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larissa
- FB Fan -
Ireland
7 Posts |
 Posted - 09/08/2004 : 09:05:05
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hi... i'm nervous... first time on here
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larissa
- FB Fan -
Ireland
7 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2004 : 09:13:05
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but i just wanted to say that i read the brilliant new issue of spin magazine, with an amazing pixies article by mark spitz (and as a journalist myself, i was really impressed by it)and that's where i read the lovely news about frank and his girlfriend violet's pregnancy. i hope thery go on to ptoduce a lovely, healthy, happy little musical genius. also if violet herself reads this, id love you to contact me because i interviewed frank last year for the sunday independent newspaper in ireland and wrote a very unusual article afterwards, which was so different than the normal rock interviews. and i think you'd like it, so i'd like to pass it on. charles probably remembers me because i am a huge fan and i think i totally freaked him out by my enthusiasm! so violet, if you can, get in touch with me...
and congratulations! both of you!
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larissa
- FB Fan -
Ireland
7 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2004 : 10:33:27
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maybe i'll just post it on the site...or is it too big? Here goes...
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT 24/08/2003
A Frank assessment of one's rock idol
A star-struck Larissa Nolan says a meeting with her musical hero, former Pixies frontman Frank Black, was a dream come true
WHEN I was 13 years old, I used to go to bed at night and dream about meeting Frank Black.
I had the whole thing planned out perfectly in my head: where it would be, what I would say, how there would be an instant connection between us.
In this fantasy meeting, I was a journalist and Frank was my interviewee.
Recently, 13 years after those teenage dreams, I did it.
Just like in my imagination, it was in an interview situation. But the clever, witty conversationalist I thought I would be was replaced by stammering idiot who could hardly speak for smiling.
In fact, the experience of meeting my idol overwhelmed me so much that I broke down and criedafterwards.
There's a core group of you out there who know exactly who this Frank Black is -- you're all probably of a certain age and have an interest in a certain kind of music.
For the others, I'll try to give you an introduction to this artist who has influenced so many others -- the rock musician's rock musician.
Black is the screaming, sweating frontman of late Eighties American cult band the Pixies, a group listed as one of the handful in history who revolutionised music.
Critics say their distinctive "quiet and loud" style -- ranging from Black whispering hoarsely over a low bass line, to him suddenly screaming blue murder when the rest of the band kicks in -- radically changed the face of music.
It's a sound that most people associate with Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, but it was Frank Black and the Pixies who did it first.
Even Cobain himself admitted where his influence came from, once describing their grunge classic Smells Like Teen Spirit as a "Pixies rip-off" and saying he should have been in a Pixies cover band.
It was Black -- real name Charles Thompson -- who wrote the majority of the songs. So it was he who paved the way for the grunge movement, which came along at the same time as the Pixies split in 1992.
It's this simple. Without Frank Black, there would be no Nirvana, there would be no grunge. Radiohead, PJ Harvey, Smashing Pumpkins and David Bowie have all named him as a major influence and the list goes on.
Even Bono, in all his stardom, bows down to Frank Black. When Black played an acoustic one-man set in Dublin, Bono insisted on going backstage and by all accounts, was as star-struck as a teenager at a meet 'n' greet.
So for me, meeting this man -- this 36-year-old, chubby, bald, California resident -- meant more to me than anyone else in the world.
He and his music came into my life back in the summer of 1990, my first teenage summer, and went on to become the soundtrack of my life.
An old friend (Hi, Matthew) is indelibly inked on my memory as the person who gave me their first record, the seminal Surfer Rosa, an album now in the collection of any self-respecting music lover.
As soon as I hit the play button on my cassette player, I had the feeling that my life had changed, that music would never be the same again. From then on, those five Pixies albums followed me through all kinds of ups and downs and new experiences and after the split it was Frank Black's solo work -- eight albums to date -- that carried me along.
So when I got a call from Stevo Berube of Berube Communications asking would I be interested in interviewing Frank Black, my head spun. "Would I be interested?"
"Would I!" He's just offered me the interview of my life. I've met a few famous people through my work and have never once been overawed, but even thinking about this made me nauseous with excitement.
The date was set, the venue decided. I would interview Frank the following Monday at 11am at the Parliament Hotel in Dublin. He was doing press for his new album Show Me Your Tears.
Waking up that morning, the world seemed normal, but for me it wasn't really. I cycled into town and with shaking hands, locked my bike up outside the hotel and stepped in.
And there he was. Sitting back in his cowboy shirt, drinking coffee, the morning sun spilling in the window on top of him.
He smiled and gave me a kiss on each cheek and the interview began. I was clumsy and over-eager and pathetically desperate to please, but I think he was bemused by my star-struck state.
I asked him how he felt about his influence on the music scene and he seemed embarrassed at the question, saying all music was influenced by something before it.
"People get into my stuff and then they make music and somebody else listens to their music and then they make a record . . . " he says.
He tells me that his new album is a heartbreak record inspired by the painful divorce he is currently going through from the woman he has been with for 16 years.
And he really is down about it -- his smile doesn't quite reach his sad eyes and he is still wearing his wedding ring, albeit dangling from a chain around his neck.
"It's the first time I've put something really personal on an album. The lyrics are about me and how I'm feeling and that's something I'd never have done in the early days. I wasn't raised that way.
"It's strange to sing about myself. I used to enjoy being abstract in my lyrics. But it's good and I think listeners will like it too -- they can connect to it.
"It's kinda like: `Yeah, I know how he feels, I'm pissed off too.' I hope people can relate to it."
Indeed, it is a sad album and a deeply personal one and probably the most honest recording of his career.
There's a country flavour to it, with lots of pedal steel guitar and lines such as: "Now I'm drunk all the time, the sun never shines, when will happiness find me again?"
He dampens rumours of a Pixies reunion -- the band reportedly split due to strains between the laid-back Black and highly-strung bassist Kim Deal -- saying: "I just go from day to day, I have no great plan."
"Maybe we will get together someday or maybe we won't." At one point, I apologised for being so excited and explained I was a huge fan. Again, he shook it off.
"That's the way it is over here in Europe and particularly Ireland. People are passionate about music, they're active music listeners. And I'm glad to have active music listeners as fans."
I finish the interview by giving him an album by French artist Serge Gainsbourg, which I felt he would like and thankfully he did, telling me he had planned to discover Serge's music.
I left a little card inside for him and it read: "To Charles, For making the music that has been there throughout everything in my life -- happiness, sadness, teenage angst, love, hate, sex, death and heartbreak. Thank you."
I'd met my idol. I now know little things about him such as how he's big on eye contact, he gives a great hug and he twitches his nose when he talks. I'd come into his world for a little while. I'd played a bit part in his life. Just like I always dreamed I would.
Frank Black's new album `Show Me Your Tears' is out on September 5. He plays Dublin's Vicar Street on October 3.
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dayanara
* Dog in the Sand *
Australia
1811 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2004 : 13:54:33
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| This is mostly off-topic, but I'd like to extend my congratulations to Joey and Linda on the birth of their son a few weeks ago. It's Pixie babies all around! Look out, Kim and Dave! |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11687 Posts |
Posted - 09/08/2004 : 14:44:52
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Joseph.
 "Join the Cult of Frank 2.0 / And you'll be enlightened (free for 1.x members)" |
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2004 : 00:46:02
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Welcome, and great article Larissa... (Nolan is a family name on my mom's side).
Wow, I could almost feel your excitement just by reading that article. It appears to me that some of the bigger music publications have expanded on your initial reporting of the Pixies inspiring so many musicians.
I especially liked your quote when you were thanking Frank... I feel the same way about the music... that is has been a constant amidst many chagnes over time. |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2004 : 01:44:00
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Very nice article, Larissa.
Denis
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larissa
- FB Fan -
Ireland
7 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2004 : 07:48:00
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You know what? I'd love to be able to scan the photo, but I haven't got the technology (or the know how to do it). It's available for anyone who has a subscription to unison.independent.ie but even though i work there, i don't have one. But it's a funny pic because I have a smile like a cheshire cat!
thank you all so much for the comments
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n/a
deleted
4109 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2004 : 14:01:07
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Great article Larissa! I think that if I had that opportunity in my life I would be wordless!
Eu estava perdida mas agora encontrei-me... |
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mariggy
- FB Fan -
Japan
65 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2004 : 21:59:57
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quote:
Originally posted by larissa
I finish the interview by giving him an album by French artist Serge Gainsbourg, which I felt he would like and thankfully he did, telling me he had planned to discover Serge's music.
Thanks,larissa. You did interview with FB!? What a precious experience you had!!
By the way, I am interested in Which album you gave him.
I join The Broken English Club. ---It's educational. |
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larissa
- FB Fan -
Ireland
7 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2004 : 11:03:18
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| hi mariggy i just gave him the Initials SG album, because I reckoned he had never heard Serge's music before and it was the best way to introduce him to some of it |
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larissa
- FB Fan -
Ireland
7 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2004 : 11:03:59
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| Isn't it funny that we both like Serge and Frank...? |
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mariggy
- FB Fan -
Japan
65 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2004 : 21:35:04
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"Initials SG"--Best of. It's good choice, larissa.  It shows the variety of his music. For example, chanson, latin, raggae, and rock . I am glad it includes my favorite "Marilou sous la neige".
quote:
Originally posted by larissa
Isn't it funny that we both like Serge and Frank...?
I like them both, too. Both of them are COOL!!
I join The Broken English Club. ---It's educational. |
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bazza
* Dog in the Sand *
Ireland
1439 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2004 : 13:01:25
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hello again Larissa. whelans was fun - check your email by the way. Cheers!
quote:
Originally posted by larissa
Isn't it funny that we both like Serge and Frank...?
Television! Teacher, mother, secret lover. |
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-
France
2715 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 04:46:44
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quote:
Originally posted by dayanara
quote:
Originally posted by PixieSteve
she was on the cover a mix CD? what mix CD... is her photo floating around the internet?
I think it came with a special edition of NME, but I'm in the US so I've never seen it. Apparently she's reading Winnie the Pooh and looks like Minnie Driver. There was a pic of her on the website of the university she works at back when this whole debacle happened. Didn't look like Minnie Driver to me, but she's very pretty.
There's indeed a pic of a (charming) Violet Clark on the UO website, but how can you be sure she's Frank's Violet?...
http://uoma.uoregon.edu/images/Dec03%20Transformation.pdf (see 'Laurel Award Interns', p.4)
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 04:48:41
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stalker!
Denis
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Frog in the Sand
-+ Le premiere frog +-
France
2715 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 04:58:00
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| Voyeur! |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7443 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 05:04:05
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Who said I clicked on your link?
(OK, I did, but...)
Denis
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 18:35:22
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| Wow, what a nice photo. She has a beautiful smile, beautiful eyes and is radiant. Very pretty! Lucky Chuck! |
Edited by - Daisy Girl on 09/16/2004 12:34:34 |
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Congratulations Violet and Frank!
