Black Francis's scream-whisper vocal dynamics, Joey Santiago's angular surf-guitar, Kim Deal's melodic bass, and David Lovering's precise drumming created a formula, quiet verse, loud chorus, that an entire generation of bands would borrow wholesale. Kurt Cobain openly admitted that 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' was his attempt to write a Pixies song.
Surfer Rosa and Doolittle are two of the most influential albums of the late eighties, blending pop melody with abrasive noise in a way that nobody had managed before.
Key Albums
Pop hooks buried under noise and surrealism. 'Debaser' and 'Here Comes Your Man.'
Steve Albini's raw production captured a band at their most unhinged and catchy.
Space-themed surf rock that's aged better than its initial reception suggested.
Why They Matter
The Pixies invented the loud-quiet-loud dynamic that defined alternative rock and directly inspired Nirvana, Radiohead, and countless others.