Frank Black

Since the ’80s, Frank Black’s work with Pixies and as a solo artist has turned the idea of pop music inside out and on its head.

Born Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV in Boston in 1965, he formed Pixies in 1986 with his former college roommate Joey Santiago; the band was rounded out by bassist Kim Deal and drummer David Lovering shortly after.

Having dubbed himself Black Francis, he led the quartet on a wild journey through his psyche, marked by yelped lyrics and unusual arrangements.