Joe Satriani
On 15/07/1956: Joe Satriani was born. He was born in Westbury, New York. When he was 14 whilst he was at a football practice, he heard that Hendrix had died. He announced to his coach that he was quitting football and took up playing the guitar. In 1974 he studied music with jazz guitarist Billy Bauer and with jazz pianist Lennie Tristano. Satriani soon started teaching guitar, his most famous pupil being Steve Vai, who also went to the same high school. By the time he was teaching Vai he was studying music at Five Towns College.In 1978 he moved to Berkeley, California to pursue music. There he would teach Kirk Hammett of Metallica, David Bryson of Counting Crows, Kevin Cadogan from Third Eye Blind, Larry LaLonde of Primus and Possessed, Alex Skolnick of Testament, Rick Hunolt (ex-Exodus), Phil Kettner of Lääz Rockit, Geoff Tyson of T-Ride, Charlie Hunter, David Turin and Eric Kauschen.
Satriani joined the band The Squares. From there he was invited to join the Greg Kihn Band. Their generosity helped Satriani pay off his credit card debt from recording his first solo album "Not of this Earth".
In 1987 he released his second album "Surfing with the Alien". The album was hugely successful, charting quite highly despite the relative lack of popularity of instrumental albums in the previous years. The track "Crushing Day" from the album was featured on the soundtrack of "It Takes Two".
In 1988 he released an ep called "Dreaming #11". He also helped produce death metal band Possessed's ep "The Eyes of Horror".
In 1989 he released the album "Flying in a Blue Dream". It was inspired by the death of his father, who died that year. The track "One Big Rush" featured on the film "Say Anything....". "The Bell's of Lal (Part One)" was featured in the film "Sling Blade".
Joe would also sing backing vocals on the eponymous Crowded House album.
In 1992 he released "The Extremist". It would be his most critically album.
In 1993 he was a temporary replacement for Ritchie Blackmore in the band Deep Purple during a tour of Japan. He was asked to stay permanently, declined as he had just signed a deal with Sony.
In 1996 he formed the G3 tour. The first lineup featured himself, Steve Vai and Eric Johnson. The tour continued periodically, with Satriani the only permanent member. Other guitarists to feature include: Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Robert Fripp, Andy Timmons, Uli Jon Roth, Michael Schenker, Adrian Legg, Paul Gilbert, Steve Morse and Steve Lukather.
In 1998 he released the album "Crystal Planet" which was soon followed by the electronica influenced album "Engines of Creation".
In 2000 he recorded and released "Live in San Francisco".
In 2002 he released "Strange Beautiful Music" and "Is There Love in Space?" in 2004.
In 2006 he released and recorded the live album "Super Colossal and Satriani Live!". He also became that year an official supporter of Little Kids Rock, which provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in under served public schools.
In 2008 he released "Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock". Also in this year it was announced that he was a part of the supergroup Chickenfoot. The gorup consisted of Satriani, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony, and Chad Smith.
Chickenfoot released their eponymous debut album in 2009.
In 2010 he joined the Experience Hendrix Tribute Tour. He also released "Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards".
In 2011 Chickenfoot released their second album named " Chickenfoot III".
In 2013 he released the album "Unstoppable Momentum".
In 2014 he was a part of the G4 Experience; a week-long guitar camp.
In 2015 he released the album "Shockwave Supernova".
In addition to his own material Satriani has featured on recordings by Alice Cooper, Spinal Tap, Blue Öyster Cult, The Yardbirds, Stu Hamm, Gregg Bissonette, Ian Gillan, Jordan Rudess. He also contributed spoken lyrics to Dream Theater's 2007 song "Repentance".