168: Michael Shrieve (Santana, Go, Solo Artist)

In 1969, Michael Shrieve took the world by storm with his jaw-dropping performance at Woodstock. His raw power, combined with jazz-inflected finesse, was a crucial component to the band’s success. Over the subsequent 50 years, Michael’s adventurous body of work has comprised collaborations with: Stomu Yamashta, Steve Winwood, Al Di Meola, Klaus Schulze, Andy Summers, Mick Jagger, etc. Joe met with Michael at his studio in Seattle to discuss Michael’s childhood as a devout alter boy; his first drum kit (made from scraps of carpet); joining Santana and rocketing to superstardom as a teenager; his “left of center” aesthetic; creative inertia; guru shopping; and how too much success strained his relationship with a famous bandleader.