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Jefery With One F
- FB Fan -
Canada
184 Posts |
 Posted - 09/09/2004 : 10:03:03
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I don't know if this has been posted elsewhere, but I figured it would be new to some people at least...
Pixies prevail in slow touring season
Britney Spears, Lenny Kravitz and Christina Aguilera have scrapped tours. Lollapalooza crashed and burned. The U.S. touring market has been in dire straits all summer.
But a savior showed up in the very unlikely form of a band that hasn't hit the road or released a new studio album since 1992: the Pixies. Even though the North American tour doesn't start until this weekend, the reunited act has quietly sold out venues ranging from clubs to arenas, everywhere from Saskatchewan to Chicago.
The quartet is already eyeing more dates next year and may even record a new studio album. But you would barely discern the enormity of these feats from talking to vocalist/guitarist Frank Black. "I'm very pleased," he says matter-of-factly. "Very happy. We're soaking it all up. We're just kind of observing this experience that's happening."
Black and his bandmates may be exceedingly modest, but fans certainly have not been shy about gobbling up tickets for the Pixies' first major road trip in 12 years.
The 50-plus-date trek kicks off Sept. 4 in Bend, Ore., and finishes with an unprecedented six-night run at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom in mid-December that is already sold out.
Tickets range from $30 to $45 in most markets. "It's a wonderful validation of quality that wasn't recognized when the band was [previously] active," says Marc Geiger, the Pixies' longtime booking agent at William Morris.
"This is a summer-doldrums concert season, and they are a shining star." The band eased back into live performance with a short, instantly sold-out April warm-up tour of small markets, culminating in a rapturously received appearance at California's Coachella Festival in May.
The subsequent summer European festival/headlining tour was also a huge box-office draw. It included a host of London shows that sold out in minutes. "I prefer slightly smaller audiences," Black admits. "Playing to 50,000 people is interesting, but after about 10,000 people they all just kind of fade into some other visual field."
To accommodate Black's preference as well as fan demand, the Pixies are playing a handful of multiple-night stands at medium-sized venues like Chicago's 4,500-capacity Aragon Ballroom.
Black says set lists for the fall shows will vary each night and will draw from a pool of about 40 songs. That roster represents "more or less what we think the audience wants to hear, maybe with a little bit of what we wanted to play." Immediately after most concerts, fans will be able to purchase a limited run of soundboard-sourced recordings via DiscLive.
"The after-market value is amazing," Geiger says, noting that the first reunion show in Minneapolis is selling for $100 on eBay. Shows promoted by Clear Channel Entertainment will not participate, because the company offers live recordings through its proprietary Instant Live series.
With box-office business booming, Geiger says he is already cooking up a summer package next year with other A-list rock acts. Black says with a chuckle, "I suppose we might try to nail something down for next year. We're not real good with the whole game-plan thing."
Of greater interest to fans is the spectre of a new Pixies studio album, but Black insists the band is in no hurry. He says he's comforted the Pixies are not under contract to a record label, and therefore are free to explore various opportunities for releasing new music.
The Pixies previously recorded for 4AD, which was distributed through Warner Bros. in the United States. "I'm not saying we won't record, but I don't know if making an LP for a record company is the way to go, [considering] the way things are right now," Black says. "We've talked about that heavily.
What can we do to keep recording and making music but not make an album, and see what opportunities come our way? It takes the pressure off of us to make our 'next grand statement' to the world." Indeed, Black says there is no fundamental obstacle to hitting the studio other than "laziness.
Again, I've got to write a bunch of songs and [bassist] Kim [Deal] has to write a few songs. We talk about it right now, but it's just cheap talk, because there aren't any songs." For now, the group is unveiling some new recordings in dribs and drabs. A new song, "Bam Thwok," was made available exclusively via the iTunes Music Store.
As previously reported, a cover of Warren Zevon's "Ain't That Pretty at All" will appear on the tribute "Enjoy Every Sandwich," due Oct. 19 via Artemis. "It was good to record again," Black says. "It's always a little unusual doing someone else's song, because you're never quite sure if you're pulling it off. Our version came out good. It's a little more Stones-y and a little more punk-y, I suppose, than the original. The original is also kind of brash."
The idea to cover the tune was generated by Zevon's son, Jordan. "The night of the Grammys, there was an Artemis Records party at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica," Black recalls. "The Pixies all went down there. We got to be the cool post-punk band hanging out with the former Eagles and Jackson Browne. We enjoyed ourselves.
It was a very nice party. We felt important and appreciated." "But then we went to some slick-o party put on by our agency's office in Hollywood, with thumping music and young, beautiful people," he continues. "We were just like these scruffs who stood in the corner gawking at everyone else. Nobody noticed us. They probably thought we were there to clean the bathroom [laughs]."
The band was also approached to make a video for the cut, but begged out of what Black says would have been an uncomfortable arrangement. "We had an offer to do a video, paid for by a combination of the record company and/or MTV," he says. "The video was to be done in New York and directed by MTV.
Fortunately, it came at a logistically impossible time. We just went, 'No, we can't, sorry.' I haven't made a video in a long time, but I can't imagine making a video for a network that then plays it."
This is the link to the article, which also includes a picture of Frank with David Bowie, Martin Gore of Depeche Mode, and Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction:
http://entertainment.sympatico.msn.ca/Music/Features/Articles/Pixies+prevail+in+slow+touring+season.htm
Vote Bush in 2004 |
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Dallas
= Cult of Ray =
USA
725 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2004 : 10:16:21
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| thanks for the link. It looks like we will be getting some decent press as the North American tour cranks up...delicious |
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fumanbru
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1462 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2004 : 10:38:03
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i'm kind of surprised that frank wouldn't want to do a video that would be paid be someone else and actually played on mtv. the fb videos are gems. the reason i bought the first fb record was cause i thought the video los angeles was awesome and the song kicked ass. plus it seems like frank's personality really comes through in the videos. headache is a classic and i really like alec eiffel. i always thought frank didn't do videos cause they cost a fair amount to make and never really got any play. i'd be stoked to see a video for ain't that pretty at all.
 "I joined the Cult of Frank/ and I got a free t-shirt with this dude on it." |
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marbleslinger
- FB Fan -
Canada
134 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2004 : 13:09:24
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"more or less what we think the audience wants to hear, maybe with a little bit of what we wanted to play."
someone pleeeeeeeease tell charles/frank that what the audience WANTS to hear is more trompe and bossanova..... |
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tobafett
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1713 Posts |
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Sprite
* Dog in the Sand *
1333 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2004 : 03:35:18
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quote:
Again, I've got to write a bunch of songs and [bassist] Kim [Deal] has to write a few songs
Wow Frank is really mellowing out these days |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2462 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2004 : 06:55:09
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The pic with Bowie and friends dates from a few months ago, when Frank went to watch a show on Bowie's 'Reality' Tour, where, of course, Bowie played his version of 'Cactus'.
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2004 : 13:59:50
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Thanks Jeferey... cool article...
one thing i gotta point out tho... those tickets went up to $700 each... not $100. Trust me... I ALMOST paid that much if it wasn't for some very nice and very cool people.
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Edited by - Daisy Girl on 09/10/2004 14:01:01 |
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Crispy Water
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
819 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2004 : 14:42:30
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I quite like this article. A couple of points on previous comments though:
What he said was he didn't want to do a video that MTV has a hand in making (finance and direct, according to the article) when they'll be playing it. He probably knows if they let that happen MTV would somehow find a way to turn it into a tool of commerce, which seems to run a bit off the road he and the Pixies tend to take. I think he'd be comfortable with MTV playing a video the band made on their own.
Also, I believe the $100 figure was referring to the discs from the Minneapolis show, not the tickets.
Nothing is ever something. |
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twist
- FB Fan -
USA
191 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2004 : 22:05:25
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| Glad that Kim's gotta do a few songs. Merchandise bags are going for $20 and up. This phantom album's gonna kill. Update:Corporate rock still sucks, those reptiles tried to suck the life out of music, the pheonix of the Pixies is a giant razzberry in their faces. |
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two reelers
* Dog in the Sand *
Austria
1036 Posts |
Posted - 09/11/2004 : 02:12:28
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quote:
Originally posted by marbleslinger
"more or less what we think the audience wants to hear, maybe with a little bit of what we wanted to play."
someone pleeeeeeeease tell charles/frank that what the audience WANTS to hear is more trompe and bossanova.....
ya, we should start a petition with this concern...as it goes for you US-citiziens, something like "autumn 2004: i don't vote bush or kerry, and even nader sucks compared to bossa and trompe !"
 I joined the cult of this mouse / and now I occidentally tic-tac |
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marbleslinger
- FB Fan -
Canada
134 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2004 : 18:25:57
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| vote Alec Eiffel for president and Allison for vice in 2004!!!! |
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tobafett
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1713 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2004 : 19:38:49
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Well, if all he's gonna do is stand in archways and erect large steel phalluses (phallusi??) , that ain't gonna get him into office.
then again, it might...America is one nutsy gig. |
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woodworm
- FB Fan -
USA
94 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 13:57:30
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| frank really gets it, he still has a vision! beautiful read |
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Daisy Girl
~ Abstract Brain ~
Belize
5305 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2004 : 18:09:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Crispy Water
I quite like this article. A couple of points on previous comments though:
What he said was he didn't want to do a video that MTV has a hand in making (finance and direct, according to the article) when they'll be playing it. He probably knows if they let that happen MTV would somehow find a way to turn it into a tool of commerce, which seems to run a bit off the road he and the Pixies tend to take. I think he'd be comfortable with MTV playing a video the band made on their own.
Also, I believe the $100 figure was referring to the discs from the Minneapolis show, not the tickets.
Nothing is ever something.
Thanks...that makes more sense! Duh I guess that what AFTERmarket means! |
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KimStanleyRobinson
* Dog in the Sand *
1972 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2004 : 14:03:19
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quote:
Originally posted by twist
Glad that Kim's gotta do a few songs. Merchandise bags are going for $20 and up. This phantom album's gonna kill. Update:Corporate rock still sucks, those reptiles tried to suck the life out of music, the pheonix of the Pixies is a giant razzberry in their faces.
Fuck yeah, man. Seems the whole industry is just standing back going ,"What the!?" .
You guys got that stab at MTV, right? They hardly spun the Pixies videos and the FB stuff maybe a touch more. I read an interview somewhere with FB from 93 - the interviewer asked him about the new stuff - new videos - and he said something like "Well, if they fucking PLAY it..." which they didn't...so now, no. Sorry assholes. No seat for you on the gravy train.  |
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n/a
deleted
4894 Posts |
Posted - 09/16/2004 : 15:44:26
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its something like a phenomenon
the room smelled like cupids gym
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Pixies story on MSN
