When the Pixies played their first reunion show a decade ago at the Fine Line in Minneapolis, the band's frontman, Black Francis, had at least a hunch that their new era would not be short-lived.
"Mostly what I remember is that it felt like a continuation," the man doubly known as Frank Black said of the 2004 gig. "We managed to pick up where we left off. It felt good, and it felt very familiar."
With a new record finally issued a decade later — their first studio album in 23 years — the Pixies still sound remarkably familiar, but they definitely don't look the same.
Original bassist Kim Deal quit last year during sessions for the album, "Indy Cindy." She has since been replaced twice. Paz Lenchantin, former bassist for A Perfect Circle, ultimately landed the job.
Known for its influence on everyone from Nirvana to Radiohead — and for its own small batch of rock-radio staples such as "Monkey Gone to Heaven," "Gigantic" and "Where Is My Mind?" — the Pixies will play their first Twin Cities show without Deal at the State Theatre in Minneapolis on Saturday.
What's the Deal with Deal?
Talking by phone last week en route to a San Francisco gig, the band's sometimes testy frontman sounded a tad annoyed when the subject of his former bandmate and singing partner came up. (Deal herself has yet to talk specifics to the news media.)
"She signed on, and then she signed out — that's it," said the real-life Charles Thompson. "She left for reasons that are between her and herself. We continued on. It's not like she was kicked out."
With a more amicable and playful hue, he added, "Looking at her activities since then, she's been working with her old band, the Breeders, and I suppose sometimes you just want to be the captain of your own boat. Sometimes there's only enough room for one control freak in the room."