'I'm Amazed' begins with Deal recounting a story in which one of her former teachers who was 'into field hockey players' was discreetly fired. Lupfer later admitted that Albini knew 'perfectly well what was going on.' The track begins at this point, with Francis explaining the conversation to Albini, whose voice is not heard on the track. Lupfer writes that 'it was a concept he was going for to get some studio banter.' As Deal was leaving the studio to smoke a cigarette, she exclaimed 'If anybody touches my stuff, I'll kill ya.' Francis replied with 'I'll kill you, you fucking die, if anybody touches my stuff'. The recording of a conversation held between Francis and Albini can be heard at the end of 'Oh My Golly!'. Albini later said that the record could have been completed in a week, but 'we ended up trying more experimental stuff basically to kill time and see if anything good materialized.' An example was 'Something Against You', where Albini filtered Black Francis' voice through a guitar amp for 'a totally ragged, vicious texture.' Studio banter John Murphy, Deal's then husband, said that 'Albini didn't like the studio sound. Albini planned to mix the record 'somewhere else', but according to Lupfer, 'He was unhappy there with it.' Albini's recording techniques ĭuring Kim Deal's vocals takes during ' Where Is My Mind?' and 'Gigantic', he moved the equipment to record into a studio bathroom to achieve more 'roomy' echo. The recording process took the entire booked period of ten working days to complete, with extra vocal mixes subsequently added in the studio. Albini's producer's fee was US$1,500, and he received no royalties Albini has a practice of refusing royalties from records he produces, viewing it as 'an insult to the band.' Along with Albini in the studio, Q Division's Jon Lupfer acted as studio assistant. 4AD allocated the band a budget of US$10,000. Pixies entered Q Division in December 1987, booking ten working days of studio time in which to record the album. This created tension between Smith and Kolderie, and Kolderie later remarked that 'Gary almost killed me for the suggestion, he thought I was scheming to get the project.' Recording and production Kolderie, who had worked at Fort Apache Studios with Smith, recommended the Boston recording studio Q Division to Albini.

Albini said that, ' were in the studio the next day.' Paul Q. Having sent a pre-release tape of Come On Pilgrim to Albini, Pixies' manager, Ken Goes, invited him to a Boston dinner party at drummer David Lovering's house a few weeks after Come On Pilgrim's release.Īlbini met the band that evening, and they discussed how the next record should sound and be recorded. On the advice of a 4AD colleague, Watts-Russell looked to hire Steve Albini, ex-frontman of Big Black, as the record's engineer and producer. However, due to differences between the band's manager Ken Goes and The Purple Tape producer Gary Smith, Pixies ended up looking for a new producer and recording studio. The original plan was to record new material at Fort Apache Studios, where the band had produced The Purple Tape and Come On Pilgrim. Alternative rock artists including Billy Corgan and PJ Harvey have cited it as an inspiration it was an influence on Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind.īefore the release of Pixies' debut mini-album Come On Pilgrim in October 1987, Ivo Watts-Russell, head of 4AD, suggested they return to the studio to record a full-length album. Surfer Rosa is often included on critics' lists of the best rock albums. Surfer Rosa was rereleased in the US by Elektra Records in 1992, and in 2005 was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Only one single was released, a rerecorded version of ' Gigantic', and reached number 93 on the UK Singles Chart. It includes references to mutilation and voyeurism alongside experimental recording techniques and a distinctive drum sound.Īs 4AD was an independent label, distribution in the United States was handled by British label Rough Trade Records however, it failed to chart in either country. Surfer Rosa contains many of the elements of Pixies' earlier output, including Spanish lyrics and references to Puerto Rico. Surfer Rosa is the debut studio album by the American alternative rock band Pixies, released in March 1988 on the British label 4AD.

Oh my golly pixies