We interviewed Frank Black in 2006, prior to a San Francisco concert. At that time, he was focusing on a solo project. In recent years, he has turned his attention back to Pixies. He had formed the influential group in 1986. It dissolved in 1993, but reunited in 2004. Their latest album, as of this writing, is 2019's "Beneath the Eyrie."

Whether you know him as Charles Thompson, (birth name), Black Francis (appellation with venerated indie band the Pixies) or Frank Black (his solo incarnation), he's one of rock's most original -- and prolific -- artists.

Since the Pixies split in 1993, Black has released 11 solo albums. His latest is the impressive "Fast Man Raider Man," comprised of 27 songs on two discs.

The double album's songs call to mind Nick Cave, Tom Waits, the Stones, Dr. John, Neil Young, even Randy Newman. But in the end, they all sound like pure Black.

The wry Black, hyper after espressos, explains his songwriting perspective: "I like the muse concept, this female entity that goes, 'Here's a song from my breath -- ahhhhhhh.' I like that better than the whole craft concept. My particular muse only shows up after I've booked recording sessions."

At sessions for the new album, such legendary musicians as Steve Cropper, Spooner Oldham, Al Kooper, P.F. Sloan, Carol Kaye and Levon Helm contributed.

"It was exhilarating. We're all just a bunch of teenagers, basically, still playing rock music. There are no names there, just sound. Not a lot of egos in the studio. No audience. It's a humbling situation, more so than the stage.

"There's a big potential for everyone to drop the ball and blow it. This is the moment where you will succeed or fail. Here we are. It all hinges on this."

Producer Jon Tiven convinced Black to join him in Nashville and add a soulful country color to his rock. Dylan's "Blonde On Blonde" was a template. "We were talking about that for 10 years. Tiven just refuses to give up. He's not a nag, but he's persistent. One day, you're in the right space to do it."

Tiven assembled a ton of talent. "Tiven had the balls to call up and bug them. He even asked Paul McCartney. I don't know how the hell he got a hold of Paul McCartney. He got a polite, 'Thanks, but no thanks. I'm busy.' But a lot of times they say yes, especially when they hear who else is going to be there. It becomes kind of a musical party."

At times, they barely had room in the studio. "At one point, we had three drummers in the same room, all playing at the same time, two bass players, five guitar players and a couple of keyboard players."

On Black's projects with his Catholics band, they used a simple live-in-the-studio approach. The mixing process for "Fast Man" was more complex. "We had to make choices and lose some great tracks, because you didn't want it to sound like a parade. I felt pretty cool saying, 'Mute the Al Kooper, we don't need organ on this one,'" Black laughs. "I'm just lucky to have him on the record. But you want to make a really good sandwich, not a big sloppy one that's going to fall all over the floor."

Live, Black and his new band recreate a few of these songs in stripped-down fashion. They'll play material from his entire solo career. He doesn't view shows as promotional tools for the new release.

"I'm tired of that kind of campaign. Whoever bought it, bought it. It doesn't really make any difference when you're occupying a cultish niche. I'm very comfortable in that niche. I'll take more, if someone's got it. But barring that, I'm still not back to my day job. I'm 20 years since my last day job."

Black enjoys performing as much as he did 20 years ago. "It's very childlike. David Thomas -- Pere Ubu -- said, 'Rock 'n' roll is the act of moving black boxes from the back of your van, from one side of town to the other.' It's quite similar to my last day job -- shipping and receiving. If the amp's in the road case, even better, because it's a box inside of a box.

"You get to plug things in and turn them on. Little lights come on. Make noise. Pack it all up again. Get from point A to point B. Simple logistical things. I get some satisfaction from that kind of stuff."

There was great satisfaction in the recent Pixies reunion, which packed large venues to capacity. Promoters sometimes want to put Black into oversized halls.

"I'm not part of the Pixies brand, when I'm not with the Pixies. I'm my own brand. Some promoters forget that. And it can be frustrating.

"An artist doesn't care what size room he plays. He just wants it to be full. If it isn't, there isn't enough atmosphere. Well, there's atmosphere, just not the good kind."

Black anticipates a good crowd in San Francisco, where he wrote six songs from the new album. "It's one of those areas where it doesn't matter what's going on in my career -- I could play there two or three times a year and everyone comes. It's great. I stay at the same hotel. I know where to go get my miso soup. It's a beautiful town for walking around in."

He now writes on the road, away from the loving distraction of his four children. "When I'm home, I'm in pancake mode. I just hang out and do all the fun stuff with the kids."

When he does sit down to write, songs continue to come easily. "I have no artistic vision whatsoever. I just write chord progressions, put couplets on top of them, book a studio and hope for the best. As soon as you start taking it all too seriously, that's when it gets crappy."

The creative process isn't painstaking for Black. "I don't know if it's always good, but it's fun. So I refuse to stop. People say, 'Oh, gee, Frank, not every song you write is important. You don't need to release every song.' I know that. But what am I going to do -- throw it away, after I wrote the damn thing? No. I'm going to put it on the record.

"You don't know if it's good or not. Every once in a while you can tell -- all right, that's a dog, leave that off. But for the most part, it's all open for debate, isn't it?"

For the latest on this artist, visit www.pixiesmusic.com.