Joe Satriani Says He Was Inspired By Jimmy Page For ‘Tension And Release’

One of the most significant instrumental rock artists, Joe Satriani, recently spoke about his newly released song ‘Tension and Release’ during an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. He stated that his song is highly inspired by Jimmy Page‘s part in the Led Zeppelin song ‘Achilles Last Stand.’

Joe Satriani is known to be a rock and roll guitar teacher with his skills and having educated many iconic names like Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett, Alex Skolnick, and more. The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger went to Satriani to be the guitarist of his solo touring ventures. He also hit the road with Deep Purple and Chickenfoot throughout his career.

The guitarist released 17 albums in his career, and the 18th one, entitled ‘The Elephants of Mars,’ recently arrived on April 8, 2022, and the songs are currently being discussed during interviews. The guitarist revealed in a recent conversation that one of the tracks on the album was inspired by one of Led Zeppelin’s songs and Jimmy Page’s part in that song.

He stated that he wrote ‘Tension and Release’ by listening to the guitar’s strings and what kind of physical feedback he was getting from the instrument. He continued to state that the way Page plays very intensely in the song, and its roughness was unique enough for him to try to get that sound.

Here is what he said about being inspired by Page:

“‘Tension and Release’ is a reaction to me pulling out a seven-string guitar that hadn’t been played in years, and the strings were really floppy and boingy-sounding, and so I immediately wrote and recorded the song based on the sort of physical reaction I was getting from the strings.

When it modulates to the minor key, I kept saying, ‘Jimmy Page from ‘Achilles Last Stand.” Just the intensity of what he plays and how it’s such a rough Led Zeppelin song, but at the same time, it’s so unique that Jimmy would have stepped so far out on that album.”

You can listen to both songs below.