Ezra Selove, Jesse Ministero, Evan Flath, Lisha Nadkarni of The Shitty Pixies (photo: Frank Grecco)
An instrumental factor in the success of any cover band (aside from their ability to actually sound like the artists they’re emulating) is their name, and no cover band name is quite as spectacular as The Shitty Pixies. As a bonus, they’re not even shitty! The product of a Pixies obsession shared between friends Evan Flath and Ezra Selove (who take the roles of Shitty Black Francis and Shitty Joey Santiago, respectively), the group is rounded out with Lisha Nadkarni as Shitty Kim Deal and Jesse Ministero as Shitty David Lovering.
We already knew that The Shitty Pixies had a robust knowledge of Pixies discography, lyrics and arrangements, but we wanted to know just how much they know about the beloved band, which just so happens to be on tour this month. We challenged Flath and Nadkarni to test their Pixies knowledge. Play along and find out if you’re smarter than a Shitty Pixie (we’ve bolded their answers when correct.) Also, catch The Shitty Pixies this Friday at Rock Shop in Brooklyn!
What is Black Francis’ real name?
We’re not saying Flath and Nadkarni (right) cheated, but… (Photo: Frank Grecco)
Nadkarni: Oh! I know this. Charles Thompson the IV.
When he left the Pixies, what name did he go by?
Flath: Frank Black.
Where does the name The Pixies come from?
Nadkarni: I only know this because I looked at Wikipedia yesterday. I think Joey found it in the dictionary and pointed to it. We have other bands that we cannot solidify names for — perhaps we need to pull out the dictionary.
Additional: Joey liked that the word’s definition is “Mischievous little elves.”
What popular Pixies song was included in the movie Fight Club?
Flath: “Where Is My Mind?”
What band did Kim Deal form in 1990?
Nadkarni: The Breeders. She formed another band called The Amps, but I’m assuming you meant The Breeders.
Joey Santiago and Black Francis shared a dorm room at what university?
Flath: U Mass. [University of Massachusetts]
On the first two Pixies albums, what name is used to refer to Kim Deal?
Nadkarni: Her married name. As a joke she was Mrs. “Whatever her husband’s name is” …Evan do you remember?
Flath: No, I don’t. I’m really glad you’re on this phone call.
Nadkarni: I only know Kim Deal trivia. It’s Mrs. John Whatever.
Answer: Mrs. John Murphy
When the band reformed in 2004, what was their first single?
Flath: It’s a nonsense word beginning with a “B.”
Answer: Bam Thwok
What Beatles song has been covered by The Pixies?
Flath: “Wild Honey Pie.”
Who said this: “I was trying to write the ultimate pop song, I was basically trying to rip off The Pixies.”
Flath: Kurt Cobain. I don’t know what song he was talking about, though.
Additional: He was talking about “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Evan and Lisha scored 8/10 – are you smarter than a Shitty Pixie?
And as an added bonus, here are some fun facts about The Shitty Pixies!
– Evan and Lisha met at their first band practice – she was a friend of Ezra’s.
– The first show The Shitty Pixies ever played was on Halloween at Union Hall alongside the Hall and Oates cover band The Wet Look. The show sold out.
– Evan’s favorite Pixies song is Debaser.
– Their drummer, Jesse Ministero, left the band and later returned. In that sense, he is the Kim Deal of The Shitty Pixies.
-Though The Shitty Pixies started off playing songs from the Pixies’ first album, Come on Pilgrim, they now play whichever Pixies song they wish to learn.