Love the Pixies, but Charles Frank Black Francis Thompson is a maniac.

And the Breeders have been much better than his solo work anyway (up to and including "Mountain Battles", their latest record.)

"And the Breeders have been much better than his solo work anyway (up to and including "Mountain Battles", their latest record.)"

Not correct. The Frank Black and the Catholics records are all good. The new Breeders album is not.

Eh, I know it wouldn't be true Pixies, but I could go for hearing more of the other 3 recording together.

jake_lex: Love the Pixies, but Charles Frank Black Francis Thompson is a maniac.

And the Breeders have been much better than his solo work anyway (up to and including "Mountain Battles", their latest record.)

I'd say Bluefinger and Frank Black are better than Mountain Battles and Title TK.

But Last Splash is better than everything post-Pixies for all of 'em.

Bam thwok.

Crap, and no one on the East Coast knows how to play root notes on a bass or sing in a breathy voice. THEY'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.

Passive Aggressive Larry: Eh, I know it wouldn't be true Pixies, but I could go for hearing more of the other 3 recording together.

SockMonkeyHolocaust: Crap, and no one on the East Coast knows how to play root notes on a bass or sing in a breathy voice. THEY'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.

I like Kim Deal, but THIS. Frank Black did a great job of making Kim a nonessential member of that band when they were together.

I thought after the Sell Out tour that the new album was on the way, I guess not now.

*sigh*

crackhome: "And the Breeders have been much better than his solo work anyway (up to and including "Mountain Battles", their latest record.)"

Not correct. The Frank Black and the Catholics records are all good. The new Breeders album is not.

This. I just bought mountain battles based on a couple songs i heard elsewhere. big mistake. 2/3 the album sounds like Kim is literally singing with her head on the bar, semiconscious and slurring.

I guess she needed beer-run money.

That said, ill weigh in with the folks who think the Pixies were yet another example of a whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

/still love the first 2 breeders and FB&C's albums.

Who cares, Joey Santiago is the real center of the band.

Friend of mine worked for Pro Piano musical services in San Francisco in the 90s. Once had to drive up to Berkley to deliver some Fender combos to a Breeder's gig there. Got to stay and catch their gig. He told me it was utterly "unbearable" and one of the worst gigs he had EVER witnessed. Kim and Kelly Deal were drunk and kept interrupting their own songs to tell these long and stupid stories. He said everything they babbled was "yeahh,uhhh" and "like uh-huh" etc. and the two of them kept giggling and smirking with each other in this "inside-joke sister type thing" and couldn't even complete a sentence coherently. Horrible.
The crowd was restless and annoyed. Even the other members of the Breeders appeared annoyed.

He said the ONLY good thing about the gig was Jon Spencer Blues Explosion opened.

They were great. Now they're done. Let it go.

Frank Black should hire Kelly Deal instead and see if anyone notices the difference.

Surfer Rosa (Pixies)
Pacer (The Amps)
Pod (The Breeders)
Doolittle The Pixies)
Last Splash (The Breeders)
Title TK (The Breeders)
Mountain Battles (The Breeders)

/Kim Deal > all

the pixies were terrible, but FB solo is it.

craigdamage: He said the ONLY good thing about the gig was Jon Spencer Blues Explosion opened.

That'd do it. Of course, virtually anyone would be unbearable after following an act that kickass.

Also, everyone should know that in the past few days it's become clear that you cannot question the superiority of women. It's sexist to do so.

(Why would she say that he's so difficult to record with, anyway? He turns out albums two at a time, all the time... seems productive to me.)

Anyone know what the other Deal sister is up to? Still drug problems?

craigdamage: Friend of mine worked for Pro Piano musical services in San Francisco in the 90s. Once had to drive up to Berkley to deliver some Fender combos to a Breeder's gig there. Got to stay and catch their gig. He told me it was utterly "unbearable" and one of the worst gigs he had EVER witnessed. Kim and Kelly Deal were drunk and kept interrupting their own songs to tell these long and stupid stories. He said everything they babbled was "yeahh,uhhh" and "like uh-huh" etc. and the two of them kept giggling and smirking with each other in this "inside-joke sister type thing" and couldn't even complete a sentence coherently. Horrible.
The crowd was restless and annoyed. Even the other members of the Breeders appeared annoyed.

He said the ONLY good thing about the gig was Jon Spencer Blues Explosion opened.

I saw them in July. It was farking incredible.

Oh, and btw, I thought Teenager of the Year kinda sucked.

jake_lex: Love the Pixies, but Charles Frank Black Francis Thompson is a maniac.

And the Breeders have been much better than his solo work anyway (up to and including "Mountain Battles", their latest record.)

Mountain Battles is a piece of shiat. Half-finished songs and constant mumbling/slurring. What a disappointment.

jake_lex: Love the Pixies, but Charles Frank Black Francis Thompson is a maniac.

And the Breeders have been much better than his solo work anyway (up to and including "Mountain Battles", their latest record.)

Negative.

I gotta hear this "Mountain Battles" everyone is arguing about.

I admit I told a story above that was rather embarrassing for the Breeders but I never said I don't think their records have been superb.

Everyone has a bad gig.

I once saw the Melvins in Dallas and I swear somebody must have pissed on King Buzzo's salad just before they went on.

Just before each and every song they played he screamed at the top of his lungs into the mic:

This next song is called FUKC YOU!
It is about FUKC YOU!
It's from our new record called FUKC YOU!!!!

Man was he angry.
They played a savage set though.

I couldn't stand any of the Frank Black/Catholics stuff. The Breeders were/are a more consistently awesome project, though still hit-and-miss.

The "Kelley Deal 6000" record was half excellent, half garbage.

I heard that Bluefinger was supposed to be the new Pixies record, but it didn't happen as such for whatever reason. Still a pretty good record, though.

Give Mountain Battles a few listens. I did not like it at first but it grew on me like a motherfarker. There are a few slow one I could live without but I think it kicks ass as a whole. "German Studies" is a killer.
Saw them in June at the Metro in Chicago and it was one of the best shows I've seen.

I saw Black Francis in San Antonio opening for STP a few months ago. Guy plays like 5 songs, then someone starts yelling "play Pixies songs" and he says "OK I'm done" and walks off stage.

Kim Deal's unearthly voice gives me chills, but Frank Black is a prolific genius songwriter. Love 'em both, but if I had to choose it's no choice at all.

Saddened by this news am I... but inevitable it was :(

Let us remember the good old days.

Breeders best track remains this methinks. Loved this from "Mountain Battles" though. "Pod" is one of the best albums EVAR.

SockMonkeyHolocaust
Crap, and no one on the East Coast knows how to play root notes on a bass or sing in a breathy voice. THEY'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.
DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!

Satanic_Hamster
Anyone know what the other Deal sister is up to? Still drug problems?
Took up knitting as I recall.

'Mountain Battles' is a damn fine album, seems to have got the 'dream soundscape' idea a little better nailed down than on Title TK.

Kelley Deal is with the Breeders on tour.

mahavishnunj: the pixies were terrible, but FB solo is it.

You shut your whore mouth...

C'mon, Kim, you wanna work with somebody, why not a fellow Dayton-er?

id209: Saddened by this news am I... but inevitable it was :(

Let us remember the good old days.

Breeders best track remains this methinks.



I beg to differ (pops, starts at 0:25 of a very watchable art film montage)

spacemanjones

Saw them in June at the Metro in Chicago and it was one of the best shows I've seen.

I love when they busted out the chick in the band uniform with the crash cymbals.

I've been a big fan of Kim Deal for 20 years, but comparing her to Charles is not even worth arguing about.

Charles is one of the greatest songwriters of his generation... without any doubt.

Frank Black Live at Berbatti's Pan (Portland) was one of the top 3 shows of my life. Played a nice mix of solo and Pixies songs.

I guess there's no accounting for taste, but I think he's proven himself on his own. I don't understand why radio didn't play the crap outta the first Frank Black and the Catholics album.

I think the Breeders had potential, but I always felt a little ripped off after buying one of their albums; too hit or miss. Then I heard Pod was done in 3 days, and I understood.

/Tom Waits
//Lyle Lovett
///In case you were wondering

EyeballKid: C'mon, Kim, you wanna work with somebody, why not a fellow Dayton-er?

I think Kim Deal's kinda the reason Uncle Bob got divorced...

/GBV fo' life...

creepy jackalope eye: I think Kim Deal's kinda the reason Uncle Bob got divorced...

She's a brewer too?

deadsanta:I beg to differ (pops...)

Okay, you forced me to say it: THIS.

monsieurstabby: Oh, and btw, I thought Teenager of the Year kinda sucked.

blasphemy!

mahavishnunj: the pixies were terrible, but FB solo is it.

So totally this.

Frank's solo stuff is always worth at least a few listens(and hell, it's often educational -- Teenager of the Year taught me about the Three Stooges, Southern Californian aquaducts AND the colonization of Mars!).

The Breeders have a couple alt-poppy minor hits, and a lot of strung-out mess. There's barely any musical or lyrical growth from Pod to now, and... considering Pod, that's almost embarrassing.

I don't see a Pixies-less future being nearly as harsh on FB as on Deal, so I'm not quite so sure why she's so happy to say no, heh. He doesn't have the patience for what, Deal's drunk/stoned ass to get sober enough to hit three notes?

She's ridiculous.

"I wish Kim was allowed to write more songs for the Pixies"
Kurt Cobain