Joe Satriani doesn’t want to be the world’s best electric guitar player. When he sees a young shredder more talented than him, he cracks a smile.
His second solo album, Surfing With the Alien, sounded like guitar music from the future when it was released in 1987. The record put him at the cutting edge of the guitar scene, and his reputation has only grown as some of his students — including Steve Vai, Alex Skolnick and Kirk Hammett — have become regarded as some of the best players around.
Satch’s lofty status in the guitar world was emphasized over the past year with the reformation of the classic G3 lineup and his role performing Eddie Van Halen’s parts in Sammy Hagar’s Best of All Worlds tour. But with that said, he says he wants to see the next generation of guitarists go one better than him.
Speaking in the latest issue of Classic Rock, Satch says he’s already been usurped by today’s social media-savvy crop of players who are taking technical excellence to new heights.
“It’s already happened,” he says when asked about discovering younger players who are better than him. “There’s a couple of things to address here. Number one, if it doesn’t happen, the world is in deep trouble. We need newer, smarter people to solve the human condition in every field — scientists, doctors, writers. We need better, smarter, every single day. That’s the whole point.
“We have children, and we raise better human beings to help us, so we don’t become extinct,” he expands. “And, if you’re not excited about new players, then that’s pretty sad. I’m excited about just about every player I see. I champion it, I always have.”
It turns out that, even at the height of his powers, he knew his days were numbered. He looked at his most famous apprentice and saw the future.
“I started out teaching, and I got used to the idea that Steve Vai was gonna walk in my door and blow my mind,” he says.
Of course, it’s only natural that the standard of guitar playing continues to rise. When Eddie Van Halen brought tapping techniques and whammy-bar dive bombs to the masses, it was revolutionary. For the modern-day player, those are often no more than key foundational skills. The more players that can execute those techniques, the more likely it is that some will build upon it, and take it further.
Satriani’s apprentice-turned-master Steve Vai clearly shares the same sentiment. He’s been tapping up the next generation of superstars for his annual Vai Academy event for years. Tim Henson, Yvette Young, Ichika Nito, and Mateus Asato all featured at the 2024 event.
He says he’s “fascinated by their talent, technique, and creativity,” and it comes from a place of genuine joy. There is no ego to be bruised.
Satriani’s efforts to champion his fellow shredding superstars led to the formation of the G3 tour. While he has been the mainstay, the tour has played host to mega names like Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, and Robert Fripp, and fresh-faced talents like Guthrie Govan, Tosin Abasi, and a 19-year-old Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
Yet, he tells Classic Rock that not everyone thought the tour was a good idea. The powers that be didn’t want Satch in such close quarters as his competitors. But he says, “When I was fourteen, if I had a chance to see Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Jeff Beck together on the same stage, I’d think that was the greatest thing ever.”
Meanwhile, Satriani has defended Kurt Cobain, whose critics have branded him a sub-par guitar player. Satch has explained why he thinks Cobain’s skillset shouldn’t be so readily dismissed.
