JOEY SANTIAGO

Coming To America

“I was born in the Philippines, and if I’d stayed there, I probably would have joined the fucking guerillas, raised a coup, overthrown the government. We already had The Beatles, but if my family hadn’t emigrated to the US in 1972, maybe my musical choices wouldn’t have been so rock ’n’ roll. I remember taping radio shows, especially the comedy hour. But I get bored easily and after a while, I started thinking, ‘There’s gotta be more than this.’ And there was. There was tons of music out there.”

Snake Bite

“My first guitar was an Ovation Viper that my mother bought for me. It was a good guitar and I wish I still had it. But I remember, I broke up with someone just a little too early before getting my guitar out of there. I was influenced by players like Jimi Hendrix and George Harrison, Even Chet Atkins and Wes Montgomery. Maybe a little of their spirit is in my playing here and there. I don’t know how, but it’ll find its way in there. Les Paul, I like, too. He’s crazy. Like, the song The World Is. I love it. It’s so good.”