Pixies

The Pixies are an American alternative rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1986. The group consists of Black Francis (vocals, rhythm guitar), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), Kim Deal (bass, vocals), and David Lovering (drums). While the Pixies found only modest commercial success in their home country, they were significantly more successful in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe. The group disbanded in 1993 under acrimonious circumstances but reunited in 2004. The band''s style of music contains elements of indie rock and surf rock. Black Francis is the Pixies'' primary songwriter and singer who has been noted for his yowling delivery. He has typically written about offbeat subjects, such as extraterrestrials, surrealism and biblical violence. The group has been described as a big influence on the alternative rock boom of the 1990s, though they disbanded before reaping any of the benefits this might have brought them. Avowed fan Kurt Cobain''s acknowledgment of the debt his band Nirvana owed to the Pixies, along with similar tributes by other alternative bands, helped the Pixies'' legacy and popularity grow in the years following their break-up, leading to sold-out tours following their reunion in 2004.