Guitar legend Joe Satriani recently discussed the beginning of his solo career in a Q&A transcribed by Ultimate Guitar:

Satriani: "The solo career was actually quite accidental. I've always been in bands with singers. I was working on instrumental material at home, just for personal development. And then one day I decided to press a record to see what would it be like to start a record company, a production company, make a record and put it up. I just wanted to see what it was all about, that whole process. This just goes way back, mid 80s when I was in the band called The Squares.

And the response was so overwhelming and people started to think, 'That guy Joe Satriani just put out this really weird instrumental EP.' I think that's who I really am. That's the real me, not this 'professional type of musician' in the clubs trying to get a record deal.

It was a very interesting moment, but it did take me by surprise when we finished Surfing With the Alien two years later that all of the sudden it was racing up the Billboard charts and people were really interested in that record, in that music and the statement of it."

Satriani recently held a Facebook live chat for this year's World Guitar Day, and during the chat he revealed the guitarists that turned down his invitation to join the G3 tour over the years.

Satriani: "In G3, we were talking about Carlos Santana, I’ve asked Jeff Beck many times and never got a yes. For many years, I was asking Eddie Van Halen… but that never went anywhere! Maybe one day Eddie, Carlos, Jimmy Page… they'll all come out!"

Satriani is streaming “Energy”, the opening track of his upcoming 16th solo album, What Happens Next, set for release on January 12th via Sony/Legacy Recordings. Listen to the song below.

Just a day prior to the album release, Satriani revives his G3 tour entity, inviting Dream Theater’s John Petrucci and Def Leppard lead guitarist, Phil Collen to join him. The G3 tour launches on January 11th in Seattle, WA and continues across the US before winding up on February 25th in Milwaukee, WI. There is a special tour pre-sale promotion giving fans the opportunity to buy concert tickets with the new album as well as VIP packages. Head here for more information, pre-sale opportunities and specific market pre-sale and on-sale dates.

The new, instrumentally electrifying album features a power trio of legendary status; Satriani on guitar and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee bassist Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple,Black Country Communion) and drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), the latter reuniting with Satriani for the first time since their work in the supergroup Chickenfoot. Satriani is once again joined by producer/engineer/mixer Mike Fraser, his frequent collaborator over the last 20 years, on What Happens Next. Fraser is well-known for recording/mixing every AC/DC album since 1990’s The Razors Edge along with his classic works with Satriani going back to the release of Crystal Planet in 1998.

These new tracks literally vibrate the soul with an energy rarely found these days. From the dynamic opening track, “Energy”, to the majestic crunch of “Thunder High On The Mountain”, and the easy, sensual cords of “Smooth Soul”. This unparalleled rock-rhythm section gives What Happens Next a depth of groove that sets it apart from Satriani’s other work.

Since its debut in 1996, Satriani’s G3 tour has featured the world’s greatest guitarists (everyone from Steve Vai and Eric Johnson to Steve Lukather and Robert Fripp) and has become a consistent concert hall sell-out attraction in the US, South America, Europe, Australia and Japan. “I could say that I’m surprised at the durability of G3 and how much it’s grown, but in a way I’m not,” Satriani says with a laugh, “I think part of its charm and its mojo is in the chemistry of having three top guitarists share what they do on stage. It’s fun, it’s unpredictable, it’s wild – it’s everything you could want in a show.”

In addition to this new album and exciting tour news, a new documentary Beyond The Supernova, shot by Satriani’s filmmaker son, ZZ, makes its debut at the Mill Valley Film Festival this October. The tour documentary chronicles Joe, along with his band and crew, on their last Shockwave Supernova tour throughout Europe and Asia.

What Happens Next tracklisting:

“Energy”
“Catbot”
“Thunder High On The Mountain”
“Cherry Blossoms”
“Righteous”
“Smooth Soul”
“Headrush”
“Looper”
“What Happens Next”
“Super Funky Badass”
“Invisible”
“Forever And Ever”

“Energy”:

Dates for the 2018 G3 Tour featuring Joe Satriani, John Petrucci & Phil Collen are listed below.

January
11 - The Moore Theatre - Seattle, WA
12 - Historic Elsinore Theatre - Salem, OR
13 - Grand Sierra Theatre - Reno, NV
14 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA
16 - Delta Hall at Eccles Theater - Salt Lake City, UT *
17 - Brooklyn Bowl - Las Vegas, NV
18 - Mesa Arts Center - Mesa, AZ *
19 - Orpheum Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
20 - Balboa Theatre - San Diego, CA
21 - Fox Tucson Theatre - Tucson, AZ *
24 - Historic Paramount Theatre - Denver, CO
25 - Uptown Theater - Kansas City, MO *
26 - The Pavillion at The Toyota Music Factory - Irving, TX *
27 - Austin City Limits - Moody Theater - Austin, TX
28 - Hobby Center for the Performing Arts - Houston, TX *
30 - Hard Rock Live - Orlando, FL *
31 - Florida Theatre - Jacksonville, FL *

February
1 - Pompano Beach Amphitheatre - Pompano Beach, FL*
2 - Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall - Fort Myers, FL *
3 - Mahaffey Theater - St. Petersberg, FL *
6 - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium - Raleigh, NC
8 - Toyota Presents Oakdale - Wallingford, CT *
9 - Landmark Theatre - Syracuse, NY *
10 - Palace Theatre - Albany, NY *
11 - The Palace Theatre - Greensburg, PA *
14 - Warner Theatre - Washington, DC *
15 - Orpheum Theatre - Boston, MA
16 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY *
17 - Merriam Theater - Philadelphia, PA
18 - New Jersey Performing Arts Center - Newark, NJ *
20 - Auditorium Theatre - Rochester, NY *
21 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON 
22 - Hard Rock Live - Northfield, OH