Joey Santiago and Black Francis (nee Charles Thompson IV) were roommates at University of Massachusetts Amherst.  By 1984, they were rehearsing regularly, with Santiago composing original songs and music.  In 1986, they formed the alternative rock band, The Pixies, along with bassist Kim Deal.

Pixies

Ultimately I'd like to release a single once a month, every now and then have a hit and every couple of years put them together as a compilation album. And then retire and run a coffee shop in Rotterdam and play reggae and classic punk records all day.

Getting Started

Joey Santiago and Black Francis (nee Charles Thompson IV) were roommates at University of Massachusetts Amherst.  By 1984, they were rehearsing regularly, with Santiago composing original songs and music.  In 1986, they formed the alternative rock band, The Pixies, along with bassist Kim Deal.  They performed their first gig at the Rathskeller in Boston.

While touring with Throwing Muses, they were noticed by record producer, Gary Smith of Fort Apache Studios.  He helped them record a 17-song demo, which they distributed exclusively to potential labels.  They ultimately signed with 4Ad and local promoter, Ken Goes.  Goes became their band manager.

The Recording Years

In 1988, The Pixies released their first album, Surfer Rosa.  The album enjoyed moderate success, certifying gold in sales.  The release from the recording was Gigantic, which became a fan favorite  and concert classic. They hit the road again with Throwing Muses, touring England and the Netherlands.  Their follow-up album, Doolittle, was their first international release.  Again certifying gold, sales were moderate, but The Pixies had definitely developed a fan base.  They released two singles from this album:  Here Comes Your Man and Monkey Gone to Heaven.  Both singles  charted on the US Hot Modern Tracks.  

After a chaotic tour of the United States, ending with frayed nerves and internal strife, the band decided to take a hiatus.  In 1990, they came back together, this time in Los Angeles.  They released the album, Bossanova, and went back on tour.  The tension and fighting continued.  However, they released one more album, Trompe Le Monde, in 1991, followed by a sell-out winter tour.  In 1993, the break-up of the band was officially announced.

Present and Future

The Pixies played together for the first time in thirteen years at The Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2004.  They launched a tour of the United States, Brazil, Europe, and Japan.  In June of the same year, they released the single Bam Thwok, exclusively to iTunes, where an mp3 download may be purchased.  The music is also available for free streaming.  The single reached #1 on the Billboard Download chart.  

The band agreed to collaborate with Disc Live to release a limited edition series of live CDs from their reunion tour.  They have continued to give live performances, on tours and at festivals around the world.  Francis announced recently that they are preparing to head back into the studio, but no release date has been predicted.

Did you know . . .

1. Kim Deal auditioned for The Pixies, after answering an ad for a bass player who enjoys Peter, Paul, and Mary and the punk sound of Husker Du.  She did not know how to play bass.

2. In 2004, they won the Boston Music Award for Act of the Year.

3. The Pixies have appeared on multiple television shows, including The Tonight Show, 120 Minutes, and the UK's Snub TV and The Word.

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