July 05, 2021

1987 - October: Joe Satriani ”Surfing with the Alien”

37 minutes

New York native Joe Satriani had previously recorded an album in 1986, and ran up some credit card credit card debt in the process. He paid off the debt from his earnings as a member of the Greg Kihn Band, but stayed on a low budget of $13,000 when he recorded his second and all-instrumental studio album, Surfing with the Alien. This would be a break-out album for the guitar virtuoso.

Satriani began playing guitar at age 14 under the inspiration of Jimi Hendrix. Supposedly he heard of Hendrix's death at football practice, and announced he was quitting the sport to become a guitarist. Satriani taught guitar to a number of students including Kirk Hammett of Metallica, David Bryson of the Counting Crows, and perhaps most notably fellow Carle Place High School alumni Steve Vai.

This album relied on drum machines rather heavily, with percussionist Jeff Campitelli recording overdubs to flesh out the pieces. Satriani played on two Kramer Pacer guitars and a Stratocaster guitar for the album, and would change the pickups to get different sounds. The cover artwork was originally a picture of Marvel Comics' Silver Surfer until the price for renewal grew too hefty in 2018, at which time it was replaced with a silver guitar.

Satriani has been a "hired gun" with a number of groups including Alice Cooper, Blue Oyster Cult, Deep Purple, the Yardbirds, and even Spinal Tap for their 1992 album. He is also known for his work with the supergroup Chickenfoot, and for founding the G3 tour.

Surfing with the Alien

This is the first and title track to the album. The title popped into Satriani's head when he was thinking about what it would sound like if aliens came to Earth but were just looking for fun rather than global conquest.

Always with Me, Always with You

This is the most popular track off the album. Joe Satriani wrote it as a love song for his wife, Rubina, and it is an instrumental power ballad.

Circles

If you haven't heard the album as a whole, you likely have not heard this deeper cut. It has a slow start and finish, with a hard thrashing center. It will give you a good sense for Satriani's playing style when using a slower tempo.

Satch Boogie

Satriani composed this hard rocking song after a car accident in 1986 when he was in a neck brace and on pain medication. Supposedly the concept was about what it would sound like if there was a horn section trying to play with Gene Krupa (the jazz drummer on "Sing, Sing, Sing") while his drum set was falling down a flight of stairs. This is the only track which uses live percussion.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Sweet Little Sixteen by Chuck Berry (from the motion picture Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll)

This documentary film featured two of Chuck Berry's 1986 concerts in celebration of his 60th birthday.

STAFF PICKS:

It's A Sin by Pet Shop Boys

Rob's synth-heavy staff pick is from the English duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, known as the Pet Shop Boys. The song off their second album covers the struggle of a gay person in a Catholic environment. It was intended as a campy song, but perhaps had more meaning than the duo intended.

Paper In Fire by John Mellencamp

Brian brings us back to small town USA with a hit off Mellencamp's album Lonesome Jubilee. The first single released peaked at number 9 in October 1987. Paper in fire is a reference to Hell from the Bible, taken from the book of Ecclesiastes 7:5-6.

Big Generator by Yes

All roads lead to Wayne's staff pick, and the title track from the Yes album. The Big Generator album followed their immensely successful album 90125, and the lyrics from this song reflects the band's take on the pressure the record labels received to continue producing pop hits. "Praise, oh praise this anthem generator."

I Don't Mind at All by Bourgeois Tagg

Bruce's staff pick is a one-hit wonder from the duet Brent Bourgeois (keyboards, vocals) and Larry Tagg (bass, vocals). This song is off their second album Yoyo, which was produced by Todd Rundgren. This is their biggest hit, which peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Blues For Salvador by Carlos Santana

This instrumental is from another long-running guitar virtuoso who would remain an active force in the rock world for decades. This is the title track from Carlos Santana's album.

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By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

4.9

4747 ratings