in a way (most shows sold out in
minutes, and tickets were going on Ebay for hundredsof dollars), because
sometimes the good guys do get what they deserve in the end. And at
least its honest, and not spurred on by some grand dream of reclaiming
the top of the perch with a rushed and misguided reunion album.
Question: Speaking of which, are the Pixies going to record any new
material?
In a Rolling Stone interview late in the film, Thompson plays his cards close
to his vest. He doesnt dismiss the idea, nor does he seem overly
enthusiastic about it. He merely hints that his creative impulse is
unceasing, and it could easily be channeled into a new project with his
three bandmates.
Kim Deal, though she never speaks on the matter, seems to dismiss it out
of hand, by continuing to write and record songs for a new Breeders
album. However, a week or two back of this writing, word leaked out that
the Pixies are staying together and now do have plans to record a new
album.
One Thing I Learned About Each Pixie from Watching LQL:
Since the dissolution of the band, drummer Dave Lovering has found a new
(albeit struggling) career as a magician, which just seems totally
appropriate and awesome.
Kim Deal really used to be married to a John Murphy. Silly me never
bothered to research this, but always assumed it was some cryptic joke
that she listed herself as Mrs. John Murphy on the Pixies albums. I thought
it was cute, and kind of wish I didnt know this, now. But their backstage
reunion at a Boston gig is one of the few highlights of the filmtoo bad it
was relegated to the deleted scenes on the DVD.
Lead guitarist Joey Santiago is the proud father of two ridiculously cute
little kids. I mean just over the top, unbearably cute.
Charles Thompson, if it wasnt evident before, is very, very large.
Question: Who is this film for?
This is the one Ive been wrestling with. New comers to the Pixies will be
utterly confounded as to what all the fuss was ever about. The film offers
no real background of the band, and very little context for the tour. The
best introduction, of course, is still their three masterpiecesCome on
Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa, and Doolittlebut, as LQL shows, their history is still
to be written.
Initiates and fans will be similarly frustrated, if for different reasons. One
of the main draws of the Pixies was this inchoate mystery and aura of
sinister danger lurking in their songs. Thompsons lyrics are cryptic, opaque
and terrifying; the music a cacophony of disparate influences that
somehow clang together in an often inexplicable perfection. They were a
band that emerged sui generis and seemed to simply evaporate back into
whatever void they rose from. So, perhaps some fans (like myself) want a
little peak behind the curtain, a few answers that tantalizingly raise new
questions, just a hint of what it all might mean.
The film and its directors never give us this, and this was in fact a very
conscious and deliberate decision. In their commentary track, they make it
very clear that they decided from the get go NOT to delve into the past,
NOT to make a sort of glowing hagiography of a band lost to time. They
wanted to concentrate solely on the present, and on the regenesis of the
band on the reunion tour. Going for a sort of cinema verite, fly on the wall
honesty, the directors conduct no direct interviews with the band, and
totally eschew the whole talking head (i.e., interviews with rock critics,
fans, fellow musicians, etc.) approach of other music documentaries. They
aver that they wanted to maintain the air of mystery surrounding the
Pixies and their music.
Now, while I dont take explicit exception to this approach, its only
chance of working is if there is enough drama, conflict, or just something
to hold the viewers interestsome overarching theme or thesis that
emerges while the cameras roll. But, unless you count Dave Loverings
increasing reliance on Valium and alcohol following the midtour death of his
father, there is very little of note that happens when the stage lights go
down. The bandmates generally go their own way and talk very little, they
seem genuinely uncomfortable around one another, and manifest this
discomfort with large patches of silence or inconsequential stuttering
banter. Theres a lot of dead air.
The result is a listless and dull film about a very exciting band composed of
rather ordinary, middle aged individuals who never seem to really cohere
back into what made them great in the first place. If any feeling emerges
out of these long shots of mostly nothing going on, its a general
melancholy and wistfulness, or never being able to truly go back, find
home again, reclaim your youth. And this is not how I want to feel about a
band who, 18-plus years later, sounds as vital and exciting and dangerous
on record (and live) as they were when they emerged seemingly out of
nowhere in the late 80s. This is not the film the Pixies or its fans deserve,
and its just a colossal disappointment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GElc16pzRwc&eurl=
loudQuietloud: A Film About the Pixies trailer
RATING: 
16 November 2006
http://clearthecache.blogspot.com/2006/11/dvd-review-loudquietloud-film-about.html
Sunday, November 19, 2006
DVD Review - LoudQuietLoud: a film about the Pixies
***Note***
No Spoilers! Hooray!
***EndNote***
Being a fan of the band and having
attended the tour that this film
documents might have biased me
to this film but it did not focus on
the music, it was about the bands
chemistry on stage and their
apparent lack of chemistry off
stage.
When this film was screened at the
South by SouthWest (SXSW) film festival, they sold out immediately.
Even though the band had abruptly dissolved in 1992, the fans were
still clamoring for more and this film delivers a great snapshot of the
people, the places and the relationships in the band.
The directors of the film, Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin, have
created a film that is not only appealing to the Pixies uber-fan but
also for a general audience. The pacing is quick, the cuts are clean
and there isnt much fat on this film (It clocks in at 85 minutes or 90
minutes if you watch the video that plays along the credits). During
the audio commentary, the directors say they wanted the film to be
cinema verit, which means candid camera with shaky angles, and
they succeed in giving us some quality moments with the band.
They also had Kims twin sister, Kelley, as a backup camera operator
so she did some of the behind the scenes camera work.
The documentary follows the band as they go on their Pixies
Sellout tour in 2004 (it was named this way because they sold out
at practically every date but we all know what it really means).
Before the film dives into the tour, the directors catch the viewers
up with the lives of the band members: Charles Black Francis
Thompson has been writing albums ever since the Pixies broke up,
Kim Deal formed the Breeders with her sister, got addicted to drugs
and spent some time in rehab, Joey Santiago went on to composing
scores for films and television shows and David Lovering became a
magician.
Being years removed from playing their old songs, when they first
meet up to rehearse Kim had forgotten how to play her parts and
Charles had forgotten some lyrics. The viewer sees how human the
band members actually are. They note that being in the band was
their job, they were regular people just doing their job, and they
were giddy to see all the fans being so receptive to their music.
The film-makers stress that the film is formatted like one of the
Pixies songs: The anticipation and the anxiety of the first shows is
loud, the re-visiting of past tensions is quiet and the fabulous
success of the tour is loud. Through triumph and tragedy, the Pixies
roll through their tour and the viewer gets a rare backstage pass.
The only complaint about the film is at the end of the directors
commentary when they went on to say that this would probably
become the definitive Pixies documentary because the band would
probably never tour again. I thought that was a little presumptuous
seeing as how the film didnt deal with the music.
If youre looking for an interview heavy documentary about the
pixies check out Pixies (released 2004) but if you want a portrait
of the people behind the music that would go on to influence bands
like Nirvana and Radiohead get a hold of a copy of LoudQuietLoud.
posted by Danny Smooth at 11/19/2006
http://retrolowfi.com/2006/11/21/loudquietloud-a-film-about-the-pixies-steven-cantormatthew-galkin-2006/
November 21, 2006
loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies (Steven Cantor/Matthew Galkin 2006)
In 2004, Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin were given unprecedented access to the Pixies
universally acclaimed reunion tour. The result of what must have been hours of footage is
offered to us in the form of loudQUIETloud, and its exactly what a good portion of Pixies
fans have hoped for since, well, 1988 or so. The band - one of the most influential and
important musical groups of the last thrity years - did nothing more than drop records that
made your head explode for five years, played live shows that seemed like theyd rather be
somewhere else, and built up a mystique so thick that its hard to imagine seeing portly
frontman Charles Thompson lying on his hotel bed doing phone interviews clad in nothing
but black boxer briefs, or enduring indie darling Kim Deal sitting on her mothers porch
working on some needlepoint. But that is exactly what you get with this film: a warts-and-all
account of the Pixies onstage putting forth seemingly minimal effort to make extraordinary
music, as well as seeing them offstage doing well, nothing much at all. And that even
includes talking to each other.
In most of the backstage footage, the tension between band members is thicker than Marlon
Brandos elbow skin as they strive to find something/anything to say to each other. In one
scene, Charles tries to do a card trick for the magic-obsessed Pixies drummer David
Lovering. He fails, they laugh quickly and follow it up with possibly the most uncomfortable
silence in a documentary film this year. So yeah, theres a lot of that. The filmmakers skim
the bands backstory and only give the faintest nod to why the band might have broken up in
the first place. Instead, they paint a portrait of a group really happy to be back together and
even more afraid of performing together. Oh, and of course, that they are all pretty happy
about the paychecks theyll be bringing home.
Theres also a much-talked about segment in which the band tries its best to have an
intervention with Lovering over his valium habit, which is of course placed right after a
shambolic live reading of Something Against You that finds Lovering continuing to play the
same bap-bap-bap beat long after the song has actually ended. The sequence is edited to
seem as if the band had simply gotten fed up with his loopy antics and officially decided to
confront him, although it may be a bit more dramatic than what actually occured between
the four members. (side note: Charles Thompson has echoed these same statements,
saying that too much emphasis was placed on an ordeal that really wasnt as bad as it
seemed. Ah, the magic of editing).
loudQUIETloud allows offers you a glimpse at the freshly squeaky-clean and sober Kim Deal
as she gets increasingly mortified at the level of fan worship thrown her way on a daily
basis. The films most touching scenes are the loving exchanges between Kim and her
identical twin sister Kelley, showing off the most warmth youll see between two people for
the entirety of the eighty-five minute running time. Otherwise, its just four people looking
uncomfortable in their own skin and some live performances that would be simply
phenomenal had the directors not seen fit to drench the clips in looped crowd noise. Guys, I
have bootlegs of these shows people *did not* scream all the way through the songs. It
wasnt a Beatles concert, but they sure made it sound as if clubs that held less than 2000
people were stadiums full of teenage girls that had all simultaneously noticed spiders
crawling on their legs. Cmon, show the viewer some respect here, right?
All in all, loudQUIETloud keeps the Pixies mystery intact while offering you the most cursory
- yet probably the most candid - glances into the inner workings of the band. Couldve been
better, but then again, theres always the chance that there just isnt much of a behind-the-
scenes story to be told after all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY3wmIPxkwU&eurl=
Buy loudQUIETloud at www.loudquietloud.com.
- Marc
@ 8:00 am | Category: Film
www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2596&Itemid=2" target="_blank">www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2596&Itemid=2" target="_blank">http://www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2596&Itemid=2
PIXIES' NEW DECIBEL RANGE
Written by Kevin Harper, Contributor
Wednesday, 22 November 2006
For all my love of rock history, I surprise myself when I realize that I have never really investigated
the Pixies beyond the major hits ("Cactus" and "Wave of Mutilation"). So, when the opportunity to review
their first-ever DVD LoudQUIETloud: A film about the Pixies, I decided that this would be my proper
entry point.
From this perspective, the film works.
It is a documentary about the grunge originators' reunion tour in 2004, with live footage from the
various dates interspersed throughout. It is not a retrospective history of the band since only a little bit
of information is provided about the band. Rather, directors Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin paint a
picture of a highly influential band with middle-aged members who are still plagued by demons.
There are some moments reminiscent to Spinal Tap, such as drummer David Lovering's career as a
magician prior to the reunion, but more tender focus is given to bassist Kim Deal's struggle to remain
sober while on tour after years of alcohol abuse.
I did wish that the directors were less stingy with the concert footage, as spellbinding performances of
songs like "Where Is My Mind?" and "Here Comes Your Man" are cut short to make way for more
interviews. As a relative newcomer, this left me with the desire to run out and buy their albums, but I
can imagine longtime fans getting irritated with the tactic.
That said, the footage of the band on tour is more interesting and revealing, with surprisingly candid
insight into the group's continually troubled dynamic with each other and within themselves (accentuated
by an original score by Daniel Lanois that attempts to elevate the film above the standard "concert film").
Deal's struggle with sobriety is a major focal point as she brings her sister (and Breeders bandmate)
Kelley on the tour to keep her from drinking. By contrast, Lovering develops an addiction to tranquilizers
while on tour and faces scrutiny from frontman Black Francis and lead guitarist Joey Santiago, both of
whom became family men after the Pixies broke up.
The film leaves the viewer with a warm impression of the band that appears to consist of the most
down-to-earth musicians to ever spawn a subgenre of such rebelliousness. A quote from Kurt Cobain
precedes the film who notes that he was trying to rip off the Pixies when he was writing the seminal
"Smells Like Teen Spirit."
There isn't a lot at stake in the film since the group reunited mostly for financial reasons and showed
little sign of wanting to record new material.
"We don't talk very much. Not because we don't like each other, but because it's just the kind of
people we are," said Francis as he summed up the band.
The film leaves the viewer with an honest depiction of a band and its implosive nature that still results
in explosive music.
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=12616066&blogID=196777811
Thursday, November 23, 2006
LoudQuietLoud: A Film About the Pixies - Review
I don't know much about the Pixies. I've never owned any of their albums and really only know a couple of
songs. "Monkey Goes to Heaven", "Digging For a Fire", and that song at the end of "Fight Club" are the only ones I
know. I'm sure I've heard some other songs but I'm not sure. So why decide to add this to my NetFlix queue?
Well I read it was a really good documentary about a really good rock band. Clicks "Move To The Top Of My
Queue" button. I love to watch band documentaries. The internal working of a band and their personal life intrigues
me. It's my way of being able to transpose myself into a band and experience and feel what they are going
through. Some documentaries are better than others. Sometimes you don't feel like you are getting a real personal
look at a band and rather something that is staged and acted out like U2's "Rattle and Hum". Other times you don't
really get any glimpse into the band like Depeche Mode's "101". "LoudQuietLoud" is different because there's a lot
of personal footage of the band and it's obvious they're not putting on any act. I think many bands don't allow the
director insight into the band because they don't trust the director. This is to be expected since their image seems
to get so contorted by the media they probably don't trust a lot of people. In this case it looks like Kelly Deal,
sister of The Pixies bassist Kim Deal, is doing a lot of the interviewing and I'm sure she's been around the band a
lot so they feel at easy. The other reason is that most of the time the band isn't doing anything special. Nothing
that you and I would think out of the ordinary except for those 2 hours standing in front of a couple thousand people
playing music. I was thinking they should call the film "QuietQuietQuiet", because that's what it's like to tour and
be with the band. You would think that this would make for a pretty boring documentary. It doesn't. Sometimes
the silence and the monotony is a big part of being in a band and touring. I don't know this first hand but every
musical artist says that touring is terrible except for the couple of hours on stage. I also think that this band isn't
the party all night type of band, at least not any more. They're more of the knit and talk to family at home stage of
their livesOk I took a break from this review. It's been about a week since I started this review and I really feel
that I should finish it so I can get on with my life. Anyways I feel like after a couple of days a review isn't good
anymore because you've lost the feeling and emotion of what you witnessed. Maybe that's a good thing also but I
like to write from instinct and heart. It's more personal. I want to wrap this up by saying that if you like the Pixies
you'll love this movie. If you like to see the behind the scenes footage of a dysfunctional band on the road then
you'll also love this movie. If you're just looking for concert footage you'll like half of it. The rest will be wondering
why they filmed this band just lumbering around not saying anything. For me that's the point because of what they
don't say is more that what they do say. I could go into each member and describe them but I'll leave it up to you
to watch. The part that I do want to talk about is the part when they talk to the bassist Kim Deal and how she feels
when she goes on stage in front of thousands of people. She says how it is so strange because she's such an
ordinary person, at least in what she does off stage, that she can't believe that people are out there. She also says
that's why she sometimes has a smirk on her face while playing, because of how surreal everything seems. When
you watch the movie you realize that about people that are famous, they are just ordinary people in extraordinary
situations. No different from you and I really. That's what is so interesting about stardom to me. It could've been
me or you in that situation. Think of some little garage band that you knew and what if they made it big and toured
the world. You'd remember them as just friends and ordinary people not as some strange being or god like figure.
Prince went to high school, Madonna probably worked at some fast food place. No different than most then Bang!
They became stars. But deep down they were still just the same as you and I. Maybe with some more talent and
drive than we posses but not that different. Image if that happened to you? Are you any different? Are you
special? Would you be the same person? If you are interested in these questions then watch this movie. I am and
I loved the movie.
www.smh.com.au/news/music/this-time-away-with-the-pixies-is-a-peaceful-trip/2006/11/23/1163871547369.html" target="_blank">www.smh.com.au/news/music/this-time-away-with-the-pixies-is-a-peaceful-trip/2006/11/23/1163871547369.html" target="_blank">http://www.smh.com.au/news/music/this-time-away-with-the-pixies-is-a-peaceful-trip/2006/11/23/1163871547369.html
This time, away with the Pixies is a peaceful trip
Different shades guitarist Joey Santiago.
Photo: Jonathan Furmanski
Bernard Zuel
November 24, 2006
You will know the work of the Pixies even if
you've never heard them. That may be their
legacy and their curse.
One of the enduring cliches of rock is that
while Lou Reed's '60s iconoclasts the Velvet
Underground sold relatively few copies of their
albums, everyone who heard them went on to
form a band. And those bands subsequently
sold many more copies than Reed and friends
could ever have dreamt of.
A more recent equivalent would be Boston's
Pixies who, while lauded in the British music
press, never had a hit in their homeland. They broke up in 1993 amid internal rancour and
mainstream indifference, despite a series of impressive albums which mixed surf, rock and
crunchy pop music with science fiction, biblical and oft-disturbing medical references.
Fans in this country can now get a look at their financially and critically successful reunion tour
of 2004, captured in the film LoudQUIETloud, out on DVD.
The Pixies could have ended up as a music history footnote but of the dozens of bands who
had been paying attention, one, Nirvana, became one of the most important and imitated acts
of the '90s. Nirvana's front man, Kurt Cobain, happily admitted that the band's first hit, Smells
Like Teen Spirit, was him "basically trying to rip off the Pixies".
"We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard," Cobain said.
The reunion tour was considered extremely unlikely, right up until the first note was played on
stage.
But, as seen throughout the film, even the two most fractious members, singer-songwriter
Charles Thompson and bass player Kim Deal, were getting along. Not exactly bosom buddies
bonding over a post-gig beer (Deal was fresh off drugs and drink for a start, while drummer
Dave Lovering seemed on a private over-the-counter medication trip of his own), but not
threatening to kill each other, either.
However, Joey Santiago, the guitarist who was as important to the band's sound as
Thompson's songs were, seems surprised we ever doubted.
"We got along, of course we did," he says after his customary long pause and "aah" preamble.
"We would not have put that much time and effort into touring if we didn't get along. After
each show we still do our own separate thing. That's good, too. Occasionally, we'll run into
each other at a coffee shop, have a drink at the bar, whatever."
No one says a bad word to or about the others on film. It must be love. "Yeah, well," Santiago
chuckles. "I think if they [had] documented us when we were together [the first time] they
would have captured the same thing."
Which is probably true because as Kim Deal's sister, Kelley, says in the film, these are the four
worst communicators she's seen. Brooding silences were usually the order of the day. Was she
right?
"Aaah, no, we talk about it," Santiago says, before a pause. "Just not on film."
www.411mania.com/music/album_reviews/47935" target="_blank">www.411mania.com/music/album_reviews/47935" target="_blank">http://www.411mania.com/music/album_reviews/47935
And what impact, Michael Azzerad, author of pretty much the definitive history on US 80s indie Our Band Could Be Your Life argues that
Mission Of Burma could well be one of the most influential bands of the last 30 years. It may be The Pixies that are credited with first
bringing the quiet/loud/quiet dynamic to rock music (indeed their own reunion film is entitle loudQUIETloud) but it was Burma, with their
stuttering rhythms, odd time changes and aggressive vocals who really pioneered the idea. And in doing so they changed the face of
music, maybe. Mission Of Burma begat Husker Du, Husker Du begat The Pixies, The Pixies begat Nirvana; and Nirvana brought the
alternative to the mainstream.
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/11/29/212839.php
Music DVD Review: loudQUIETloud - The
Pixies Reunion Tour
Written by Connie Phillips
Published November 29, 2006
Part of Featured Artist
The members of the Pixies were all
young in their 20s when they burst
on the scene and quickly exploded in
popularity. Six years and four albums
later, under the stress of the success
and the desires of both Charles
Thompson (Black Francis/Frank Black)
and Kim Deal to pursue solo projects, the
band disintegrated. Fans of the band
have been clamoring for just one more
album or one more concert from the
distinctive alt rock band ever since.
In 2004 that dream came true as Black
Francis, Kim Deal, Dave Lovering, and
Joey Santiago decided to come together
for one more tour. In the foreword of the
booklet included with the DVD, directors Steven Cantor and Mathew Galkin tell the tale
of how they had the epiphany (while waiting to buy tickets for the first show) that
they should make a film about the reunion tour and decided, "To hell with buying
tickets, we'll get backstage passes." Luckily for fans it worked out, because what's
included in the 85-minute documentary and 33 minutes of deleted scenes and
commentary is a telling look at what makes the Pixies so great as a band and why it
is nearly impossible to envision them continuing to function as a group for any length
or time.
The film opens with what is going on in each individual's life prior to coming together
for rehearsals for the tour. Charles Thompson is working on his solo career and building
a life with his girlfriend and her two kids while expecting one of their own. Kim Deal is
making music in Breeder, a band she started with her sister, and working hard at her
one year sobriety from alcohol and drugs. Joe Santiago is working on the soundtrack of
a documentary and anticipating the birth of his second child. Dave Lovering has been
performing as a magician and is grieving over the recent death of his father.
Just before the band comes together to begin rehearsals, we see Charles in a phone
interview addressing the upcoming tour. He is asked what it's like to be in the same
room with the rest of the band after so long. His answer is, "It's like we never took a
break." What is then shown appears to be a very tense situation. On the stage of an
empty theater bits and pieces of songs are played, and there is discussion about keys
and chord progressions, but there is also a tension, so heavy and thick you can feel it
through your television screen.
As the first concert date nears, it seems things are getting better. Before the first
show, which Charles refers to as a practice show, he calms Kim's nerves, telling her to
just go out and have fun. Joe confides to the camera they are all being supportive of
Kim's struggle with sobriety and they are all insisting there is to be no alcohol
backstage. In the very next clip Dave admits to the other three he took a Valium with
a glass of wine because he couldn't play unless he came down a situation that would
first be ignored before it become a real problem and finally dealt with mid-tour after
the band was forced to leave the stage because Dave was too messed up to play.
Following that first show, it is Charles who is concerned when Kim is soaking her hands
in the ice water the drinks are chilling in, and it is he who offers her concern and
support when he sees her blistered fingers. For a brief time I was left wondering if the
animosity between these two was nothing more than hype or maybe the wounds were
healed by time and distance. As time and the tour progresses the closeness shown in
the first shows fades away. Kim and her sister travel between shows in an RV which
follows the tour bus transporting the other three. They are not seen socializing or
communicating with each other except for shortly before and shortly after they appear
on stage.
I don't know if it's animosity so much as it is just four people who have very little in
common besides the music. Kim sums it up best at one point when she comments they
are "the four worst communicators ever." That may be true offstage, but onstage is a
different story altogether.
Cut between the interview clips and the observation of the band members on the road
are pieces of many of the concerts of the tour. They are well lit and well shot and the
sound is impeccable (Dolby 5.1 surround). Between the enthusiasm of the performing
band and the reaction of the audiences all of them sold out crowds you truly see
the magic that was this band and the music they made. From the pre-show show to
the tour closer there is such energy and love moving back and forth between band
members and their fans, I was sad to see it end. I was even sadder to see the white
notation as the screen faded to black: "As of Spring 2006, the Pixies have no plans to
record together."
If you need some hope to hang on to, in a recent interview with Blogcritics Magazine,
Frank Black's response to the question of an upcoming Pixies album was, "You never
know." In the meantime if you missed seeing the Pixies on their reunion tour, and
especially if you did see them, you will want to pick up loudQUIETloud, as a keepsake
and a piece of music history.
www.vcreporter.com/article.php?id=4050&IssueNum=100" target="_blank">www.vcreporter.com/article.php?id=4050&IssueNum=100" target="_blank">http://www.vcreporter.com/article.php?id=4050&IssueNum=100
Enjoy the silence
~ By MATTHEW SINGER ~
 oudQUIETloud, the title of Steven Cantor and Matthew
Galkins documentary of the Pixies highly profitable 2004
reunion tour, is a reference to the towering alt-rock icons
songwriting formula, ripped off most famously by Kurt Cobain (whose
quote admitting exactly that begins the film). But QUIET is capitalized
here because between their belly-searing live shows, that is what fills the
space among the band members: big, steaming piles of quiet. Its what
broke them up the first time around no longer able to communicate
with each other, singer Charles Thompson (a.k.a. Black Francis, a.k.a.
Frank Black) dissolved the group in 1993 during a radio interview,
without telling the rest of the band and its mainly what Cantor and
Galkin catch on camera 11 years later. The silence is meant to be
profound, but what it adds up to in actuality is one surprisingly dull road
movie Gimme Shelter this is not.
The problem is, the filmmakers have misidentified the silence. Its not the
weighty kind that can (and did) shatter the relationship of four hopeful,
idealistic twenty-somethings, but that of middle-aged careerists who can
unite to get a job done but cant think of anything to say once theyre
outside the office. The decision to resurrect the band was, after all, a
business proposition. Everyones professional life had reached an
impasse: bassist Kim Deal had just gotten out of rehab; drummer David
Lovering was learning that being a starving magician is a hell of a lot
harder than being a starving musician; guitarist Joey Santiago was playing
in-stores with his wife for five people. Thompson had the greatest or
at least the most consistent success, but as he says, Everything that I
do as a solo artist is overshadowed by this other band called the Pixies.
Getting back together just made financial sense.
And yet, they still barely talk to one another, not necessarily because they
dont get along, but because they all seem to realize they dont need to be
best friends for this to work. They have enough chemistry onstage that
speaking off it is wasted energy. So we see them spending their
downtime whiling away time on their individual endeavors Santiago
scoring a friends documentary; Deal, on a separate bus, writing songs
for an upcoming Breeders record; Thompson recording country-folk
albums while responding indecisively to questions about releasing new
material as a group. The directors try to build a dramatic arc out of
Loverings increasing alcoholism following the death of his father, but
after a near-breakdown in the middle of a set the only moment of
palpable tension in the entire film a caption informs us that David has
vowed to curtail his substance abuse, and thats the end of it. After that,
the closest the movie gets to harrowing is showing Thompson walking
around topless.
The funnest stuff, actually, is in the deleted scenes included on the DVD:
Deal and Thompson visiting Sigur Ross recording studio in Iceland for
whatever reason and looking as bored as someone listening to Sigur Ros;
Santiago at home with his kids; Lovering showing off his metal detectors;
Thompson driving around in a minivan and revealing an idea to do their
reunion album as a soundtrack to a fictional Pixies movie. These clips
reveal, more than anything in the actual film, why these guys are bad
subjects for a rock-doc: Theyre too normal to be interesting. 
Got a tip? e-mail Mole4life@aol.com
11-30-2006
www.indiewire.com/ipop/2006/12/spurlock_and_ca.html" target="_blank">www.indiewire.com/ipop/2006/12/spurlock_and_ca.html" target="_blank">http://www.indiewire.com/ipop/2006/12/spurlock_and_ca.html
Photo by Brian Brooks (December 2, 2006)
Post-Gothams, iW's friends at Kodak and our partner GMD Studios threw indieWIRE a party for our 10th
anniversary (we were only 14 when it all began) Wednesday night (yay us!) at Tribeca Cinemas in, well,
TriBeCa... Our good friend Morgan Spurlock ("30 Days," "Super Size Me") came by as well as
"loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies" director, Steven Cantor. Like most things fun, it went by really
fast, but oh... it sure lingered the next day!
( posted on Dec 2, 2006 at 10:21PM | filed under New York City Parties )
www.aversion.com/bands/reviews.cfm?f_id=2889" target="_blank">www.aversion.com/bands/reviews.cfm?f_id=2889" target="_blank">http://www.aversion.com/bands/reviews.cfm?f_id=2889
loudQUIETlout DVD
Pixies
Music Video Distributors
(out of 5)
"I've never seen four people not be able to talk to
each other," Kelley Deal says to twin sister and
Pixies bassist, Kim, half-jokingly. "You guys are the
worst four communicators ever." Once you get
around the siblings' downright bizarre relationship
(not to mention the sneaking suspicion that our
seeing them in the same room together is really just
the result of some Patty Duke-era camera trickery),
it's clear that Kelley -- the elder of the two, by a full
11 minutes -- is hardly joking at all, and the answers
to those years of ambiguously talked-around
questions as to the demise of her sister's first band
are painfully clear: The Pixies didn't really like each other all that much.
loudQuietloud isn't the story of the Pixies in any kind of traditional rockumentary sense.
We get faint whiffs of their humble beginnings, and the break-up stories that we
generally pay the price of admission to watch unfold, but the members merely hint at
both over the course of the film, save for one or two overly sentimental forays into the
former. The film opens with the band rehearsing, for the first time in 11 years -- since
their breakup. Kim can't remember the exact number of times she sings "change" in
"Hey." It's a rocky start, to be sure, but by the time it gives way to the story's rocky
middle and ending, it appears to have been downright smooth sailing.
Everyone's a little bit larger and balder (some a lot more so than others) now. The
younger Deal is struggling with sobriety, demanding the band have a dry backstage, as
she sucks down cases on non-alcoholic Molson Exels, and Starbucks iced mochas by
the truckload. Singer/guitarist Frank Black has since immersed himself in self-help
cassettes and his solo career he seems as eager to leap back into as he did during the
waning days of The Pixies' first stand. Communicating with his wife and young children
and producing a film on his Powerbook occupies guitarist Joey Santiago for the bulk of
the trip (though, to his credit, the moments he has each member contribute an instrument
to his soundtrack are a big chunk of the few truly collaborative moments between
members over the course of the film). Drummer David Lovering, who, during The Pixies'
decade-plus absence has divided his time between perfecting his magician act and
metal-detecting on Los Angeles beaches, watches his father succumb to cancer, and
battles what may or may not be a valium addiction.
It's a recipe for tension, confrontations and meltdowns. Fortunately, the band members
had the foresight to rent separate buses.
The beauty of loudQuietloud is that the filmmakers don't see the necessity in rooting
around for such inner-band turmoil. They simply let video roll, and a scoop up a few
choices pieces amongst the deluge of neurosis. It's a satisfying feeling after having spent
years being spoon-fed drama from hundreds of hours of Behind the Music marathons.
No one ODs or loses an arm in a fiery car wreck; it's just the story of four people
bound together who share little in common beyond the hour and a half a night they
spend together, creating magic. Those moments, quite possible the only ones during the
film in which the audience doesn't feel a desire to strangle at least one of the members,
are stern reminder of what this was all about in the first place.
- Brian Heater
www.ocweekly.com/film/on-dvd/the-last-word-on-the-pixies-for-now/26351/" target="_blank">www.ocweekly.com/film/on-dvd/the-last-word-on-the-pixies-for-now/26351/" target="_blank">http://www.ocweekly.com/film/on-dvd/the-last-word-on-the-pixies-for-now/26351/
THE LAST WORD ON THE PIXIES (FOR NOW)
OnDVD: loudQUIETloud
By TOM CHILD
Thursday, December 7, 2006 - 3:00 pm
Given the incredible amount
of press expended on the
Pixies these past few
years, you can be forgiven
for finding your interest
waning in what is frequently
considered one of the most
influential bands of the
80s. Let this be the last
word on the Pixies for a
while thenat least until
the inevitable reunion album
is leaked on the Internet;
MVD Visuals release of
loudQUIETloud, a
documentary about the
Pixies reunion tour, is a
semi-illuminating portrait of rock awkwardness and charming geekery. As anyone halfway familiar
with rock mythology knows by now, the Pixies acrimoniously disbanded in 1992. Since that
time, each has embarked upon their own solo work to varying degrees of success. Two years
ago, the band reunited, prompting equal parts slobbering fan excitement and cynical fan criticism
as the inevitable cry of sellout! was bandied about. And certainly this was a project motivated in
part by filthy lucre and ego stoking, though few fans could deny in the end that the band certainly
brought the rock, regardless of their motives.
As loudQUIETloud displays, however, the band also brought some of its inner turmoil. Though
hardly as upfront and open about the bands arguments as the recent Metallica documentary,
preferring instead to keep the tension consistently and effectively understated, loudQUIETloud
does contain a few juicy moments of friction. During the tour, Pixies drummer David Lovering
begins indulging in pills and alcohol upon being told that his father is dying. During an early show
in the tour, he flubs one of the songs, continuing the drum beat for a ridiculously long time after
the rest of the band stops playing, prompting them to give him a stern talking-to backstage.
Given the obviously complex and deeply personal relationships these band mates share coupled
with their reticence to discuss their issues with strangers, its impressive the filmmakers were
allowed as much access as they were, but one comes away from the documentary with the
sense that a lot of secrets remain untold.
The film itself is well-shot, with some particularly beautiful concert footage and a nice sound mix.
Included with the documentary is a commentary with directors Steven Cantor and Matthew
Galkin and editor Trevor Ristow that provides some amusing backstage anecdotes. Ultimately,
however, due to the lack of substantially penetrating insight, the film will be of little interest to
non-Pixies fanswhoever they may be.
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/12/11/083650.php
Music DVD Review: LoudQUIETLoud: A Film
About The Pixies
Written by Nik Dirga
Published December 11, 2006
"The Pixies Sell Out," the tour was
called. Alternative rock legends The
Pixies, who roared through the late '80s
and early '90s with a handful of highly
influential albums and a clattering loud-
soft dynamic that influenced countless
bands, decided to reunite for a brief
worldwide tour in 2004.
It was probably mainly about the money
for the band, but also maybe a chance
to try and heal lingering wounds over the
breakup. For fans, it was an unbelievable
chance to see the band behind "Monkey
Gone To Heaven," "Gouge Away,"
"Debaser" and many more grinding classic
pop rock songs.
In their bittersweet documentary LoudQUIETLoud: A film about the Pixies, directors
Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin got remarkable access to the Pixies during the
course of their reunion tour catching in their intimate portrait not just the clash and
bang of their concerts, but the nervous moments in between gigs, the never-ending
slide show of roadside scenery, a sense of the personalities behind the Pixies.
Many rock documentaries focus on the out-of-control antics, the ego-mania. What's
surprising about this is that it's a quiet, bittersweet movie about a very loud rock band
who have settled into the strange uncertainty of aging. They're all in their late thirties
or early forties, a bit battered the three men are all bald, all of them are a bit
heavier than the old days.
Bassist Kim Deal is a tentative recovering alcoholic who insists her twin sister Kelley
chaperone her on tour, guitarist Joey Santiago misses his family, frontman Charles
"Frank Black" Thompson is still uncertain how he relates the Pixies to the rest of his life
and drummer David Lovering is a bit of an overall wreck whose grip on sobriety seems
very faint. All four are shown to be kind of stunned at the Pixies' growing fame since
their breakup, unsure if this band is how their lives will be defined in the end. But
they're willing to give it another go.
Yet when they get on stage, the old magic still erupts. I caught the Pixies reunion tour
at an April 2004 show in Thompson's hometown of Eugene, Oregon, and they were on
fire blasting out feedback and rage and melody like there'd been no hiatus. The only
thing that seemed a bit off about the gig was how serious and professional they all
were there were a few smiles, some gentle stage patter, but no real sense that
there was a bond of love between bandmates. Raw and fiery as the music was, the
band themselves seemed strangely staid. In their excellent concert footage, Cantor
and Galkin show the contrast between the ferocious band onstage and the repressed,
restrained four individuals off stage.
LoudQUIETLoud makes it pretty clear that despite the force they were together, the
four Pixies have little in common these days. They don't hate each other but there
are an awful lot of moments of uncomfortable silence shown here, the awkward
attempts to connect with someone you knew when you were young and wilder.
"We don't talk to each other that much," says Thompson. "It's not because we don't
like each other, it's just the kind of people we are." At one point, Kelley Deal tells her
sister Kim that she's never seen four less communicative people in her life. It's still
uncertain if the band tour will actually result in a lasting reunion, or any new albums.
The curious thing is how four such very ordinary people the once hard-partying Deal
sisters now do crafts, Thompson is expecting a child, Santiago works providing music
for documentaries could make such revolutionary music. That might be the one
spark LoudQUIETLoud lacks there's no real insight into what made the band tick, or
why their legacy struck such a chord for so many. (It's notable that many of the
concert fans seen here seem to be way too young to have gotten into the Pixies
during their first go-round.)
A favorite moment here shows a pre-teen young girl who plays in a Pixies tribute band
finally meeting her idol, Kim Deal. You can see Kim uncertain of how to deal with the
idolatry fame brings, yet graceful about it.
But then again, that kind of introspection isn't really how the Pixies seem to work if
anything, LoudQUIETLoud is a portrait of a band with an impossible legacy trying to
figure out what it all means. The DVD includes an extra half-hour of deleted scenes
and director commentary, along with an essay and photo-packed booklet.
For any fan of the Pixies or strong music documentaries, this inside look is a must.
www.associatedcontent.com/article/101521/review_of_the_pixies_loud_quiet_loud.html" target="_blank">www.associatedcontent.com/article/101521/review_of_the_pixies_loud_quiet_loud.html" target="_blank">http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/101521/review_of_the_pixies_loud_quiet_loud.html
Review of the Pixies "loud Quiet
Loud" on DVD
By N. Katers
December 11, 2006
One of the most important bands of the late 1980s and
early 1990s was the Pixies. Influencing future bands like
Nirvana and Weezer, the Pixies have been forgotten by
many young music fans because of their lack of
commercial success. It is not mystifying why the Pixies
were unable to grab the commercial brass ring that so
many other bands were able to grasp in the 1990s. Aside
from the four band members lack of contact with the
press, the Pixies did not create the commercial claptrap
that drivers and teenagers here on Top 40 stations
around the country. The Pixies sound was more nuanced
and required fans to listen to entire live shows or albums
to grasp the full picture of their musical genius. While
many concert DVDs give short shrift to the context in
which music is created, the recently released film loud
Quietloud deals not only with the Pixies 2004 reunion
tour but the context in which the band came back
together.
Lead singer Frank Blank ended the band in 1992 with an
abrupt message to his band mates that shocked
outsiders. By watching loud Quiet loud, however, people
should be able to gain critical distance from the
apparently acrimonious relationship between the band
members that made headlines in music magazines at the time. Directors Steven Cantor and Matthew
Galkin do an impeccable job of combining personal interviews, behind the scenes shots, and concert
footage in a detached view of a unique reunion tour. While Cantor, Galkin, and others seem to judge
the Pixies as independent satellites who come together for tour dates, I see their interactions as more
than just the small talk they lament in the DVDs liner notes. Frank Black and others confront drummer
Dave Lovering about his drug use while on their way to a gig, with Dave eventually seeking professional
assistance. While others may see their conversations as brief and impersonal, I saw them as the short
hand used by people who know each other too well to use full sentences and long discourse.
While the perspective of critics and the directors toward
the Pixies may not agree with me, the films approach to
the reunion concert is exquisite. Cantor and Galkin put
the reunion tour in context by catching up with all four
band members. Kim Deal has gone on to some success
with The Breeders, Frank Black went onto mixed solo
success, Dave Lovering found it difficult to find work after
the Pixies, and Joey Santiago mixed work with family.
While many reunion films leave the intermittent period
between breakup and reunion to the further research of
the viewer, loud Quiet loud makes it an integral part of
the film. The extensive concert footage will please
viewers who are fans of live music generally and of the
Pixies specifically, with a wide range of songs to wet the
musical palette. One of the best scenes in the movie is
when Kim Deal meets a Pixies fan outside of a Chicago
venue who became a fan after reading a novel whose
main character is a big Pixies fan. The devotion of this
Pixies fan alone shows the strength of the Pixies appeal
twelve years after their breakup.
For DVD fans, there is about a half hour of extra scenes
that did not make the final cut. While these extras are
interesting and illuminating, the scattered topics and
material covered would have been too disorganized for such a well-constructed film. However, several
bits in the deleted scenes are interesting for those who want to learn more about the members of the
band. An interview with Kim Deal where she talks about home life and living in Ohio shows an
interesting side to the typically reclusive musician. The entire DVD, the final cut and deleted scenes,
does the service of showing the mixture of business and art in the music business today. The Pixies, a
cult favorite that has reached many music fans without them knowing it, are shown in loud Quiet loud
dealing with these tensions in their own way.
www.musicaustraliaguide.com/reviews/1475#1475" target="_blank">www.musicaustraliaguide.com/reviews/1475#1475" target="_blank">http://www.musicaustraliaguide.com/reviews/1475#1475
The Pixies
LoudQUIETloud A film about the
Pixies
Wednesday 13, December 2006
When the Pixies decided to reform in 2004, drummer Dave Lovering literally hit the roof,
with excitement. In New York, filmmakers and long-time fans of the band, Steve Cantor
and Matthew Galkin, were about to buy tickets. Suddenly, an idea crystallised. They just
had to document the comeback tour. The Pixies reuniting was a decision that made
indie rock fans shake with pleasure. Or, at least, tell anyone within earshot at the time,
hey the Pixies are reforming.
The resulting film following the tour, loudQUIETloud is one of the more revealing,
insightful rock documentaries of the era. The performances are first class, the songs
remain as brilliant as ever, but its behind the scenes where the real stories lie. The
communication problems that hampered the progress of the first incarnation of the
band remain. Charles Thompson, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and Dave Lovering have
different personalities. Thompson is the leader, Deal, the troubled, reforming drug
addict, Santiago, the family man with the shortish fuse, and Lovering, the slightly on-the-
edge, but lovable and still partying loner. They come together to play, and make music,
and get from one gig to the next. For the rest of the time, they remain, in general, apart,
gaining satisfaction as individuals but not necessarily celebrating their reclaimed fame
as a band. Its the story of a band weighed down by their past, pushing through for their
future. Its compelling. If you like music documentaries, its a must see.
Peter Ryan
www.muzzleofbees.com/2006/12/12/loudquietloud-wmy-thoughts-and-regrets-on-not-seeing-the-pixies/" target="_blank">www.muzzleofbees.com/2006/12/12/loudquietloud-wmy-thoughts-and-regrets-on-not-seeing-the-pixies/" target="_blank">http://www.muzzleofbees.com/2006/12/12/loudquietloud-wmy-thoughts-and-regrets-on-not-seeing-the-pixies/
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2006
loudQUIETloud and my regrets on not seeing the Pixies live
All the things I forgot about the Pixies, both good and bad are captured on their recent
DVD, loudQUIETloud: a film about THE PIXIES. I never saw the band perform live; the
closest I got was a Frank Black solo show at the beginning of last month, and a handful of
Frank Black and the Catholic shows opening for Pearl Jam back in the late 90s. I was just a
bit too young to grasp the Pixies sound growing up mostly because Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and
Soundgarden all had a joint monopoly on my ears growing up. What did always stick out
during those years was the now famous quote from Kurt Cobain explaining Smells Like
Teen Spirit to MTV when he stated, I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. That
quote is used in the opening scene of loudQIETloud DVD, and certainly got my attention,
spurring that reminder I always had in my head as a teenager that the Pixies were a band I
would eventually have to fully absorb someday and fall in love with their records.
It would be the middle of my sophomore year in college that Id be exposed to a bunch of
Pixies records courtesy of a couple of upstairs neighbors who kicked off nearly every
Saturday morning by blasting Surfer Rosa. Those same guys would talk for hours about why
the Pixies broke up and how they, much like the Beatles, were so far ahead of what was
considered popular music at the time that the world and the collective musical fandom
just needed a few years of catching up.
The DVD provides the good and bad of the Pixies reunion, that I still to this day am
ashamed to say I didnt bother to attend. Most of the blame lies with the fact that they
were playing Summerfest on a co-headlining tour with a band that at the time I simply
couldnt stand, Weezer. As the saying goes with hindsight, obviously Id love to make a
different decision looking back at the situation. So, what Im left with is a very powerful
look via DVD into a band whose music and following is still as vital, perhaps more so than it
ever has been, but still cant seem to lasso the inevitable problems that come from the
collective make up of the band members and their individual problems.
Youre probably reading this thinking, no shit, everyone knows the band didnt get
along, but the DVD, at least for me, put it in more concrete and understandable
parameters. If youre a fan of Pixies, caught their reunion tour, you probably dont need
me telling you to check this out - you probably already have. On the other hand, if my
story above sounds a little familiar, I recommend you check out the DVD.
www.rocknworld.com/features/06/PixiesloudQUIETloud.shtml" target="_blank">www.rocknworld.com/features/06/PixiesloudQUIETloud.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.rocknworld.com/features/06/PixiesloudQUIETloud.shtml
The Pixies - loudQUIETloud DVD
Review
by Patrick Muldowney
Generally band documentaries stem from fans with no
direction/production skills, or film students who figure bands are easy
fodder for skill-building. When you reach the status of icon, such as
The Pixies did during their 12-year hiatus, you have the luxury of
keeping company with professional filmmakers. Under the direction of
Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin ("Family Bonds"), fans are treated
to loudQUIETloud, a documentary from fellow Pixies followers that
brings the clarity and sensibility usually reserved for more affluent, and
turbulent, bands, like Metallica, to a once marginalized demographic.
Cantor and Galkin openly admit the great difficulty they faced creating
this documentary, which has garnered numerous selections from film
festivals, most notably Tribeca and South by Southwest. The problem
with The Pixies is they lack the extroverts expected from rock 'n roll,
so there was no great reunion scene, and barely any points of great
tension; all traditional elements of such a story. Understandably, they
wanted to make a cohesive, behind-the-scenes look at the 2004
reunion tour, but The Pixies did not naturally lend themselves to such
an eye. Regardless, Cantor and Galkin adjusted, and found that the
true story was in what all Pixies' fans missed: the band performing
together. One of the great beauties of this documentary is the live
footage of performances like Brixton, England, and Chicago.
Initially caught up in the hype of the reunion, like many of us, Cantor
and Galkin may have felt that they did not delve into the band enough
personally, but for those who are a little more perceptive, there is a
great deal going on psychologically, and the conclusions that can be
drawn can be
largely credited to how the scenes are arranged and
edited. It is initially great to witness that The Pixies meant as much, if
not more, to each member, as it did to the many listeners who
struggled with their absence. David Lovering, the drummer, who was
living from couch to couch as a struggling magician when Joe
(Santiago) called him to share the reunion news said he "must have
jumped ten feet in the air." Joey Santiago, now a family man, saw this
as a chance for security since he had been existing by picking up
freelance jobs (he's scoring another documentary during this one).
Kim Deal's mother is excited that her daughter, who was living back at
their house after overcoming alcohol addiction, will do more than stay
in bed all day. Frank Black seems the most unaffected by the reunion,
but as the documentary wears on there are many clues to suggest that
these moments may mean the most to him.
Whether the cameras are following: Frank Black's inner struggles with
self-doubt, sometimes masked by arrogance; Kim Deal's difficulty
understanding and accepting her popularity; David Lovering's
childlike charm, which turns destructive when he loses his father
during the tour; Joey Santiago's quiet stability; loudQUIETloud allows
you to care, and sometimes worry, about the individuals who form The
Pixies. It is upsetting to watch Lovering keep playing long after the
bands stops playing "Something Against You", because the pills and
wine he uses while mourning his father finally catch up with him
onstage, and to later see a flood of tears that won't fall when the band
stages an informal intervention. You'll want to reach into the screen as
Kim repeatedly downs bottles of NA beer, just to make sure it's still
NA in her hand. You'll want to invite Joe over for dinner, and ask him to
be your best friend. You'll want to ask Frank Black why he can't step
up and lead this band, with whom he intermittently shows tenderness,
which so desperately needs his presence. Great documentaries are
generally filled with moments of joy, sadness, and frustration, and
loudQUIETloud is no exception.
One possible criticism of Cantor and Galkin stems from the bonus
footage. Many of the scenes provided are so valuable to Pixies' fans;
it is perplexing that they did not make the documentary. The scene
with Mr. John Murphy, Kim's first husband, or when Frank sees
Melissa, his first serious girlfriend, who we know as "Missy Agitation"
from "Gouge Away", provides a better idea of the extended family the
band has left behind, and would work better as a side story than the
awkward teenager who worships Kim Deal, and has a garage band
who plays Pixies' tunes. The moment where she's in the front row and
gets a pick at the end seems really staged and trite compared to the
sincerity of the documentary as a whole. Sometimes a gift can be a
bit of a curse, in that the experience that allows this to be professional,
couldn't help but add a little godlike hand to shape the story. Isn't that
the allure of reality TV? Regardless, the curse is small, and the gift of
loudQUIETloud is substantial.
The Pixies - loudQUIETloud DVD
Label:MVD
Rating:
www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid29424.aspx" target="_blank">www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid29424.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.thephoenix.com/article_ektid29424.aspx
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE
Three DVDs capture the Pixies reunion
By TED DROZDOWSKI
December 12, 2006 1:25:43 PM
SLOW LEARNERS: The Pixies needed four or five years to become exceptional.
The Pixies have always been an electric band. Nothing balances well-rounded frontman
Black Francis/Frank Black/Charlie Thompsons yowling about the numerology of God and
the Devil and waves of mutilation like grinding guitars and the heavy snap of an amplified
drum kit.
Hell, when the group started in 1986, they barely played well enough to hammer out their
songs on stage. That was shortly after Thompson, an anthropology major, dropped out of
college to form a rock band, apparently after digging up the demon Pazuzu and becoming
possessed. Early on, Thompson, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago, and David Lovering were
passionate little devils when they took the stage at Boston area clubs like the Rat and T.T.
the Bears. But they lacked the blend of technique and panache that makes a rock band
even a primitive punk-rock band good, not to mention the precision that acoustic
arrangements demand. The truth about the Pixies is that though it took them just two
albums and an EP to become influential, they needed four or five years of playing to
audiences to become true performers. And then, after their 1992 tour, they broke up.
So its odd that a pair of DVDs capturing the reunited band in semi-acoustic and acoustic
performances would be released within the past month. Pixies Acoustic Live at Newport
(Eagle Rock Entertainment) is fascinating, even when the framework for their songs turns
weak. Pixies Live at the Paradise in Boston (also on Eagle Rock) is hideous and
uncomfortable until Thompson puts down his acoustic guitar and hefts a Fender Telecaster
to join his mates in plugged-in-ville. Then its exceptional an electric Pixies concert that
captures the groups balance of musical passion and mad lyric prophecy. And for those
curious as to why the Pixies are playing together again at all, theres loudQUIETloud; A Film
About the Pixies (MVD Visual), a behind-the-scenes documentary about their reunion thats
the finest of these releases.
Whats best about the Newport show is that its 22 tunes set Thompsons lyrics in sharp
relief. Biblical imagery bumps bellies with dark absurdism and contemplations on fate with
absolute sonic clarity during their performance on stage at the famed Rhode Island folk
festival on a sunny August 2005 day. The summery setting adds some innocence to a set
list thats a fans dream. Alterna-hits like Deals vocal feature Gigantic, Monkey Gone to
Heaven, Where Is My Mind?, and Wave of Mutilation are balanced by thornier numbers
like Gouge Away, Subbacultcha, and River Euphrates. The well-directed multi-camera
shoot puts you right in the midst of the Pixies, and that makes it easy to see Santiago and
Thompson exchange half-bemused/half-resigned glances whenever the usually bellowing
guitar lines dont make the transition to tinnier acoustic tones. When an audience member
shouts for the group to jam, Thompson replies, Weve never jammed. But a few songs
later, on River Euphrates, he shoots Santiago a sly look and they do just that. Deal
appears as nonplussed as ever behind her blimp-sized mariachi bass. Lovering has it
easiest; his instruments always acoustic, and as usual he provides the Pixies pounding
heartbeat with methodical grace.
Pazuzus curse is in effect during the early portion of Live at the Paradise. The band are off-
balance: Thompsons acoustic-guitar playing is lackluster, and Santiago seems reticent to
blast over the frontmans strumming. So the rocket fuel the audience is craving the moment
the band take the stage is missing. The Pixies reunion was still very much a novelty at this
point, and expectations for this semi-secret home-town show were high. Slow tempos and
muffed song starts deflate the occasion, even if they seem a bit calculated on Thompsons
part. Maybe it was the cameras, since the group also have that deer-in-the-headlights look
until Thompson straps on his Telecaster.
As any nervous club musician can tell you, there are two brands of courage: liquid and
sonic. When Thompson begins to rumble through his amplifier on Gouge Away, he and
Santiago provide a potent flaming double shot of the latter. And the Pixies find their wings,
delivering the kind of rock-and-roll orgy they grew into before calling it quits.
Good as the Paradise concert becomes, fans may get a bigger turn-on from the discs
bonus show: a 1986 set from T.T. the Bears. Its bootleg quality, so the sound and the look
arent as impressive as Thompsons hair, and his thinness, and the pleasure of witnessing
the Pixies when they were truly tiny.
LoudQUIETloud is an impressive little beast. Besides giving fans a chance to see
Thompson in his skivvies, Steve Cantor and Matthew Galkin capture the band on stage at
their best, thriving in the just-reignited spotlight during their first returning tours of Europe,
Canada, and the States. Although the filmmakers contention that the Pixies are among the
most influential bands of all time is dubious, they get into their subjects craniums with
unforced effectiveness. Deal comes off as the most soulful and complex. (She needs
something to do besides making poetry, snowflakes, and sleeping all day, her mom says
of the reunion.) And who knew that after the band broke up, Lovering became a struggling,
couch-surfing magician?
Incidental music by Daniel Lanois fills in the quiet spaces. Since the Pixies arent Chatty
Cathys, there are lots of these. Then again, on the early comeback tours, the band had
much to brood about. Deal was one year sober; Loverings dad was dying of cancer;
Santiago and his wife had another baby on the way; Thompson was struggling with an
impasse in his solo career. LoudQUIETloud is also a wake-up call to all the dipshits who
slag bands like the Who for reuniting to harvest a cash crop on tours. Terrific as they are, its
obvious early on that the Pixies are back in it only for the money. Frank Zappa would be
proud!
www.dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=4627" target="_blank">www.dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=4627" target="_blank">http://www.dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=4627
loudQUIETloud (DVD)
Pixies
MVD Visual, 2006
REVIEW BY: Shane M. Liebler ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 12/12/2006
Television is a strange place. We watch it so often and have become so desensitized to its content, it really takes an odd statement to catch
you off guard. That said, I heard something on the Comedy Centrals The Colbert Report the other day that nearly knocked me off the couch.
Tonight, an indie rock band rips off my style, the cocky, faux-pro-Bush host said in his opening. Why cant they be like every other indie rock
band and rip off the Pixies?
For the first time in the shows storied yearlong history, it was the truth. Every band Ive championed 2000 through 2006 has some type of
Pixies aesthetic. I realized I fucking love the Pixies, which I confirmed to myself at that moment.
Too bad I was just starting to wrap my head around long division when they broke up in 1992. Nirvana, their most famous followers, made a
killing with the Pixies rock in an era when rock was dead. In 2004, the Pixies defied all odds and reunited. Theyve been touring ever since. I
havent seen them (yet), but loudQUIETloud is as close as a guy living in Norfolk, N.Y. -- or anywhere else, for that matter -- can get.
Most music docs get caught up in the fan boy and basking-in-former-glory-crowd proclaiming the featured the band the greatest thing since the
Beatles and/or Mozart and/or sliced bread. These interviews are accompanied by the pace-slowing, excessive footage from a single night at a
club in the 80s where half the band was on some performance-diluting substance and not really on that night, as the interviewees explain.
This simultaneously heartwarming and rocking recap of the 2004 reunion is as candid and honest as Dig, the band-doc-reviving retrospective
of the Brian Jonestown Massacre from a couple years back.
Frank Black (aka Charles Thompson), the genius Achilles heel of the band, is back as the overly confident, kind-of-a-dick frontman. Kim Deal,
the smoky-voiced recovering alcoholic, still cant believe she inspired a generation of girl bands and rock journalists. Joey Santiago is a family
man with indie rock riff wielding possessed by no other. Dave Lovering pounds away his troubles with drums and drugs even after exodus
from an extended gig as magician and treasure hunter.
Wow. The Pixies. The godfathers of all things rock in the 21st century. Dads, alcoholics, drummers and magicians. LoudQUIETloud is a must-
see for fans of documentaries and the alternative era-defining groups. The music performances are timed just right and pulled from all the
right places. The Beatles-second-coming fan interviews are absent.
Also, the stories are some of the most compelling in the business. Whether its Kim Deal trying to find the right beat by listening to the Surfer
Rosa LP (like the rest of us) or struggling with the heaviness of an obsessed fan whos highlighted every Pixies reference in a fiction novel.
Whether its Frank Black explaining to Rolling Stone why the band split up or driving a minivan to the aquarium with his girlfriends kid. Whether
Joey is recreating a classic riff or breaking down in tears after an e-conversation with his daughter. LoudQUIETloud is as varied and touching
as Loverings struggle with addiction to Valium and his iPod dance.
This is the band that launched a thousand others, 12 years after the fact. They still cant stand each other. They can still play on stage and
inspire off the set. Its a Behind the Music masterpiece without all the glitz (or commercials). Highly recommended.
Rating: A
http://timedoor.textdriven.com/index.php?id=120
Backstage w/ Mr. John Murphy Dec 14, 08:30 PM by Enik
I recently bought and watched the Pixies documentary, loud QUIET loud, and I have to say I was
underwhelmed. It is so thin. I wanted more meat, more substance. It is a tour documentary with
plenty of backstage footage but few revelations. There are some gripping moments, most of which
revolve around David Loverings drug use after the death of his father. However, the film never
sufficiently follows through with Loverings induldgences. Hes still in the band, so something
positive must have happened regarding the problem. But loud QUIET loud fails to show you;
Loverings problem is left unresolved at films end. Some of the best moments are in the DVDs
deleted scenes, many of which should have been edited into the larger film. In particular, Im
thinking of the clips titled Mid-Tour Break and Backstage w/ Mr. John Murphy.
This is the same as the Blogcritics DVD review posted above:
www.modernpeapod.com/v2-4/pixies.html" target="_blank">www.modernpeapod.com/v2-4/pixies.html" target="_blank">http://www.modernpeapod.com/v2-4/pixies.html
www.whas11.com/sharedcontent/features/poprock2/121906ccdrMUSICmusicdvds.2770d2a3.html" target="_blank">www.whas11.com/sharedcontent/features/poprock2/121906ccdrMUSICmusicdvds.2770d2a3.html" target="_blank">http://www.whas11.com/sharedcontent/features/poprock2/121906ccdrMUSICmusicdvds.2770d2a3.html
Loud Quiet Loud: A Film About the Pixies
(MVD Visual)
B+
A funny thing happened while the Pixies were broken up: They turned
into one of the most-loved bands in rock. Filmed on their triumphant
2004 reunion tour, Loud Quiet Loud captures four musicians who are
older but not necessarily wiser: Bassist Kim Deal, fresh out of rehab,
seems as if she's about to fall off the wagon, while drummer David
Lovering looks as if he needs to climb on it. The band's Buddha-like
ringmaster is Frank Black, a howling madman onstage and a soft-
spoken mensch off. As powerful as the music is, the offstage footage
is what really makes the documentary sing.
www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2884" target="_blank">www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2884" target="_blank">http://www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2884
The Pixies
“loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies”
2006
Stick Figure Productions
They may not always have been bosom buddies onstage (hell, seems they still aren’t—the title of this video record of their 2004 reunion tour
doesn’t just refer to their sound, but how LOUD the quiet was between the respective band members when they weren’t onstage), but in the
end, who really cares? The Pixies are simply one of the best bands ever, and this gracious peek inside of their private lives is a rare and priceless
piece of their history, whether you just discovered them or were at one of their first, unpaid Boston gigs
Back in 1986, when Black Francis, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering formed The
Pixies, their musical middle finger reached far past the college-radio fans they usually
played for. Little by little, the world sat up and took notice, not really realizing what they’d
had with this outfit until their break-up before the middle of the next decade.
Despite the sometimes unbearably uncomfortable interaction between the members on this
latest tour (lots of finger-tapping on tables, smoking furtively in hallways, and downcast
glances), the liner notes get it right on the money when they claim the band communicates
perfectly onstage, with their music and their songs and their inner-most eccentricities
uniquely combined. If you made the reunion tour, you probably remember feeling just as
electrified by “Caribou” as you were the very first time you heard it, and
seeing/hearing it from this perspective is, honestly, an experience every serious music fan
should have.
“I don’t even feel like we broke up!” cracks Black Francis, and sure enough, the
deeply-ingrained, mind-boggling combination of deep-seated professionalism, fuck-it-all
’tude, and down-to-earth wit and humor that’s made this quartet such an enigmatic
yet universal outfit still slays even the most jaded critic in the audience at their various gigs.
While it’s true that some of the members (OK, maybe all of them) suffered through their
own personal and professional tribulations between their breakup and this reunion, at least
Lovering had the sense of humor to call the tour “The Pixies Sell Out,” not because
they wrote a hit for Britney Spears or backed Radiohead on an ill-conceived single, but
because their reunion shows literally did sell out within minutes of their announcements.
This live tour documentary (replete with hilarious scenes of Black’s phone interviews
with clueless journalists hungry for dirt) captures a group of individuals who absolutely,
positively shine together musically, and the fact that they don’t have diddly-squat to say to each other in the “Green Room” matters not a
whit when it comes down to what the fans came for—that spine-tingling, goose-flesh-inducing blast of Truth that hits a music lover when they hear
what they know in their hearts is The Real Thing.
“loudQuietloud” stands as a worthy testament to a band who have touched countless lives, changed the face of rock ’n’ roll forever,
and continue to harbor a strange yet touching loyalty to a worldwide group of fans who are unswerving in their belief in this outfit’s lasting impact
on rock ‘n’ roll as an art form and universal means of communication on a generation raised on distancing itself from others, whether by
societal pressure, social disorientation or electronic gadgetry.
With new fans discovering (and falling in love with) the band daily, there’s no better time than now to hip the music-lover in your life to this
informative, inspiring rock doc/reunion tour. And throw in the albums Bossa Nova, Doolittle, Come On Pilgrim, and Surfer Rosa just for aural backup.
Highly recommended. Zip over to musicvideodistributors.com and see for yourselves!
www.laweekly.com/music/music/rock-docs-are-go-rockumentary-recommendations/15272/" target="_blank">www.laweekly.com/music/music/rock-docs-are-go-rockumentary-recommendations/15272/" target="_blank">http://www.laweekly.com/music/music/rock-docs-are-go-rockumentary-recommendations/15272/
Likewise, size doesnt necessarily matter when it comes to the popularity of concert films.
Says Michael DeMonte, Music Video Distributors sales VP, Weve done concert DVDs and
the like for Public Enemy and for Converge/AFI, Agnostic Front, acts that have sizable fan
bases, and they just dont sell. DeMonte says that the cult acts that have remained just
outside the mainstream have done the best so far: The Pixies terrific loudQUIETloud has
already sold 25,000 copies. Their touring really reawakened people to them, he says.
WORTH YOUR TIME & MONEY: Not a Photograph: The Mission of Burma Story;
loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies. First-rate concert footage, both with the heroic
better late than never resurrection angle. Too offhand in some ways, though, and the Pixies
and Burma carry a bizarre stigma: They seem too well adjusted to be interesting!
www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=9482" target="_blank">www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=9482" target="_blank">http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=9482
LOUDQUIETLOUD: A FILM
ABOUT THE PIXIES (DVD)
by Phil Hall
(2006-12-23)
2006, Un-rated, 85 minutes, MVD Visual
Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkins entertaining
documentary follows the 2004 reunion tour of The Pixies
across North America and Europe. The tour is built on an icy
foundation: the group disbanded in 1992 following six heady
years and had not been in contact following their break-up.
But the dozen years apart were hardly fruitful: Kim Deal
enjoyed a brief post-Pixie success with The Breeders before
seeing her life derailed with stints in rehab, David Lovering
abandoned music altogether to work as a magician while
Joey Santiago and Charles Thompson relied heavily on
Pixies royalties while trying (and failing) to scratch out solo
careers.
The tour itself is not the most pleasant experience at first a
particularly memorable moment comes early in the odyssey
as the band waits backstage in a room before a show without
acknowledging each other (Santiago and Thompson play with
their cell phones, Deal chain smokes and Lovering recaptures his drumming skills by using a chair as a
practice instrument).
On stage, however, The Pixies recapture the vocal appeal that made them alt-rock deities in the late 1980s.
Its a shame the film doesnt spend more time with the band on stage, as their performances (particularly the
brilliantly eerie Caribou) are electrifying. Wisely, Cantor and Galkin do not offer comparisons between
footage and recordings of the band in their prime and their output today the films talk of old magic gets a
magnetic payoff when the music starts anew.
If the film skirts around the roots of the 1992 rupture, it deserves kudos for its bluntness and honesty. Cantor
and Galkin offer unguarded and often harsh views of what life has in store for aging rockers: receding hairlines
and bank accounts, dealing with the after-effects of youthful self-abuse, and hoping to reconnect with the
kinetic energy that made the rock experience so intoxicating in the first place. Even those unfamiliar with The
Pixies will be enchanted with the raw power and memorable music presented here.
 
Directed and produced by Steven Cantor and Matthew
Galkin, co-produced by Janet Billig Rich, cinematography
by Jonathan Furmanski and Paul Dokuchitz.
DVD review on this page is the same as the Blogcritics one above:
www.pennlive.com/newslogs/musicreviews/index.ssf/mtlogs/cleve_musicreviews/archives/2006_11.html" target="_blank">www.pennlive.com/newslogs/musicreviews/index.ssf/mtlogs/cleve_musicreviews/archives/2006_11.html" target="_blank">http://www.pennlive.com/newslogs/musicreviews/index.ssf/mtlogs/cleve_musicreviews/archives/2006_11.html
http://alternativestovalium.blogspot.com/2006/12/loudquietloud-undersea-world-of-pixies.html
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2006
Echoes and Earbleeds in a Diving Bell: the
Undersea World of the Pixies
Pixies memory #1. Fifteen
years ago, the Pixies played
the SECC in Glasgow. The SECC
is a big tin can with all the
atmosphere of a diving bell,
but that night the Pixies did
something strange. They came, they played for maybe eight
minutes, and they left. Something had collapsed the safety
barriers; the stage; the cracked carapace of grunge and someone
decided that it was too dangerous to continue.
But they achieved a lot in those eight minutes. The details of the
songs they played escape me maybe Debaser was in there but I
can remember the sound. It was fierce and loud and sharp, an
earbleeding noise, like heartbeats thumping against the cochlea;
brutal and melodic, but somewhere near pain. It was too much,
really. They couldnt have gone on like that. It was too dangerous
to continue.
And so the Pixies split. They didnt do it that night, but maybe
they should have. Walking off a collapsing stage would have been a
better way to go than what actually happened. In January 1993,
Charles Thompson IV, then known as Frank Black, and previously
as Black Francis, told Mark Radcliffe on Radio 5s Hit The North
that the Pixies were finished. Which, apparently, was news to the
Pixies.
He later explained this decision to the NME, saying he had grown
sick of the Pixies, and bored of singing Monkey Gone to Heaven.
He needed new challenges. Its like a film-maker whos started out
making cowboy movies - after a while, if he were to be forced to
only make cowboy movies, that doesnt seem like a very good
proposition. It seems its like its holding you down. And thats the
way I feel about it. I dont wanna just make cowboy movies, I
wanna try and see if I can make another kind of film.
Pixies memory # 2. My friend, Gina Arnold who wrote Route
666: On the Road to Nirvana was talking recently to a class at
Stanford University in San Francisco, and mentioned that she had
once been on the road with a band in Europe. She didnt name the
group, assuming that the young students would not have heard of
them. When she finally revealed that it was the Pixies, the class
reacted as if she had witnessed a miracle, a feeling which
intensified when Gina explained that the Pixies 1990 show in
Vienna was the best live performance she ever saw, not excluding
the Sex Pistols at the Winterland, Bruce at the Garden, or Nirvana
at the Croc.
Gina didnt bother with the Pixies reunion shows in 2004, as she
didnt want to sully the memory. In which case, she wont need to
seek out loudQUIETloud, the documentary of that tour, either.
Here is what the Pixies were like when they toured in 1990. Back
then, the Pixies all loathed each other and sat on opposite sides of
the bus. Kim [Deal, Pixies bassist] is a totally strange person. I
loaned her my lipstick in Vienna and it was the first time shed
ever worn any. She covered grey in her hair with shoe black, and
hated the Replacements cos she thought they were corny. She was
fucking awesome!
Plenty has happened to the Pixies in the years since they split, but
the main thing was that, somehow, they became legendary. This
was a neat trick, as none of the band died, but it could just be that
the world has caught up with their music.
This film starts with the quote Kurt Cobain gave to Rolling Stone,
trying to explain the magic of Smells Like Teen Spirit: I was
basically trying to rip off the Pixies. Well, Smells Like Teen Spirit
does have the loudQuietloud thing you get in a lot of the Pixies
songs, but it really is a different animal. With Nirvana, the meaning
was never obscure: it was all about pain and rage and self-disgust.
Kurts was a losers refrain. Even now, its hard to say what the
Pixies songs are about. The music is a kind of alien rocknroll. The
ad placed by Thompson and guitarist Joey Santiago seeking band
members asked for a bassist into Husker Du and Peter, Paul and
Mary and they got Kim Deal, who as Arnold once noted, was like a
cross between Keith Richards and Doris Day. The Pixies sound is
all of those things mulched in a blender, with stray chunks of surf
music and hardcore bursting breathlessly to the surface. The
lyrics, meanwhile, are like fragments of B-movie screenplay, cut
up by William Burroughs, then re-assembled by Herschell Gordon
Lewis in the back of a comic shop. Take the first lines of the song
that Thompson grew so tired of singing: There was a guy. An
underwater guy who controlled the sea. Got killed by ten million
pounds of sludge from New York and New Jersey. This monkeys
gone to heaven. Compared to that, Smells Like Teen Spirit is
Summer Holiday.
So what happened to the Pixies? LoudQUIETloud starts with a
Spinal Tap-style inventory. Thompson, as Frank Black, has
maintained a solo career which has never quite matched the
success of his previous identity. He has separated from his first
wife, and teamed up with Violet, who has two kids. We see him
taken delivery of a people carrier, and looking forward to a new
baby. Joey Santiago also has a family, does a bit of soundtrack
work, and plays to small audiences with his wife in The Martinis.
Deal has had success with her sister Kelley in the Breeders, but is
characterised by the film as a woman on the verge of a relapse into
drug and alcohol abuse. Her mother is pleased that the Pixies have
reformed, suggesting that otherwise, Kim would be making
snowflakes and doing all that crappy stuff, and sleeping all day.
It falls to drummer David Lovering to provide the light relief. His
introductory caption reads: After the Pixies split, David gave up
the drums to pursue hobbies including magic and metal
detecting. No doubt the chapeau shop would have followed if the
Pixies had not regrouped.
What happens? The band gets together, and the film follows their
progress from the first faltering rehearsals of Hey, to their
triumphant final show. Along the way, Kim drinks at least one
bottle of beer, consoling herself with the knowledge that it is only
5% proof, this being the alcohol content of most beer. (Thompson
has stated that this aspect of the film was toned down, as Deal
objected to her portrayal).
Lovering provides the main drama, as the stress of his fathers
death prompts him to numb his feelings with Valium, causing
considerable disturbance among the band. At a show in Iceland,
he keeps drumming long after the song has finished, to the evident
consternation of everyone. I thought I was watching someone
having a breakdown, says Santiago, the George Harrison of the
group.
Thompson, meanwhile, allows the cameras to observe him in
various states of undress, which is brave for a big man, but not
necessarily wise. In one peculiar scene, which is never explained,
he clambers into his tour-bus bunk, wearing nothing but big pants,
and plugs himself into a personal stereo. Soon, he is repeating a
mantra, as if from a motivational tape: I am a good person. I have
a positive intellect. I can do it. People like me. Im cute. He then
makes some throaty noises, whilst rubbing his bare chest; an odd
moment of insecurity.
Thompson has criticised the film, saying that the filmmakers were
nave, and seemed to believe that being in a band would be similar
to being in the Monkees: Always up to mischief. But were boring,
you know. And touring is boring. You just sit around not talking to
each other.
This may be true, but the films tension comes from observing the
various ways in which the group members fail to communicate. In
a phone interview with the NME, Thompson offers a glimpse into
his understanding of the group dynamic. We dont talk to each
other that much. And its not because we dont like each other. Its
just the kind of people we are.
The inability to penetrate those silences may be the films failure.
On the other hand, the Pixies seem to exist in a state of nervous
tension, with Thompson reluctant to admit that he needs his
bandmates, and his bandmates unwilling to submit to his will. He
clearly wants to write new songs as the Pixies, but he never quite
manages to relay this information to his colleagues. Deal, at least,
makes positive noises about recording together, but only to her
sister, Kelley. On the disc of extras, Thompson suggests that,
instead of making a record, they make a feature film. Neat, says
Deal, while Santiago stares blankly through the windows of the
bus.
And the music? Holy Jesus! Its unfailingly, weirdly, great. There
never was anything wrong with cowboy movies.
Originally published in Product magazine
Labels: Pixies music punk
POSTED BY ALASTAIR MCKAY AT 2:29 PM
www.thestar.com/artsentertainment/article/165282" target="_blank">www.thestar.com/artsentertainment/article/165282" target="_blank">http://www.thestar.com/artsentertainment/article/165282
Pixies dust field in music DVDs
1. The Pixies: loudQUIETloud from MVD. The amazing concert performances are sadly condensed,
but the behind-the-scenes dramas give us an intimate and sympathetic portrait of these
idiosyncratic musicians who create ground-breaking music in spite of their unresolved conflicts. A
rock-doc classic.
Sacramento showing:
www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/12/28/18341727.php" target="_blank">www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/12/28/18341727.php" target="_blank">http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/12/28/18341727.php
(The blurb for this is taken from the item below):
www.shiny-object.com/screenings/" target="_blank">www.shiny-object.com/screenings/" target="_blank">http://www.shiny-object.com/screenings/
01/12/2007 loudQUIETloud: a film about the Pixies
The band that inspired some of the most innovative rock acts
of the new millennium reunites to conquer the globe 12
years after calling it quits, and filmmaker Steven Cantor is
there to capture all the low-lights and highlights of their
tentative reunion in a probing documentary exploring the re-
birth of the Pixies. Plagued by personal problems from the
beginning but driven to create such classic albums as Surfer
Rosa and Doolittle, Frank Black, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago, and
David Lovering smashed convention to deliver a wailing wall
of chaotic but catchy riffs that, when combined with Black's
disjointed lyrics and volatile vocals, gave birth to an entirely
new sound. Initially self-destructing in 1993 and fragmenting
into a variety of compelling offshoots, the Pixies weathered
out the remainder of the decade and the first years of the
new millennial crossover on their own before a series of jam
sessions between the former bandmates led to a wildly
successful 2004 North American tour.
Looks splendid, the sound is first-rate and numerous cameras
provide a prowling appraisal of the band. Includes a great deal of
inspired music and a solid perspective on art and tension. - Variety
The Canadian Documentary Channel are showing it this month:
www.documentarychannel.ca/details.asp?showID=949&typeID=3" target="_blank">www.documentarychannel.ca/details.asp?showID=949&typeID=3" target="_blank">http://www.documentarychannel.ca/details.asp?showID=949&typeID=3
loudQUIETloud
The Pixies, perhaps the most influential and least documented
band in history, cut an unparalleled path through modern music,
leaving in their wake four and a half albums, a few tours, some
breathtaking music and endless speculation about the relationship
between the four founding members.
The film begins before the start of their first tour in over ten years
and follows the four band members to their LA rehearsal space,
through their preparations, and then on the road. As the band gears
up for the tour, we explore more deeply the relationships between
each member and the music they helped create; what the members
have been doing since the Pixies broke up; and what led to the
decision to regroup after all this time.
loudQUIETloud gives a more human face to a decidedly cryptic
band.
Blog thing about LQL on Canadian Doc Channel:
http://pleasedocomecloser.blogspot.com/2007/01/la-la-love-you.html
Little blog thing about LQL:
http://talkingpish.blogspot.com/2007/01/loudquietloud.html
www.cinefilevideo.com/2007/01/09/new-releases-for-tuesday-010907/" target="_blank">www.cinefilevideo.com/2007/01/09/new-releases-for-tuesday-010907/" target="_blank">http://www.cinefilevideo.com/2007/01/09/new-releases-for-tuesday-010907/
loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies: A solid documentary
about the recent reunion of the four most important people in late
80s-early 90s alternative music who did not shoot themselves in
the head.
www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=132847" target="_blank">www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=132847" target="_blank">http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=132847
loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies (MVDvisual)
If you're still on the couch, consider employing loudQUIETloud.
Documenting the Pixies on their 2004 reunion tour, loudQUIETloud,
proves that even if you're balding and/or overweight and/or a rehab
graduate and/or quit your instrument of choice 12 years ago to
"pursue hobbies including magic and metal detecting" (that'd be the
Pixies' drummer David Lovering), you still can achieve a fair amount of
esteem well past the age of 30. Thankfully, the film also shows that
despite what some assumptive critics may have thought at the time
the tour was not at all depressing because the Pixies still kill it onstage.
Don't get your hopes too high, though; they were always pretty fucking
good.
loudQUIETloud: A Film
About the Pixies
Blog review of LQL:
http://guyincognito.jedimoose.org/?p=289
And another:
http://despitethetimes.blogspot.com/2007/01/pixies-loudquietloud.html
It's showing at the Baus Theater in Japan:
www.baustheater.com/pixies.htm" target="_blank">www.baustheater.com/pixies.htm" target="_blank">http://www.baustheater.com/pixies.htm
T-shirt:
www.graniph.com/product/detail.php?designID=001002293" target="_blank">www.graniph.com/product/detail.php?designID=001002293" target="_blank">http://www.graniph.com/product/detail.php?designID=001002293
DVD details at King Records, Japan:
www.kingrecords.co.jp/pixies/" target="_blank">www.kingrecords.co.jp/pixies/" target="_blank">http://www.kingrecords.co.jp/pixies/
http://scottvond.blogspot.com/2007/01/top-10-of-2006-all-right-nobody-cares.html
4. LoudQuietLoud This documentary on the Pixies reunion tour is a
bit like the alt-rock version of the Metallica documentary Some Kind of
Monster; rather than talking endlessly about their problems and hiring
high-priced psychologists, the dysfunctional band members mostly
seethe, self-medicate and ignore each other. Yet they still tear it up
onstage.
Yet another blog review (the fact that it's 'just' a blog is an excuse not to type it out, but is anyone still reading these anyway?!) :
www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2007/01/28/loudquietloud-a-film-about-the-pixies" target="_blank">www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2007/01/28/loudquietloud-a-film-about-the-pixies" target="_blank">http://www.thedocumentaryblog.com/index.php/2007/01/28/loudquietloud-a-film-about-the-pixies
www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-remains31jan31,0,7701881.story?coll=cl-tvent-util" target="_blank">www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-remains31jan31,0,7701881.story?coll=cl-tvent-util" target="_blank">http://www.calendarlive.com/tv/cl-et-remains31jan31,0,7701881.story?coll=cl-tvent-util
"What Remains: The Life and Work of Sally Mann," premiering tonight on Cinemax, pays an
extended visit to the controversial photographer, best known for her 1992 collection
"Immediate Family," with its arresting images of her often naked children. Directed by Steve
Cantor ("loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies"), it delivers what its subtitle promises,
showing how the life gives context to the work and how the work, the urge to make the work,
and the process of making the work order the life.
Yet another blog thingy:
www.2pt3.com/music/loudquietloud" target="_blank">www.2pt3.com/music/loudquietloud" target="_blank">http://www.2pt3.com/music/loudquietloud
Bit late for this, but I'll stick it here anyway:
http://film.blogdig.net/archives/articles/February2007/08/Pixies_at_the_ICA_tomorrow_1_11.html
2007 Plug Award winner:
http://itcamefromculturecity.blogspot.com/2007/02/breaking-culture-news-and-plig-awards_11.html
The Best Music DVD of the Year
Pixies - loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies
http://littleradio.typepad.com/little_radio/2007/02/plug_awards_win.html
Best Music DVD of the Year
The Pixies - loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies
www.beatlawrence.com/2007/02/weekend-of-grammys-and-plug-awards.html" target="_blank">www.beatlawrence.com/2007/02/weekend-of-grammys-and-plug-awards.html" target="_blank">http://www.beatlawrence.com/2007/02/weekend-of-grammys-and-plug-awards.html
Best Music DVD of the Year: The Pixies - loudQUIETloud: A Film About the
Pixies
www.associatedcontent.com/article/154210/loud_quiet_loud_a_film_about_the_pixies.html" target="_blank">www.associatedcontent.com/article/154210/loud_quiet_loud_a_film_about_the_pixies.html" target="_blank">http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/154210/loud_quiet_loud_a_film_about_the_pixies.html
Loud Quiet Loud, a Film About the Pixies
A DVD Review
By Yvonne Glasgow
February 23, 2007
In 1992 the Pixies disbanded. They were only moderately successful touring colleges
and just started to get mainstream success, but over the years they gained a huge
following and became one of the most influential bands of the 90's and beyond. In
2004 the Pixies reunited. Loud Quiet Loud takes you on the road, so to speak, with
them as they reunite and tour.
Get a look at all of the behind the scenes of being in a band, working on new music,
getting ready to tour, all of it's ups and downs... you can experience all of this with
Loud Quiet Loud. It tells where the bands members went after the band split up in
1992, what they did or didn't do with their lives.
Loud Quiet Loud includes a 16-page booklet with directors' notes and an essay by
Ben Sisario and commentary featuring directors Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin
with Editor Trevor Wistow. The track listings on Loud Quiet Loud include: Where is My
Mind?, Hey, Here Comes Your Man, Umass, Caribou, Gouge Away, Nimrod's Son, In
Heaven, Wave of Mutilation, Something Against You, Bone Machine, Cactus, Vamos,
Monkey Gone To Heaven and Iris. A little bit of everything from the Pixies past.
All of the Pixies original members were included in this reunion documented on Loud
Quiet Loud and their lives have been hacked into for this documentary, including
bassist Kim Deal's struggle with sobriety, drummer David Lovering's floundering career
ambitions while band-less, guitarist Joey Santiago's outside projects and front man
Frank Black's (aka Black Francis) attempt to nurture his family life while still putting
focus on the band.
Just what every Pixies' fan has been waiting for, this documentary gives you everything
you could possibly want. It includes live performances by the Pixies, tons of
background footage, making of the band style filming. You have to remember they
were split up for 12 years! See what it is like to travel from state to state and take the
stage in front of thousands of people while playing your heart out. The band's initial
shock after playing their first show, their amazement at how excited the fans were to
see them, is very interesting to watch. Just the fact that they almost seem clueless to
their true popularity is intriguing. What must it be like? Watch Loud Quiet Loud and you will find out. Learn what it is like for the
Pixies to start all over again and what the fans have to say about it. It's all in Loud Quiet Loud.
The Pixies: Loud
Quiet Loud
The Pixies: Loud Quiet Loud
Credit: MVD
Copyright: MVD
Impleader:
http://impleader.com/2007/03/200-hundred-word-reviews-loudquietloud-a-film-about-the-pixies/
Theme Park Experience:
http://themeparkexperience.blogspot.com/2007/03/with-your-feet-in-air-and-your-head-on.html
http://music.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1283955.php/This_Day_in_Music_for_March_28_2007
2006 - 'loudQuietloud: A Film About the Pixies' premieres during the South
by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas. Directed by Steven Cantor and
Matthew Galkin for New York-based Stick Figure Productions, the
documentary chronicles the Pixies` year-long reunion tour which began in
2004, starting with the first rehearsals and ending with the band`s quiet
dissipation.
www.financevisor.com/market/news_detail.aspx?rid=55828" target="_blank">www.financevisor.com/market/news_detail.aspx?rid=55828" target="_blank">http://www.financevisor.com/market/news_detail.aspx?rid=55828
Some of the celebrities slated for interview include Morgan Spurlock (What would Jesus Do?, Fast Food
Nation), Alan Cumming (Suffering Man's Charity, X-Men 2) musician James Blunt (James Blunt: Return to
Kosovo) and that film's director, Oscar Nominee Steven Cantor (loudQuietLoud: A Film About the Pixies). |
Edited by - Carl on 04/02/2007 04:46:04 |
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Srisaket
= Cult of Ray =
Thailand
313 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2007 : 07:57:30
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Mark Prindle's review of LQL (sorry if this has been posted already):
loudQUIETloud: A Film About The Pixies - MVDvisual 2006
Not much happens in this movie, which is actually about The Pixies' reunion tour, not their days as an active creative unit. But I guess if you've spent several months filming a band on tour, you've got to release something, even if there's not much there. And the songs are still great, so that's always a plus.
Strangely however, the film's complete lack of interesting content does ultimately succeed in creating a poignant portrait of four middle-aged musicians who have absolutely nothing in common except a bunch of songs they recorded fifteen to twenty years ago. Frank Black has grown into an obese, bald and gentle singer-songwriter with a loving new family but sad awareness of the steadily declining public interest in his solo work. Kim Deal is a chain-smoking, overweight and fragile woman struggling through a new drug-free life with the emotional support of her sister. Joey Santiago is now a bald soundtrack artist with a wife, two young children, and more apparent bitterness than he probably intended to show in the film. And most troubling of all, David Lovering is shown in the film spiralling from a damaged but lucid stage magician into a pill-popping, hyperactive drunk who won't take off his iPod headphones for anything. He blames his father's struggle with (and death from) cancer for his Valium abuse, but then he blames the monitors for his obviously drug-fuelled on-stage fuck-ups, so who knows. Only one thing's for certain: the man knows his metal detectors.
I realize I may have made the film sound awfully dramatic with that last paragraph. But it's really not. The whole thing is so understated -- I mean the band members hardly speak to each other at all. But there's a lot of personal baggage to be interpreted here, through the looks in their faces at certain moments (ex. Joey's sudden excited interest at Frank's mention of recording a new Pixies album, followed by immediate disappointment when it's revealed as a 'pie-in-the-sky' motion picture concept; the regret in Kim's face after a reunion visit with her former husband John Murphy -- two key segments unconscionably relegated to the 'special features' section!), and through minor lines of dialogue that slip out here and there (like Frank Black's aside to his producer John Tiven that no large or even mid-sized record label will be interested in his new solo CD, and that 'this will all end in tears'). So there is some drama and emotion to be found here -- it just may not be the action-packed blow-out you're hoping for.
But crikey, those songs! You'll get to watch the band perform segments of 14 great hits, and boy oh boy are they still great hits. That's really probably the most disorienting thing of all -- watching backstage footage of (a) Frank Black listening to his boring new folk-country album, (b) Kim Deal hoarsely performing out-of-tune vocals for a new Breeders track, (c) Joey Santiago struggling terribly with a new documentary soundtrack, and (d) David Lovering beating everything in sight with his ever-present (and ever-annoying) drumsticks.... and then watching the four of them go onstage and suddenly burst into perfect renditions of some of the greatest pop songs ever written.
I'm now going to write something extremely mean that I hope the subjects never read: Kim and Kelley Deal, both in their mid-40's, have acquired bodies the shape of two refrigerators. They're rectangular and blocky now. That's what growing old and drinking too much does, I guess. I'm sorry I was so mean.
And yes, Frank Black seems a bit bothered that the world is more interested in his first band than anything he's recorded in the past decade and a half, but I hope he's at least proud of all those beloved, generation-spanning Pixies songs. I mean, he's only one guy! How many timeless records can he really expect himself to write?
The same with Rod Stewart! I mean, sure he was kickin' some ass up through Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Vol. 3, but since then there's been a noticable decline in q
And don't get me started on Guns 'N Roses! Sure, they were kicking the balls out of your pants with classic albums like The Spaghetti Incident, but when push came to sh
What's that you said about Duran Duran? Oh hell yeah, they were pulling their pants up and shitting out diamonds as recently as Thank You, but something must have snapped because th
Did somebody say "Paul Rodgers"? Awww, don't even get me STARTED on the genius Stone Free: A Tribute To Ji
Neil Young? Never heard of him. Is he a cover band or something?
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Pixies doc to premiere at SXSW
