David Lovering

David Lovering (1961- ) is the drummer for legendary alternative rock group Pixies.

Born and raised in Massachusetts, Lovering has drummed since his youth, when he joined the high school marching band and started listening to Rush and Devo. After graduation, Lovering studied electronic engineering and worked at a Radio Shack with John Murphy, then the husband of Kim Deal. Murphy mentioned to Lovering that Deal’s band needed a drummer at their wedding and he agreed to give it a shot. Though he didn’t care for the band at first, he quickly understood and became a core member of the band.

After the Pixies' breakup in 1992, Lovering bounced around from band to band, drumming for Nitzer Ebb, Tanya Donelly, Cracker and Joey Santiago’s group, The Martinis. In 1994, he was asked to join the Foo Fighters, but declined. Try as he may, he just couldn’t match the height of his work with the Pixies, so he laid down his sticks and gave up drumming.

In the late 90s, Grant-Lee Phillips, then also reeling from a recent band breakup, invited Lovering to a magic convention. He was hooked and took it up full-time, soon becoming a performing member of the Magic Castle. Lovering booked himself as “The Scientific Phenomenalist”, performing physics-based stage experiments. As part of The Unholy Three, he performed a weekly show at the Magic Castle which was praised by notable magicians such as Penn Jillette and Max Maven. Soon, his two careers collided and Lovering began performing magic to open for Frank Black and The Breeders. In 2002, he was asked by the band Shellac to perform his magic act at their 2002 All Tomorrow’s Parties festival. Loveling later called the packed, raucous performance his greatest achievement.

In 2003, Lovering, then rather depressed and in rough financial waters, was approached to reunite the Pixies. He jumped at the chance enthusiastically and remains with the band to this day.