Wednesday, April 23, 2025
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Joe Satriani Talks G3 | How Holdsworth, Beck, & Gibbons Almost Joined the Lineup & More


Guitar Interactive Magazine’s Jonathan Graham sits down with Joe Satriani for an exclusive deep dive into G3’s new Reunion Live album with original members Steve Vai and Eric Johnson, his upcoming record with Vai—and why Allan Holdsworth, Jeff Beck, and Billy Gibbons were almost part of G3 lineups but it wasn’t to be.

Satch also reveals how John Petrucci wrote an entire solo album just to join G3, what it was like performing with Yngwie Malmsteen, and if an Adele mega-hit could have been influenced by one of his B-sides. And—perhaps most unexpectedly—would he ever give Corey Feldman a guitar lesson?

All that and a whole lot more in this exclusive interview with Joe Satriani.

Interview Chapters
00:00 – Intro
00:08 – G3 Reunion Live album with the original lineup.
02:17 – A special moment early on where you knew G3 would be a success
03:50 – Did it always have to be Steve Vai and Eric Johnson for that initial run?
04:41 – Joe “couldn’t sell Allan Holdsworth to the promoters”
05:54 – G3 original lineup up here in the UK?
06:22 – SATCH/VAI album is coming
07:00 – SATCH/VAI album purely instrumental?
09:15 – The 1996 G3 tour and Live Album
12:20 – Meeting Hendrix’s father backstage
13:46 – New Joe Satriani documentary on the way
17:46 – Documentary release date?
18:38 – SATCH/VAI album title?
19:15 – Joe Satriani on Steve Vai and Eric Johnson’s music
20:24 – Vai’s and Johnson’s ability to make it look natural
21:25 – Joe Satriani is quizzed on G3 or Not TO BE
23:15 – Jeff Beck and Billy Gibbons were lined up for a G3 tour
23:58 – Joe Satriani on Yngwie Malmsteen
24:54 – The year the Jeff Beck tour that nearly happened?
25:55 – Would Joe Bonamassa be a good fit for a G3 Tour
27:07 – John Petrucci—how he created a solo album for G3.
29:06 – Satch on hearing Allan Holdsworth for the first time.
31:00 – Allan Holdsworth’s influence
31:50 – Seeing Allan Holdsworth live in a small club
33:10 – Would Joe give Corey Feldman a guitar lesson?
34:04 – Best of Both Worlds tour
35:00 – Joe on Eddie Van Halen and learning his parts
38:37 – Satriani on Wolfgang Van Halen
41:41 – Rick Beato comments that creativity dies after the age of 30
44:17 – Did “Longing” influence Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep?”
46:30 – “Flying in a Blue Dream” studio vs live
52:30 – The mysterious sound at the start of “Flying in a Blue Dream”

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#guitar #interview #joesatriani #guitarist #guitarplayer #G3Livereunion

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#Joe #Satriani #Talks #Holdsworth #Beck #Gibbons #Joined #Lineup

Originally posted by UCS3QTujyp5t2nSSzktYFzWA at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFNtLM8QFb4

16 thoughts on “Joe Satriani Talks G3 | How Holdsworth, Beck, & Gibbons Almost Joined the Lineup & More

  • Interview Chapters
    00:00 – Intro
    00:08 – G3 Reunion Live album with the original lineup.
    02:17 – Special moment early on where you knew G3 would be a success?
    03:50 – Did it always have to be Steve Vai and Eric Johnson for that initial run?
    04:41 – Joe "couldn’t sell Allan Holdsworth to the promoters"
    05:54 – G3 original lineup up here in the UK?
    06:22 – SATCH/VAI album is coming
    07:00 – SATCH/VAI album purely instrumental?
    09:15 – The 1996 G3 tour and Live Album
    12:20 – Meeting Hendrix's father backstage
    13:46 – New Joe Satriani documentary on the way
    17:46 – Documentary release date?
    18:38 – SATCH/VAI album title?
    19:15 – Joe Satriani on Steve Vai and Eric Johnson's music
    20:24 – Vai’s and Johnson's ability to make it look natural
    21:25 – Joe Satriani is quizzed on G3 or Not TO BE
    23:15 – Jeff Beck and Billy Gibbons were lined up for a G3 tour
    23:58 – Joe Satriani on Yngwie Malmsteen
    24:54 – The year the Jeff Beck tour that nearly happened?
    25:55 – Would Joe Bonamassa be a good fit for a G3 Tour
    27:07 – John Petrucci—how he created a solo album for G3.
    29:06 – Satch on hearing Allan Holdsworth for the first time.
    31:00 – Allan Holdsworth’s influence
    31:50 – Seeing Allan Holdsworth live in a small club
    33:10 – Would Joe give Corey Feldman a guitar lesson?
    34:04 – Best of Both Worlds tour
    35:00 – Joe on Eddie Van Halen and learning his parts
    38:37 – Satriani on Wolfgang Van Halen
    41:41 – Rick Beato comments that creativity dies after the age of 30
    44:17 – Did "Longing" influence Adele’s "Rolling in the Deep?"
    46:30 – "Flying in a Blue Dream" studio vs live
    52:30 – The mysterious sound at the start of "Flying in a Blue Dream"

    Reply
  • I'm with the promoters on this one. Unless you are a guitar fanatic nobody cares about holdworth's music, sorry but its sad but true. It's very mechanical scaley and boring fusion. Nothing whatsoever is interesting about it other than the otherworldly stuff he can do on guitar which is only interesting to me because I'm a guitar player for 20 years. I'd rather listen to steve vai anyday

    Reply
  • I don't agree with that 'creativity' goes downhill after the age of 30….That certainly WASN'T the case with JEFF BECK …. For me his best stuff came LATER ….Creativity & success are not the same thing …Satch is Right.

    Reply
  • Wolfgang has done very well…..I watched him evolve in front of my eyes & ears because I had bootleg DVDs of most of the VH gigs from 2007-2008,,,2012,,,2015….Wolf is a great EAR player like his Dad & as an original solo composer he has evolved into this brilliant musical Polymath (Paul)

    Reply
  • Saw Holdsworth at the Bottom Line in NYC sometime in the early/mid 80s. Didn’t know too much about him at the time except an article in (I think) Guitar Player magazine. So I took a chance and am soooo glad I did! Otherworldly experience is the only way to describe it.

    Reply
  • Watch the whole video Rick follows It Up by giving examples of people being creative well into their years

    Reply
  • Why can’t G3 be like a festival

    Like G9

    G12

    You know not just shred

    Rewatch Miles Davis 2 1/2 hours of him improv but jamming his songs

    Literally

    Or G18

    Saying
    From
    Joe
    Via

    Holdsworth

    You have names guitars gods but everyone from
    Sara Foley

    Blues players too

    ????????????????????.

    Be open for it

    Reply
  • Great interview with Joe. Learned a lot and very interesting to hear that he only met Van Halen the one time. I wonder what was discussed

    Reply

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