Steve Vai On Having Joe Satriani As His ‘Lifetime Inspiration’

As you know, Joe Satriani was the instructor of many guitar players, all of whom have become legends themselves, and Steve Vai was one of them. The guitarist, who had previously described his lessons with Joe Satriani as almost ‘religious,’ was fascinated by his teacher’s effortless talent. In a recent conversation with LifeMinute, he recalled their lessons and gave details about Satriani’s approach to the instrument.

“Joe was always cool,” Vai said, praising his teacher. “He was always solid, sharing and strict. And it was the best thing because he was great, and that’s what you want in a teacher; you’re inspired by seeing.”

He continued, “To this day, the thing that I got most… There’s so many things. And we’re so fortunate that all through these years we’ve been joined at the hips. When I would watch him play, when I was 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, everything he touched on the instrument sounded like music.”

His teacher’s natural talent was one of the main things that fascinated him. “When it came out of his fingers, it just sounded good; it sounded like there was a soul in it,” recalled Steve Vai. “It wasn’t just noodly nothingness, the kind of academic exercises and stuff like that. I mean, we did some of that; that’s part of the training… So I always appreciated that. And still, he’s so solid, and he’s so musical. His inner musical ear is inspired, that he’s continued to be an inspiration my whole life.”

When you listen to Steve Vai, especially ‘Tender Surrender,’ ‘For The Love Of God,’ ‘The Attitude Song,’ and, in fact, probably all his other songs, it’s very natural to think that Vai was born a guitar hero, as if this instrument has always been part of his body. However, Vai also needed a mentor in his youth, and Satriani came to his rescue and changed his life irreversibly.

According to Vai, his life would have been entirely different if this encounter hadn’t happened, but he didn’t even want to imagine that scenario. A childhood friend, John Sergio, introduced him to his teacher. His friend also contributed to his career by introducing him to the music he was unaware of and inviting him to join his band at 13. Vai, however, is most grateful to Sergio for directing him to Satriani.