Pixies
Frank Black Announces Solo CD
03-30-05
.
(antiMUSIC) (press release) "Honeycomb," Frank
Black's first solo effort since 1996's "The Cult of Ray," will be released
July 19 on Back Porch Records/EMI. The Americana-flavored album was
recorded at Dan Penn's Better Songs and Gardens studio in Nashville, TN
over a four-day period in April, 2004, a few days before the Pixies kicked
off their very first reunion tour date. "Honeycomb" features some
of the most celebrated players in music: Steve Cropper, Buddy Miller and
Reggie Young on guitars, drummers Chester Thompson, Anton Fig, Billy Block,
and Akil Thompson, David Hood on bass, and Spooner Oldham on keyboards,
among others. "Honeycomb" was produced by Jon Tiven (Wilson Pickett,
B.B. King, Robert Plant) who also worked with Black on his 1994 "Headache"
EP.
"It was wonderful to have these incredible
musicians poking fun at my non-Nashville chord progressions," said Black,
"and then give me a wink after a take to let me know that they approved
and enjoyed it. I was so lucky to have them playing on this album."
Black wrote all but three of the fourteen
songs on "Honeycomb," the exceptions being covers of "Dark End of the Street"
(Dan Penn & Chips Moman), "Song of the Shrimp" (Roy Bennett & Sid
Tepper) from the Elvis Presley film "Girls, Girls Girls," and "Sunday Sunny
Mill Valley Groove Day" (Doug Sahm). Some of the original Black compositions
on "Honeycomb" include "I Burn Today," "My Life is in Storage," "Atom In
My Heart," "Another Velvet Nightmare" (co-written with Reid Paley), "Go
Find Your Saint," and
"Violet."
Those involved with the making of "Honeycomb"
agree that it was a tremendous music experience. According to producer
Tiven, "We spent more time having fun and charting the songs than we did
with the actual recording; most of the songs were done in one or two takes."
The "Honeycomb" sessions also marked the first time that many of these
veteran musicians, whose collective histories are entrenched at Stax Records,
Muscle Shoals and American Studios the three studios synonymous with
Southern soul music - had played together. "This was the only time
that I have ever been in a studio and had
the strange feeling that I was witnessing
something spiritual," Black remembered.
"When we were recording, those guys didn't
even look at each other, they closed their eyes and THEY MEANT IT.
I have never recorded with people who meant what they played so much.
"I can say without a doubt that the Honeycomb
session was the most moving and mind-blowing experience I've ever had in
my musical career. Steve Cropper co-wrote the first rock'n'roll song
that I ever sang in front of an audience {"In The Midnight Hour"}.
It was a pure pleasure to come full circle with Mr. Cropper."
As the vocalist/songwriter for one of the
most influential bands to emerge from the '80s - PIXIES - Frank Black is
unique and celebrated in his talent to blend punk and indie guitar, surf
rock and Beatles-esque music with bizarre lyrics about everything from
religion to pop culture. Just prior to PIXIES' 1993 breakup, Black
began his solo career, and since then has released nine albums as either
a solo artist or as Frank Black and the Catholics. Last year, Pixies
got back together for a one of the most anticipated reunions in ages, one
that SPIN named "The Comeback of the Year."
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