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Frank Black Interview
Back when the Pixies re-union was just a series of vague hints, I got a phoner with Frank Black in which the pudgy songster revealed the real reason behind his recently cancelled Australian tour.
The complications Black refers to (real name Charles Thompson), include launching a massive American tour, moving to Portland, Oregon with his new girlfriend and promoting the new Catholics album, Show me Your Tears. Like previous Catholics efforts, it was recorded live to two track using Black's own portable recording gear, this time over a six week period in a bleak Los Angeles studio space. "I like multi-track recording, but there's something so macho about going out and doing it live. It feels great... Nice things happen when you don't totally know a song inside and out. You mess up the lyrics and you end up singing something that's a better line. It works both ways. Preparation is great, and being not prepared can be good too... every song has it's own little history."
And while Black describes the CD as containing "thirteen big salty tears", it's continues his musical evolution into the world of raw, Americana rock, contrasted by some intensively pessimistic lyrics (sample titles: When Will Happiness Find Me Again and (It's a) Horrible Day).
"Sometimes songs don't obviously reflect where I'm at, but with this one the songs are a little more direct, a little more personal, a little universal than maybe they would have been in the past. Usually I'm not this direct for a whole album, maybe a song here or there, but never ten songs in a row."
Horrible Day is a stand out track, almost schizophrenic in it's mood swings, it features the chorus hook: "It's a beautiful day/no it's a horrible day".
So, does that mean Black Francis is finally getting tired of making albums and relentlessly touring?
"I love it. I'm totally hooked on it."
Well, if the lyrics aren't schizophrenic, then how about something other critics have mentioned: the upbeat rock sounds contrasting with the otherwise gloomy lyrics?
"I don't quite know what to say except I write music and I write lyrics and I'm not very conscious of trying to fuse (them)...I don't really know what the song is going to be about when I start to write it. It's just what it is musically, then I begin to add lyrics to it. The contrast never seems wrong to me, I'm not even aware of the contrast, it's just the frame that you put it in."
So, with this album featuring a guest appearance from Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago, I had to ask the question on everyone's lips: is there any possibility of a Pixies reunion? "There's a chance."
Show Me Your Tears is out now thru Shock. Look out for a tour from Frank Black and the Catholics early next year.
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Directors David Cronenberg Miranda July Walter Salles Guillermo Del Toro American Splendor Morgan Spurlock Tarnation's Jonathon Caouette What The Bleep...
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Frank Black, the enduring and legendary baby-faced leader of the uber-influential seminal rock band The Pixies, is pretty unpopular down here since cancelling his planned August tour. What won't be of any comfort to local fans is the reason why he bailed: he couldn't get a free flight upgrade to business class. "The two airlines that I have (frequent flier) miles with were both totally booked. I couldn't even get a flight and there's no way I was gonna fly to Australia coach. Not because I'm trying to be a prima donna, but I was really counting on it. And to be honest, it had become an extraordinarily inconvenient time for me personally... I'd agreed to do it a long time ago and my life had become a lot more complicated."