Pixies (EP)

Template:Use mdy dates {{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |{{#if: Template:Start date | Template:Short description}}}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Trompe le Monde1991EP12013EPPixiesPurple Tape 2002.jpgPixiesTemplate:Start dateTemplate:Start dateFort Apache, BostonAlternative rock16:30SpinARTGary Smithx|2=</?t[drh][ >]|nomatch=}}|Template:Main other}}Template:Main other}} Template:Music ratings

Pixies is an EP by the American alternative rock band of the same name, released in 2002 by SpinART Records in the U.S., Cooking Vinyl in the UK and Sonic Unyon in Canada. It consists of the remaining songs from the band's original 17-track demo tape (known informally as The Purple Tape), eight songs of which were released in 1987 as the band's debut, Come On Pilgrim.<ref name="AustinChronicle">Austin Chronicle review</ref> All 17 songs were recorded by Gary Smith at Fort Apache Studios in March 1987.

"In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)" is a cover of a song featured in David Lynch's 1977 film Eraserhead.

Track listing

All songs written by Black Francis, except "In Heaven", by Peter Ivers and David Lynch.

1. "Broken Face" – 1:23
2. "Build High" – 1:41
3. "Rock a My Soul" – 1:40
4. "Down to the Well" – 2:36
5. "Break My Body" – 2:00
6. "I'm Amazed" – 1:40
7. "Here Comes Your Man" – 2:50
8. "Subbacultcha" – 2:52
9. "In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)" – 1:43

The Purple Tape

The Purple Tape was recorded in three days during the band's first studio session in 1987.<ref name="AMG"/> According to frontman Black Francis, the tape was initially recorded "with the intention of releasing it as a record",<ref name="fgpg82">Template:Cite book</ref> and producer Gary Smith later stated that the songs were not thought of as demo recordings.<ref name="fgpg67">Frank, Ganz, pg.67</ref> The sessions were financed by Francis after borrowing $1,000 from his father (approx $2,760 in 2024).<ref name="fgpg80">Frank, Ganz, pg.61</ref>

Track listing

Side one

1. "Levitate Me" – 2:30 †
2. "The Holiday Song" – 2:08 †
3. "I've Been Tired" – 2:36 †
4. "Break My Body" – 2:00
5. "Down to the Well" – 2:36
6. "Rock a My Soul" – 1:40
7. "I'm Amazed" – 1:40
8. "Build High" – 1:41
9. "In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song)" – 1:43

Side two

1. "Caribou" – 3:17 †
2. "Here Comes Your Man" – 2:50
3. "Subbacultcha" – 2:52
4. "Vamos" – 3:10 †
5. "Broken Face" – 1:23
6. "Nimrod's Son" – 2:15 †
7. "Isla De Encanta" – 1:42 †
8. "Ed Is Dead" – 2:32 †

† = Appeared on the band's debut EP, Come On Pilgrim (1987).

Songs

The recordings were captured on two reels of tape and included two different takes of "Rock a My Soul", as well as unspecified recordings labeled "Leonard Norman acoustic number" and "The New One".<ref name="fgpg68">Frank, Ganz, p. 68</ref>

"Down to the Well" and "Rock a My Soul" from this session were re-released in 1988 on the Sounds Waves 3 EP, a 7-inch, Template:Frac rpm record that also included tracks by the Wedding Present, the Pogues and the Sugarcubes which was given away with issues of Sounds magazine.

Several of the tracks on the tape were re-recorded for later Pixies releases:<ref name="RollingStone"/> "I'm Amazed", "Broken Face", and "Break My Body" (for Surfer Rosa); "Here Comes Your Man" (Doolittle); a live version of "In Heaven" ("Gigantic" single); "Down to the Well" (Bossanova); "Build High" ("Planet of Sound" single); and a revised "Subbacultcha" (Trompe le Monde).

The original "Subbacultcha" and "I'm Amazed" both have sections that differ from later re-recordings.<ref name="Pitchfork"/> The removed chorus from "Subbacultcha" later appeared as the basis for "Distance Equals Rate Times Time",<ref name="Pitchfork"/> a separate song immediately following the revised "Subbacultcha" on Trompe le Monde.

Artwork

The cassette J-card features a photograph taken by producer Gary Smith of drummer David Lovering jogging naked in place at Fort Apache, composited with an image of project houses behind the studio.<ref name="fgpg6970">Frank, Josh; Ganz, Caryn. Fool the World: The Oral History of a Band Called Pixies. Virgin Books, 2005. Template:ISBN. p. 69–70</ref>

Personnel

Pixies

• Black Francis – vocals, guitars
• David Lovering – drums
• Kim Deal – bass, vocals
• Joey Santiago – lead guitars

Technical

• Gary Smith – producer, original cassette design
• Paul Q. Kolderie – engineer
• Steve Hoffman – mastering
• Andrew Swainson – design