Discussion: Without the Pixies, Nirvana would never have existed

One of the most, if not THE most influential rock bands of the 80's (the Pixies) was one of the biggest influences for Nirvana. Not only that, but the Pixies have fans ranging from Radiohead to David Bowie, and more. Some say the Pixies have had a big impact on how bands played music through the 90's to today.

Maybe Nirvana would have existed, but they probably wouldn't have been half as good. Some people say Nirvana are one of the most influential bands of the 90's (granted, alot of these people are young teenagers that were too young to know who Nirvana were, much less who the Pixies are).

The sheer amount of material the Pixies produced far outweighs that of Nirvana. In fact, Frank Black the writer and lead vocalist of the Pixies has (to my estimation) wrote hundreds of songs, 99.9% of which range from good to excellent.

Discuss the Pixies and their influence on today's music. Would music be the same if it weren't for them? When people say Nirvana changed music, should they instead be saying the Pixies?

 

I'm only starting to get into The Pixies now, thanks to a lack of funds. But I do know, that my favorite band, The Pillows, who are Japanese, are influnced by them. In one song they sing "Here comes your man," a Pixies lyric, and another is named Kim Deal. They have cited The Pixies, and The Beatles as their biggest influences. So, I do know at least, that without them, I wouldn't have my favorite band as I know them.

-P!-

 

Yeah. I'd agree.

 

I never really got why Nirvana was considered the Greatest Band of the 90's. If Cobain hadn't of killed himself they wouldn't have been half as popular.


OT
Trell, enjoy the new LoZ trailer, did we?

 

I'm not sure if you're saying the Pixies were a direct influence on Nirvana artistically, or the Pixies set the stage for the record-buying public to be receptive to Nirvana's sound. I believe those are two separate things. I'll discuss the latter.

I would grant that the Pixies broke ground for many alternative bands including Nirvana, but to pin them as the one band responsible for another's success, I can't agree with that. That's a pretty broad generalization, and if I were making it for any modern pop music group, I'd start and end it with the Beatles. IMO.

My point being that for 10+ years before Nirvana, there was an alternative/underground/college scene simmering just beneath the surface of mainstream music (of which, yes, the Pixies were a very prominent part.) But many bands made contributions to that scene, from the Sex Pistols to Joy Division to R.E.M. to Sonic Youth to Meat Puppets to Husker Du. Their consistent combination of good records, touring, and DIY ethic helped create a scene that was ripe to take the stage in the late 80's/early 90's when the public was fed up with top 40 crap and hair metal. Enter Nirvana.

Would they be as popular without the work of the Pixies and the other bands? No. But was it the Pixies alone that elevated Nirvana to their status? No.

 

Without alot of bands...Nirvana wouldn't have existed.

Without alot of bands...The Pixies would never have existed.

 

I'd say the Melvins and Mudhoney/Green River were a bigger influence on the sound of Nirvana than Pixies. I can definitly hear their influence, while hearing the Pixies in it is a bit harder.

The Pixies were enormously influential, but even they are overrated at times. I wouldn't call them the most influential band of the 80's by any means.

 

Nevermind about influence on Nirvana specifically, what about wider influence?

 

Nirvana had a knack for catchy tunes, but they just didn't have the Pixies' streak of geniune musical eccentricity and originality. But then not too many bands do.

The funny thing about the Pixies is that the qualities of their sound that seem to be widely recognised as being 'influential' (such as the quiet/loud shifting dynamics thing) don't really strike me as the most interesting or original aspects of the band at all. No-one ever seems to mention stuff like how consistently original their song structures and chord sequences are, for example.

But then there does seem to be a growing habit of people retrospectively recrafting the band into something they weren't: based on how the music press talk about the band you'd probably go away thinking they sounded identical to Nirvana, only singing about incest in every song. They spent as much, if not more, time singing about space and science-fiction as they did incest and mutilation, but of course all of that stuff gets swept under the carpet along with those last two albums (which contrary to popular belief are GREAT - Trompe Le Monde especially). This is all a bad idea - hide the Pixies' nerdy qualities and you're hiding some of their best qualities.

Anyone heard their new single, Bom Thwack, by the way? Lots of people seem a bit underwhelmed, but I think it's catchy as hell!

edit - make that "Bam Thwok". How's that for a spoonerism?