The Pixies: Head Carrier | Talks at Google

The Pixies are often hailed as one of the most influential bands of the late 80's & early 90's, their jarring pop sound serving as inspiration for bands such as Nirvana, David Bowie, U2, Arcade Fire, Kings of Leon, Radiohead, the Strokes, Bush, Blur, Weezer and so many more. Two of their albums - 'Surfer Rosa' & 'Doolittle' - fall on Rolling Stone’s list of “Top 500 Albums of All Time”.
While in Detroit for a stop on their current tour, Black Francis, David, Joey and Paz sat down with Googler Jason Andreas to discuss their trailblazing music, their incredible careers (rock and roll, composition, magic!), how the addition of Paz has shaped the band and of course, their latest studio album, 'Head Carrier'.
Get the album: goo.gl/TShrmr
Moderated by Jason Andreas.

[@enmejora6980]

Have you been to a pixies concert? Joey santiago raises hand.

[@stephenhawkingsfootballboo7885]

Gee... I wonder where the interviewer could have found out how long Paz has been in the Pixies... GOOGLE perhaps?

[@chloecrayk8535]

My foot is broken right now. Been laying around watching pixies videos all night 😆

[@burrrrrrrrrrrrrrp]

We’re Google employees, we need free food, a yoga instructor, Massage therapists and oh.. get us the pixies!

[@AndreaS-ru3yw]

The interviewer was really good. Great questions and very respectful, pulled out a lot from them. Nice one

[@Pongant]

And he seems to be 20m high

[@boomeyeay]

Saw them in 2004. You could buy a CD of the show afterwards. The CD couldn't reproduce the power that was emanating from the stage that night. They were incredible live

[@HelwingVillamizar]

Black Francis and Hector Lavoe: best composers bar none, each in his own musical domain.

[@PoliceBoy465]

Frank Black looks like Hank from Breaking Bad.

[@bethcarey674]

But cooler

[@BlueHopi144]

yep

[@bigthief8160]

Great Talk - I actually really enjoy this interview over most I've seen with the band. They aren't always an easy chat and I appreciate the moderator trying to pull some interesting stories out of them!

[@bluegregory6239]

Frank Black/Black Francis is my favorite musician of all time.

[@TheFormerkgbchief]

"We are such fans of your music and all of your records... I'm not speaking of yours personally, but the whole genre of rock and roll..."

[@chaddubois8164]

Jesus Christ

[@ryanthomas5507]

Great interview! Love this band

[@jaimetrevino4650]

11:15 Joey at the back like "right, right..."

[@daycrusher.2376]

pixies and weezer... I actually saw that tour!

[@jonnybgoode007]

Pixies Rock!! Thanks for this.

[@rubes221]

A lot of people are talking crap about the interviewer, and while he may have gotten a few things wrong and been a bit awkward, I think this was actually quite a great interview. Pixies can be a tough group to interview, but he did a good job asking them *all* thought provoking questions that got them talking. Key word being all. Lots of interviews I've watched will often rudely exclude other members of the band and focus mostly on the lead singer. Its great to hear their whole life story, but I'd love to hear what other members have to say! TL;DR interviewer was a bit awkward, but asked great questions.

[@juderichards6588]

Charles/frank black looks like he's gonna start rapping

[@jonnyandali]

Joey's at the back like, I DON'T LIKE TALKING

[@christopherhall7560]

Jeez, Kim was a big deal....I'll just let that settle for a moment. Great to see they're still going. Saw them in the UK in the 90s, hope to see them in Australia, where I ended up

[@4000Wiggins]

The Pixies are the greatest band that don’t seem to like each other very much.

[@Boss_Tanaka]

Have you ever heard of Depeche Mode?

[@L0REN0R2Z0RR0]

I think they do though. Oasis really didn't get along too well as we all know :D

[@rayalphonso7866]

Best pixies interview ever. Good job man. Hope you gave out more swag

[@angelurbina8158]

I'm detecting dangerous levels of sarcasm here.

[@crypttonite]

either that or his best bro

[@paquchou]

i learning my english here

[@mcbillygoat2413]

Am I the only one who was afraid the interviewer was going to poop on the floor and throw it into the crowd?

[@jarrettchrist]

mcbillygoat ! Uhh

[@promitkar1528]

Santiago is soo baked

[@erices2298]

a friend of mine who played bass on Bluefinger then toured for a bit said Charles had no set list so you always had to be on your game!

[@charliea697]

Love the Pixies but man, was this google thing dull!

[@JDarrylSSS]

Who else thinks Nardwuar should interview Pixies ? just a few minutes in and it's already awkward as hell. 4 humans and an NPC... that's not going to click

[@foreverchained9070]

Aww i love nardwuar with all my heart. Hes the most adorable human serviette♥

[@flowerdoodle2438]

This interviewer BLOWS! He’s a massive TOOL

[@7wt]

Chas Anthony you’d like that huh?

[@europa]

The EUROPA LUNA GHOSTS

[@gutopeace1153]

I don't know what's going on in this interview... i see some abstracts questions! Strange●

[@user-vg9yy6vh9g]

Bugger guys... Im so sorry for all the stupid qwestions and ridiculous interviews you seem to have to endure... Love yur work.. Glasgow Scotland Concert..1992 ...And you're still gold xx

[@rayalphonso7866]

Cmon. What's wrong with you people? I learned alot about these guys during this 30 min interview. I though the Interviewer asked thoughtful questions which set the band members up to give unique answers. Not the run of the mill questions that many have. Plus you got to see the chemistry it was good. Watch again and watch their faces. Heck. My boy Black looks zen. And no offense but actually looked like he was enjoying this interview. Anyway. Lifes to short to call people names for trying to do their jobs. I think low energy In an interview is good sometimes. They are not teens anymore. Plus the interviewer handled the alexia/google home thing like a pro. I've never heard of that one. Black did you do that on purpose....You dirty dog? Always getting the swag ...I've seen you do it before. Was it a Peter paul and mary box. Set? Concerning covering bands. One question I've wanted to know is if they would ever consider covering some of the more pixiesk* sounding FB/BF/FBC/Dutchy songs?. There were a few pixie songs that FB&C covered (id say tributed) but in my opinion every thing CT has touched is just is gold. I've spent many hours too Paz. Man I'd come unhinged to hear pixies cover 6 legged man. Solid gold. Sent away. LNs In the midst of the war they really should do. Seen em 2wce I. NO. Any thoughts?

[@jmecklenborg]

Tech people are such tools.

[@jameskubik8804]

There's no way this is a tech guy, he's obviously from marketing, just Google him..

[@crypttonite]

def marketing, trying to get them to sound bite on how they use Google & tech, is there anyone on the planet not exposed to Google...

[@luizschee]

IT'S NOT THE PIXIES... IT'S JUST PIXIES... JESUS CHRIST, YOU'RE GOOGLE... GOOGLE IT.

[@robingraham]

from the beginning, everybody has said the pixies. the pixies always said the pixies. relax.

[@TeamAlfie]

Luiz Medeiros Hence their compilation album Death To The Pixies.

[@robycorgan3305]

who cares! get a life dude

[@jdh9676]

Charles says its the Pixies with a small T. Charles says calling the band simply Pixies is the pretentious and arty way to address the band. I trust Charles on this.

[@MatthewMcVeagh]

@@jdh9676 Right, it was 4AD and Ivo Watts-Russell's idea to lose the 'the'. Probably suggested it to Throwing Muses as well. The-less plural bandnames is a British invention dating back to Buzzcocks.

[@diogopinto9462]

Susan Atkins on bass

[@crypttonite]

say "process" again...

[@pablobrad100]

OMG SHORTER QUESTIONS!!!

[@Skipidy720]

Can this guy mention Google just one more time?

[@angelurbina8158]

Let 'em answer the damn questions, gee.

[@DanSharpIBD]

The Pixies are amazing, and they did a good job handling these questions, but - my god - google should give up on this format if it hasn't already. You are not good at this, google.

[@Pravindaswani74]

strong guy the interviewer..is he a pixies fan?

[@carljules3123]

The interviewer is hot, just saying

[@AndrewDasilvaPLT]

Never meet your heroes, especially 30 years late.

[@vladimirimp]

This felt so uncomfortable.

[@brandonburroughs7128]

Interviewer is very cringe

[@T.M.Warren-qp2gq]

🗣Ooof ....awful interviewer!

[@terminationshock1356]

I have exactly the opposite opinion. He did a decent job but I guess complaining is the national sport (in pretty much any nation).

[@RichardCorral]

Where's Kim Deal? Not really the pixies without her is it

[@yodaweed]

problems with Black francis caused her to be expelled

[@foreverchained9070]

When i saw them like 10 years ago frank black and kim argued throughout the entire set list. Black would start talking and she would just cut him off and start playing bass over him and he would interrupt her constantly. It was hard to watch but as soon as a song would start they just sounded absolutely brilliant. I agree tho its never pixies without kim.

[@MatthewMcVeagh]

She hoofed off when they were recording in Wales in 2013, as they described in this interview.

[@MatthewMcVeagh]

@@yodaweed Nope, she walked. She was going to be expelled in 1989 after the Doolittle tour but their lawyers persuaded Francis to let her stay. The band broke up in 1993 largely due to tensions between her and him but it was the whole band splitting up, not her being expelled.

[@oldlogin3383]

Low energy. :(