At age 15, guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani started giving lessons in his bedroom; precisely where he wound up teaching schoolmate Steve Vai. Now, at age 57, Satch has teamed up with author Jake Brown (who’s written books on Heart and Motörhead) to pen his musical memoir. Just shy of 300 pages, this behind the scenes look at the life of the best-selling instrumental rock guitarist of all time is supplemented throughout with interviews by those who experienced it firsthand. Fellow musicians – including Queen guitarist Brian May who provided the foreword – producers, engineers, and record company executives offer recollections of the journey that led to 15 Grammy nominations. Yet in the beginning, Satriani considered his music odd and strange, fully admitting that he didn’t want to be accessible. Guitar enthusiasts will appreciate this book more than the average fan for the detailed descriptions of how unique sounds were achieved, explanations behind recording technology, and in-depth examination of the gear that was used. Readers are taken on an album to album guided tour, with Joe’s perfectionist tendencies and devotion to “unlocking the secrets of compositional harmony” ever present. Yet he peels back personal layers, revealing song inspirations and the importance of family throughout. Come chapter 20, Chickenfoot enters the picture and suddenly turning the pages becomes much more exciting. Collaborating with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, and Chad Smith gave Joe “a natural place” for his blues influences. He calls the experience “extreme, with a lot of joking around and a super amount of energy, though it was a challenging transition… and my guitar never sounded so good.” Always in love with his instrument, Joe attests, “The more records I put out and the more live performances I do, the more exciting the whole experience becomes.”