Emerging from the Boston music scene in the late '80s, the Pixies were one of those bands whose influence seemed to go further than its commercial success. But when the band reunited in 2004, playing two shows at the Fox Theatre, followed by a rain-soaked Music Midtown performance the next summer, the Pixie magic seemed to be stronger than ever.
Celebrating last year’s 20th anniversary of the influential “Doolittle” album, the band returns to the Fox on Sept. 13 for one of only 11 U.S. performances. Lead guitarist Joey Santiago talks about Dali, “Debaser” and other surreal subjects.
Q: The Pixies performed two dates at the Fox during your reunion tour almost six years ago. Why does that seem to be the Atlanta venue of choice for the band?
A: It's a great venue. We were going to do sheds on this tour, but we wanted to do indoor theaters because we're going to be projecting movies behind us.
Q: You’re opening the show with “Debaser,” which is accompanied by a surreal film by Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali, whose work is currently on display at the High Museum ...
A: Oh, I'll check it out.
Q: It’s amazing. So tell me how this film was an inspiration for the song.
A: "Slicing up eyeballs" is one of the more famous lyrical lines from the song. We have a film for each song off "Doolittle," and I guess we figured we'd start off with slicing eyeballs because it's very visually strong.
Q: Unless you’re the one with the sliced eyeballs.
A: Right. But it's footage from the actual film, and that's a great visual right there. Or we could have a monkey going up to heaven for "Monkey Gone to Heaven" or a man coming toward you for "Here Comes Your Man." And for "Tame" we could have Paris Hilton.
Q: Last year was actually the 20th anniversary of “Doolittle,” so these dates are technically celebrating its 21st anniversary.
A: It's 21 now. It can drink! "Doolittle'"s legal now.
Q: You’ll have to take “Doolittle” out for drinks then.
A: Yeah!
Q: You’re playing the “Doolittle” album in its entirety, as well as all the “Doolittle” B-sides. Do you try to keep the songs sounding as they were originally intended, or do you put any subtle new changes on them?
A: Those songs are too efficient to throw twists into. That was the whole intent [of "Doolittle"], to make those songs short and sweet. If we changed anything, it would just be too weird. We can, but we shouldn't.
But there are usually four encores; each one of us picks one. And we discuss that right after we go off the stage, which is why it sometimes takes a while for us to get back out there. And the encores are from other albums; there’s a slew to pick from.
Concert preview
The Pixies
8 p.m. Sept. 13. $37-$83.40. The Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-881-2100, www.foxtheatre.org
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