Americana singer-songwriter Dave Santos is one of those independent artists who are trying to build up a career in music. Attracted since he was a kid by acoustic instrumentation, he began to take music seriously around age 16. Although he spent his youth mostly as a rock vocalist in local cover bands, when he turned 25 he felt the need to abandon all of that and dust off his old acoustic guitar. In July 2013, he moved from Spain to London (UK), where he’s making his way today. I spoke with him about getting into music, loving London and his guitar Janis, and having fun of playing shows and meeting new people.
Piotr Balkus: You describe your music as Americana. Why you fell in love with this particular genre?
Dave Santos: It all happened a few years ago. In my younger years, I used to be a rock singer for cover bands back home in Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). I just wanted to be Steven Tyler or something – it just felt great to be on stage playing the songs of my idols. But around November 2009, I broke up with this girlfriend I had, and around that time I dusted off my old acoustic guitar and started to sing just for the sake of it, in order to let out a whole lot of feelings I needed to drive out. So I turned to, let’s say, a deeper rock: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and so on. By the way I couldn’t even play guitar properly, but it did serve me to get in touch with music again, back right to the source, to the pureness of it. I had lost this feeling at some point. So it all happened on December night in 2009, around Christmas time. I was surfing on YouTube, and I clearly remember listening to ‘Atlantic City’ by Bruce Springsteen, covered by The Band. And there on the right column in the suggested links there was this particular song that caught my eye, I guess on account of the looks: there was an upright bass, a banjo, and some guys in suits. So I clicked on it, must have been like 4 am. The song was ‘Wagon Wheel’, and the band was Old Crow Medicine Show. That was it, I had arrived home. That was what I had been looking for my whole damn life, that was what I needed, what I was called to do. I had my epiphany, my calling. At that point I had no idea about americana music nor bluegrass or country for that matter, but that song did open those big wonderful gates for me. I’ve never been back ever since, and I don’t think I’ll ever will.
You just arrived to London. Is it easy to be a young musician in London?
I don’t know about young… I’m about to turn 29. The thing is I have been here for around 3 weeks now, and I’ve done much more than I thought I would. I’ve already played in a good number of open mics, what gives me the chance not only to test my songs but also and equally important, to get to meet people. That’s my goal every time I go out: test songs that need to be tested, and make at least one new contact. And so far so good! I’ve got a bunch of songs now that I do know that work out well, and I’m meeting great folks out there, some of them from my same turf and all. Of course, music doesn’t pay my bills yet, so I gotta work hard in a normal job to have time and money that allows to do all of that – that’s the tough part of it – but that’s what I came here for. So, to me, it’s beyond great to be a musician in London, even if only because here at least I can give it a shot, I feel I can make it if I work hard. Is it easy? Well, if it were easy, everybody could do it. It’s very challenging to face a big wall, you know… Only the ones who want it badly enough will stick around to figure out how the heck to climb over it.
Seems like you and your guitar are always together. Do you treat your guitar in any special, human way?
You got me! Yeah, I know it sounds silly to love something material, but I do love my guitar and I really need it close to me. And yes, she has a name. Her name is Janis, in honor of Janis Joplin, one of my favorite singers of all time. I’ve had it now for 3 years, and believe it or not, she’s the longest relationship I’ve ever had. No offense to my current girlfriend, with whom I hope to be much more longer.
Tell me more about Tenerife – the place you come from…
I was born and raised in Tenerife, Canary Islands. It belongs to Spain, but I’ll tell you about my land more than my country. It’s a 7-island archipelago in the North West coast of Africa, and it’s a territory widely devoted to tourism. I myself have a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism, it just seemed the natural thing to do. Nowadays, the place is a mess: no jobs, no hope, no growth. But they are hanging in there, trying to make it as they can. I blame most of it in the politicians, and part of it in the people themselves. There was a big false fantasy bubble that exploded, and now they’re figuring out how to survive in the aftermath. Me, I had to get out of there, mainly for my music. There is no way I could ever make anything there, hence my move to London, UK. So I finished my music studies with Boston’s Berklee College professor Pat Pattison (online & book courses) and got off the island as soon as I could.
Do you like Europe more than your country?
Yes, much much more, for many reasons. And here I’m not only talking about the Canary Islands, but the whole Spain. It’s definitely not a place I’d like to live and grow old in. Particularly I love London. I felt in love with this vibrant city back in 2010 when I lived in Kent for almost a year. I visited London often, and little by little, it became the place I’d like to live in. I just get out to go play or something and this town sort of charges me, makes me feel livelier. And then, the English manners and ways to do things, which are completely in tune with my personality. As for the rest of Europe, I like Germany and Netherlands too, maybe not to live, but to go spend some time there, for sure.
Are you thinking about releasing EP or album at some point?
Hopefully not much further down the line, but no, not at the moment. I’m at a different stage right now. I’m working on a solid set list, so I’m going to open mics to try out my tunes and meet as many people as possible, I try to network hard. When I don’t have to wonder if my material is good enough, I’ll get into a studio and make something I’m deeply proud of. I hope to do that at some point in 2014.
Good luck, Dave!
Thank you.
More about Dave Santos and his music:
