Pixies

In the late 1980s, the Pixies spread their influence to every corner of the globe in the alternative music scene. From Kurt Cobain to a multitude of little-known bands, the independent scene reached a turning point when Black Francis, Joey Santiago, Kim Deal, and David Lovering got together in Boston in 1986.

Their first rehearsals took place in the garage of drummer David Lovering’s father. With Filipino guitarist Joey Santiago and vocalist and guitarist Black Francis, the band took the name Pixies. The addition of Kim Deal (bass and vocals) provided the perfect counterpoint to the group’s dynamic: the sweetness of her voice contrasting with Francis’s whispers and visceral screams. The raw energy of their early performances across the American heartland soon caught the attention of the influential British label 4AD, leading to the release of their debut EP, Come On Pilgrim (1987).

The band’s sound fused punk rock, surf music, noise, psychedelia, and Latin influences—a result of the time Black Francis spent living in Puerto Rico—all wrapped up in lyrics inspired by biblical passages, surrealist cinema, and science fiction. 

Surfer Rosa (1988) and Doolittle (1989) elevated the band to global cult status and earned them acclaim from the British press. Their subsequent albums, Bossanova (1990) — driven by the classic “Velouria”— and Trompe Le Monde (1991), expanded this aesthetic into a denser, more pop-oriented territory. However, internal tensions culminated in the group’s breakup in 1993, launching Frank Black into a solo career and solidifying The Breeders, led by Kim Deal.

The return to the stage with the original lineup took place in 2004, featuring a memorable performance in Brazil at the Curitiba Pop Festival and the release of the single “Bam Thwok.” After another tour in Brazil in 2010 (SWU Festival), the quartet returned to the studio in 2013 with producer Gil Norton. The transition was turbulent: Kim Deal left the group during the recordings, being briefly replaced by Kim Shattuck before the permanent arrival of Paz Lenchantin (Zwan, A Perfect Circle). This new phase yielded the albums Indie Cindy (2014) — a compilation of a trilogy of EPs, Head Carrier (2016), Beneath the Eyrie (2019), and Doggerel (2022).

In 2024, the lineup underwent yet another shake-up with Lenchantin’s departure and the addition of Emma Richardson (formerly of Band of Skulls) on bass, marking the new member’s debut on the band’s ninth studio album, The Night the Zombies Came.