Friday, June 5, 2009

Live Music Friday...

I'm going to try to keep up a regular routine of posting a live music clip every Friday. I will try to make it things that are worthwhile and that our reader(s) may not be familiar with. As a music snob, I say that not everyone likes good music, but everyone deserves to hear it. Deal with it.

For this inaugural Friday edition, I give thee a 1991 performance by the Pixies at Brixton Academy in London. I spent a full Summer buried in this album (Doolittle), and it has never left my regular rotation. Perhaps one of the most significantly influential bands of their era, counting Radiohead and Nirvana among ground-breaking artists who list the Pixies among their chief influences. I think this performance captures the live power that they once had in their prime.

With none of the faggy costumes or imitiation hip-hop swagger of the modern "hardcore" movement, these early 20-somethings stood still on stage in street clothes, looking like some kids from your dorm floor, and rocked it with raw power. They brought a great combination of nice, melodic tunes with abrasive and harsh vocals and bizarre, dark lyrics. Throw in a little surf rock influence and you've got something truly unique. They also pioneered a semi-punk style of quiet, melodic verses interspersed with a violently delivered chorus. This quiet-LOUD-quiet style has been mimicked by many since. (Curt Cobain said "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was basically a Pixies song.)


1 comment:

Big Tasty said...

I like it, keep em comin.