Before we had “alternative,” we had (The) Pixies.
They didn’t dress in flashy outfits or heavy makeup. They didn’t trash hotel rooms or drive cars into swimming pools. They may be the least rock & roll band ever to change the course of rock & roll.
In 1986, former college suitemates Charles and Joey decided to form a band in Boston. To that end, they placed an ad for a bassist who liked (post-punk, melodic hardcore band) Hüsker Dü and (bestselling, sweet-voiced folkies) Peter, Paul & Mary — and since she was the only applicant, Kim became the bassist by default. They later drafted Dave on drums and decided to call themselves Pixies.
Collectively, their musical influences included 60s pop hits, UK classic rock, country, blues, The Cars, Iggy Pop, iconoclastic Christian rocker Larry Norman, and Rush. Rather than sounding like any of their influences, the Pixies somehow managed to create an entirely new sound, a sound both ghostly and in your face, both visceral and surreal, both unnerving and humorous.
And no one had ever screamed like that before.
They quickly got signed to 4AD Records, a UK label primarily known for ethereal gothic dream pop, and soon took England by storm. Their albums were only available in America as imports, but they built a following based on college radio play and word of mouth. Like the Velvet Underground before them, they had a more immediate impact on musicians than on the general public.
The 90s would see their guitar sound, their lyric style, and their soft verse to loud chorus song structure copied by everyone. (You couldn’t read an article about Nirvana without it mentioning the Pixies in the first two paragraphs.) They’ve broken up and reformed — with and without Kim — but the Pixies still rock on their own terms.
Hey Paul, let’s have a ball. Shake your butt! Here’s the least you need to know:
Surfer Rosa (1988) A sonic blast of vocals and guitars fighting to be heard over pounding drums and prominent basslines. The blueprint for a whole lotta 90s. Vamos a jugar por la playa! (Often paired with 1987’s Come On Pilgrim EP since they’re both so short).
Doolittle (1989) Slicin’ up eyeballs, ha ha ha ho! The intersection of noise rock and surf rock. Never have songs about blood, mutilation, Luis Buñuel, and monkey death been so catchy. A seminal “alternative” album but also one of the best albums of the 80s full stop.
From Surfer Rosa:
From Doolittle:
1 2 3 o' clock 4 o' clock Rock 
Where Is My Mind is a brilliant song—maybe better than brilliant. I had this album in my car, cassette; had to rewind it with a pencil (you know, a yellow one, #2 with a pink erasure on top). Aaah those were the days when you got a free drinking glass when you filled up the car. Loved this post and the music.
I remember the cassette and pencil days quite well! The Pixies hold a special place in my heart since I didn’t like much contemporary music in the late 80s. I didn’t know where to find good new music, so I immersed myself in the past. Then I met a very cool classmate who introduced me to the Pixies and I fell in love with their songs. For me, they were the gateway to contemporary music.