Pixies

The Pixies formed in Boston in 1986 when Black Francis (Charles Thompson) and guitarist Joey Santiago, former University of Massachusetts roommates, recruited bassist Kim Deal and drummer David Lovering. They recorded their debut EP Come On Pilgrim in six days at Fort Apache Studio in Boston for $1,000 borrowed from Thompson's father. Eight songs from that session were released on 4AD Records in 1987. Surfer Rosa, their first full-length album, was recorded in ten days with producer Steve Albini for $10,000, with Albini receiving a flat fee of $1,500. David Bowie called it "the most compelling music outside of Sonic Youth made in the entire '80s." The guitar architecture was built on contrast from the start. Black Francis played a 1980s Fender Telecaster through Vox AC30 heads — all controls cranked — providing tight, focused rhythm playing. Joey Santiago had originally wanted a Telecaster, but Francis claimed it first. Santiago borrowed Kim Deal's 1970s Gibson Les Paul Goldtop and plugged into a Peavey Special amp for Surfer Rosa, with Steve Albini placing microphones inside the amp using a roach clip. The Les Paul-into-Peavey combination, recorded in a small side room rather than the main studio space, produced the clean, chiming lead tones on "Gigantic" and "Where Is My Mind." By the time of Doolittle (1989), the guitar setup had evolved. Santiago was running a Gibson Les Paul through a Marshall JCM800 50-watt head for dirty tones and a Fender Vibrolux Reverb for clean definition — a combination he maintained for decades of Pixies work. The Vibrolux's brightness and the Marshall's warmth created a layered approach where the clean amp provided articulation and the Marshall provided weight. Black Francis had switched from the Telecaster to a 1963 Gibson SG Junior for situations requiring more aggression. Both he and Santiago ran through vintage Vox AC30 heads for clean tones, with Weber MiniMASS attenuators reducing volume for smaller venues. The Pixies split acrimoniously in 1993 — Black Francis faxed a breakup statement to Kim Deal's management — and reunited in 2004 for a world tour that became one of the most successful reunion tours in rock history. Thom Yorke described being asked to follow them at Coachella 2004 as being like being asked to follow The Beatles. Key gear: Fender Telecaster (Black Francis), Gibson SG Junior, Vox AC30, Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (Joey Santiago), Marshall JCM800, Fender Vibrolux Reverb, Fender Twin Reverb, Klon Centaur, Martin D-28, Martin D-18.