Planets Of Sound: Joey Santiago Of Pixies' Favourite Albums | Page 4 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

3. PiLAlbum

Jesus Christ, that album is just stupidly good! I didn’t know this, but a lot – Ginger Baker, Tony Williams, who played drums for Miles Davis, Steve Vai – it was a supergroup! It’s a perfect record, it’s like the perfect, cool record.

The guitars on it, it just sounds like it’s flying! It’s like, "Wooo, there goes Steve!" There’d be divebombs – he had a Floyd Rose whammy bar – it just tanks – it goes down and then it goes up, up into the stratosphere, and then he’d go really down on it. Jesus Christ – talking about sonics! And it’s surprising how many of the drum riffs that I like are by Tony Williams: the first song [‘F.F.F.’] on it is just awesome; I would’ve thought that was Ginger Baker. I guess the producer employed two jazzy drummers!

I was listening to this pre-Pixies. I listened to it a lot with my brother, my little brother who’s excellent with the guitar. I still lived at home at the time and we would just flip out in my bedroom. He would actually show me [how to play something], because I would be so frustrated: "Goddamn it! What is this?!"

PreviousNext Record

Don’t Miss The Quietus Digest

Start each weekend with our free email newsletter.

Help Support The Quietus in 2025

If you’ve read something you love on our site today, please consider becoming a tQ subscriber – our journalism is mostly funded this way. We’ve got some bonus perks waiting for you too.

Subscribe Now