Johannesburg - After a messy break-up in 1993, drummer David Lovering made peace with the fact that his iconic band, the Pixies, would never get back together.
“When we broke up, that was it. I resigned myself to the fact that we would never reunite,” Lovering told the Saturday Star this week from his home in Los Angeles.
The US rock band had been a global force since 1986.
“It was quite tough when we broke up. I loved playing drums and being with the Pixies.
"Shortly after we broke up, I worked in studios and played drums for a few other bands, but it was nothing like the Pixies. So I finally just gave up drums pretty much altogether.”
He struggled to find work, and became a magician.
Eleven years later, however, Lovering would find himself back behind his drum set, jamming with his fellow band members after the Pixies reunited.
He and his band members, guitarist and singer Black Francis, Joey Santiago, lead guitarist, and bassist Paz Lechantin, haven’t looked back.
Now, they’re gearing up for their first visit to South Africa.
Next month, they will headline the inaugural “Rock on the Lawns” music festival at Carnival City and will play under the stars at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
It’s always been a dream for the band to perform here: South Africa had been on their list of places to visit ever since they formed as a band.
“We’d always been told by other bands about how cool it was to perform in South Africa, but it had always been out of reach for us.”
The band had been even more thrilled to discover they had fans in South Africa.
“To be honest we had no idea that we had a single fan in South Africa.
"Now we’re even more excited to perform knowing that people want to see us there,” giggled Lovering.
The band would only have two free days in Cape Town to enjoy some sightseeing in between their concerts.
“I’ve seen some pictures of Cape Town and it looks absolutely stunning. I’m looking forward to visiting Table Mountain.”
Lovering said the band would be playing plenty of its classics as well as a few songs from their most recently released album Head Carrier.
“We do a different playlist at every show we play. We don’t write a set list we just wing it on stage.”
The Pixies are considered one of the most influential and important alternative rock bands.
Their string of anthems includes Gigantic, Where Is My Mind, Here Comes Your Man and Monkey Gone to Heaven.
“What we do and what we’ve always done as a band is we do a 90-minute show, and when we start, we don’t stop in between songs.
"There may be a little break but we don’t talk to the fans or do any banter, so I don’t want the audience to think we’re being anti-social.
"It’s more that we’re up there and we’re ripping through the songs and doing a proper rock and roll show.”
It was an honour to play for the band for 30 years.
“That’s an incredibly long time.
"It’s something I love to do, and having a second opportunity with the Pixies is something I truly cherish.
“We’re lucky to be in such a cool band and still have fans.”