Joe Satriani interview - June 2012

Could you remember where did the idea of G3 come from?

…In ’95 I wanted to create a situation where I could play with my other guitarist friends on a regular basis. G3 was the perfect solution.

The first G3 tour was happened in 1996, when grunge/alternative bands ruled the airplay and guitar heroes were unfashionable for a while. How do you see, did the more and more successful G3 tours help to bring back virtuosic guitar playing to the public?

…I think the audience for great guitar playing was always present, just not properly recognized by musicians and promotors.

So many guitar greats were involved in the G3 project over the years, such as Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Uli Jon Roth, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc. Which particular tour did you enjoy the most until now?

…I liked them all!

In the last 5 years the G3 project was on hiatus. What was the reason behind that?

… I’ve been very busy with my solo tours and Chickenfoot.

When it comes to put together a G3 tour, are you involved in the organization as well?

…I’m involved in all of it.

Usually how did you pick the other two Gs? Which requirements are the most important?

…The other two players have to play great, like to improvise with other guitarists, have a show to put on, and have a significant audience themselves.

As far as this year’s G3 gigs, during the first leg you were joined by Steve Vai for obvious reasons and also Steve Lukather. How were those gigs?

…Great! They both play so well and are very different from each other, which really makes things interesting for us. It also helps that we are the best of friends.

On the European leg Luke will be replaced by Steve Morse. Was he your first choice for these particular shows?

…This year I wanted to have three different G3 shows to tour with. I got lucky that Vai, Petrucci, Morse and Luke were available and willing.

How do you feel, any chance to involve younger and lesser known players to G3 in the future? I mean guys like Andy Timmons, Guthrie Govan, Joe Bonamassa, Dave Martone…

…All those players you’ve mentioned are amazing players! I would love to have them for a G3 tour.

Were there any players who refused your offer concerning a G3 tour?

…Eddie Van Halen.

During the 16 year G3 history only three live records were made. Do you have any plan to make another one in the foreseeable future?

…Not at the moment. I enjoy the freedom of not being filmed all the time.

Could you introduce your current touring band?

…Jeff Campitelli on drums, Alan Whitman on Bass and Mike Keneally on keyboards.

A few years ago you started to use a rhythm guitarist for live shows. Why did you decide to go this way?

…I need to have my rhythm parts from the CD’s represented live so I could concentrate on my melody playing.

As far as your stage gear, you got a brand new signature Marshall JVM model. Could you tell me what are the most significant differences between this particular amp and the stock JVMs

…4 channels, 3 modes per channel, 4 noise gates, fx loop, all with a bigger bolder sound than the original JVM line. There are too many upgrades to mention in this article….

Was it easy to work with the great Santiago Alvarez on the design of this amp? Has your initial vision matched with his ideas for the very first time?

… Santiago is a genius! He was able to create the sounds I was looking for in each mode and channel.

How many JVMs do you use on stage and how do they work?

…Just on head and two 4 x 12 cabinets

What about your pedal board?

…My Big Bad Wah, POG, Proctavia, Time Machine x 2, etc…

When it comes to solos, how do you boost the distorted amp channel with an overdrive? Do you prefer a clean volume boost or a higher amount of gain?

…I don’t boost it at all, I let the front-of-house engineer bring me up in the house if its needed.

On your last solo album you started to use the Sustainiac. Do you still enjoy the sound of this pickup? How many of your guitars are equipped with this tool?

… I have three guitars with the Sustainiac pickup, and I use them for Chickenfoot and solo performances as well. It is a great tool to have at the ready.

You’ve been quite busy these days with G3 and Chickenfoot as well. When will you have time to do another solo record?

…By the end of the year I should something figured out!