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Back in February, fans of good music rejoiced upon hearing news that the godfathers of alternative rock—and one of the greatest rock bands, period—were reuniting. After all, it had been a dozen years since Boston four-piece the Pixies split acrimoniously after releasing a handful of critically acclaimed albums, including 1989’s seminal Doolittle. For years it seemed as if the group whose sound had inspired Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” along with countless other modern rock standards, would remain the “band behind the bands.” Thankfully, such is not the case. For the past six months, the Pixies have toured relentlessly, selling out concerts worldwide. To mark this momentous occasion, group frontman Frank Black sat down to talk the music that moves him, the music that doesn’t, the merits of Pacific Rim cuisine, and more.
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S&R-n-R:
Name a song that really gets you.
Frank Black:
I’ve always liked P.F. Sloan’s “Eve Of Destruction.” It’s the performance by the singer, Barry McGuire, and, um, I would say it’s also the chord progression and melody. And then the lyrics are a nice third-place—kind of dark, moody, apocalyptic. That’s all fine and dandy, but it’s really the melody and the chord progression that really do it for me, that move me emotionally.
S&R-n-R:
Who, in your opinion, is the best rock band of your generation?
Frank Black:
X. It’s a combination of . . . let’s see: The production of the records is a big one. It’s dry, it’s very simple, it’s punky but it’s not nasty sounding. It’s very warm sounding. Very warm records. It’s a combination of the songwriting and Billy Zoom’s guitar work. I mean, fantastic drummer. I don’t know—they’re just an all-around good band. They’ve got some different things going on with the skewed harmonies and such. And it’s nice when lyricists try to be poetic. They seem to be more concerned with writing poetic lyrics where something meant something truly as opposed to just being pretentious. You know, those kinda faux-heartfelt stuff that happens so often when people try to be heartfelt, they don’t really show it. I mean, I really like “Blue Spark.” That’s one of my favorite songs.
S&R-n-R:
Is there a band working today that you really like?
Frank Black:
I can’t say that there’s anyone out there that really knocks me out. I just haven’t paid attention enough probably more than anything. And there’s so many in my peripheral vision that so instantly do not knock me out.
S&R-n-R:
Do you think old-school rock has validity in today’s rock?
Frank Black:
In defense of some of the bands that echo the bands of yesteryear, I don’t think that’s a bad thing necessarily if more people did it, because certain standards, certain styles, are formed, and then they get kinda chucked away too fast, because music is kinda too tied up with fashion, so things only last for a couple of seasons. It’s like, “Oh, yeah. We’re done with that whole stupid punk thing.” Or “We’re done with that whole stupid disco thing.” I think there are things of great value in older music, so that’s a shame, I think.
S&R-n-R:
What do you make of all of the competition facing music nowadays—the videogames and everything else vying for people’s attention?
Frank Black:
I can see that, but I think just as soon as people run out of money, just as soon as the economy gets bad, then things instantly revert to the simple things. The idea of music that comes out of a record player, so therefore you need records or even just sitting around and singing songs or going to a dance or watching live concerts or going to the movies. I think all the stuff made out of plastic, all of the gadget-y stuff, potentially disappears pretty fast. As soon as people are having trouble paying their broadband connection—there goes all the computer stuff. Gone overnight! And it could be gone overnight. I mean, shit, there’s a war on, and we all gotta pinch pennies! People go back to the stuff that doesn’t cost a lot of money and the stuff that you don’t have to hand money to over and over again. Stuff that you get for free, stuff that your older brother gives you, stuff that you can get out of the local library.
S&R-n-R:
Is there a certain type of music you don’t like?
Frank Black:
Not really. I like most everything. Although, every once in a while, you’ll hear a contemporary country song and go, “That’s pretty bad.” I like country music, and I get it—I know what country is supposed to be all about—but I don’t like that slick, contemporary country. Anyone in the Country Top 40—it’s just like, [sound of disgust].
S&R-n-R:
As a songwriter, where do you hear the Pixies influence the most?
Frank Black:
I don’t. I really don’t.
S&R-n-R:
Did you ever meet Kurt Cobain?
Frank Black:
Nope.
S&R-n-R:
What do you think of Nirvana?
Frank Black:
Um . . . It’s a little poppy for my taste, but I don’t think it’s bad or anything like that. Certainly, you know, there are millions of others that think me wrong. For loud rock music, I tend to listen to stuff that’s less poppy or more dumb—more classic rock oriented. Y’know, like The Rolling Stones or something like that. For more more contemporary stuff, if I listen to loud stuff, it’s probably gonna be more punky, like Minor Threat or even just something like The Clash or something like that, which is not real extreme music or anything like that, but to me it’s less poppy. I mean, I never sat down and listened to a Nirvana record, so I can’t really give it the fairest assessment, but I guess it’s a little serious or something. It doesn’t quite have the humor that I gravitate to in a lot of music. It doesn’t have a wink, or at least I miss it. If it’s there, I don’t get it.
S&R-n-R:
What’s it like playing with the Pixies now as opposed to before?
Frank Black:
A lot of it feels exactly the same. It feels more like when we first started out—the happy mood. There’s not any tension between the band members. Or not like a ton of it. Y’know, the first time around, people were young, they’re not as clever as they are when they’re older. When you’re young you’re more arrogant. And chances are you probably imbibe a lot more in drugs and alcohol, so that just kind of messes everything up. So, it’s got the good, happy feeling that it did at the beginning. I think, somewhere along the line, I got probably pretty grouchy, and that sort of messed things up.
S&R-n-R:
Is there something you like to do by yourself that not too many people know about?
Frank Black:
I drive a lot. Just for pleasure. Sometimes I’ll get in the Cadillac and drive around the city or the country, kind of trying to get lost basically. Y’know, just see where roads lead. Sometimes I’ll listen to music, or I’ll just listen to NPR news or whatever. Or I’ll take the long way to where I’m going instead of the fast way.
S&R-n-R:
Beneath your wild-eyed
banshee wails, would you say you¹re a pretty normal guy?
Frank Black:
My girlfriend, Violet, has two kids: Annabelle is four and Julian is six. On Sunday nights, we like to go to [Portland, Oregon's] Gateway Mall. There are some rides there. And there’s an arcade. I play Skee Ball and all that stuff. And we go to the park and play on the swings. We like to go out to eat, too. I’m getting into the whole Pacific Rim food. Sort of Northwest Japan . . . It’s more like a fusion. There’s this real simple dish I like called Bento. It’s just like rice and teriyaki and something on it. It’s kind of Japanese, but it’s very American in its presentation. This is the kind of stuff you get at little huts and kiosks and even at the mall sometimes. I go to this place called Café Yum. They serve what they call Bento. It’s not authentic Japanese Bento or anything. It’s just rice with teriyaki and a hunk of salmon or something. Good stuff.
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