If there was one thing that was definitely not lacking in 80’s rock music was the amount of guitar heroes. It seemed like everyone on the scene had a guitarist that brandished their axe as a mythic weapon ready to bring their fretboard gymnastics to the masses. As time passed, many of these “Heroes” proved to be quite lame, however, there were quite a few that have stood the test of time, quite simply, because they were truly great guitar players - just ignore that Aqua Net.
A personal favorite of mine had always been (and still is) Steve Vai. When Steve exploded on the scene as a member of David Lee Roth’s solo band he was heralded as the hottest axe slinger since Eddie Van Halen. As Steve assumed his rightful place as one of the top guitarist of his generation, word crept out that could have stripped him of his deity-like status: Steve Vai’s guitar teacher was putting out an album! He had a teacher? Surely they must have been joking; he was a guitar god, there is no way that he that he began with the same major scale exercises that we all were doing. He must have been playing like that from birth, no if, ands or buts.
In the spring of 1987, we were all left slack-jawed as the release of Surfing With The Alien signaled that Joe Satriani had arrived, big time. One of the more exciting things about the album was not only did it live up to, and far surpass, any expectations we could have had but it actually broke into Billboard's Top 40 album charts! For instrumental guitar music, this was a milestone event that had not been achieved since the days of Dick Dale and The Ventures. Since that time Joe Satriani has sold over 7 million albums worldwide and his G3 tours along partner-in-crime, Steve Vai remains a guaranteed sell out in every city that it visits.
2004 looks to be one of the most productive ever for Satriani, his latest album Is There Love In Space? has just hit the shelves to rave reviews and he is gearing up for as major tour. In February, fans were treated to the double disc G3: Rockin In The Free World and the live DVD, G3 Live In Denver. Both of those releases chronicled last fall's G3 tour with fellow six string mavens Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen. Even Peavey has jumped in on the action by teaming with Joe to release the JSX Satriani Signature amplifier!
With a crazy schedule ahead of him, Joe graciously took some time to answer a few questions for MusicTAP:
MusicTAP (Passarelli): The new album really shows your rocking side while remaining very 'at ease' melodically, I mean, there is not one note that sounds forced; it just flows beautifully. How did you get the two to coexist on one album?
JS: "I paid close attention to first take performances and spent more time being spontaneous while recording than ever before. It's like an 'anti discipline' approach that takes a lot of discipline I guess."
MT: How much of the music was written before getting together with the band and hitting the studio? How much was done in your home studio?
JS: "All the music was written in advance of the sessions, and all but one were started in my home studio. Most of the guitar work was done at home. I started the process between the Strange Beautiful Music and G3 tours of '03, then got in the studio with the guys before and after the G3 shows in November. We eventually had three projects to mix in a row!"
MT: "Time Machine" was a great release that showed rarities and studio out-takes from different points of your career up to that point. Will there be another like that one day?
JS: "Most likely yes. But, It will takes some time to build up that amount of left over material again."
MT: You have a consistently strong back catalogue; what do you think as you look back at some of your previous albums? Did you feel what you wanted to accomplish with each release?
JS: "They are what they are I guess, just snapshots of where I was 'at' at the time. I never feel like I really finish any of them, just that I have to stop working on them!"
MT: G3 is hitting the road in Europe this June and July; will you be doing the longer "Evening with Joe Satriani" concerts later this year?
JS: "Yes, the 'Evening With...' series will start up again in October of this year in the US."
MT: You must be so proud of what has been accomplished with the G3 tours; what began as an almost risky proposition has turned out to be a show that is a guaranteed sell-out in every city that it visits.
JS: "It brings me great joy and satisfaction to be able to regularly jam with some of the greatest guitarists in the world, and right in front of an audience! What started out as a risky idea has turned into event that I look forward to each time we go out. I love it.
MT: Do you think we will ever get to see Jeff Beck up there with you and Steve? Epic Records' three top guitarists on one stage!
JS: "Give me another year or so, I bet I can get Jeff out with us. He is one of my favorite guitarists, and such a great musician, I would be thrilled!"
