More confirmation/information about the Pixies reunion tour and new comp releases:

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Legendary modern rock act the Pixies are in a southern California rehearsal space preparing to reunite for the first time since 1993.

The group will hit the road in April for an 11-city warm-up tour of North America, concluding with a previously confirmed May 1 appearance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif.

From there, the quartet of guitarist/vocalist Frank Black (news), bassist/vocalist Kim Deal (news), guitarist Joey Santiago and drummer David Lovering will head to Europe for a tour that will run from May 28 to July 10. The only confirmed dates at present are support slots for the Red Hot Chili Peppers on June 12 at Dublin's Phoenix Park and June 15 at Paris' Parc des Princes.

Additionally, 4AD/Beggars Banquet will issue a 23-track compilation CD with the working title "Wave of Mutilation -- Best of the Pixies," featuring such classics as "Gigantic," "Dig for Fire," "Monkey Gone to Heaven," "Here Comes Your Man" and a remix of "Debaser."

The label will also release a DVD, simply titled "Pixies," featuring music videos for "Debaser," "Alec Eiffel," "Here Comes Your Man," Velouria," "Monkey Gone to Heaven," "Dig For Fire/Allison" and "Head On," a 1988 concert from London's Town and Country Club and the documentary "Gouge," sporting testimonials from Bono, David Bowie (news) and Radiohead's Thom Yorke.

While Black has enjoyed a prolific solo career since the Pixies' demise, Deal has released music infrequently with the Amps and the Breeders, and Lovering has spent the six years working as a professional magician. "I'd given up drums for a long time," the drummer told Billboard.com last week. "I haven't played them in years and years. It would just be fun to do it again. We just have fun playing."

Amid all the Pixies-related activity, Black will release a double-disc solo album, "Frank Black Francis," in April or May via spinART.

For those who cannot wait for the reunion, David Bowie covers the band's track "Cactus" on his current tour, and told a Chicago crowd last month that the Pixies reunion was the best news he had heard all year.

Reuters/Billboard

Yay pixies! Please let DC (or Baltimore, or I'd even drive to Philly or Richmond) be one of the 11.

the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif.

I saw the list of bands that are playing this at pitchforkmedia.com a few days ago.

Am SO JEALOUS of west coast people.

iiieeeeee! David Bowie added more tour dates! Tickets for the April 14th Seattle show go on sale this Saturday!

bounce bounce bounce

I'm now gainfully employed, so I'm gonna blow some spending money on tickets. Must. See. Bowie.

He was so good at the NYC show. All giddy and smiles. I wanted to take him home and feed him soup.

I am so glad you posted about Bowie. The online presale here in KC started today and my best friend - biggest Bowie fan evah evah - didn't even realize it until I just called her. She screamed really loud in my ear. Ow.

and feed him soup.

You misspelled "keep in a locked room and gloat over".

no, you cannot lock up the Bowie, he needs to run free.

no, you cannot lock up the Bowie, he needs to run free.

But but but! I want to keep him for myself!

Girls! Girls! *This* is what human cloning was meant to resolve!

Knock one off for me while you're at it, 'kay?

The local Bowie concert got rave reviews. He's obviously touring in good spirits and enjoying himself.

Hec's mix is just great.

Rock on!

I'm totally chair dancing to it.

Between the Brazilian, the jazz, the soul, the go-go and the rockers it's a mover, huh?

And FTR - I had heard of 8 of the artists on it previously but only about 3 of the songs.

Excellent.

I started smiling like a loon and looked at the liner notes - it was the 5 a.m. make you smile song. Who else would include Editorial Notes in his own liner notes (which are so fun to read and full of charming hand-written corrections)?

Awww. Also, when you're paid to be an editor you feel kind of stupid sending something out with "it's" incorrect. Especially when two other editors will be looking at it.