Frank Black

Frank Black, also known by the stage name Black Francis (real name Charles Michael Kitridge Thompson IV, born April 6, 1965 in Boston), is an American musician. He was one of the founding members of the alternative rock band the Pixies, along with guitarist Joey Santiago.

Biography

Thompson was raised in Culver City, California. He studied in the University of Massachusetts, before taking off to Puerto Rico as part of an exchange program. It was here where he reportedly spent six months in an apartment with a "weird, psycho, gay roommate," who inspired the song "Crackity Jones." Many of the Pixies's early songs refer to Francis' experience in Puerto Rico, most notably "Isla De Encanta," incorrectly named after the island's motto, "Isla Del Encanto" (Island of Charm). Black Francis' insufficient grasp of the local language (which meant he couldn't even open a bank account to cash his checks) forced him to make a decision while slumped in a local bar. He would either go to New Zealand to observe the passing of Halley's Comet or form a rock band.

Related Topics:
Culver City, California - University of Massachusetts - Puerto Rico - Motto - New Zealand - Halley's Comet

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The Pixies were active from 1986 to 1992. They found modest success (primarily on college radio) in America and became very popular in Britain and throughout Europe. They've retained a following, and have since been seen as one of the best and most influential rock groups of their era.

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After the split (due primarily to internal tensions between Black Francis and bassist/singer Kim Deal) of the Pixies, he went on to record solo material with Eric Drew Feldman. His first solo release was the self-titled Frank Black (1993), which included the song "Los Angeles" (about different places named Los Angeles—"not the one in south California / they got one in south Patagonia"), and this was followed in the next year by Teenager of the Year, which included the song "Headache." These two albums were critically well-received and remain fan favorites, although they enjoyed little commercial success.

Related Topics:
Kim Deal - Eric Drew Feldman - Frank Black - 1993 - Los Angeles - California - Patagonia - Teenager of the Year

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1996 saw the release of The Cult of Ray, which did not gain the same critical or fan acclaim as his previous solo efforts. Following this album, Black formed a new band, Frank Black and the Catholics, featuring Rich Gilbert (guitar) and Cult of Ray musicians David McCaffrey (bass) and Scott Boutier (drums). The band's eponymous first album Frank Black and the Catholics was released in 1998. This was the first Frank Black album recorded entirely to two-track live in the studio, which would become a signature of future albums released by the band.

Related Topics:
1996 - The Cult of Ray - 1998

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The new band also released "Pistolero" in 1999 and then Dog in the Sand, which is often considered a high-point of Black's career, in 2000. This album added Athens, Georgia musician Dave Philips on pedal steel guitar, and also saw the return of Joey Santiago. Two separate albums, "Black Letter Days" (the title refers to the opposite of "Red Letter Days," which are holidays—a "black letter day" being an ordinary day http://www.splendidezine.com/features/frankblack/) and "Devil's Workshop," were released simultaneously in 2002; this was considered to be a somewhat unusual move. A sixth album with the Catholics, "Show Me Your Tears", was released in 2003. "Show Me Your Tears's" title and many of the songs in it were inspired by Frank Black's recent divorce.

Related Topics:
1999 - Dog in the Sand - 2000 - Athens, Georgia - Pedal steel guitar - Joey Santiago - Red Letter Days - 2002 - 2003

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In late 2003, rumors were spreading again that the Pixies were reuniting. The official announcements were made that the band was, in fact, practicing for a reunion tour. They played publicly again for the first time in April 2004, after a break of 12 years, and went on to tour extensively in the USA, Canada and Europe in the same year.

Related Topics:
USA - Canada - Europe

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2004 was a high point for the Pixies, but a potential low point for the Catholics as rumors (still unconfirmed) rapidly spread that they were to be no more. As productive as ever Black teamed up with legendary session-men Steve Cropper and Spooner Oldman as well as producer Jon Tiven to record 'Honeycomb,' the first Frank Black solo album since 1996's Cult of Ray. Honeycomb was released in July 2005 to a vast majority of favorable reviews.

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