Joe Satriani interview

(Originally from 4/23/04)

This is one guitarist who really needs no introduction. He has taught some of the great shredders, like Steve Vai and Kirk Hammett. He pioneered instrumental rock music into popularity, and continues to re-invent the guitar with virtuosic determination. Is There Love In Space? is Satriani's 9th studio release, and Joe has generously given up some of his time to discuss some of the album with us, and to fill us in on his unorthodox guitar mastery...

Can you start by giving us a little background about how you got started recording instrumental albums?

Joe Satriani: I was just making tapes at home to jam over and explore new musical ideas when I thought it might be cool to start a record company and publishing company and release some music. I didn't think anyone would really like it too much, so I did it as a labor of love really.

Do you ever find that it gets hard to write original material after so many years of recording?

I still feel like I've got so much music to write and play, but just not enough time to do it!

What or who got you started on music and playing the guitar?

When Jimi Hendrix died I decided to be a guitarist, and I just never looked back.

You used to teach guitar lessons for legends like Kirk Hammett and Steve Vai. Do you have any advice you'd like to give to teachers or students?

Sure; Learn every note everywhere on the guitar, learn every scale everywhere on the guitar, and learn every chord everywhere on the guitar... then we'll talk.

You have a new album out now [Is There Love In Space?], and you sing again on a couple songs, something you haven't pulled off much since Flying In A Blue Dream. What made you decide to sing on this record?

It was the style of the record, rock meets rock/blues, that made me feel a few vocals tracks would elevate the CD's overall feel. And, I seem to play differently on songs with vocals, so there was that added bonus.

Something I've always wondered: how do you usually come up with the song titles for all your instrumental tracks? Some of them are very odd, like "Raspberry Jam Delta-V" or "The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing". Where do you get your inspiration for such song titles?

The crazy titles just pop into my head, I've got no idea how. Sometimes I find things in books like "Raspberry Jam...", or "Ice Nine" that seem to really inspire me to write as well.

Of the albums you've released so far, do you have a favorite? Do you have a favorite song you've done?

I like them all for what they are, a snapshot of my music suspended in time. I don't think I could ever pick a favorite CD or song.

How do you usually go about writing a song for an album? Do you just compile some riffs you like? How do you write your songs with vocals?

Most of my music comes to me as a sudden inspiration, and I race to get it written down or recorded before it slips away. Some tunes take years to complete, some, just hours. There's just no telling! The vocal songs are more difficult because writing good lyrics is always a challenge, but I still enjoy it.

Who are some of your favorite bands/musicians?

Deftones, Jet, Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, Stones, Tom Morello and Audio Slave, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Alan Holdsworth, etc...

If you could create a dream band with any musicians you could pick, who would be in the band and why?

It would be me and Jimi Hendrix on guitars, just jammin' on our own, stream of consciousness stuff, free form and spacey!

Can you tell us a little of what we can expect to see in the future for Joe Satriani?

I can only promise that I will follow my heart and try to continue to change and evolve into the future.

Finally, do you have any advice for aspiring or dreaming guitarists and musicians?

Try to be as original as you can, and only play what you want to play.

Thanks once again for taking some time out to do this interview!

My pleasure, Bye!

The new album Is There Love In Space? is out now. The official Satriani website is www.satriani.com.