Joey Santiago
 

I really like his style with the Pixies, but last night I was watching The Pixies - Club Date: Live at the Paradise in Boston and I don't know, but if you've seen it, does it seem like he has sort of lost it? I mean, he still plays his parts, the definate parts that we remember from the albums, but he seems to be out of touch and disconnected with the music now. That isn't to say that he was extremely enthusiastic before; he always had an unsure look on his face, even back in the day. But now it's worse. It seems like he keeps looking at Frank Black to make sure that what he is doing is ok, and just compare his solo on Vamos from this DVD to his solo on Pixies, the DVD showcasing footage from the late 80's, and you can see a huge difference.

Well, if you'd been playing the exact same songs for 20 years.... yeah.

I noticed on that one Pixies documentary, on the special features, there is a deleted scene where Joey's face lights up at the prospect of doing a new album. I think he just reluctantly did the reunion and is probably bored of playing songs he can play in his sleep.

Joey is a very interesting guitarist, because he is both at once extremely flashy and at the same time very restrained. Almost everything he plays is a really flashy, bright, in-your-face, exciting lead guitar riff. Really brilliant. Yet, somehow, he doesn't play all the time and doesn't feel the need to indulge (except on "Vamos", really); that's the sign of a great musician... knowing when not to play. For my money, his greatest guitar playing is in "Brick is Red". That's just a masterpiece. But then you listen to something like "Cactus", the simplest song in the world, on the same album, and it's brilliant too. He really knew what he was doing.

Anyway...

they've all lost it, as far as Pixies goes.

their reunion show was so fucking dull and lifeless. they could have cared less about any of it. boring boring boring. made me re-think my love for their discography.

I still like Joey, don't get me wrong, and he is still a great guitarist. I'm sure it is due to playing the same songs for 20 years, but I almost wonder if doing all of the commercial work he has done for movies and TV has changed his style some, so that he is now more interested in more standard forms in music and less interested in what he had been doing previously with rock and The Pixies.

And yeah Rob, they all seemed to be calling it in a little, except David, who seems to enjoy his break from being a magician :) haha

he has (had?) the evilest tone.

Yeah, especially kim, seems like she was thinking, uhh what the fuck am i doing here? I still love the Pixies, but if they really didn't want to be there, then why even do it? But yeah Joey seems like he still wants that band to be alive, but the others...

Actually, truth be told, Kim was probably the most successful of any of the Pixies outside of the Pixies (obvious answer would seem to be Frank, but I don't think anyone of his albums went PLATINUM, unlike Breeders' "Last Splash"..).

i can never remember who is who out of joey santiago and santiago durango.

FYI, the pixies make pretty boring music

Santiago Durango is a way better guitarist in my opinion, actually.

for sure

I've always kinda maintained that Joey is really an underrated guitar player. He played some really interesting stuff with the Pixies. All those little bends and stuff.

Kim Deal was the real talent in the Pixies.

Kim Deal & Joey Santiago are both talented, not sure 'bout Frank Black... just joking:p

Also, the Pixies hate each other, so it's pretty difficult to perform with a bunch of people you don't get along with.

Joey has been one of my biggest influences in regards to my guitar playing, personally.

I remember reading in the 33 1/3 Doolittle book that Frank said when he first met up with Joey, he was never interested in doing any covers and always wanted to play something new/different. I guess that translates to whatever exhaustion/boredom he might have had during the reunion tour. I can't say I blame him.

Very good guitarist, nonetheless. Huge influence on my playing as well.

Haha, yeah because right about now, the Pixies are an old version of themselves covering the Pixies.