On the Bus with Professor Satchafunkilus

Q&A with Joe Satriani

Last summer I was lucky enough to go on tour for a week with the rock "super group," Chickenfoot, which consists of Sammy Hagar and Mike Anthony of Van Halen fame, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer and all around great guy, Chad Smith, and one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Joe Satriani (known to his many fans as "Professor Satchafunkilus"). I was allowed to ride on Joe Satriani's tour bus while he traveled from Cleveland to New York City between gigs. Joe is one of the nicest people you could ever meet, but I am still in awe of him and even though I was bursting with questions I wanted to ask him, it just didn't seem like the right time. After all, Joe had just played a blistering set with "the Foot" at a free concert for fans at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and now it was the wee hours of the morning. The time just wasn't right to ask for an interview, though we did chat a bit about Joe about being in Chickenfoot, his playing, and life on the road. Mostly I just sat quietly with Joe and his manager, Mick Brigden, and watched a DVD of The Who's "Amazing Journey," thinking that it was a pretty amazing journey I was on myself. Months later, Joe was kind enough to let me email him the questions I'd been wanting to ask. Here are the questions he answered in that Q&A:

NICK ARNOLD : When you were recording Chickenfoot's debut release in 2009, you used a prototype of your current "JS2400", 24 fret guitar, and utilized all the extra frets at the end of the neck. How did you compensate for the lack of extra playing range when you toured live for the album with your regular, 22 fret guitars?

JOE SATRIANI : The use of artificial harmonics helped out quite a bit. This is a technique where I use my right hands thumb to lightly touch the string I’m picking in a particular spot to get a harmonic note of my choice. In this case a note beyond the 22nd fret.

NA: As one of the most versatile, skilled, and influential rock guitarists of all time, you've been able to work and play alongside many other great musicians, like Deep Purple, the afore-mentioned Chickenfoot, and Mick Jagger. Are there any musicians you've never been able to work with that you would like to play alongside? Or maybe a better question would be: If you could put any musicians (living or deceased) in a group together, who would you pick and why?

JS: Jimi Hendrix! Since that will never happen, let’s focus on the first question. You never know who might call, or, walk into your musical life. I don’t dream about playing with other musicians as much as I prepare for the random chance that I will be surprised by a situation to arise, just like Chickenfoot. I didn’t see that coming, but I’m so glad it happened!

NA: It has been several years since you have organized another G3 tour, which has showcased the greatest guitarists, including you, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, John Petrucci, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Will there be another G3 tour sometime in the future? Are there any guitarists who have not been included on the tour who you would like to have join?

JS: G3 is alive and well, just looking for the right three-some. I would love to get Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen, Billy Gibbons, etc… to join us. Getting the right mix is tricky, and the logistics take time and care to manage. But, I’m confident we will get another G3 going soon.

NA: As a huge name in the instrumental-rock world, how do you choose which brands and equipment to play and endorse, and why do you use the gear you play?

JS: I only endorse brands that I play everyday. The gear has to help me make music; it’s that simple.

NA: For many years you have toured as a solo artist, but lately you've been playing a lot with groups like Chickenfoot and Living Colour (on the Experience Hendrix tour). How has your work as a guitarist been influenced by your recent group projects?

JS: Every musical situation leaves you enriched and enhanced in some way. Playing with other musicians broadens your playing abilities. Your playing improves and your writing ideas expand. I highly recommend mixing it up with other musicians when ever you can.

NA: I've heard that Jimi Hendrix is one of your greatest influences on your playing. What is it like to play on the Experience Hendrix tour with so many amazing musicians and getting to pay homage to your hero?

JS: Each night is enlightening. Hearing great players interpret Jimi’s music each night is an awesome experience in itself. Getting to jam with these guys using Hendrix music as a focal point is even better. The vibe on tour is so cool; everybody is open to exchange and experimentation.

NA: In the past, you've taught students who have gone on to become successful guitarists (Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett, Alex Skolnick, Larry LaLonde), were there any that stood out while you were mentoring them that you thought would go on to become great guitarists? Have you been able to keep in touch with some of your students?

JS: Steve Vai, being just 12 years old when I met him, already showed signs of greatness. It was very exciting to teach him. We stay in touch and tour together to this day!

NA: Thinking back, can you remember any times from when you were learning new techniques on the guitar that frustrated you to the point of considering giving up the instrument? How and why did you continue playing?

JS: Frustration is part of the learning process, but giving up is not. You just have to learn to keep learning, evolving and changing along with life around you.

And with those words of wisdom from Professor Satchafunkilus, the interview was over. I know I'm not the only one who is watching to see what's next for this gracious, talented man.

The World Famous Chad Smith

(This article was originally written for Grammy.com and is being reproduced with permission of the Grammy Foundation.)

International Rock Superstar Chad Smith

Last year I auditioned for a program called "Grammy Camp", where high school students from all over America try out to be included in a one week course on their division of interest in the music field. I was accepted as a music journalist, but there were also guitarists, drummers, producers, and even concert promoters! After I attended the camp, the Grammy Foundation asked me to be their high school correspondent at the events during Grammy Week 2010, leading up to the Grammy Awards. One of those events was the prestigious "MusiCares Person of the Year" dinner and concert honoring Neil Young.

During the evening I had the great privilege of going backstage and meeting several of the performers. It was a really star-heavy line up, which included Neil's bandmates from CSNY, Elton John, Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow, John Fogerty, Keith Urban, Lucinda Williams, Emmy Lou Harris, Ozomatli, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and many, many more. Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith was kind enough let me ask him some questions for Grammy.com. I'm an aspiring drummer myself, and Chad is one of my heroes, so it was a big thrill. He is known not only for his superior drum skills, but his wild sense of humor, which made for a great interview.

Nick Arnold: I'm here with the world-famous Chad Smith.

Chad Smith: World famous, world famous!

Nick Arnold: Known everywhere!

Chad Smith: I'm an international rock superstar!

NA: Exactly! So, Chad, while the Chili Peppers were taking a break, you recently finished work on a "side project" that turned out to be rather successful, a little band with a self-titled album called "Chickenfoot". [A so-called Super Group consisting of Chad, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony of Van Halen, and guitar great Joe Satriani]. Could you give us kind of an overview of what that was like for you?

CS: Oh, Nick, it was a blast! It's the best reason to do music or start a band. We were just friends who ended up having a great time, and really the music was almost secondary to us just hanging out! We were just having a good time playing music that we loved and grew up playing. I've known Sam for, gosh (pauses to think), you know, six years, going on seven years now. We always talked about playing music together. Then we got a chance to do it, and you know, Mike is great. Through Sam I met Mike. It just built and built, and then we got Joe, and it started to be a real band. And we had such a fun time, you know.

NA: Who better to play with than your friends?

CS: Yeah! And it started out as a fun thing, and then it stayed a fun thing. Sometimes, you know, it starts out as fun, and then it gets kinda serious, and you make a record, then other elements come into play, you gotta travel, this and that. We just enjoyed making music, and we traveled around and had a great time.

NA: That's great! You're no stranger to playing on successful records. You've had a couple big ones back at your day job (with the Red Hot Chili Peppers), but this record was not with a group you'd played with before, so were you surprised when it did so well?

CS: Well, you try not to have expectations, because lots of times you can be let down, you know? But I thought that it'd be special. After the songs, and the recording of it, and hearing how good it sounded and turned out, I thought, "You know, someone is gonna dig this. There's people who are really gonna like it because it's real, and it's honest." It wasn't just some "super group" put together for a certain reason. It was really something very organic, and I hope people really picked up on that. I thought it would do well, but I didn't think it was gonna be as successful as it was [the album entered the charts at #4 nationally for its first week in release] and become a gold album. It was great seeing people coming out and enjoying themselves as much as they did at the concerts. So I was actually pleasantly surprised.

NA: Cool!

CS: Yeah

NA: At the end, you kinda hit a fork in the road and you guys had to go your separate ways for a while. Was it kind of a sad moment when you had to return to the [Red Hot] Chili Peppers?

CS: *Sigh*, it was. It was kinda bittersweet, you know, because we knew we were gonna stop playing, mainly because I had to go write and rehearse with the Chili Peppers again. I was excited about that, but I was a little bit sad because whenever anything is fun you wanna keep doin' it, ya know? But to know that we're gonna have something in the future to do, and more stuff to make, more music to do, made me think, "oh, well it's not over. " We're just taking a break, so that's good.

NA: During the tour you got to cover some of your favorite classic songs, like "My Generation," and you played a little bit of "Immigrant Song."

CS: Yeah, and we also did a song by Deep Purple.

NA: Yeah, and I know you were no stranger to doing covers with the Chili Peppers, because you've covered some Ramones songs, and "They're Red Hot," which is actually a rather old tune. So what was it like to put your own spin on your favorite songs?

CS: Well, it's fun to pay homage to your musical heroes, and you know, we did a little snippet of "Purple Haze," a snippet of "Immigrant Song," and we did "Rock & Roll," and even to play "Highway Star," by Deep Purple, and we played one of Sam's old songs from Montrose,

NA: "Bad Motor Scooter!"

CS: Yeah, "Bad Motor Scooter," and I'm just a huge fan of that music and those songs. It was a lot of fun; you don't want cover them exactly, you wanna try and do it your own way, and I that we achieved that. It was in the right spirit, and that's always important, so you know, if you do "My Generation," you get inspired, and you channel Keith Moon. And sometimes the drums would actually somehow fall off the riser, it was kinda weird how that happened.

NA: Yeah, that was pretty crazy.

CS: I don't know how that would happen, but it usually just did!

NA: That's pretty strange, because you're usually such a gentle drummer [said jokingly, as Chad is known as one of the hardest hitters in the business].

CS: (Laughs), Yes I am!

NA: You recently participated in a Drum Channel event at the NAMM show, but you've actually been one of their most popular, recurring guests. Could you tell me a little bit about the Drum Channel and what it is?

CS: The Drum Channel is a website that was set up by Don Lombardi, who is the owner of DW Drums up in Oxnard.

NA: I am very familiar with their products (laughs).

CS: Yeah, and he has always been very passionate about education, and he's just really embracing the whole "internet" thing. So he set up a site called the "Drum Channel". http://www.drumchannel.com/! I knew him a little bit because I used to play their pedals, but I met him, and we just hit it off. So I really liked what he was doing, and he asked me to be a part of it. It's kinda me, and Terry Bozzio, and a couple of other guys, and we're kinda like part of the furniture of the Drum Channel. So Don gave me my own show, and he said "do whatever you want," so I get to talk to other drummers, we play, we jam, and it's really loose because on the internet you can do anything. I think it's a cool place for musicians to share ideas, and they just keep going, and keep doing more interesting stuff. I'm totally supportive of it and anything that will get people to play the drums or find out about music or start a band, I'm all for it.

NA: That's great! And while we're still talking about Drum Channel, you mentioned Terry Bozzio, and I'm sure you know he has a rather large kit, which makes Chad Smith's kit look fairly minimal. Would you ever consider expanding to such a large set?

CS: (Laughs) Terry's is like a small orchestra -- actually more like a LARGE orchestra

(Laughter)

CS: And you know what, he's taken the drum set into such an incredible place, I'm so in awe of him and what he's done for the instrument. He's just a great guy, and he's so smart and he's just classy. He's just a fantastic musician, composer, drummer, and everything else. I just wouldn't know what to do with all those drums!

(Laughter)

CS: I wouldn't know what to do with 'em! Ya know, I've got five right now, and if I get any better maybe I can add one or two, but right now it works for what I'm doing. (laughter)

NA: You can get better?

CS: Yes, I can get a lot better! So I gotta keep practicing!

(Laughter)

NA: You gotta keep up those chops!

CS: Can't slow down, can't let my chops slip.

NA: One last question before I let you go: With this new Chili Peppers record, are you guys taking a new direction, or will you be sticking with your more recent sound?

CS: It is a new direction because we've got a new guitar player, Josh Klinghoffer, and he's an amazing musician, so it's obviously gonna change. But it's also gonna change because we've got a new guy in the group, and he's very talented, very musical. It's fresh, it's fun, everyone is in a good mood, everyone is coming up with lots of good ideas, and I just look forward to what the future is gonna bring. I know it's gonna be different and exciting. It just makes me really happy to get up everyday and go to rehearsals, because I know something new and cool is gonna happen, and so I'm looking for it; it's awesome.

NA: Sounds very cool! And I think that since we're here, I should ask you about tonight. What does the song you’re playing tonight mean to you? Would you say you've been influenced by Neil Young?

CS: Yeah, of course! We're huge Neil Young fans, all of us. We've played his show he puts on every year in San Francisco, called the "Bridge School Benefit," we've done that a couple times. He's fantastic! We love him, and we were just honored to be part of this. We're playing a song called "A Man Needs A Maid," and we're doing our own take on it, and I hope he likes it.

(Laughter)

CS: So it's the first time we've played out with Josh, just the four of us, so it'll be an exciting night for him.

NA: It's almost like a reunion, or a re-debut for you guys, because you've been on a break for a while.

CS: Yep, so we're taking it slow. One song at a time.

NA: Riding your way up the charts and airwaves like a new group.

CS: (Laughs) Yeah, that's right, that's what we are.

NA: Thank you very much, world-famous, Chad Smith.

CS: No problem, brother!