VH1 100 GREATEST: KIM DEAL

There's lots of great artists on VH1's 100 Greatest Women countdown, and many of them were in great bands.  But how many of them were in two great bands? Just Kim Deal.

She was the bass player in The Pixies.  If you're a true music fan, you know that they are one of the greatest bands ever. And even though she wasn't their lead singer (that would be Black Francis), she sang what was probably their best song, "Gigantic." If you haven't heard it, check it out. But her bass playing was bouncy and made the songs much more fun than they would have been without her.  The Pixies are a band who absolutely deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

During breaks from The Pixies, she started her own band, The Breeders, where she took the singer/songwriter role. Their debut album, Pod, was great. After The Pixies broke up, The Breeders put out Last Splash, which featured the huge hit "Cannonball," but the entire LP was great. There was a weird dichotomy with Kim, because she looked so normal, but musically, she was so weird, but in a really welcoming way.  It was fun to listen to her music, and you usually felt like she was having a great time.

I know she went through a lot of issues through the late '90s and early '00s, but now with the Pixies reunited (for touring, not recording, it seems) and The Breeders back in business, it seems like she's back for the long haul.  I don't know if she has any Last Splashes left in her, but it's always interesting to check out what she's up to.   If you want to check her music out (and you should) try The Pixies' Surfer Rosa and Dolittle, and The Breeders' Pod, the Safari EP and Last Splash. They are so easy to like, it's surprising in a way that they weren't all hit albums.

PETE YORN GETS PIXIED

I thought it was interesting when I heard that Pete Yorn tapped Frank Black to produce his new album. Pete is a fan of rock music by Bruce, and also post-punk/goth stuff like The Cure and The Smiths, as well as Bowie, so it makes sense that he digs The Pixies, who are sort of at the center of all those bands.

From the first few moments of opening track/first single "Precious Stone," you think it's like a Pixies tribute (interestingly, the production is cited to "Black Francis," the name Black used in The Pixies). It's a great single, and it seems like Pete's albums always have a few.

I've always rooted for Pete Yorn, he seems like a really cool guy, and he doesn't pander. I just don't know if he's ever equaled the imact and greatness of his debut, 2001's musicforthemorningafter. I love "Rock Crowd," which is like a love letter to his fans.  Kind of the opposite of songs like "Turn The Page" and "The Load Out." He's basically saying that this is what he's always wanted, and he's glad he has it.

Pete has often been compared to Bruce Springsteen - partially because he covers Bruce all the time, and also because he's from New Jersey.  He reminds me a bit more of Tom Petty: less political, less anthemic, and a bit more low key of a dude. And like Petty, he's slowly building a repertoire of great songs (although I don't think he's released his Damn The Torpedoes yet). And like Petty, he's influenced by The Byrds and their former members: Pete Yorn ends with a cover of Gram Parsons' lovely "Wheels."

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: DE LA SOUL, PIXIES, STONE ROSES, BOWIE ANNIVERSARIES

Tomorrow on OutQ, I'll be discussing some
classic albums that celebrate their anniversaries this year.

The Pixies' doolittle celebrates its 2oth, and the band is touring to mark the occasion. I remember buying the album while I was in college after reading a review. It was like the Violent Femmes' debut, which I discovered while in high school: it sounded exotic, like it was from another planet. I didn't love doolittle at first, but I somehow knew that if I gave it time, I would. Earlier tonight I ran 3 miles while listening to it: it was like having a caffine overdose. It was incredible. It is fast and slow, loud and quiet, beautiful and ugly.

de la soul's 3 Feet High and Rising is also 20. They're touring as well; I wrote about this album recently.

The Stone Roses' self-titled debut: also 20. 1989 was a good year. No tour there, but their label is putting out a super deluxe reissue with demos, b-sides, a DVD of a concert from the era, and all thier videos.

The Cult is playing Love in its entirety on their current tour. That album came out 24 years ago, and they've just put out a deluxe reissue.

Finally, David Bowie's Space Oddity is getting a 40th anniversary reissue. I don't think it's one of his better albums, but I will probably check that one out as well.

THE PIXIES TO CELEBRATE DOLITTLE

The Pixies are going to tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Dolittle!

THE PIXIES BOX SET

The Pixies will re-release all of their studio albums in a box set called Minotaur.  It will have bonus tracks and new artwork by legendary 4AD graphic artist Vaughan Oliver.  Find out more at the A+R website. Meanwhile, Frank Black's new band, Grand Duchy, is about to go on tour. And The Breeders have a new EP, Fate To Fatal. 

THE PIXIES: BACK AGAIN!

Everyone thought that the awesome Pixies reunion from a few years ago was a one-off, and Kim Deal even said that she was glad to do it, but didn't really want to do it again. Well, they're playing England's Isle of Wight festival with more dates to be announced, according to their MySpace page. I got to see them twice on that tour (I'd never seen them before) and they were awesome. I think that it's probably a good idea that they don't do a new album, but some touring here and there, that's pretty cool.

Also while at thier MySpace page, I saw that Frank Black's new group Grand Duchy (with his wife Violet Clark) have recorded a cover of The Cure's "Strange Day" on Just Like Heaven, a new Cure tribute album. I remember The Pixies (and Love & Rockets) opened for The Cure at Giants Stadium back in the day. How did I miss that show?

FRANK BLACK'S NEW BAND

Since The Pixies reunion, Frank Black seemed content to return to his solo career. But now he has a new group, Grand Duchy, which is a collaboration with his wife Violet Clark. This is all according to Pitchfork. I'm sure lots of people are disappointed that he isn't doing any new Pixies music.  I'm not: I thought the reunion was incredible, but I don't think that they would have had the chemistry that they did back in the day.