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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
 Posted - 07/27/2010 : 03:28:26
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Austin Town Hall.
ATH Interviews: The Pixies
We jumped at the chance to sit down with Dave Lovering, drummer for The Pixies, prior to their trip to Austin. I chatted him up
about his magic career, touring and, well, just about everything in between. Thanks so much to Dave for the opportunity; your
graciousness is much appreciated. Follow the jump for full interview.
ATH: You’re said to be touring the Doolittle album. Are there plans to incorporate other classic tunes into the evening’s set
list?
DL: What we do is we start with B-sides from Doolittle, then we do Doolittle from A-Z, then we do encores after that. That’s when
we do all the oldies, because Doolittle is a rather short album when you think about it, so all the other songs make up a longer
set, so it works out great.
ATH: Do you ever feel like you’re sort of a slave of sorts to the fans, as in you are expected to play certain songs each night?
DL: Well, yea, I mean, we’ve been doing Doolittle for almost a year. So, we know all the top songs, all the fan favorites. We
actually put out an email asking for all the songs the fans wanted to hear. Usually we change it up every night, as far as the older
songs, but we make sure we get the favorites. We hope we’re pleasing everybody.
ATH: What led to the decision to use Doolittle as opposed to Surfer Rosa or Trompe Le Monde?
DL: When we first got together for the reunion in 2004, and I forget what it was called, but there was this thing where a band
would do one of their albums, do one show in one city. We thought we should do that, and we let it mull over for two or three
years, and then about the time when Doolittle was approaching its 20 year mark, and we thought, let’s do that with a big
production. All together, it’s the biggest production we’ve ever done for the Pixies, and its going rather well.
ATH: Would you rather be playing a normal tour, or the huge production you are talking about?
DL: It’s interesting because they’re two different animals. When we do our own shows, we come make a set list of all the songs,
off all the albums, and we change the set list every night. The way we’ve always operated is just bang bang bang, knocking the
songs right out one after another. When we do Doolittle, we’re pacing it a little slower because we’re trying to make it like the
album, skipping between tracks, instead of bang bang bang. It’s funny, for me, Doolittle is the easiest album for me as a
drummer to play. You know the songs, fast and slow, but nicely paced, where all the other shows are non-stop. It’s almost a
month into tour before I’m like ‘okay, I can do this.’ For me, it’s a big difference, but I still enjoy both, so I can’t say which one I
prefer, other than they physicality of the regular show.
ATH: Now that there is a huge resurgence in the band, how do you feel about the dichotomy of the audience, as far as die-
hard old fans, versus new, younger fans? Do you enjoy that new dynamic?
DL: It’s great. It’s absolutely flooring us because when we got back together, and the first gig was Coachella, which spurned us.
You know, back in the day, late 80s, early 90s, it was mostly young guys, and that was all the way up until we broke up. Now
when you look into the audience, its kids, especially a lot more girls and women, and they’re all 17-20, all born after our albums
came out. They know and can singalong to all the songs. For us, we’re just stunned, we can’t believe it. That’s the biggest thing
that has hit us, you know, the audience we have now. We still have the older generation, but I’m sure they’d prefer chairs sitting
down like I would.
ATH: You guys were one of the band’s Kurt Cobain alluded to as his influence. Do you think that had the break-up not
happened, would your career as a band have gone differently, or are you happy with the way things ended up?
DL: I think this is the best way it happened. When we were together last, we were on tour with Trompe Le Monde, and we were
dysfunctional, like most bands, and it was going a certain direction, and we were just getting farther apart, so I think it was just
the natural progression for us to break up. I would have never dreamed we would have gotten back together, and now that we
have, it’s the perfect way to go. This new audience that is appreciative because the band’s that say they were influenced by us,
and I think it’s the best thing that could have worked out for us.
ATH: You sang one of my all time favorite songs, “La La Love you.” Do you wish you had more of an opportunity to sing with
the band throughout your career?
DL: Not really, because I’m playing drums, and I’m trying to breathe the whole time I’m playing, it’s really not easy for me to do
that. With “La La Love You” I can get away with sort of crooning it, but if I were to do some other song I dont think I could pull it off.
I’m happy with that one. I did another B-Side called “Make Believe,” and I’m content with those two.
ATH: Since you’ve been touring recently, what is the biggest difference between touring back in the day, and now?
DL: I’d have to say the comfort level because we’re such a bigger band now. It’s just a joy, other than the audience reaction, and
the time of audience. The comfort we’re traveling now is incredible. Back in the day, I was loading the van, unloading the van,
and you’ve got to do it. I look back on those days fondly, you don’t know any better. You get into the new comfort level, and it is
just really nice, I can’t complain.
ATH: If you had to pick your favorite Pixies songs, your personal tastes, or just ones you like to play on the kit, what are
they?
DL: “Tame,” definitely. ”Bone Machine,” I like playing that. And, “Vamos.” I could actually keep on going, I think those, I enjoy
listening to as well as playing. And I can really nail them; I have them under my belt.
ATH: When you guys come to Austin, is there a chance we’ll see The Scientific Phenomenalist before the show?
DL: Not this time. I’ve opened up twice with the Pixies with my magic. I may be doing magic socially, just walking around. But,
the magic is on hold until the end of the tour.
ATH: But, you are still working on that?
DL: Oh yea, I mean, we’ve just been so busy on tour, tour after tour until October. I really have nothing planned. But, when I get
back to LA, I’ll do shows up at the Magic Castle, or with my friends. Not a lot this year, and next year we have nothing planned,
per se, but we’ll see what happens.
ATH: If you could clear the slate of the Pixies history, what would you want the legacy of the band to be, from your
perspective?
DL: I can just say that we were a band that really revolves around the chemistry among the four of us. We’re not pretentious in
any way. We didn’t wear make-up or any of that. We just went out there and did our music, and I think the music we did was
definitely different. We had a different take on it as far as the loud quiet loud thing, and I think the music was good, and it still
holds up. We’re a boring band as well, so there’s not much to our band.
ATH: If you could go out on tour with any band living or dead, what band would you want to go out with?
DL: I’d have to say Rush because they’re one of my favorite bands. We’re not a mixture, and I know that, but it’s funny because
when I graduated high school we had to write down our ambitions: rock drummer, engineer, and open for Rush. First two
happened, and when I was covering for Cracker, we had the opportunity to open for Rush, and I was on my knees begging for
that happen. Unfortunately, that never happened, but if we could open for Rush, that would make my whole triad complete.
ATH: Do you have a favorite Austin memory?
DL: Definitely the bats on Congress bridge. Barton Springs, and the food. You can’t beat the food. Those are my three biggest
memories of Austin. There was one time on 6th Street, and I went a place where there was a bartender, and I ordered a gimlet,
and she didn’t know what it was, so she poured me tequila in a pint glass, and charged me $10 for it. So we kept going back
there every night.
ATH: Does more touring mean the possibility of new music?
DL: What we have planned so far this year, is touring. We have two more Doolittle tours after this one, and that ends in October.
As for 2011 we have nothing planned at all. No touring or anything like that, but the last two years we’ve been talking about
doing a new record. The talking has been getting better, but nothing has really come to fruition as of yet, but possibly in 2011
there might be some recording. I can’t say for sure just yet.
ATH: Are there any bands that you would like to promote that you don’t think everyone knows, or any new bands you like at
the moment.
DL: I was over in Barcelona on tour, and there was Surfer Blood, some young kids. They’ve got a couple of songs that are just
really really good. They’re well structured, and I was impressed by them. I saw their whole show, and I liked it. That’s the only
new band I can really comment on.
Thanks again to Dave for letting us throw some questions his way. We really appreciate his time, and we look forward to seeing
the band come September. Don’t forget, there are still tickets available for the second night (Sep. 21st) of their tour stop here in
Austin. |
Edited by - Carl on 07/27/2010 03:33:15 |
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ccuadros
* Dog in the Sand *
Chile
1315 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2010 : 15:21:24
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| good interview, gracias Carlitos |
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Discoking
* Dog in the Sand *
Belgium
1120 Posts |
Posted - 07/27/2010 : 23:24:42
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thanks, carl.
 it's educational |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2010 : 00:51:04
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surfer blood is amazing! Some new recording...haha, let's not get there again!
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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fbc
-= Modulator =-
United Kingdom
4903 Posts |
Posted - 07/31/2010 : 01:52:47
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Rrringo!
During their gigs, there are parts in songs where I focus only on one Pixie like a student in awe.
When Dave nails 'Something Against You'... best drummer in my world.
It's nice to read an interview with him. I only remember random quotes in books. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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ruzom
= Cult of Ray =
France
267 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2010 : 07:26:04
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| Thanks a lot Carl! (for this and all the rest) |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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ruzom
= Cult of Ray =
France
267 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2010 : 06:20:28
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| Haha, he seems to like them a lot... The other one with Black and Joey is nice, too. |
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trobrianders
> Teenager of the Year <
Papua New Guinea
3302 Posts |
Posted - 09/18/2010 : 01:55:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Carl
QuickDFW.com - Here come the Pixies.
Wow, Where Is My Mind got played on the suraface of Mars. Somebody should ask BF about that.
_______________
Ed is the hoo hoo |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 09/18/2010 : 11:43:15
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All those interviewers ask the exact same questions and Dave is also giving them the same answers. I love it.
I have never been so certain that a pixies record could still be possible
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 09/21/2010 : 03:32:24
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wow, that interviewer was interested in Dave not just in the pixies
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 10/04/2010 : 05:25:54
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Do512 Blog - Pixies at the Austin Music Hall 9/21.
Happy Birthday Dave!
MiamiHerald.com.
Celebrity birthdays on Dec. 6
Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck is 90. Country singer Helen Cornelius is 69. Singer Frankie Beverly of
Maze is 64. Actress JoBeth Williams is 62. Comedian Steven Wright is 55. Guitarist Peter Buck of
R.E.M. is 54. Drummer David Lovering of The Pixies is 49. Guitarist Ben Watt of Everything But the
Girl is 48. Actress Janine Turner is 48. Director Judd Apatow is 43.
Undertheradar - Art/Music/Alchemy Exhibition Feat. Work From Liars, The Pixies, Les Savy Fav + More.
An exciting new exhibition is launching this week at Auckland's Starkwhite Gallery
that features work from members of some of our favourite bands. Curated by Los
Angeles based artist, Whitney Bedford, the show includes work from musicians
such as Julian Gross from Liars, Harrison Haynes from Les Savy Fav, David
Lovering from The Pixies, Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem, Devendra
Banhart and more (full list below)...
...Starkwhite is pleased to announce the Art/Music/Alchemy exhibition will launch
on January 20 2011. Curated by Los Angeles based artist, Whitney Bedford, the
show features original artworks by some of the most interesting contemporary
recording artists including Nancy Whang (LCD Soundsystem), Pat Mahoney
(LCD Sounsytem), Rob Reynolds (Dungbeetle), Raffi Kalenderian (Wounded
Lion) , David Lovering (The Pixies), Julian Gross (Liars), Devendra Banhart,
Janine Rostron (Planningtorock), Sarah Anderson and Luke Fishbeck (Lucky
Dragons), Hisham A. Bharoocha (The Boredoms, Soft Circle), Tim Presley
(Darker My Love), Harrison Haynes (Les Savy Fav), Adam Tuille, and Tomory
Dodge (Capacitor) among others.
*bump*
Metro - Older and wiser, the legendary Pixies head to Halifax.
Montreal Mirror - Doolittle, not too late.
TheChronicleHerald.ca - Pixies pop up in big places.
Echo Weekly Online Edition - The Pixies.
The Detroit News - Alt-rock pioneers Pixies back with classic songs.
Detroit Free Press - The Pixies head to Detroit for a show built around legendary album 'Doolittle'.
Uptown - Here comes your band.
Winnipeg Free Press - Doing a lot of Doolittle.
GIG CITY - Pixies still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Times Colonist - Pixies thrive on tour.
*bump*
Rolling Stone - The Pixies Finally Begin Contemplating New Album. |
Edited by - Carl on 07/09/2011 12:57:10 |
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The Maharal
= Cult of Ray =
996 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2011 : 14:24:01
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I wish the press would stop churning out the same tripe over and over again.. It's been the same news article for about four years now. Bet they all have a giggle after the interviews.
I did like this quote though: "It keeps me busy and off the streets, so that's good."
I have a feeling that they'll play a few gigs next year before doing some major Surfer Rosa tours in 2013. Wouldn't mind seeing SR played live in its entirety tbh. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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pixie punk
> Teenager of the Year <
2923 Posts |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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pixie punk
> Teenager of the Year <
2923 Posts |
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New Dave interview (26 July 2010).
