Hello to all

I would like to adress this message to Joe. It concerns this troubled recent experience I had. I tried to posted it but it was too long. So I'll give you the short version of what I wrote.

Sevilla Expo92. Shocked! Bought "Surfing..." and "Flying in a blue Dream" albums. Shocked! Bought guitar the following month. Nylon strings.Ibanez. Bad guitar. Started taking lessons.Violent discussion on why could I not put Satch songs between Sor and Villa-Lobos studies. Agression. I win. "The Extremist". Shocked! Bought electric guitar. Blue. Ibanez. The "Red" album. Shocked! Invitation for a band. First rehersal: "no solo" lecture. Last rehersal. Another band invitation. Lecture on "secundary role of guitar in contemporary pop music: a case study". Agression. I win. Started working. Paused on guitar playing. (Pause) 2003.Restarted playing. Bought electric guitar. Blue. Ibanez. Home recorded songs. Showed sample songs to friends. Comments:"Nice,but it sounds a bit like Satriani, don't you think?" "foff!" Showed songs to friend guitarrist. Legendary guitarrist cruelty. Went home really sad. chuiff....First thoughts: “Ok, Mr. Satriani, so I listened TOO MUCH your albums, I tried TOO MUCH to play YOUR songs,hell, I even got a EDR because I couldn’t afford a JS!!! See, see what happened?? So, how do I get rid of you?”

Nobody answered. Breath slowly. Taking my medication. All becomes clear. Regrets. The pain, the pain!! Had to do something zen(consciousness is a powerful thing, so you kids out there, don’t try do mess with it at home)

What become clear resumes to this: thank you so much, Mr. Satriani. Thank you for exposing me to music, which made me want to listen to more. So much that I had to try to learn it and pick up the guitar. I thank you because it has been a tremendous joy discovering that instrument and the process of making music, regardless of being or not a good musician. It was the sound you were able to make the trigger to make me want to do it. If I have not become a good musician or never will, at least I am now a more aware listener, more interested and eager for different things. That is a pleasure and a lesson I will retain for life. And if listening to your music was, and still is, an inspiration, also the words you shared with us helped me to continue to believe, dream and to fight for more, even for a an amateur like myself.

Above all, I thank you for your music. And I speak for myself and for the little boy David, air-guitar shredder so many times interrupted while performing your songs by some angry neighbour demanding to turn it off!! Your music was there in some of my most exhilarating moments, but was also one of the guiding lights in times of storm. If I had to pay for my life’s soundtrack, I would have to pay you a fortune in royalties, so many times it was present.

I hope you all don’t get me wrong. I’m pretty sure I don’t sound like Satriani – that would be impossible, even if I wanted to. That requires skills and talent that I don’t have.I remember that Brian May said once that, no matter what people might say,you always start because of someone, you always have a reference.I cannot agree more. As it is important that your try to be creative and unique, otherwise it will not have the same meaning. That I learned from you also, and is another thing to be thankful. How much time will it take? As long at it takes. It is commonly known that in music, the only real hard part is the first 50 years period, so no stresses!;) And another thing: if “sounding like Satriani” means, by any chance, that it is rock guitar but it all sounds special, at all levels, I would have to say that is one of the best compliments anyone could do to me.

But, to be honest, I also realized that I shouldn’t care much about my friends opinions – after all, rock guitar instrumentals? They all only really know one name... ;)

Peace and love for you all

Hi,

just read some of the posted messages proposing other gutarrists to fiil g3 (marty friedman, van halen, nuno bettencourt...).I listened to g3's dvd with malmsteen recently (and absolutely loved it!). But, in my very humble opinion, what steve and joe have of special and unique is that their playing is not limited to some specific boundaries. I loved all g3 sets (specially with eric) but I would absolutely love to hear joe and steve outside this more rock context. Not that these players would not be interesting in the g3 context (I'm sure they would) but since it is time to change why not try something different musically? To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, picturing joe and steve playing with, say, john maclaughlin and adapting some of their themes to a "mahavishnu" kind of thing, is a delightful idea.

I don't know if this would be an idea that joe and steve fans would all embrace (I don't even know if THEY would!) but the possibilities are tremendous with what these guys can do and I'm sure something amazing and very, very special would come out of this kind of blend.

Anyway, it's just another thought.

Peace and love to you all