Frank Black Essentials

Best known as the frontman and songwriter for influential alt-rock band Pixies, Frank Black (a.k.a. Black Francis) was born Charles Thompson in Boston in 1965. After Pixies disbanded in 1992, Black set out on an eclectic career—both solo and with his band, The Catholics—that would eventually include more than 15 albums of genre-bending tunes, incorporating influences from new wave, surf, folk, orchestral pop and roots music. After more than 25 years in the game, Black's musical viewpoint continues to evolve through his collaborations with artists like Reid Paley and Violet Clark.