OCTOBER 15, 1987 – Guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani released his second full-length solo album, “Surfing with the Alien,” a popular all-instrumental album that kicked open the door for similarly styled “guitar shred” albums.The album was recorded on a budget of $13,000. Satriani’s equipment was limited by the budget, consisting of two Kramer Pacer guitars and an adapted Stratocaster guitar, for which he would change the pickups to get different sounds. To save money, the album heavily used drum machines, programmed by Bongo Bob Smith, with Jeff Campitelli recording overdubs of hi-hats, cymbals, toms and snares. Satriani stated this gave the music an “awkward charm” and maintained the combination of loose guitar playing and machine-like drum programming. “Satch Boogie” is the only song to fully feature live drums, played by Campitelli.
TRACKLIST:
1) Surfing with the Alien
2) Ice 9
3) Crushing Day
4) Always with Me, Always with You
5) Satch Boogie
6) Hill of the Skull
7) Circles
8- Lords of Karma
9) Midnight
10) Echo
