Eight seats ago Hhailrs 1 hompson fotmrd the Pixies and if named himsrlf Blai k ( lane is 1 hr band quit kl\ bn ame a i ollrgr link staple with Us mix ol dure-* hind stilt gi mine and drram stale imagery Its healths latrrt spanned lise a I hums and srvrtal vsurld u.uis But the band like so mans that hasr gone before it — has disbanded, leasing ( hailrs Ihomspon holding the hag and tin- name Blai k Ham is Ills solution ssas to record a ness solo album, v heiluled lot irlrasr in Man h on the .ilhum\ opening * til, "I »»s \»*geles I hr solids on hi.it V s album air < railed < archills. sounding more laid hat k and en(oni|)asMHg a sancts «>t moods horn the sll aight ahead rock of “len Pert enter ." a blunt musical hie graphs of punk it 1 the album g» »es t»» k nc krldniau. a member of the seminal asant pop group IVir l hu Fridman produced ihe alhum ,in(l added krvboard' and bass to a lew tra« ks Blai k savs Fridman‘s |>ir\emr helped him (o deline furthei hi' new sound and inspired him to write moir urn matrnai dm mg a hiatus ot the- recording of hvmpe Is SUmtU. the Pixies last alhum "I rxpirs-sed (hr desire I** gel hai k to (hr Mud hi r\rn (hough I had no material." he retail' "I was going to do a cover song album even though most |x-oplr do shtttv covet album.' M\ agent suggested Fin Feldman He was great - he and I wrte two big hand meflthets B* the rune we ret otd V for ^■PTby Elewtra BplRle postpunk PUpSgwnter is tar from the ^ IlMnt home Ffeced with a shaky future and thf breakup of his band. Ibe far" gr \ Pixies frontman has abated a col* \ lection that bothjfentrasts and \.compiemer»te ,fl# bands' ol manic garf*rock siund. Named AH I Go Aroufli taling hal •reenter" Hack Franc! ig live Frank tem RagM F leku.t 11w Ullr ut llif .iltmin (1pIc didn't gel u — profile don't want to a< i ept Hlai k as a fust name and Frant is as a surname Sul said S« tew K. I’ll i hange my stage name ' Besides Flank Itl.u k looks (oolet on a mati|uee Ilian ( diaries 1 liompsi in." 1 lit* new allium reflet is nor just a (tiangr in moniker Inn also a transformation of musii a I sts It* Blai k makes a (Its Ubu keyboards! flic the sharpest brig k. Pixies .uatifl ★ ★ e(l the altniMi a seal and a Hall latei 1 nan a bum !i of nes» material And that tnateital tellci is a lelresli mg i hange hum the gml.ii dt isen sound ol the Pixies "I was really glad to tome to the reah/atton that I liked keyboards," Black sass "Because ol Fin I wasn't thinking as imu li alxmt the guit.u \ lot ol |k (s pie who listen to indie link base a bad idea ol keylxiaids lx*i ausc thrs are done jmmuIs so often I think U s a gteat instrument — it's not dominant and set son ( an I lake It out of ioi k and roll ' And you ( an t take tile must! tail - whaleset he (alls himself— out of it rithri lake the song "Party the Wind High, laiw." whir It is alxmt one of Bl.n k s favottie topics - Using saucers Although Bl.n k neset was alidtii led Its aliens as a i htld (he admits that those* exjteriemes ustialls uih i imiMi al brrak from the* rixirs m *t>r hist lew acoustic guitaf strains of inter rM in life on oilier |>l.mcn ' 111.1I v»«iv" revolves .in nine I .1 1 I (> eon scutinu I .tttrmlrd, kIiii Ii might involve .1 Ini 11I 11.111 .uni lulvnrss, .1 I*>t 11I siull lit.11 I* oiiesm muble. Ill.ti L vm 'Ilirin.itrii.il tllllll nl llir song |% .lit thuv lliiit^s Villi* )i .111 \up|>osrdlv 1r.1l 1 hr ollirl hull I.*Ik> about Hireling .1 l H ) mi ill*' mull .mil gri ling mu kril up Iiv II I heir's u lnl nl hull slut In Ihr slnltrs. hill il von wade ihluligh 11. ihrtr's sometimes 1r.1l mlnim.ilinii their." Mumiullv, llir vmg mutates like .1 gruel u rxpnimrnt gone wild. txgliming with .1 krvhu.ud .mil huss (linen mrlodv with (Ml.1 ( miM In 141111.11 mi llir 1 horns \ lien /led. llolsv 14ml.11 vill 1 hiruks llir .ippuirilt mild nl 1 hr st 11ig, Mint h thru tiunslmms min .111 nun it Itllir sing .ill >ng I his prill hull I Ini 1 outlast is 1 lushed throughout the ulbuill Bl.11 k nllrn svsiuhrs Iwlvsrrn aiouslu strumming und 11 ushs rlrt tin 14m1.11 1 holds uni I r\pd 1 llir ills with (htlrirnl lime signatures vsilhm .1 sung Blui k suss hr hull inorr i native liirnsr In plus uinmul ssiih sung sum line Ik-i uusr hr vsus vsiuing Ini hmisrll .mil nut lm die I’ixirs “ I hr I’ixirs were .1 Ihr hum I Hr weir u Ini more upnghl uhuul keeping things puiiuhlr." hr s.ns "I vsus living In mukr this us diflrtrnl us 11 mild Anil 1h.1i s rx.111 Iv llir kind nl indrpru ilrm r Blui k has now vsiihmii (hr I’ixirs "Flunk Blui k is u separate rntitv." hr suss " I his is u nrvs guv . .1 drliut prrtoimrr I w 111 spend the next month promoting Flunk Blui k I won't promote ihr I’ixirs Ik-i uusr I've alirudv done dial I’m living in mukr unnihri me us mm h us 11 an." And trulls, lliul inukes lilts whole I liompvonFium is Bl.u k business quite xi in pit* "Km k and mil isn't us |>s\( hulngii ul for rnr us people inlet,* Blui k suss "I don’t rxon isr demons; I mukr u good pop rnord It’s not uus kind ol primal m tram llirtups — 11 's jusi vi |K-opli can lap thru damn foot. * Q