Joe Satriani

When I was a lad growing up in Phoenix, I was just learning guitar in high school. I remember Joe Satriani released 'Surfing with the Alien' which was a complete and total guitar revolution. Also unique about it is that it got radio play and they were all instrumentals. Name one other instumental on the radio besides Jessica, you can't.

So Joe Satriani was doing an in-store record signing and appearence at a Tower Records a few miles away (the same Tower Records I met Megadeth at, they were tools). I got to meet Joe and speak with him briefly. I brought some tablature sheet music for him to sign. When he looked at it, he didn't like that transcription and began correcting the whole thing with his sharpie. Everyone was amazed around me because they just got a quick signature and I got a personal guitar lesson from Satriani. Later in the afternoon they kicked all the fans out of the store to do a drawing for a Satriani guitar. Mr Satriani said I could stay in the store while the others waited outside. How cool was that? Very cool, so I have always appreciated Joe Satriani for not being a dick.

So this morning on the radio the DJ plays a piece from 'Satch Boogie' I believe. He asked us to call in and identify the artist. That took me half a second so I called in immediately and got through. I won a 1 in 5 chance at an all expense paid trip to the Crossroads Guitar Summit in Dallas in June. They said the drawing would be held later that day.

Eventually I fell back asleep (I work evenings). The radio station called me back at 10:30 this morning and told me that I won! Holy crap, I won! All thanks to Joe Satriani not being a dick.

Comments

majikwah said…
That's a great story. You have always had the ability to conduct decent conversations with absolute strangers, and I guess in the end it has paid off. .
Anonymous said…
I just met Joe today in sydney, I gave him my guitar and he asked me where I wanted it signed, I told him to just draw something. He took his time and drew me out a nice alien on it. What a legend. G3 concert is tomorrow night... rock on

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