Frank Black is dead... set on purchasing a small bungalow in Chiswick [renamed]

[buntyman]

I'm going to see Mr Francis on Sunday in Glasgow. Does anyone know where and when the pre-core thing is suppose to take place? The website seems to contradict his youtube video announcement.

[Glebe]

Bunty, It's 6:30 PM at The Big Issue's magazine distribution office, 107 Saltmarket.

[Glebe]

Enjoyed the gig yesterday-the 'precore' he did earlier was supposed to be in St. Stephen's Green, but everyone was being thrown out and the gates were being shut when I got there. Frank dutifully played outside, to a massive crowd, before being escorted away by police:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fOalno8zH6c

You can briefly glimpse my brother, bearded with red hair and camera, behind a guy with a stripey cap:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ee6Bcu9wauY

I don't know who who took this, but you can hear me on the phone to my bro 35 secs in:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WA7tf2uYdS0
Signing stuff:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=d32tMpiDhFY

hotpress.com.

Picture Update: Frank Black's Stephen's Green gig

10 Feb 2008

Read our special report on Frank Black's 'precore' weekend gig in Stephen's Green.

A crowd of around 1,000 people descended on Stephen's Green last Saturday for a Black Francis guerilla gig, which had been announced on his website and hotpress.com.

"I've stopped doing encores at my official shows, and replaced them with 'precores' in unusual locations, which I ask fans to come up with," the Pixies legend told us beforehand. "Somebody suggested Stephen's Green – so I checked it out on the net, and thought, 'Hey, let's do it!'"

Originally earmarked for the bandstand in the middle of the green, the 5pm precore was switched to outside the main entrance when the park authorities got wind of the stunt.

"We arrived at a quarter to five to be told in no uncertain terms by a park-keeper that we weren't getting in to the green," said 16-year-old Daragh Moloney who travelled up with two of his friends from Enniscorthy. "That was a bit of a downer, but then Frank arrived and played an amazing acoustic set. What a legend!"

Fans scaled the gates and pillars to get a better look at their idol who entertained with both solo material and Pixies classics like 'Nimrod's Son' and 'Monkey Gone To Heaven'.

Less delighted with proceedings were the local Gardai who took the singer and his publicist, Stevo Berube, by van to Kevin Street station where they were given a severe ticking off.

"At first we thought we'd been arrested," Berube reveals, "but as we drove to Kevin Street the mood lightened, and we escaped with a 'Don't do it again!'"

Was Black shaken?

"Yes," Stevo deadpans, "but only because one old lady in the crowd thought he was James Blunt!"

Sprung from the nick, it was up the road to Vicar St. for a rather more conventional sell-out show. The first – of many – big cheers came when Francis announced from the stage: "Don't believe what they tell you, the food in Kevin Street Garda Station is great!"

According to our woman on the spot, Roisin Dwyer, 40 or so punters turned up expecting to see the similarly named, but somewhat musically different Frances Black.

"I overheard one lady outside on the phone laughing to her friend and saying: '...some heavy metal fella, I won't be throwing me knickers at him!'" Ms. Dwyer reports.

Photo by Ronan Johns

The Hot Press Newsdesk

[Duckula]

I was at the glasgow pre gig thing and had the pleasure of shaking hands with the man. Only about 20 people tops were there.

[PaulTMA]

Here he is buying me a pint.

[gmoney]

Anyone know where he's going to do his 'precore' in Portsmouth? Can't seem to find out anywhere.

[Marvin]

2.14.2008
Portsmouth, England
Precore: Outside the One Eyed Dog bar (177-185 Elm Grove, Southsea,
Hampshire, PO5 1LU); 5:00 pm


http://blackfrancis.net/board/viewtopic.php?p=1053&sid=311cba0b5abf9bb2b5354edfafe00ef4


Wish I'd known about the Oxford one ahead of time, but the main gig was excellent.

[gmoney]

You're a diamond

[Glebe]

Dublin pix (taken by my brother, not me).

[Glebe]

Okay, gonna post some of those pics here, but first here's a couple of little things: BF was on Nemone's show on BBC 6 Music, you should still be able to check it out here, and an interview with him on Irish station Today FM's The Lash Splash with Alison Carter will be broadcast on this week's show (Sun, Feb 17, 8-10PM), but you can listen to the podcast version here. Also, Frank is recording a Lee Hazlewood tribute album with Modest Mouse's Isaak Brock. Oh yeah, check out this shocking Sun exclusive!

"Inside The Social in London's West End, Frank - aka Black Francis - launched straight into his set playing in front of just 150 people - including comedians RICHARD AYOADE and CHRIS MORRIS."

Cool, eh? But who's Herman Bloom?

Okay, here's those pics (slideshow here):

[Glebe]

Frank is on this Saturday's (23 Feb) The Culture Show (BBC 2, 7:10 PM).

[Glebe]

Contactmusic.com.

BLACK FRANCIS TO UNVEIL SOUNDTRACK TO 1920 MOVIE

Rocker BLACK FRANCIS has turned movie soundtrack composer - the PIXIES star has written a new score for 1920 German silent film THE GOLEM. Francis - aka Frank Black - will premiere his new soundtrack with a performance at a screening of the expressionist movie at the San Francisco International Film Festival in April (08). The concert/screening takes place at the city's Castro Theatre on 25 April (08).

18/02/2008 22:22



Pitchfork: Pixies' Santiago Scores Football Ad for Nike.

[Identity Crisis Ahoy!]

He's a fatty/

[PaulTMA]

Frank is on this Saturday's (23 Feb) The Culture Show (BBC 2, 7:10 PM).

You can see him getting me that pint right here...

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crOYh0duntY[/youtube]

[Glebe]

Contactmusic.com.

BLACK FRANCIS TO UNVEIL SOUNDTRACK TO 1920 MOVIE

Rocker BLACK FRANCIS has turned movie soundtrack composer - the PIXIES star has written a new score for 1920 German silent film THE GOLEM. Francis - aka Frank Black - will premiere his new soundtrack with a performance at a screening of the expressionist movie at the San Francisco International Film Festival in April (08). The concert/screening takes place at the city's Castro Theatre on 25 April (08).

18/02/2008 22:22

[trotsky assortment]

Did the US/Euro/Jap versions of '93-'03 definitely come with different bonus live discs?

[Glebe]

Not sure, actually.

Svn Fngrs is quite good.

[trotsky assortment]

Have double-checked and yes, they did.  Not completely different bonus discs, mind.  Once you have one, there are about four tracks apiece different on the other two.

[trotsky assortment]

A quick request, if I may...

Here's the tracklist for 93-03.  On my copy, all the tracks are tagged as Frank Black.  I know a handful of them should be '...and the Catholics'.  I want to sort my tags but don't have my other FB albums here with me.  Could some kind soul let me know which ones should credit the Catholics, please?  Ta.


1. Los Angeles   
2. Ten Percenter 
3. Czar 
4. Old Black Dawning 
5. I Want To Live On An Abstract Plain 
6. Calistan   
7. Speedy Marie   
8. Headache   
9. Freedom Rock   
10. Men In Black   
11. You Ain't Me 
12. I Don't Want To Hurt You (Every Single Time) 
13. All My Ghosts   
14. I Gotta Move   
15. Bad Harmony   
16. Western Star   
17. Robert Onion 
18. Hermaphroditos 
19. Velvety   
20. California Bound 
21. Massif Centrale   
22. Manitoba 

[Paaaaul]

A quick request, if I may...

Here's the tracklist for 93-03.  On my copy, all the tracks are tagged as Frank Black.  I know a handful of them should be '...and the Catholics'.  I want to sort my tags but don't have my other FB albums here with me.  Could some kind soul let me know which ones should credit the Catholics, please?  Ta.


1. Los Angeles   
2. Ten Percenter 
3. Czar 
4. Old Black Dawning 
5. I Want To Live On An Abstract Plain 
6. Calistan   
7. Speedy Marie   
8. Headache   
9. Freedom Rock   
10. Men In Black   
11. You Ain't Me 
12. I Don't Want To Hurt You (Every Single Time) 
13. All My Ghosts   
14. I Gotta Move   
15. Bad Harmony   
16. Western Star   
17. Robert Onion 
18. Hermaphroditos 
19. Velvety   
20. California Bound 
21. Massif Centrale   
22. Manitoba 

Off the top of me 'ead, track 13 onwards are all Catholics songs.

[trotsky assortment]

Thanks Paaaaaul.  Much appreciated.

[Glebe]

Fish and Chimps: PETA Europe's Blog.

Pixies Frontman, Frank Black, Boycotts KFC
posted at 2:41



When Charles Thompson, a.k.a. Black
Francis,, a.k.a. Frank Black formed the
Pixies back in the eighties, he probably had
no idea just how influential the band would
become. Over twenty years later, Pixies fans
still can't get enough – and that includes me,
seriously I luurve the Pixies. Thankfully they
reunited once again in 2004, and there are
even rumours of a new album. Yay! So, what
else has Black Francis been up to these days
besides a flourishing solo career? Why, saving chickens from KFC, of course!

Ever since we heard the Pixies song, Monkey Gone to Heaven, we thought Frank Black
might have a soft spot for animal and environmental issues, and we were right! He
recently signed PETA US' petition against fast-food giant KFC because he wants to help end
the suffering of chickens at the hands of KFC's suppliers.



What we and Frank Black want you to know is that every year hundreds of millions of
chickens are tortured and killed for KFC's restaurants around the world. These sensitive,
intelligent birds are crammed by the tens of thousands into crowded waste-filled sheds
where they'll spend their entire miserable existence.In the US, it is standard industry
practice for baby chicks to have their beaks cut off and for the birds to be bred to grow so
large that their body can't support their own weight, causing them to become crippled and
suffer broken bones. At the slaughterhouse, the chickens are hung upside-down, their
throats are slit, and they are dropped into tanks of scalding-hot water – often while they are
still fully conscious.

Join Frank Black and help save chickens today! Pledge to boycott KFC by signing our petition.

Frank Black image: Freschwill / CC

[Marvin]

I'm always incredibly disappointed when reasonable people give their name to publicise PETA.

I don't like KFC's practices much either, but PETA are just cunts.

[trotsky assortment]

I finally picked up 'Pistolero' this week, but haven't played it yet.  Is it good?

[Glebe]

I personally find it a bit scrappy, but there's some decent tunes on there. Western Star is a stand out.

[trotsky assortment]

I already assumed 'Pistolero' would be hit and miss, as most of FB's albums are. 

Despite my mate raving about 'Show Me Your Tears', I still don't find it anything that special.  At the time of writing 'Devil's Workshop' may well be my favourite.

[Glebe]

Teenager Of The Year is still probably my favourite, but you have to check out Blurfinger (which he recorded as Black Francis, of course). Black Letter Days is perhaps his best Catholics album, in my humble opinion.