Joe Satriani: The 1987 "Surfing With the Alien" Interview, Part 2

This "Talking Guitar" podcast features Part 2 of Joe Satriani’s first nationally published interview. In Part 1 (hear it here: • Joe Satriani: The 1987... , Joe spoke about his musical upbringing, inspirations, teachers, young Steve Vai, and his appreciation for Harry Partch, Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, and other players.
In Part 2, we do a track-by-track examination of Joe's just-released "Surfing With the Alien" album and discuss his recording techniques, methods of composing, soloing, guitars and set-up requirements, unusual techniques, and other guitar-related subjects.
If you’ve already heard Part 1, you’ll notice that Part 2 has more background noise. This is because it was done on a working day for Joe and his engineer/producer John Cuniberti, who were in the process of mixing Joe’s new song, “The Crush of Love,” on the day we met.
This interview took place in San Francisco’s Hyde Street Studios just 20 days after the release of Joe’s breakthrough album, "Surfing With the Alien." On occasion John Cuniberti joins our conversation. Guitar Player magazine staff photographer Jon Sievert was also present during this part of the interview, and you can hear his camera clicks and his voice when he chimes in after Joe and I joke about putting a whammy into an old Martin acoustic guitar.
In the intro to Part 1, Joe explains how this interview had a major impact on his career and led to his joining Mick Jagger's band.
Thanks to Joe and John for permission to post this interview, and to engineer/producer Nik Hunt for enhancing the sound of the decades-old master tape. We hope you enjoy this unique recording.
To help us continue producing "Talking Guitar" podcasts of historic interviews, please send a donation c/o paypal.me/Talk.... Thank you!
Be sure to check out the other historic interviews on the Talking Guitar RUclips channel. For dozens more guitar-intensive podcasts, interview transcripts, and articles, visit Talking Guitar magazine at jasobrecht.sub....
#joesatriani #talkingguitar #surfingwiththealien #nikhunt #guitarplayermagazine
This podcast is copyright 2023 by Jas Obrecht. All rights reserved.

[@frettedlogic72]

1988 was a good year, my neighbor handed me a Surfing with the Alien cassette tape. Changed my guitar life forever. Always with me, Always with you was my love song. My wife and I have been together ever since. Thanks Joe!

[@bonzey1171]

Really appreciate you uploading all of these, Jas. Not sure how many of your articles I have read over the years, but hearing these tapes after reading the written versions all those years ago is an absolute delight, and you are a fine human letting us all have a listen
Thanks man, you are pretty righteous

[@geezberry8889]

Jas your work belongs in the national archives

[@TalkingGuitarJasObrecht]

Thanks. Actually, all of my original master tapes are archived in the University of North Carolina's Southern Folklife Collection in Chapel Hill. They're good people!

[@geezberry8889]

not far from me. you interviewed so many legends i wonder if you knew it at the time, especially those Ed interviews they are gold @@TalkingGuitarJasObrecht

[@walterevans2118]

40:44 This of course was recorded way BEFORE Joe came into PURPLE to replace Ritchie Blackmore briefly in the 1990s ... I think Joe ultimately always had his own path to travel...

[@drzecelectric4302]

I had that magazine. Came with a record of always with you, always with me on it.

[@walterevans2118]

In the interview do you notice Joe is doing BACKWARDS guitar thru the amp ......Like there is no attack at the beginning & the sounds graduate into volume with the crescendos at the end ?

[@thepracticingguitarist]

Thank you, Jas. This interview is amazing and a great complement to the issue I still have. One question: you interviewed Vinnie Vincent @ 1983/1984 around the time of the KISS release, Lick It Up. Do you have that audio still/if so, were you planning on uploading it?