Frank Black and the Catholics
| Black Francis | |
|---|---|
Black Francis headlining with Pixies at the Brixton Academy, October 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV |
| Also known as | Frank Black, Black Francis |
| Born |
April 6, 1965 Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Genres | Alternative rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | 4AD, American, Cooking Vinyl, Sonic Unyon, spinART |
| Associated acts | Pixies, Frank Black and the Catholics, Grand Duchy, Paley & Francis, Pigface |
| Website | www |
| Notable instruments | |
| Fender Telecaster | |
Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (born April 6, 1965) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. Following the band's breakup in 1993, he embarked on a solo career under the name Frank Black. After releasing two albums with record label 4AD and one with American Recordings, he left the label and formed a new band, Frank Black and the Catholics. He re-adopted the name Black Francis in 2007.
His vocal style has varied from a screaming, yowling delivery as lead vocalist of the Pixies to a more measured and melodic style in his solo career. His cryptic lyrics mostly explore unconventional subjects, such as surrealism, incest and biblical violence, along with science fiction and surf culture. His use of atypical meter signatures, loud–quiet dynamics and distinct preference for live-to-two-track recording in his career as a solo artist give him a distinct style within alternative rock.
As frontman of the Pixies, his songs (such as "Where Is My Mind?" and "Debaser") received praise and citations from contemporaries, including Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. Thompson reformed the Pixies in 2004 and continues to release solo records and tour as a solo artist.
Charles Thompson was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His father was a bar owner, and Thompson lived in Los Angeles, California as a baby because his father wanted to "learn more about the restaurant and bar business". Thompson was introduced to music at a young age, as his parents listened to 1960s folk rock. His first guitar was his mother's, a Yamaha classical guitar bought with money from his father's bar tips, which he started to play at age "11 or 12".
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