What does Pixies’ Joey Santiago know about being a rock icon?
If anyone should understand what it means to leave a musical legacy, it’s the lead guitarist and founding member of the iconic alternative rock band Pixies. Or so it appears.
The sun is about to set in Los Angeles as Joey Santiago struggles to fathom the magnitude of his career. “I remember when The Rolling Stones turned 40, and I (went), ‘Oh my god, they’re still doing it?’” he smirks. “You know what? (We) still are.”
When Young STAR spoke to the musician virtually, he and his bandmates—Black Francis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Emma Richardson (bass, vocals), and David Lovering (drums)—were in between rehearsals for the Pixies 40 World Tour, a celebration of a discography that has stood the test of time.
Joey is still unraveling the tour’s significance. The Manila stop on May 10 has only made it more surreal. “It’s weird coming from a bird’s-eye view, which I hardly do. I wouldn’t have known that I was gonna be back in the Philippines playing. There’s no way. No one could’ve predicted that.”
Although he was born at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Joey’s last visit to the country was in 1995 for a Mount Pinatubo medical mission with fellow member David Lovering. “It’s hitting me more and more. When I get the address of the old house I used to live in, that’s gonna be something else to see.”
His long-awaited return to the motherland is something the Filipino-American guitarist has yet to fully grasp, but he’s dead set on introducing his bandmates to the local cuisine. “Lumpiang Shanghai. I mean, how could you not like that? Classic. Then, at the end of the night: San Miguel, of course.” A Pale Pilsen, to be exact. “Do not even say ‘no’ to me. Put f***ing ice in it,” Joey doubles down with much bravado. He rounds off the list with his childhood favorite: “And have balut.”
The quartet has much to look forward to in the coming months. Widely regarded for popularizing the quiet-loud dynamic of ‘80s and ‘90s alternative rock, Pixies have been lauded by some of the most acclaimed artists of their generation. Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, U2’s Bono, and David Bowie have cited them among rock’s most influential players, while Kurt Cobain emulated their “ultimate pop song” formula when writing Nirvana’s breakout anthem, Smells Like Teen Spirit.
The band’s staying power comes from a rare alchemy of talent and grit, though Joey doesn’t see their music as a paradigm shift. “I wish I could say I’m in awe of it, but it’s just what I know.” They never created for posterity’s sake; they were simply part of the scene they came up in.
Now 40 years in the game, the Filipino-American guitar titan reveals the secrets behind Pixies’ success and cultural relevance.
With a catalog spanning four decades, what record is Joey personally proud of? “I’ve been known to say ‘Bossanova’ because that’s the culmination of the growth. It’s a happy medium between ‘Surfer Rosa’ and ‘Doolittle.’” He also regards the 1988 album “Surfer Rosa” as a pivotal debut. “That started cementing the blueprint of everything.”
Critics detail Joey’s epochal instrumental style as “angular and bent.” “On the guitar, you can get trapped in this box, and that box happens to be (the blues scale). So, I try to move away from it.” He distorts the strings into unconventional shapes as a form of subversion. “It’s the magic of the guitar. If you make it look weird, it’s gonna (sound) weird.”
Songs that capture the distortion, according to him, include the cult classic Where Is My Mind? and the “manic-sounding” Bone Machine. “I like the weh-weh-weh-weh (in Dead from ‘Doolittle’),” Joey continues. “I heard the Bates Motel sound from—what’s that movie? Psycho. It’s what I was going for.”
There isn’t an exact recipe for the Pixies sound, but Joey knows when he’s on the verge of something special. “I write it down (and) go, ‘I know this is gonna sound like the Pixies.’ (Then) I go into the studio, try it, and it’s like, ‘Yeah, I knew it.’” For him, the thrill lies in the pursuit, not having it all figured out from the jump. “I like to stumble into things. I don’t want to commit to anything in my head until I hear it.”
Considering Pixies’ seismic impact on music and culture, Joey’s ego is anything but inflated. He acknowledges that the demand to perform to this day is a feat in and of itself. “We’ve gotten a lot older now. You’ve got to appreciate your health. You’ve got to appreciate that we’re still around.”
“That’s always important to me when I’m tired. I have to remember that people bought tickets a while ago. It’s gotta be bang on in the Philippines. People have been waiting for this.”
As his pilgrimage back home aligns with the rising anticipation of Filipino fans, one question remains: What can audiences expect from the Manila concert?
“Well, I hope they walk away feeling like I felt on some shows that I've done (and) I’ve watched. Just being in awe. Excited. And maybe inspire a Filipino band to take over the world.”
Tickets for the Pixies 40 In Manila show on May 10 are now available at tickelo.com. Made possible by Karpos. Follow @karposlive on all channels for more updates.
