Joe Satriani facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Satriani
Satriani performing in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Satriani
Also known as	Satch
Born	(1956-07-15) July 15, 1956 (age 69) Westbury, New York, U.S.
Genres	Instrumental rock hard rock blues rock
Occupations	Musician songwriter composer guitar instructor producer
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Epic Relativity

Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956) is an American rock guitarist famous for his amazing skills and songs. Early in his career, he was a guitar teacher. Many of his students became rock stars themselves, including Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, and Alex Skolnick of Testament.

Satriani later became a successful solo artist. He is known for making instrumental rock, which is music that focuses on the instruments with no singing. He has been nominated for a Grammy Award 15 times and has sold over ten million albums. This makes him the bestselling instrumental rock guitarist ever.

In 1988, Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones hired Satriani to be the lead guitarist for his first solo tour. Satriani also toured with the legendary band Deep Purple in 1993. He started the famous G3 tour in 1995, where he performs with other top guitarists. Since 2008, he has also been the guitarist for the rock supergroup Chickenfoot.

A Guitar Hero's Beginning

Satriani was born in Westbury, New York. His family has Italian roots. He was inspired to play the guitar when he was 14 years old, after hearing that rock legend Jimi Hendrix had died. The news hit him during football practice. He immediately told his coach he was quitting the team to become a guitarist.

In 1974, he studied music with jazz guitarist Billy Bauer and jazz pianist Lennie Tristano. Tristano's challenging style had a big impact on Satriani's playing. He also started teaching guitar. One of his first students was Steve Vai, who would also become a world-famous guitarist. In 1978, Satriani moved to Berkeley, California, to start his music career and continued teaching. His students included future members of famous bands like Metallica, Counting Crows, and Third Eye Blind.

Journey to Rock Stardom

First Albums and Big Break

In the late 1970s, Satriani started a band called Squares. Later, he joined the Greg Kihn Band. The money he earned from this band helped him pay for his first album, Not of This Earth, which came out in 1986.

His big break came in 1987 with his second album, Surfing with the Alien. It was a huge hit and was one of the first all-instrumental albums to become so popular. In 1989, he released Flying in a Blue Dream. He said this album was inspired by his father, who passed away while he was recording it.

In 1992, Satriani released The Extremist, which became his most successful album. The song "Summer Song" was used in a popular commercial for Sony's Discman CD players, which made it a big hit.

Touring with Legends and G3

In late 1993, Satriani was asked to play with Deep Purple for their tour in Japan after their guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left. The shows were a huge success, and the band asked him to join permanently. However, Satriani had already signed a deal to make more solo albums, so he had to say no.

In 1996, Satriani created the G3 tour. The idea was to have a tour with a group of three amazing guitar players. The first G3 tour featured Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson. The G3 tour still happens today, with Satriani always being a part of it. Other famous guitarists like John Petrucci, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Steve Morse have also played on the G3 tour.

Satriani with Steve Vai (center) and John Petrucci (right) as part of G3 in Melbourne, 2006.

New Music and Chickenfoot

Throughout the 2000s, Satriani continued to release new music, including Crystal Planet (1998), Strange Beautiful Music (2002), and Super Colossal (2006).

In 2008, he joined the supergroup Chickenfoot. The band also includes singer Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony (both from the band Van Halen), and drummer Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They released their first album in 2009 and a second one in 2011.

That same year, Satriani filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the band Coldplay. He claimed their hit song "Viva la Vida" used major parts of his 2004 song "If I Could Fly." Coldplay said they did not copy his song. The case was later settled out of court.

Satriani with Stuart Hamm in the Rijnhal, Arnhem, 2008

Recent Years

Satriani has stayed busy, releasing many more albums like Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards (2010), Unstoppable Momentum (2013), and Shockwave Supernova (2015). In 2018, he released What Happens Next, working with rock legends Glenn Hughes and Chad Smith. His latest albums are Shapeshifting (2020) and The Elephants of Mars (2022).

In 2024, Satriani toured with Steve Vai and Eric Johnson for a reunion of the original G3 lineup. He and Vai also toured together as the SATCHVAI Band and released their first-ever song together, "The Sea of Emotion, Pt.1".

Guitar Style and Sound

Satriani in 2004

Satriani is known as a guitar virtuoso, which means he has amazing technical skill. He has mastered many difficult playing techniques. These include legato (playing smooth, connected notes), two-handed tapping (using both hands on the guitar's neck), and creating cool sounds with the whammy bar.

His biggest influences were Jimi Hendrix and English rock guitarists like Brian May, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck.

Satriani is famous for using Ibanez guitars. The company created a special line of guitars just for him, called the JS Series. One of his most famous guitars is a shiny, chrome-colored one nicknamed "Chrome Boy." He also uses Marshall amplifiers to get his powerful rock sound.

Sci-Fi and Other Themes

Many of Satriani's songs are inspired by science fiction.

• The songs "Surfing with the Alien" and "Back to Shalla-Bal" are based on the Marvel comic book character Silver Surfer.
• The song "Ice 9" is a reference to a secret weapon in Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's Cradle.
• The song "Borg ..." is a reference to the cybernetic race from Star Trek.
• Album titles like Not of This Earth, Crystal Planet, and Is There Love in Space? also show his love for space and sci-fi themes.

Awards and Nominations

Satriani has been nominated for a Grammy Award 15 times, which is one of the highest numbers of nominations for any artist who has not yet won.

Discography

• Not of This Earth (1986)
• Surfing with the Alien (1987)
• Flying in a Blue Dream (1989)
• The Extremist (1992)
• Time Machine (1993)
• Joe Satriani (1995)
• Crystal Planet (1998)
• Engines of Creation (2000)
• Strange Beautiful Music (2002)
• Is There Love in Space? (2004)
• Super Colossal (2006)
• Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock (2008)
• Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards (2010)
• Unstoppable Momentum (2013)
• Shockwave Supernova (2015)
• What Happens Next (2018)
• Shapeshifting (2020)
• The Elephants of Mars (2022)

Images for kids

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  Satriani performing in Aarhus, 2016

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  Guitars used by Satriani during the 2013 Unstoppable Momentum tour

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  Satriani's signature distortion pedal, "Satchurator", by Vox.

See also

In Spanish: Joe Satriani para niños