The artist Joe “Satch” Satriani (born July 15, 1956, in Westbury, New York) is an American guitarist. Satriani is considered one of the leading guitarists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. With his technique and distinctive compositions, he has earned widespread respect.
Biography
Inspired by Jimi Hendrix and Robert Fripp, Joe Satriani picked up the guitar at the age of 14. He began playing on the very day Jimi Hendrix passed away. After several years, he decided to start giving guitar lessons to make a living.
Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett (Metallica), and David Bryson are some of the students who learned guitar techniques from him. He played guitar in various small bands. In 1984, he released his first (short) album, self-titled Joe Satriani. Entirely self-financed and independently released, he tried to break into the music industry. This mission initially failed, but he succeeded later in the 1980s. The now much more famous Steve Vai frequently mentioned his former teacher in interviews, calling Joe Satriani one of his greatest inspirations.
In 1986, Satriani released his first full-length album, titled Not of This Earth. The album was extremely well-received, giving him the opportunity to tour and establish contacts for a new album.
Surfing with the Alien
With his second album, Surfing with the Alien (1987), Joe Satriani cemented his reputation as a guitar legend. He received praise from across the music industry, which led to an endorsement deal with Ibanez. This album—along with Steve Vai’s Passion and Warfare—is still considered one of the foundational works of modern virtuoso rock music.
It is said that Sonja Barend can be faintly heard in the intro of the title track Surfing with the Alien (around the 5-second mark: “wij wensen haar vanaf deze plek…” – “we wish her from this place…”). She confirmed this during a phone call on the weekly radio show VARA’s Vuurwerk, a hard rock and heavy metal hour hosted by Henk Westbroek.
Before starting work on his third album Flying in a Blue Dream, Satriani toured the world as lead guitarist with Mick Jagger. With the release of the third album, Satriani demonstrated that he was not only an exceptional guitarist but also a talented songwriter. In 1994, he filled in with Deep Purple, but after the tour, he chose to continue focusing on his solo career. Many guest appearances with other artists and solo albums followed. Satriani has since been nominated for a Grammy Award 15 times.
The artist Joe Satriani and Ibanez Guitars
Together with the manufacturer Ibanez, Satriani developed a successful signature guitar line: the JS series. The silver guitar from this line, inspired by the album cover of Flying in a Blue Dream, has become his trademark. He also collaborated with Peavey to launch his own line of amplifiers, called the Joe Satriani Signature series (JSX).
In addition to releasing his own albums, Satriani is also actively involved in the annual G3 Tour concerts—a global tour where he performs in concert halls together with Steve Vai and a guest guitarist. Guests have included Steve Lukather (of Toto), Robert Fripp (of King Crimson), Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Eric Johnson, and John Petrucci (Dream Theater), among others.
At the end of 2008, around the Christmas season, Satriani recorded an album for his new project called Chickenfoot. This project was formed together with former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This led to the founding of the band Chickenfoot, which went on tour in 2009.
The artist Joe Satriani and his student Steve Vai
Steve Siro Vai (born June 6, 1960, in Long Island, New York) is, along with Joe Satriani, considered one of the most important guitar virtuosos of the 1980s and especially the 1990s.
To master the guitar, Steve began taking lessons from Joe Satriani at the age of 14. At 18, he enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. While studying there, he transcribed sheet music for Frank Zappa’s most complex pieces. When Zappa saw these, he was so impressed that he invited Vai to join his band. From 1980 to 1982, Vai left his mark on Zappa’s work.
Final Note
Information about artists such as Joe Satriani and Steve Vai can be found on this site under the category artist.
