Kim Shattuck
The Pixies today followed up last week’s free release of a surprise new track — “Bagboy,” the band’s first new song in nine years — with more revelations, namely that the band is about to embark on a “massive global tour” to debut material off its follow-up to 1991’s Trompe le Monde with The Muffs frontwoman Kim Shattuck replacing the departed Kim Deal on bass and vocals.
The band immediately announced 17 dates in Europe spanning late September through late November, with the promise of more to come (see dates below). As the band notes on its website, the tour “will give them an opportunity to do something they haven’t been able to do in two decades: premiere brand new Pixies songs, the first collection of new material since 1991’s Trompe le Monde.”
Below: See video of Kim Shattuck playing with members of the Pixies in recent years.
According to the band, Shattuck — who tweeted Muffs fans: “Don’t worry! Our band is still together” — has been “holed up” in a Los Angeles rehearsal space with Black Francis, Joey Santiago and David Lovering “getting ready to offer the most wide-ranging concert set-lists of Pixies music in the band’s career.”
In a statement posted to the Pixies’ website, Black Francis says:
“Along with everyone’s favorites, we’ll be playing songs that we haven’t played in ages or never played live before. “Songs like ‘Brick is Red,’ ‘Havalina,’ ‘Tony’s Theme’ and ‘Sad Punk.’ We’ve probably rehearsed some 80 songs, so we’ll be able to change up the set at the last minute if we feel like it. We’re all really looking forward to this tour.”
On June 14, the Pixies announced that Deal had decided to “move on” in a statement attributed to Black Francis, Joey Santiago and David Lovering that concluded: “We will always consider her a member of the Pixies.” Deal — who has spent much of this year touring with the reunited Last Splash-era lineup of The Breeders — has not publicly discussed her departure.
Free download: Pixies release new single “Bagboy.”
Friday, the band shocked fans with the release of the song “Bagboy,” only the second original track and third song released overall since reuniting in 2004. Although the song sounds like it features Deal on backing vocals, it’s actually Jeremy Dubs, the singer of Bunnies, who used to play with The Bennies, a group that toured with the Pixies and Frank Black in the past, and who has previously been rumored to be involved with a new Pixies record.
Check the Pixies’ website for full on-sale information for the fall tour.
UPDATE: The band this morning already has begun adding second dates in some cities.
Pixies tour dates:
Sept. 29: Olympia, Paris, France
Oct. 2: Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
Oct. 3: Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium *
Oct. 5: Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland
Oct. 8: Huxleys, Berlin, Germany
Oct. 10: Lucerna Music Hall, Prague, Czech Republic
Nov. 1: Gasometer, Vienna, Austria
Nov. 2: Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
Nov. 4: Alcatraz, Milan, Italy
Nov. 7: La Riviera, Madrid, Spain
Nov. 9: Coleisum, Lisbon, Portugal
Nov. 13: Falkoner, Copenhagen, Denmark
Nov. 14: Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway
Nov. 15: Munchen Brewery, Stockholm, Sweden
Nov. 18: Olympia, Dublin, Ireland
Nov. 19: Olympia, Dublin, Ireland *
Nov. 21: Apollo, Manchester, UK
Nov. 22: Barrlowland, Glasgow, UK
Nov. 24: Hammersmith Apollo, London, UK
* New date added
Black Francis, Joey Santiago, David Lovering, Kim Shattuck: “Here Comes Your Man,” 2009
Black Francis, Joey Santiago, David Lovering, Kim Shattuck: “Velouria,” 2009
Black Francis and Kim Shattuck: “La La Love You,” 2013
Black Francis and Kim Shattuck: “Subbacultcha,” 2013
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Pixies release new, Kim Deal-less song ‘Bagboy’ — download free MP3, watch video
- Pixies announce departure of bassist Kim Deal: ‘We wish her all the best’
- Video: Tanya Donelly reunites with The Breeders in Boston at ‘Last Splash’ show
- Want to see Pixies’ Black Francis in New York? If you’re over 30, it’ll cost an extra $30
- ‘Pixies: A Visual History’: Kickstarter campaign launched to fund new photo book
- Kim Deal releases second limited-edition 7-inch in new ‘Solo Series’ — MP3s, too
- The Breeders’ ‘Last Splash’ 7-disc vinyl box set to feature live album, demos, BBC sessions
Departed? Don’t scare us like that
Don’t you proofread? Sloppy, very sloppy.
There’s nothing wrong with the writing–it’s grammatically correct. You know–departed–left. Were you really confused or just in a snotty mood? The only people who use the word “departed” to describe the dead living in rest homes.
Plus, show a little class. The sarky remarks are out of place. SLICING works his butt off for us–every day–for free. Coming to this site is a joy, something I look forward to–if you don’t, don’t.
Whew.
Great move for The Pixies–this will be fun.
ALLLLLLRIGHT! LOVE THE MUFFS! LOVED THE PANDORAS! She’s a contemporary of the group so they’re not going with some snot-nosed kid. Different vocal style, mind, but still, this is nice news waking up this morning.
Please play the flyover zone. We’re not all meth-ed out hilljacks with stumps for family trees.
I was going to make a quip involving Melissa Auf der Maur, but will let the opportunity pass.
Instead I’m just glad the band is carrying on, doubly so that they’re shaking up a setlist that had been pretty stagnant since the unexpected reunion. The Bossanova and TLM songs really deserve a good airing, for instance, as do some of the deeper cuts from the early albums.
And I would fly any distance to hear Bossanova played live front to back….
Great choice! Saw The Muffs many times in the 90’s and always loved her stage presence. She got lumped into the baby doll dress Grunge scene and was lost to wider audiences, which was a shame. Her voice will work perfectly with their older cuts. Kim will be missed but the drama between her and Francis won’t be.
Hey!
Are the Muffs also playing during that Pixies Euro tour?