Pixies
Pixies Debate the Merits of Van Halen, Drop Acid on ‘Dregs of the Wine’
Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago scores his first writing credit in the group’s storied, 35-plus-year history on “Dregs of the Wine,” the latest track to be unveiled from the upcoming album Doggerel. “I guess I was in kind of a zombie state, just playing,” Santiago says of the initial instrumental idea. “After I stopped playing, I put it down and went, ‘Well, that was a fucking waste of time. What a piece of shit I am.’ I beat myself up a lot, but my girlfriend, unbeknownst to me, was recording me. She played it back to me, and I go, ‘Fuck! Hold on a second here! This stuff is good!’” Pixies frontman Black Francis eventually added lyrics about “living in Los Angeles in the ‘90s with my then-wife, hanging out with Joey and his ex-wife, lots of trips to Las Vegas, a lot of drinking, litt...
Pixies Share Latest Doggerel Single ‘Vault of Heaven’
In September, the Pixies are set to release Doggerel, their first studio album since 2019’s Beneath the Eyrie. Today the, alternative rock veterans shared the latest single from the album with the rocking “Vault of Heaven.” The video for “Vault of Heaven,” which is directed by Charles Derenne, sees a semi-clothed Zorro-looking person who is heading into Los Angeles on the back of a toy horse. After ending up at 7-11 (which syncs with the song’s lyrics) and bumps into various figures, including Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe impersonators. [embedded content][embedded content] “When I first listened to the track, the idea that came to my mind was modern western rock sonorities,” Derenne said in a statement. “It would have been too obvious to shoot a western, so we decided to use the irony ...
Pixies Announce 8th Studio Album With Ripping New Song, ‘There’s A Moon On’
Ahead of their highly-anticipated UK shows — including a massive Hyde Park gig with Pearl Jam — Pixies announced their eighth studio album, Doggerel (September 30 via BMG). The alt-rockers unveiled the lyric video to its first single, a propulsive rocker, “There’s a Moon On.” Pre-order the record here. “We’re trying to do things that are very big and bold and orchestrated,” said vocalist-guitarist Black Francis in a statement. “The punky stuff, I really like playing it but you just cannot artificially create that shit. There’s another way to do this, there’s other things we can do with this extra special energy that we’re encountering.” “This time around we have grown,” said guitarist Joey Santiago, who has his first two Pixies songwriting credits on this album. “We no longer have un...
Pixies Share Video for ‘Human Crime’
Pixies have unveiled a new single and accompanying video for “Human Crime.” Pixies have only released only one other single since 2019’s Beneath The Eyrie. The accompanying video to “Human Crime” was directed by band member Paz Lenchantin, the bassist who has played with the Pixies since 2014. “The storyline is loosely based on an ‘inside joke’ between Charles [Thompson] and I about going on tour,” Lenchanti said. “How we go through a door from our reality state into the altered state of becoming and being a Pixie.” [embedded content][embedded content] The Pixies are set to hit the road with several sold-out U.S. dates. They will also headline the Vive Latino 2022 festival in Mexico City before heading across seas to open the BBC 6 Music Festival. Pixies 2022 Tour Dates: MARCH15 Rialto The...
It’s A Live (Album)!
As with all extraordinary natural occurrences, a must-own live album is a rare once-in-a-lifetime event. Against all odds—or, perhaps because of them—Pixies have achieved the epic, rarified feat of producing a live experience that you simply must add to your collection. Live In Brixton (out February 25) documents their four sold-out reunion shows at London’s historic Brixton Academy in June 2004. I spoke with guitarist Joey Santiago and drummer Dave Lovering about those legendary shows 18 years ago. “That is one of our favorite venues to play, Brixton,” Joey says. “Not to dis Omaha or anything, but it’s almost like when we go there, ‘Shit, this is home.’ First of all, London is our second home because our label was there, and just going to Brixton now is a special feeling. You enter it and...
U2, Pixies, Foo Fighters and Taylor Swift Highlight Record Store Day 2022 Releases
Record Store Day has just released the list of exclusive pressings that will be available on April 23. In case supply chain issues get in the way of the planned date in April, a safety net’ date of June 18th was established as a backup. This year returns to the normal Record Store Day format since there will be a single date instead of the two “Drop” dates that took place in 2020 and 2021. Even with a single date, the list of exclusive releases is no less exciting. U2, Pixies, David Bowie Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, David Bowie, St. Vincent, Prince, Stevie Nicks, and Lou Reed, among many more, will release limited edition vinyl. Taylor Swift, the Record Store Day 2022 global ambassador, will release a seven-inch pressing of her bonus track “the lakes” from 2020’s folklore. U2 will celebrat...
The 10 Best Indie and Alternative Leonard Cohen Covers
Leonard Cohen is the definition of a songwriter’s songwriter, the kind of artist you’d seldom hear on the radio, but was revered by countless musicians as one of the greatest lyricists in the world. An accomplished poet and novelist before he ever recorded an album, Cohen’s songs were vivid and literary, full of politics, dark humor, and frank sexuality. Though classic rock icons like Billy Joel and James Taylor have covered him, and Pentatonix has moronically attempted to make “Hallelujah” into a Christmas standard, Leonard Cohen’s legacy has grown more when he’s been covered by artists who share Cohen’s subversive edge or name-checked in songs like Nirvana’s “Pennyroyal Tea.” November 7 marks the 5th anniversary of the Canadian legend’s death in 2016, so here’s a look back at 10 of the b...
Pixies Detail Live In Brixton Box Set From 2004 Run
Pixies are releasing a massive box set featuring recordings from their 2004 sold-out four-night run at the Brixton Academy in London. The alt-rockers ended an 11-year hiatus with the Brixton shows that began with their classic cover of Neil Young’s “Winterlong,” plus tracks off Doolittle, Surfer Rosa, and much more. “It was an amazing reception, I guess they had missed us over all those years,” guitarist Joey Santiago said. “I particularly remember getting word that the balcony was swaying, and seeing that the crowd didn’t want to leave long after we had finished the show.” The Live In Brixton package is out January 28. Newly mastered by Phil Kinrade at Alchemy Mastering, it will be available on vinyl and CD formats, each consisting of eight discs. Drummer Dave Lovering’s opening...
September 24, 1991: A Banner Release Day for Musical Masterworks
I walked into Rhino Records in New Paltz, New York on September 24, 1991, with one mission in mind: copping the new cassette by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. After months of reading about the band working on the follow-up to their 1989 breakthrough LP Mother’s Milk with Rick Rubin, the time was finally nigh. Heading into the store after school, the metallic gray Rock and Roll Over-evoking cover art for Blood Sugar Sex Magick was staring right at me from the new releases shelf. I snatched up the cassette, along with Ceremony, the new Cult album, which had come out that day as well. I lumbered over to the counter and was greeted with a side-eye from the store manager as he surveyed my purchase choices. “So you’re not getting Nevermind?” he asked. “Huh?” “The new Nirvana album,” he s...
Wicked Pissah!
July 8, 20212:46 PM (PT)/5:46 PM (ET) “The Pixies name came about because it was going to be a challenge to make it good,” guitarist Joey Santiago explains over Zoom. “Because Pixies…that’s not a band. That’s not a rock ‘n roll name. Unless you know that they’re mischievous, that I liked. Now you could say that it’s a rock ‘n roll band, I guess…but you think ‘pixies’ it’s like a cute…it’s fucking… Tinkerbell.” While pixie folklore ranges across centuries and continents, it’s believed they originated in English fireside fables, linked to the faery family. Some are indeed downright evil, but for the most part, pixies are tiny tricksters who love to dance and sing in groups, especially at night. At first glance, they’re practically human, except for their immortality and ability to create mag...
56 Musicians Predict the 2021 NFL Season
Only a few things are certain in this world: death, taxes and the NFL dominating the fall (and winter). Last year’s weird season ended in the familiar fashion of Tom Brady winning the Super Bowl. Snore. This year, with fans returning to full capacity stadiums, it *should* feel like the NFL of recent memory for fans, players and coaches alike. Just like we have for the past two seasons, we’ve asked our expert panel of musicians how they think the season will unfold for their favorite teams. On top of the usual crew, we’ve added a bunch more who aren’t afraid to hit the mat in support of their favorite team. The one wrinkle that threw off a lot of those 8-8 predictions? The 17 game season. It will lead to more strange things and having an extra game to cheer or jeer will make the rest of the...
30 Artists Reflect on 30 Years of Pearl Jam’sTen
The story has been told thousands of times, but it bears repeating: Pearl Jam should never have happened. The ’90s had just begun. In March 1990, the promising Seattle rock band Mother Love Bone was about to unveil their debut album. But on the eve of the release, the band’s lead singer, Andrew Wood, died tragically of a heroin overdose. His band members, guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament were blind-sided, devastated, and decided to end the band. Over the next few months, Gossard slowly found his way back to music. He made a few demos that landed in the hands of a surfer from San Diego via Chicago who got them from ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Jack Irons. The surfer’s name was Eddie Vedder. The songs he sent back? “Alive,” “Once,” and “Footsteps.” Pearl Jam formed around t...
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