Hot Take: Joe Satriani should stop trying to chase EVH's tone/technique

WhiteShadow

WhiteShadow

Active member
Curious what you guys think, but I personally think Joe should just learn the songs to the best of his ability and play them in his own way, with his own interpretation. I'm open to being surprised, but for starters, I don't think it'll ever happen. I don't think Satch will ever play that stuff like Eddie, and I think he'll make a fool of himself trying. Where he could just play the Van Halen stuff with his own interpretation and in his own style, and I think people would love it and rock out to it. And the last thing is just that I don't think it's necessary for him to try to sound just like Eddie, since its not like he's stepping into Van Halen and replacing Eddie. He's doing a tribute. I think if Eddie were up in Heaven watching from above, he'd rather see him do that, than try to sound exactly like him.

Thoughts?
 

joesatriani.jpg
 
i think if he sharpened his chops with some tips of the hat to evh and aimed for tone closer to roth era rather than the van haggar micropitch era:



it would be really entertaining to watch!

regardless, it was fun when i saw Sammy and Mike with the Circle at a corporate gig, so adding Joe to that mix would be better yet IMO. i’ll take going to a classic rock show over pretty much anything new these days.

that being said, doug rappoport could kill that gig stone dead today with the Plex:
 
WhiteShadow said:
Curious what you guys think, but I personally think Joe should just learn the songs to the best of his ability and play them in his own way, with his own interpretation. I'm open to being surprised, but for starters, I don't think it'll ever happen. I don't think Satch will ever play that stuff like Eddie, and I think he'll make a fool of himself trying. Where he could just play the Van Halen stuff with his own interpretation and in his own style, and I think people would love it and rock out to it. And the last thing is just that I don't think it's necessary for him to try to sound just like Eddie, since its not like he's stepping into Van Halen and replacing Eddie. He's doing a tribute. I think if Eddie were up in Heaven watching from above, he'd rather see him do that, than try to sound exactly like him.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Yes. This. I loved the way Joe played in Deep Purple. He should take the same approach with the Van Halen tunes. The crowds went absolutely apeshit at those gigs with Joe.

(Man, I wish there was a Deep Purple live album with Joe in the band. The shows I've seen on YouTube were phenomenal!)
 
SgtThump said:
Bro!!

So, I’m out of the loop on a bunch of stuff, so this is probably dumb.l But I’m only 6 minutes into that and absolutely love the first two instrumentals! Is this newly released stuff? Is it genuine?
Click to expand...
That first track is called "Act Like It Hurts" and was recorded in 1980, but never released.

It's also the main riff later used in "House of Pain," released in 1984.
 
SgtThump said:
Bro!!

So, I’m out of the loop on a bunch of stuff, so this is probably dumb.l But I’m only 6 minutes into that and absolutely love the first two instrumentals! Is this newly released stuff? Is it genuine?
Click to expand...
so sick right!?

i still can’t believe these were just put out there on youtube. these tracks could have made a small fortune on a “lost tracks” album marketed properly!
 
Just my opinion but I’ve known lots of guys that learned songs half-assed and then said they would ‘improvise’ the rest. And by ‘the rest’ they really meant ‘stuff I couldn’t/wouldn’t figure out’.

So imo it’s a cop out. I think you learn it as close as possible, getting every little nuance. THEN and only then take it in your own direction. But nail it first.
 
A few points-
Joe should just do when he filled in for Blackmore in Deep Purple. Learn the tunes, play the key lines, do your own thing.
That new amp isn't helping much. The nasally midrange of those sig guitars still comes thru loud and clear.
Jacob DeCraps brings nothing to the party. The few family members who care won't sell tickets.
Jeezz, that Doug R. amp demo is inaudible. It keeps getting posted as a holy grail for some reason.
 
Guitar players have our own idioms. I come from a classical background, so I could sooner play Yngwie and even Vai than I could EVH. It;'s more about some of the elusive phrasing than it is about chops.

Joe has stuff that's very idiomatic to his style, and it's different than EVH's. I think it'll come less naturally for him than it would for a lot of other players. Still though, I could see Joe taking a very regimented and disciplined approach. I don't think he's every been one to sit down and learn any significant amount EVH, and it'll be interesting to hear how he does once he has.
 
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