At The BBC (New 3LP)

Label: 4AD

Pixies at the BBC on triple black vinyl for the first time.

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 time 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.

Differing from the original 1998 compilation, this reboot sees all tracks from the six sessions now included and presented in chronological order. The sleeve is also new with a wonderful black and gold design by Chris Bigg now adorning it. Chris pays loving tribute here to the band’s late-visual director Vaughan Oliver, using unseen archival Pixies imagery by long-time collaborator Simon Larbalestier.