Feed the tree: the genealogy of the goblins, the throwing muses, the breeders and the belly

One of my favorite music sub-scenes is the interlocking family tree that includes The Pixies, Throwing Muses, The Breeders, and Belly. I could write endlessly about any of these bands, even individual songs, so I’ll try to strictly limit myself to a very detailed story and include some example videos from each band, as well as a diagram that explains a lot. more (well that’s if you can read it … it’s pin sharp on my computer, but the quality doesn’t seem to be that good on Blogger). The diagram could be endless too, and there’s a lot that’s not included … but that should inform a healthy comment discussion about additions, huh?

Recording in the late ’80s and’ 90s, I think these artists, and The Pixies in particular, really added something new to the music scene; and they have certainly been very influential on other musicians.

I’ll start with The Pixies, as they are probably the best known of the group, and they really are the ‘dad’ of this scene (although Throwing Muses existed before The Pixies were formed). Headed by Charles Michael Kitridge Thompson IV (!) Under the pseudonym Black Francis, they formed in Boston in 1986. Their full-length debut, Surfer Rosa, recorded by Steve Albini, was released in 1988 (following the release of the Come On EP Pilgrim), and had quiet success, particularly in the UK (more so than in his native USA), and won the title of Melody Maker and Sounds’ Album Of The Year. They supported fellow Bostonians Throwing Muses on a tour early in their career, introducing them to industry professionals and the general public.

I would describe their sound as alternative surf punk, based on guitars. Their albums featured a wide range of song styles and The Pixies seemed to have a really novel, original and unique way of doing things. Strange collages of sound collide with surreal images on topics as diverse as UFOs, Mose Allison, incest, and biblical references, and the albums are peppered with lyrics in both Spanish and English. These lyrics are often ‘spatial’ or violent, yet it is clear that their author is eloquent and articulate. His use of volume and dynamics is remarkable too, with quiet, lazy, and understated sections contrasting with strident strident as hell for the leather, shitty rhythm of your guitar, and throaty growls interspersed with sweet, almost falsetto, melody. . They were of particular influence on the grunge music scene of the early 1990s (Nirvana claimed, in an interview, to have been trying to emulate their sound with Smells Like Teen Spirit), and have been cited by many, including David Bowie, U2. and Radiohead. , as one of his favorite bands.

Black Francis, now renamed Frank Black, has been prolific ever since, both solo and with his band Frank Black And The Catholics.

And so, before continuing, here are a couple of interesting trivia for you …

The song Debaser (from the album Doolittle, which was tentatively titled Whore) was inspired by the movie Un Chien Andalou, by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí … anyone who has seen this movie will vividly remember the eye-cutting scene! The song Ana (by Bossanova) is an acrostic: the first letters of each of its six lines spell SURFER.

Divinyl’s tip for the best introductory album = Doolittle.

Throwing Muses were formed in 1983 by Kristin Hersh and her half-sister Tanya Donelly. They themselves released a series of demos (The Doghouse Cassette) in 1984, and they also released a self-titled EP later that year. Their debut album proper (again self-titled) was released in 1986. Muses was the first American act to sign with the British record label 4AD, which has hosted all of these key bands, as well as many other great artists. 4AD is also responsible for one of my favorite compilation albums, which came out free with Uncut magazine in 1998 and features Lush, His Name Is Alive, Dead Can Dance, Lisa Germano, Mojave 3, Red House Painters, and others. (Visit their website for a more complete description of their artists / releases.)

Hersh has an extremely distinctive vocal style and the lyrics are quirky, sung with tempo changes and catchy guitar hooks. This is still somewhat distressed ‘alt rock’ (for example, lots of references to mental illness in her lyrics: Hersh suffers from bipolar disorder and is forced to write by auditory hallucinations that ‘force’ songs on her), but it’s melodious, poppy and accessible. Hersh continues to record solo today, a more acoustic sound and impressive songwriting, and also, in 2003, formed the power rock trio 50 Foot Wave. He has been kind enough to share free downloadable mp3s of his solo career, as well as songs from Throwing Muses and 50 Foot Wave on his Throwing Music website.

Divinyl’s advice for the best introductory album = Limbo.

Best Kristin Hersh Introductory Album = Hips And Makers (which was co-produced by Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye).

Kim Deal of The Pixies formed The Breeders (taking the name of the teen band of her and her twin sister Kelley, also in this incarnation; the word is one that homosexuals use to refer to straight people) with Throwing Muses’ ( with whom they had been on tour), guitarist Tanya Donelly and bassist Josephine Wiggs of Perfect Disaster. Formed in 1989 and releasing their first full album, Pod, in 1990, this was a much more feminine sound, where the angular guitar touch and feedback are complemented by the melodic vocals of Deal and Donelly (don’t get me wrong, these women can howl too!). They signed with 4AD after Ivo Watts-Russell heard her demo, and her debut was recorded (again by Steve Albini, who Deal had worked with when she was on The Pixies) in just one week. And so, in fact, before leaving The Breeders, with their album Title TK (2002), they announced the “all wave” philosophy of recording analog instruments and vocals and avoiding computer technology and digital recording techniques.

Divinyl’s tip for the best introductory album = Last Splash.

While The Breeders are still going (or at least they haven’t officially disbanded, the last album they released was Title TK), Tanya Donelly (the most ‘covered’ in this pantheon) left in 1991 to form …

Belly. Who were a much more chart and MTV friendly band that fit very well into the indie rock division of the early ’90s that also included bands like Lush, Echobelly and Dubstar. Belly are, in my opinion, underrated. His first EP, Slow Dust, was released in 1992 and reached number one on the British indie chart. There are two albums: Star in 1993 and King in 1995. And that was it (but it was enough to get Grammy nominations) … unless you count a (great) album that mixes ‘best of’ / B-sides and rarities not published. until 2002. Their sound was much more ‘pop’ than their sister bands, sometimes dreamy, sometimes thrashy, the lyrics are still full of strange, haunting and surreal imagery. They had their biggest hit with the single Feed The Tree.

Donelly continues to work as a soloist and has done some lovely songs; however, in my opinion, his solo endeavors have varied greatly in quality, it’s all a bit hit and miss. You can visit his website, where there are free downloadable demos of Belly’s Star album as well as his solo catalog.

Divinyl’s advice for the best introductory album: Star. And from Tanya Donelly as a soloist: Whiskey Tango Ghosts.

NB All original still images from Divinyl.