OFF: Satriani

[Chris Bates]

Hi all,

>         See Satriani's name come up in connection with Imaginos,
> obviously, but didn't know he had anything to do with Deep Purple. I know
> almost nothing of the band, so I'll just ask, was he playing in `Smoke on
> the Water'? Or was this before/after his time?

He filled in half way through a tour last year. I think it was Japan but
am always willing to be wrong. He learnt the set from a mixing desk tape,
although many of the old numbers he'd known since he was a kid. The band
then began to introduce more of their older material apparently.

>         As for the man, well, I'm with Theo: good, but he ain't Buck.

I'm not personally a big fan of BOC. I've got a few albums but if my house
burnt down they would not be ones I'd replace, so you might want to take
this with a pinch of salt ... Buck sounds to me pretty typical of mainstream
American heavy rock guitarists of the 70's. Technically competent, blues
influenced and excellent in context. However at that time the rock guitar
field was starting to expand with a range of influences (jazz, country,
classical) and from Britain a more aggressive approach (the early NWOBHM
bands).

When I got into rock in the late 70's we would argue about whether
Blackmore or Schenker was better and the only Americans we would listen to
were Van Halen and Nugent. Now I see things, slightly, differently. I'm a
guitarist, I love Vai and Satriani for their emotional, technical and
compositional skills, but I can appreciate how someone like Buck fits into
his band.  Unfortunately that might just be BOCs problem, they've
entered the comfort zone. They're comfortable with their lifestyles, the
music, the show. Maybe what they need is a couple of hungry younger
band members who'll bring new ideas, new songs and new influences to
them. Certainly an approach that has worked for the Allman Brothers Band,
and of course for Hawkwind.

and Captain Cloud said:
> Bummers:
> "Joe Satriani" - his latest is a poor representation of Joe IMHO

or his best work yet IMO :-) Very bluesy, strong melodies, great
compositions and some ultra ultra fast moments. Towering.


Chris