Pixies - Live At The BBC (3LP)

Coinciding with a sold-out tour, Pixies at the BBC, 1988-91 is being released on March 8th on 4AD. Being pressed for the first time on vinyl, it’s also going to be available on double CD. Between 1988 and 1991 – during the band’s 4AD years – Pixies recorded six sessions for the BBC, five for John Peel and one for Mark Goodier.

Catching the raw energy of the band’s live performances, these sessions felt immediately noteworthy, timestamping a moment when Black Francis, Kim Deal, Joey Santiago and David Lovering were motoring out front. Among the twenty-four tracks they recorded in this period (inc. two doubles - ‘Allison’ and ‘Wave of Mutilation’) are favourites from mini-album Come on Pilgrim and three of their four 4AD studio albums. Also recorded were three covers; reworks of The Beatles’ ‘Wild Honey Pie’, Eraserhead’s ‘(In Heaven) Lady in the Radiator Song’ and The Beach Boys’ ‘Hang On To Your Ego’, a track Black Francis covered a few years later on his debut Frank Black solo album.

Originally released on CD in 1998, this reboot now sees all tracks from the six sessions included and presented in chronological order. Something fans have been asking for.

Coming as both a triple black vinyl LP and double CD, the sleeve is also new with a wonderful black and gold design by Chris Bigg now adorning it. A design that really stands out, Chris pays loving tribute to the band’s late-visual director Vaughan Oliver, using unseen archival Pixies imagery by long-time collaborator Simon Larbalestier.

John Peel Session 3rd May 1988

1. Levitate Me

2. Hey

3. In Heaven (Lady In The Radiator Song)

4. Wild Honey Pie

5. Caribou

John Peel Session 9th October 1988

6. Dead

7. Tame

8. There Goes My Gun

9. Manta Ray

John Peel Session 16th April 1989

10. Down To The Well

11. Into The White

12. Wave Of Mutilation

John Peel Session 11th June 1990

13. Allison

14. Velouria

15. Hang On To Your Ego

16. Is She Weird

Mark Goodier Session 18th August 1990

17. Monkey Gone To Heaven

18. Ana

19. Allison

20. Wave Of Mutilation

John Peel Session 23rd June 1991

21. Palace Of The Brine

22. Letter To Memphis

23. Motorway To Roswell

24. Subbacultcha