Death to the Pixies was the first Pixies best-of compilation, released by 4AD in the UK on October 6, 1997, and 4AD/Elektra the following day in the United States to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the band's debut. It covered the years 1987 to 1991. It is now out of print, having been replaced by the 2004 compilation Wave of Mutilation: Best of Pixies. A limited edition of the compilation also included a second CD with a live performance taken from Vredenburg, Utrecht, Netherlands on September 25, 1990.[7]

Death to the Pixies
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedOctober 6, 1997 (1997-10-06)
Recorded1987 - 1991
GenreAlternative rock
Length47:42
LanguageEnglish
Label4AD DAD 7011
ProducerSteve Albini, Gary Smith, and Gil Norton
CompilerChris Staley
Pixies compilations chronology
Death to the Pixies
(1997)
Pixies at the BBC
(1998)
Alternative cover
Limited vinyl LP edition cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
NME10/10[2]
Pitchfork Media9.2/10[3]
Robert Christgau(neither)[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]
Select[6]

There was also another version of the limited edition, produced in extremely small quantities, that includes two rare "Black Francis Demos" ("I'm Amazed" and "Broken Face"). This is known as the "Golden Ticket" version, and has GT appended to its catalog number.[8] These demos, recorded in the apartment of producer Gary Smith the day before the band convened to record their full demo at Smith's Fort Apache Studios, feature only Francis singing and playing acoustic guitar (and giving notations to Smith about where the other band members' parts are). The complete "Black Francis Demos" were released as the first disc of 2004's Frank Black Francis 2-CD compilation.

The vinyl release contained all the tracks on the "Golden Ticket" version, spread out over four 10" records. Featuring a different cover, the vinyl version was a limited edition of 9,000 copies printed.

As of 2015, sales in the United States have exceeded 148,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[9]

Track listing edit

All tracks are written by Black Francis, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
1."Cecilia Ann"Bossanova (1990)2:06
2."Planet of Sound" Trompe le Monde (1991)2:06
3."Tame" Doolittle (1989)1:56
4."Here Comes Your Man" Doolittle3:21
5."Debaser" Doolittle2:52
6."Wave of Mutilation" Doolittle2:04
7."Dig for Fire" Bossanova3:02
8."Caribou" Come On Pilgrim (1987)3:14
9."Holiday Song" Come On Pilgrim2:14
10."Nimrod's Son" Come On Pilgrim2:17
11."U-Mass" Trompe le Monde3:01
12."Bone Machine" Surfer Rosa (1988)2:34
13."Gigantic"
Surfer Rosa (single version)3:13
14."Where Is My Mind?" Surfer Rosa3:52
15."Velouria" Bossanova3:40
16."Gouge Away" Doolittle2:44
17."Monkey Gone to Heaven" Doolittle2:57
(limited edition bonus) disc two

Disc two was recorded 25 September 1990 at Vredenburg in Utrecht, Netherlands[10] and produced by VPRO Radio 3.[11]

  1. "Debaser" – 2:55
  2. "Rock Music" – 1:51
  3. "Broken Face" – 1:21
  4. "Isla de Encanta" – 1:42
  5. "Hangwire" – 2:00
  6. "Dead" – 2:30
  7. "Into the White" – 3:30
  8. "Monkey Gone to Heaven" – 2:58
  9. "Gouge Away" – 2:53
  10. "Here Comes Your Man" – 3:12
  11. "Allison" – 1:16
  12. "Hey" – 3:54
  13. "Gigantic" – 3:26
  14. "Crackity Jones" – 1:35
  15. "Something Against You" – 1:46
  16. "Tame" – 2:05
  17. "Wave of Mutilation" – 3:05
  18. "Where Is My Mind?" – 3:37
  19. "Ed Is Dead" – 2:52
  20. "Vamos" – 4:34
  21. "Tony's Theme" – 2:27

Disc two is missing 13 songs from the complete concert.
Here is the 25th September 1990 concert setlist at Muziekcentrum Vredenburg in Utrecht, Netherlands.

  1. Cecilia Ann
  2. Levitate Me
  3. Debaser
  4. Rock Music
  5. Hangwire
  6. Dead
  7. There Goes My Gun
  8. Monkey Gone to Heaven
  9. Isla de Encanta
  10. Velouria
  11. Into the White
  12. Stormy Weather
  13. Hey
  14. Gigantic
  15. Crackity Jones
  16. Dig for Fire
  17. Dancing the Manta Ray
  18. Gouge Away
  19. Here Comes Your Man
  20. Caribou
  21. All Over the World
  22. Allison
  23. The Happening
  24. Broken Face
  25. I Bleed
  26. Something Against You
  27. Tame
  28. Is She Weird
  29. Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)
  30. Where Is My Mind
  31. Ed Is Dead
  32. Vamos
  33. Tony's Theme
  34. Wave of Mutilation

Bootleg edit

An unofficial alternative vinyl LP titled Death to the Pixies was recorded at the Crystal Palace Bowl Saturday 8 June 1991.[12]

vinyl side one
  1. "The Happening"
  2. "Allison"
  3. "Velouria"
  4. "Hang Wire"
  5. "Debaser"
  6. "Letter to Memphis"
  7. "Planet of Sound"
  8. "Blown Away"
vinyl side two
  1. "Here Comes Your Man"
  2. "Where Is My Mind?"
  3. "The Holiday Song"
  4. "Break my Body"
  5. "Motorway to Roswell"
  6. "Vamos"
  7. "Head On" (The Jesus and Mary Chain cover)

Charts edit

References edit

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ "Pixes: Death To The Pixies: (4AD)". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved September 7, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ Pitchfork Media review
  4. ^ Robert Christgau. "The Pixies: Consumer Guide Reviews: Death to the Pixies [Elektra, 1997]". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  5. ^ Wolk, Douglas (2004). "The Pixies". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 640–41. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  6. ^ Roy Wilkinson. "Death to the Pixies". Select. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  7. ^ "PixieMusic - Live 92". Archived from the original on February 15, 2005. Retrieved February 6, 2005.
  8. ^ eyesore, the 4AD data base - Death to the Pixies
  9. ^ "The Record: Unfinished Business". Capital Public Radio. February 3, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  10. ^ Discogs - Death to the Pixies promo compilation 2CD 1997-October-07th, Elektra (2-62118) US
  11. ^ Discogs - Death to the Pixies promo compilation 2CD 1997-October, Elektra (2-62118-P) US
  12. ^ Discogs - Death to the Pixies recorded Saturday 8th June 1991
  13. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Pixies – Death to the Pixies 1987-1991". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  14. ^ "Ultratop.be – Pixies – Death to the Pixies 1987-1991" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  15. ^ "Lescharts.com – Pixies – Death to the Pixies 1987-1991". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  16. ^ "Charts.nz – Pixies – Death to the Pixies 1987-1991". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  17. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Pixies – Death to the Pixies 1987-1991". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  18. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  19. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Pixies – Death to the Pixies 1987-1991". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  20. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  21. ^ "Pixies Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  22. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1997". Ultratop. Retrieved March 29, 2021.

External links edit