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Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:14 am to bobbyray21
Whether you go song-by-song or album-by-album, Nirvana > Pixies
Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:16 am to bobbyray21
Olympus Mons
Letter to Memphis
Here Comes your man
Hey
Teen Spirit for reference
Pixies are probably my favorite band so I am biased.
Letter to Memphis
Here Comes your man
Hey
Teen Spirit for reference
Pixies are probably my favorite band so I am biased.
Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:19 am to gizmoflak
quote:
I obviously need to go back and listen to Pixies a little closer so I can figure out whether this revisionist history is justified
what revisionist history? the Pixies were adored in their time. There's nothing revisionist about it. As the time of their recordings, they were considered one of the best bands playing what was then called college rock. Though, at the time, Doolittle probably had a better initial reception than Surfer Rosa, which is now widely considered to be their seminal album.
Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:27 am to Baloo
In the early 90's I had lots of friends into punk, grunge, metal, and everything else and I don't remember anyone who was into pixies. Everyone I knew thought they were kinda mediocre. I'll admit to not paying too close attention to pixies at the time. I think I might have listened to them a bit and wasn't excited and moved on to other bands. So maybe I should join br21 in his back-listening efforts. It's probably been 20 years since I knowingly heard a pixies song
Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:35 am to K9
quote:
Olympus Mons
Letter to Memphis
Here Comes your man
Hey
Teen Spirit for reference
Pixies are probably my favorite band so I am biased.
I think I'm going to enjoy this back-listening project.
Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:36 am to bobbyray21
Why did The Pixies never blow up commercially?
Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:48 am to bobbyray21
Because indie bands didn't blow up back then. It just wasn't even theoretically possible until Nirvana came along. OK, maybe REM, but they always had a radio friendly sound and they didn't become a commercially viable band until they signed with a major label. There was just no way for a band on an independent label to get the kind of distribution needed to have a massive hit like that. The industry was rigged against them far more than it is now.
Also, music was far more regional back then. Bands could make a nice living playing their local circuit. Think how every kid south of the Mason Dixon Line was legally required to own a Drivin n Cryin album, yet they were largely unknown outside the south.
The Pixies were releasing albums during the peak of hair metal. They were studiously ignored by the powers that be. As the hair metal thing started to collapse (thanks mainly to Guns n Roses and Metallica, who don't get nearly enough credit for this -- they championed bands like Nirvana despite those bands holding them in open contempt, as if they were tainted by Motley Crue), Nirvana was there to deal the death blow. The Pixies were busy breaking up at the time in mutual acrimony. Black Francis is apparently a difficult guy to work with in the best of times, and Kim Deal was a heroin addict, so these weren't the best of times.
ETA: 5 years earlier, Nirvana never gets bought out of its Sub Pop contract, and they instead are a modest indie sensation along the lines of Jesus and the Mary Chain.
Also, music was far more regional back then. Bands could make a nice living playing their local circuit. Think how every kid south of the Mason Dixon Line was legally required to own a Drivin n Cryin album, yet they were largely unknown outside the south.
The Pixies were releasing albums during the peak of hair metal. They were studiously ignored by the powers that be. As the hair metal thing started to collapse (thanks mainly to Guns n Roses and Metallica, who don't get nearly enough credit for this -- they championed bands like Nirvana despite those bands holding them in open contempt, as if they were tainted by Motley Crue), Nirvana was there to deal the death blow. The Pixies were busy breaking up at the time in mutual acrimony. Black Francis is apparently a difficult guy to work with in the best of times, and Kim Deal was a heroin addict, so these weren't the best of times.
ETA: 5 years earlier, Nirvana never gets bought out of its Sub Pop contract, and they instead are a modest indie sensation along the lines of Jesus and the Mary Chain.
This post was edited on 5/6/13 at 9:58 am
Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:49 am to gizmoflak
quote:
Whether you go song-by-song or album-by-album, Nirvana > Pixies
this all comes down to personal opinion really, but judging by the following comment, I don't know if your opinion would be the best one to seek out on this subject.
quote:
It's probably been 20 years since I knowingly heard a pixies song
Posted on 5/6/13 at 9:51 am to Baloo
quote:
Because indie bands didn't blow up back then. It just wasn't even theoretically possible until Nirvana came along. OK, maybe REM, but they always had a radio friendly sound and they didn't become a commercially viable band until they signed with a major label. There was just no way for a band on an independent label to get the kind of distribution needed to have a massive hit like that. The industry was rigged against them far more than it is now.
Also, music was far more regional back then. Bands could make a nice living playing their local circuit. Think how every kid south of the Mason Dixon Line was legally required to own a Drivin n Cryin album, yet they were largely unknown outside the south.
The Pixies were releasing albums during the peak of hair metal. They were studiously ignored by the powers that be. As the hair metal thing started to collapse (thanks mainly to Guns n Roses and Metallica, who don't get nearly enough credit for this -- they championed bands like Nirvana despite those bands holding them in open contempt, as if they were tainted by Motley Crue), Nirvana was there to deal the death blow. The Pixies were busy breaking up at the time in mutual acrimony. Black Francis is apparently a difficult guy to work with in the best of times, and Kim Deal was a heroin addict, so these weren't the best of times.
So had the The Pixies stayed together, you think they would have experienced commercial success?
Their sound is very accessible.
Posted on 5/6/13 at 10:01 am to bobbyray21
quote:
So had the The Pixies stayed together, you think they would have experienced commercial success?
Considering the Breeders enjoyed commercial success, and they are Kim Deal's post-Pixies band... yes.
Posted on 5/6/13 at 10:19 am to Baloo
Most of you were wee tykes in the late 80´s and early 90´s, I take it.
The Pixies were big, Nirvana was MUCH bigger, in the States. They had a fervent and fanatical following, were critically acclaimed, but between their market acceptance and that of Nirvana, there was absolutely no contest.
The Pixies were demigods in Europe. Nirvana was simply big.
Revisionist history is a correct term.
ETA I think Kim Deal had alcohol problems. Her sister was the heroin addict.
The Pixies were big, Nirvana was MUCH bigger, in the States. They had a fervent and fanatical following, were critically acclaimed, but between their market acceptance and that of Nirvana, there was absolutely no contest.
The Pixies were demigods in Europe. Nirvana was simply big.
Revisionist history is a correct term.
ETA I think Kim Deal had alcohol problems. Her sister was the heroin addict.
This post was edited on 5/6/13 at 10:30 am
Posted on 5/6/13 at 10:29 am to Dandy Lion
You're right. I always get the two confused. But one of the leading causes of the Pixies breakup was that Frank Black didn't want to give more tracks to Deal to sing. He needed to be the dominant voice, and he just did not play well with others.
they've mellowed in the past 20 years.
they've mellowed in the past 20 years.
Posted on 5/6/13 at 10:43 am to Baloo
Alright, now who is talking revisionist history?
Like it's been mentioned before, the Pixies were one of the great college/indie/alt bands of the late 80s and early 90s... Do disregard that FACT is just ridiculous... I mean shite, U2 had them opening for them on the Joshua Tree tour in '87, when U2 was arguably the biggest band in the world...
Were Nirvana a bigger band in terms on notoriety? Of course... They happen to be in the right place at the right time "When Punk Broke" into the mainstream...
Now which one a person prefers is subjective and like I said, to me its a toss up...
Like it's been mentioned before, the Pixies were one of the great college/indie/alt bands of the late 80s and early 90s... Do disregard that FACT is just ridiculous... I mean shite, U2 had them opening for them on the Joshua Tree tour in '87, when U2 was arguably the biggest band in the world...
Were Nirvana a bigger band in terms on notoriety? Of course... They happen to be in the right place at the right time "When Punk Broke" into the mainstream...
Now which one a person prefers is subjective and like I said, to me its a toss up...
Posted on 5/6/13 at 10:46 am to bobbyray21
quote:
So had the The Pixies stayed together, you think they would have experienced commercial success?
Good question, but they were more and more becoming Black Francis' solo project... Did Kim Deal even have any songs on the last two records?
I guess they were destined to break up...
Posted on 5/6/13 at 11:21 am to gizmoflak
quote:
In the early 90's I had lots of friends into punk, grunge, metal, and everything else and I don't remember anyone who was into pixies. Everyone I knew thought they were kinda mediocre. I'll admit to not paying too close attention to pixies at the time. I think I might have listened to them a bit and wasn't excited and moved on to other bands. So maybe I should join br21 in his back-listening efforts. It's probably been 20 years since I knowingly heard a pixies song
Gizmo, I'm more in line with this thinking too. No shot at Baloo but he's an East Coast guy so he puts The Pixies high up. Think his regional Drivin-n-cryin reference I'm willing to bet that The pixies have sold more albums post their heyday than at the time of their release. With that said, I'm not saying they are/were not a great band. I just think they get way more love now than they ever did which I say to that, good for them.
I was in Louisiana and Houston at the time and I just do not recall any huge Pixies fans. I do remember Pixies Doolittle being a popular college rock album but so was Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation or Sugar Cubes Life's Too Good.
This post was edited on 5/6/13 at 11:25 am
Posted on 5/6/13 at 11:27 am to TFTC
quote:
I mean shite, U2 had them opening for them on the Joshua Tree tour in '87, when U2 was arguably the biggest band in the world...
I know when I saw U2 in Baton Rouge for The Joshua Tree tour, it was the BoDeans that opened. I think the Pixies opened for U2 on their Zoo Tour.
***I'm pretty sure Bono begged for the Pixies to tour with them b/c he was a big fan.
This post was edited on 5/6/13 at 11:30 am
Posted on 5/6/13 at 11:37 am to ag3ntpurpl3
Nirvana
Posted on 5/6/13 at 11:46 am to Cdawg
quote:
I know when I saw U2 in Baton Rouge for The Joshua Tree tour, it was the BoDeans that opened. I think the Pixies opened for U2 on their Zoo Tour.
***I'm pretty sure Bono begged for the Pixies to tour with them b/c he was a big fan.
Crap, you're correct... my memory is starting to blur shite...
The rest of the points still stand, just change tour
Posted on 5/6/13 at 11:48 am to TFTC
I know. 1986-1996 is one big blur for me.
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