The Pixies are an American alternative rock band formed in 1986 in Boston, Massachusetts. The group disbanded in 1993 in acrimonious circumstances, but reunited in 2004. The group currently consists of founders Black Francis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Joey Santiago (lead guitar), and David Lovering (drums). Co-founder Kim Deal (bass, backing vocals) left in 2013 and was replaced by Kim Shattuck as live bass player for a few months, then by Paz Lenchantin for the band's 2014 tour. The Pixies achieved relatively modest popularity in their home country, but were significantly more successful in the United Kingdom, mainland Europe and Israel. The group is credited with having an influence on the alternative rock boom of the 1990s.
The band's style of music contains a range of elements, including psychedelia, noise pop, hard rock, surf pop, and surf rock. Black Francis is the Pixies' primary songwriter and singer. His lyrics feature a number of offbeat subjects such as extraterrestrials, surrealism, incest, and biblical violence.
Despite limited commercial success, their jarring pop sound subsequently influenced bands such as Nirvana, Radiohead, The Strokes, Blur and Weezer. The Pixies' legacy and popularity grew in the years following their break-up, leading to sold-out world tours following their reunion in 2004. In June 2013, the band released their first new material in almost 10 years. Their popular song "Where is My Mind?" served as the ending song for the successful film Fight Club.