Interview Joe Satriani & G3

Artiest: Joe Satriani & G3

Geïnterviewde(n): Joe Satriani

Promo: Gracia Live

Op 21 april speelt Joe Satriani in de Stadsschouwburg van Antwerpen... maar dat niet alleen, samen met John Petrucci en Uli Jon Roth halen ze de G3 van onder het stof! Hoog tijd om het heerschap aan de tand te voelen.

Is there an explanation why the G3-concept after all these years still remains successful?

...Like me, the fans wanted to see guitarists together, drop their guard, and celebrate the electric guitar while pushing each other to achieve new heights of excellence. Having three guitarists on the bill is a winning formula because it gives each performer enough time to showcase their own music with their own band while still having time for the G3 jam at the end of the show.

How would you promote the G3-show to someone who doesn't play the guitar?

...A G3 show is an exciting event of great music performed by the best guitarists on the planet!

Is the G3-crowd mainly one of male spectators or do you also meet female guitar freaks? Do you have an anecdote to illustrate that?

...It is an all ages, sexes, styles kind of audience. It really depends on the venue when you get right down to it. If we play an outdoor show the whole family shows up, grandparents to grandkids. If the venue is mega-club and the show is a late night affair then the audience is more adult. We attract all kinds to the show.

Joe Satriani recorded his latest album “What Happens Next” with drummer Chad Smith and bass player Glenn Hughes. These are both well known musicians and to hear them play on an album together with Joe Satriani is pretty amazing, but to have this line-up on stage: is it really impossible for both gentlemen to join Joe on tour?

...I knew from the start they would not be able to join me on tour due to their prior commitments to The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Black Country Communion, etc... That did not stop the magic from happening in the studio. In a curious way I think it brought in an extra amount of energy and creativity to make the album unique and special.

After all the compositions of the previous G3 tours: are there still names you would like to play with on a next G3 tour? And if you would have the opportunity to choose someone who isn't alive anymore, who would you like to play with? You can consider this question to be a prediction of your dream line-up of G3.

...Ever since ‘95 I have been reaching out to Eddie Van Halen and Jeff Beck with invitations to join us. The wish list of possible G3 players is long and surprising.

In 2015 Joe Satriani played his previous Belgian gig in the venue “De Roma” in Antwerp. How was your experience of playing in that old but stylishly renovated venue? Do you prefer playing in such nostalgic venues?

...The venues with a deep history are always special, and De Roma is one of them. As a performer you can feel and tap into the unique vibrations of a well played stage. It makes the whole night extra special.

How do you choose which covers you are going to play on a G3 tour?

...I communicate with the other two players prior to the start of the tour. We share ideas back and forth until we all feel excited about our choices. Then, as the tour progresses we can make changes or adjustments as we see fit.

A non-musical question: since Joe Satriani and John Petrucci are both from Italian descent but living for (almost) all their lives in the USA; do you guys actually speak Italian fluently and is the Italian kitchen your favourite food?

...As many Americans growing when we did we were pressured to speak and sound American, leaving our bilingual skills quite weak. But, we both love Italian cooking and seek it out wherever we go!

Zie Joe Satriani en de G3 live op 21 april in de Stadsschouwburg van Antwerpen!

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