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I got a Pixies album Surfer Rosa, and i think its amazing album. I can see how they influenced Nirvana so much. I suggest all you Nirvana lovers (no offence im a Nirvana fan too) check them out. And I read somewhere Kurt Cobain wanted to sound just like them, so it makes sense.
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Jedi
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quote: Originally posted by madfinger:
I read somewhere Kurt Cobain wanted to sound just like them, so it makes sense.
Yeah, when he heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" played back after they recorded it, his first comment was "Hey man, we sound like the Pixies!" |
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| Posts: 1115 | Location: new york | Registered: 10 October 2005 | |
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Guru
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quote: Originally posted by joji: quote: Originally posted by madfinger:
I read somewhere Kurt Cobain wanted to sound just like them, so it makes sense.
Yeah, when he heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" played back after they recorded it, his first comment was "Hey man, we sound like the Pixies!"
Nirvana in no way sounds just like the pixies. In fact, I see a lot less pixie influence than everyone in this thread suggest. Nirvana's music was original. Were they influenced by others?... of course, ever band has their influences. The pixies were indie, nirvana was grunge. Totally different genre. Nirvana cut loose with their music in a way the pixies and most bands had never thought of. The pixies had obvious constraints to their style. Nirvana broke through any obvious contraints and that's what made them more influential, imo. |
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"Forum Moderator"
Super Bad-Ass Jedi
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What are the "obvious constraints" to the Pixies' style?
"Naked Woman, Naked Man
Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
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| Posts: 12922 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004 | |
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"Forum Moderator"
Super Bad-Ass Jedi
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quote: Originally posted by mark f:
What are the "obvious constraints" to the Pixies' style?
I was wondering that too. Stylistically, Nirvana seemed way more limited than the Pixies.
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We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
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| Posts: 5481 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005 | |
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Apprentice Guru
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Yeah I agree. The Pixies have songs that could be classified as almost country, some that are acid-surf, and others that are the rawest of raw punk, all while being unmistakably Pixies songs. Nirvana did not reach nearly as much. Incidentally, I don't think of this as necessarily problematic for or a condemnation of Nirvana; every time "Here Comes Your Man" comes on during Doolittle I'm thinking, "where the hell did this come from?"
Also, indie is not a genre. I think of the Pixies as punk, but they are hard to confine within a genre label. I agree, though, that the Pixies were probably not Nirvana's most significant influence; 80s alternative rock was quite rich with other bands that would certainly influence Nirvana. But from what I know about Kurt, he definitely loved and respected the Pixies.
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Guru
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quote: Originally posted by mark f:
What are the "obvious constraints" to the Pixies' style?
Of course they changed up their style a little throughout their albums but I think they adhered to a pop formula. They didn't freak people out and run them off like Nirvana or the sex pistols did with a more pure form of expressionism, but they wanted enough style of their own and uniqueness of their own so that they could offer something different. They expressed themselves within the pop constraints. |
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"Forum Moderator"
Jedi
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quote: Originally posted by hudson:
The pixies were indie, nirvana was grunge. Totally different genre.
I think that oversimplifies things to an extreme. 'Grunge' is an ad hoc term that combines elements of punk, garage, metal, and indie into an easily marketed product. Nirvana was never as much a grunge band as an indie band (on a major label) making indie rock under an (unwelcome) banner of grunge. Cobain hated being lumped in with grunge because he (rightfully) recognized that his little band didn't really sound like Soundgarden, Tad, or any of the other 'grunge' bands. Maybe Nirvana influenced more people (probably because, unlike the Pixies, they got radio airplay and MTV rotation) but I think I'll take listening to any of the number of Pixies-influenced bands (Spoon, etc) over the more directly Nirvana-influenced ones (Fuel, Candlebox, ad nauseum). |
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| Posts: 3875 | Location: ATL, GA | Registered: 25 May 2004 | |
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Jedi
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quote: but I think I'll take listening to any of the number of Pixies-influenced bands (Spoon, etc) over the more directly Nirvana-influenced ones (Fuel, Candlebox, ad nauseum).
I always felt — and this comes from a big fan — Spoon took a few pages outta the Beatles' playbook. The Pixies influence never occurred to me. |
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| Posts: 1652 | Location: Philadelphia, PA | Registered: 15 September 2004 | |
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"Forum Moderator"
Super Bad-Ass Jedi
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Well, the last two Spoon albums are strongly Beatles-influenced.
"Naked Woman, Naked Man
Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
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| Posts: 12922 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004 | |
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Apprentice Guru
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quote: Originally posted by hudson: quote: Originally posted by mark f:
What are the "obvious constraints" to the Pixies' style?
Of course they changed up their style a little throughout their albums but I think they adhered to a pop formula. They didn't freak people out and run them off like Nirvana or the sex pistols did with a more pure form of expressionism, but they wanted enough style of their own and uniqueness of their own so that they could offer something different. They expressed themselves within the pop constraints.
There's no way to agree on this, but I think that if not putting garbage on their albums simply to make a statement ("Radio Friendly Unit Shifter") makes the Pixies 'constrained to a pop formula,' then that's fine with me I guess. After all, we're talking about 1990, not 1977. Trust me though, the Pixies, despite being fairly well-adjusted, had plenty of songs that wouldn't have played well on the radio. And don't give in to Kurt. Nirvana was a grunge band. Bands decide what genre they are when they record, not when they do interviews or write in their journals. Otherwise every MTV rock band out there would be a punk band heavily influenced by the Clash and Black Flag. Don't get me wrong. I like Nirvana a lot. |
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"Forum Moderator"
Super Bad-Ass Jedi
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I don't know how "pop" Pixies tracks like "Dead", "Broken Face", or "Rock Music" are. They did have some pop influenced stuff, like "Here Comes Your Man" or "Gigantic", but that stuff probably only comprises about half of their catalog, if that.
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We were wasps with new wings, now we're bugs in the jar.
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| Posts: 5481 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005 | |
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Guru
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The pixies were a wonderful band. The Nirvana of their time. But they weren't as groundbreaking as Nirvana, their music was more restrained an inoffensive and that's why they didn't have the worldwide recognition and influence that Nirvana did.
I think Nirvana was more in touch with themselves and therefore their generation. They understood that the pent up anger and angst of their generation needed to be expressed in their music...And they did just that in a way that the Pixies never dreamt of.
And personally, when I critique a band the first thing I take into account is how well the band expresses themselves through their music.
Which is why Jimi Hendrix is the most amazing musician of all time, im my opinion.
Nirvana gave the people something drastically new and emotive. I'm not saying the pixies weren't original, I'm just saying that I see them adhering to a musical formula much more than Nirvana.
Of course, this is all just my opinion.
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Jedi
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quote: The pixies were a wonderful band. The Nirvana of their time.
Isn't this akin to using the word you're defining in the definition? grunge n : to exhibit grunginess quote: But they weren't as groundbreaking as Nirvana, their music was more restrained an inoffensive and that's why they didn't have the worldwide recognition and influence that Nirvana did.
I don't find Surfer Rosa or Doolittle particularly restrained, nor do I think it's happenstance Cobain damn near lifted riffs off Trompe le Monde. And I've always been curious how "offensive" equates to quality — can you help me out with that one? |
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| Posts: 1652 | Location: Philadelphia, PA | Registered: 15 September 2004 | |
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"Forum Moderator"
Super Bad-Ass Jedi
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Black's Lyric, "Kiss Me C*ck, Kiss Me C*nt," from Trompe Le Monde's "U-Mass" could be considered pretty offensive. I still don't see how Nirvana "Broke Free" of their musical formula, and the Pixies didn't. I'd consider Surfer Rosa and Doolittle at least, to be extremely varied albums. Nirvana stuck to the same 4 chord grunge (or whatever label you want to give it) athems over the course of three albums. Occasionally, they'd throw in the slow song with a droning cello. I like Nirvana, but they were about as musically diverse as the Ramones.
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| Posts: 5481 | Location: Michigan | Registered: 19 June 2005 | |
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Know-It-All
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quote: Originally posted by hudson:
The pixies were a wonderful band. The Nirvana of their time. But they weren't as groundbreaking as Nirvana, their music was more restrained an inoffensive and that's why they didn't have the worldwide recognition and influence that Nirvana did.
I think Nirvana was more in touch with themselves and therefore their generation. They understood that the pent up anger and angst of their generation needed to be expressed in their music...And they did just that in a way that the Pixies never dreamt of.
And personally, when I critique a band the first thing I take into account is how well the band expresses themselves through their music.
Which is why Jimi Hendrix is the most amazing musician of all time, im my opinion.
Nirvana gave the people something drastically new and emotive. I'm not saying the pixies weren't original, I'm just saying that I see them adhering to a musical formula much more than Nirvana.
Of course, this is all just my opinion.
Hudson have you ever even listened to Pixies albums? I mean if you had you would know that the Pixies constantly dealt with issues such incest, aliens, violence, and the occult. And they did a brilliant job of it. Innovative, rhythmic, and at times quite brutal, I don't know what you by "inoffensive and restrained." Listen to the way he screams throughout Surfer Rosa and Doolittle. Listen to how the guitar crashes in "Vamos." Along with this Nirvana was dealing with Kurt Cobain's own feelings, not the feeling of a generation. And of course Pixies expressed themselves through their music. Listen to the transcendent beauty of songs like "The Happening," "Havalina," and "Caribou." Tell me that doesn't express a sense of yearning. And no I don't see Pixies adhering to a music formula because they're own innovative style inspired much of Nirvana's work. So yes I disagree with your opinion and believe that it is highly misinformed. |
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Guru
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Mleland, I don't equate offensive with quality. But I do think true originality is offensive, especially at first. quote: Originally posted by brighteyes215:
Hudson have you ever even listened to Pixies albums? I mean if you had you would know that the Pixies constantly dealt with issues such incest, aliens, violence, and the occult. And they did a brilliant job of it. Innovative, rhythmic, and at times quite brutal, I don't know what you by "inoffensive and restrained." Listen to the way he screams throughout Surfer Rosa and Doolittle. Listen to how the guitar crashes in "Vamos." Along with this Nirvana was dealing with Kurt Cobain's own feelings, not the feeling of a generation. And of course Pixies expressed themselves through their music. Listen to the transcendent beauty of songs like "The Happening," "Havalina," and "Caribou." Tell me that doesn't express a sense of yearning. And no I don't see Pixies adhering to a music formula because they're own innovative style inspired much of Nirvana's work. So yes I disagree with your opinion and believe that it is highly misinformed.
Yes, I have listened to the pixies albums. And just because the lyrics deal with offensive or controversial subject matter doesn't mean the band expressed it in their music. I'm not talking about a lead singer being able to scream, that's nothing new, I'm talking about the band as a whole breaking through and expanding musical expression. I think Nirvana did this much more than the Pixies. And that's my whole point. Expressing your words, attitude, and personality through your music. |
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Know-It-All
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Dude, Nirvana was a one-trick pony. Cobain had one vocal style and he was great at it. And I'm not denying that Nevermind and In Utero are great albums. I'm saying that Pixies had incredible variety, weren't afraid of singing in Spanish, weren't afraid to push the envelope in subject matter, weren't afraid to use a diverse instrumentation(e.g. theremin), etc. and Nirvana took many cues from them. Its cool that it speaks to you more, I'm just saying don't say that Nirvana were more innovative because they merely took what had come before them, including Pixies, and made it into something really great. But Pixies made it into something more. I mean listen to the rhythm of bands like the Strokes or Wolf Parade, without Pixies they wouldn't exist.
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