This month's featured artist was born Charles Thompson IV, but has assumed a stage name for most of his career in music. As a member of the Pixies, an alternative rock band whose music was heavily influenced by the punk and surfer genres, he was known as Black Francis. When the group dissolved after nine years, five studio albums, and twelve singles, one persona gave way to another and Black Francis became Frank Black.
Before his October 30 show at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio, the singer/song-writer known as Frank Black sat down with me on his tour bus to discuss his music, life on the road, and the possibility of getting some new music from the Pixies.
The lyrics of some of your songs are sort of odd, and some might say controversial, Incest? Biblical violence? Los Angeles? Where do the ideas come from?
Well… I don't know. My main challenge, I guess, is to figure out what rhymes with cinnamon. You know what I'm saying? Or any word - pick a word. That's the level I'm working and the songs come out the way they come out. Some of them are real friendly sounding and some of them are real scary sounding.
At the end of the day, it's entertainment and it's about rhyming words with other words, playing word games, being cryptic, and sometimes not being cryptic. Sometimes it's disguising what you really want to sing about. Sometimes it's just real spontaneous without a lot of rhyme or reason to it. It's like that famous poem by Lewis Carroll, of Alice in Wonderland, ("Jabberwocky") "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves" and something or other. You know what I'm talking about? There's a lot of that going on in my music and I think in most people's music.
Fast Man Raider Man was recorded over several sessions with a wide cast of players, was it hard to stay on track so the finished product has the cohesive sound it does or did you not worry about that?
I didn't worry too much about that. I let the producers worry about it. I just wrote songs and showed up for my sessions. Usually I would book the sessions, too. I would say, 'Hey, I want to record in a couple of months. You want to set something up for me?' I would invite some musicians to come and play with me and I wouldn't worry about cohesiveness.
So you don't worry about the over-all tone of the album?
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
great interview and it's pretty cool that BC got such a big name in music. How much time did you get with him?
We should use some clips of Zach's show at BC since it appears he doesn't mind people stealing someone else's work. What a jackass!
2 - Connie Phillips
Thanks, El Bicho, he was a very interesting interview. I spent about a half hour talking to him before his show.
Agree about his song being "used" but as he said, it happens to a lot of singers, unfortunately.
3 - M.D. Sandwasher
Great interview Connie! I think it would be very intimidating interviewing Frank Black. I was able to see him the other night in Newport, KY. The man has some powerful pipes.
4 - Connie Phillips
Thank you, M. D., Actually he was quite the opposite. Very gracious and open to the questions I asked.
His performance in Cleveland was terrific as well, and very well received by the crowd.
5 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Wonderful interview, Connie, question and answer. I'll never think of Jabberworcky and Burl Ives in quite the same way again.
6 - jayson
Nice job, Connie. I'll keep my fingers crossed about the new Pixies Cd.
Jayson
7 - Connie Phillips
Thanks Gordon and Jayson. I think everyone has their fingers crossed on a new Pixie's CD.
8 - Daniel Pennant
Wonderful interview, Connie, question and answer. I'll never think of Jabberworcky and Burl Ives in quite the same way again.
I think everyone has their fingers crossed on a new Pixie's CD.
Daniel Pennant
9 - Norman Forte
Jonathan Ross is dubbed "risque" by Ofcom but not in breach of rules over an interview with David Cameron...