G3 Live in Concert

JOE SATRIANI, ERIC JOHNSON, STEVE VAI – G3 Live in Concert (1997 Epic)

It took me 21 years to finally buy this CD. Why? It was hard to get excited about three live Satch songs, three live Vai songs, and so on. But a collector needs to catch ’em all, and it’s actually a pretty fabulous listen throughout.

Joe Satriani opens the set with “Cool No. 9” from his self-titled blues album. Blues to Joe Satriani is a different kind of animal. It’s trick-laden and thick with notes, although this doesn’t mean light on feel. His landmark classic “Flying in a Blue Dream” is more what people expect from Joe. I like to describe his albums as regular vocal rock records, just with the lead guitar singing the melody instead of a person. I think I stole that description from Joe himself. You can’t really call “Flying” a ballad but it sure is epic. Finally it’s “Summer Song”, Joe’s big 1992 hit from The Extemist. It doesn’t get more accessible for instrumental guitar rock. Joe’s actually the perfect artist to open this CD for that reason. His music, more than most instrumentalists, is door-opening for listeners.

The sublime Eric Johnson is in the middle position. “Zap” is a tour-de-force of instrumental prowess, built into the framework of a nice shuffle. Though you can certainly bop along if you like, the musicianship here is not for the timid. “Camel’s Night Out” is a busy groover. One of Johnson’s best tunes ever has to be “Manhattan”, which goes down unbelievably smooth live. The playing is lyrical and warm.

Steve Vai’s threesome includes “Answers” and “For the Love of God” from Passion & Warfare. “Answers” is one of Vai’s more challenging songs, fast and funky with weird tones and melodies. This is probably the most blistering song on the whole disc, including a solo that isn’t in the studio version. For all that, “For the Love of God” is the most awe-inspiring. This ballad puts the passion in Passion and Warfare. This is the one with Steve’s soul in it, every bend and every beat. “The Attitude Song” is an oldie from the first Vai album Flex-able, just a solid rocker with some shredding. Live it is much heavier than the tinny studio cut.

Finally, there is a trio of tunes with the three maestros playing together, as is the G3 tradition. The blues standard “Going Down” is a typical jam, with Joe on vocals. Then a tribute to Steve’s mentor, Frank Zappa, on “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama” with everyone singing…and shredding. Finally, Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House” finishes the CD with Eric Johnson on lead vocals. Of these three tracks, “My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama” smokes the other two.

May as well pick up the original G3 CD if you find it in the wild. It’s good stuff.

3.5/5 stars

Given everything that happened in 2018 (cancer, more cancer, death), I wasn’t as tuned-in to rock and roll as I normally would be. I missed a lot of new releases, some on purpose, others by accident. Therefore, this year I’m doing something different from my Top Lists of 2018. Before we get to the lists, let’s talk about the past 12 months.

2018: RELEASES IN A NUTSHELL

January saw new CDs by Joe Satriani and Corrosion of Conformity, finally reunited with Pepper Keenan on vocals. There was new Loudness, and a release by Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa. Def Leppard had a low-key EP exclusive to iTunes (The Lost Session). In February we got the return of the mighty Saxon. March was a big month, featuring Judas Priest, Stone Temple Pilots, Jack White and Myles Kennedy. The rock kept rolling in April. The big metal one here was Stryper‘s God Damn Evil, along with new Godsmack and Thirty Seconds to Mars. During this time I was personally only able to get the Stryper and Priest.

As temperatures warmed in May, Bad Wolves came out with their novelty cover of “Zombie” by the Cranberries which became a predictable hit. Frank Turner and Five Finger Death Punch also released new records in May. News in June was unfortunately dominated by Kanye West and Drake, but don’t forget Ghost, The Darkness (with their first live) and Nine Inch Nails! In July, Halestorm came out with the critically acclaimed Vicious. Alice in Chains made their long awaited return in August with Rainier Fog, an album I bought but have not yet fully penetrated.

Autumn began with the biggest name in rock and roll, Sir Paul McCartney himself. Slash, Paul Simon, Lenny Kravitz and Suicidal Tendencies had records out on the same day. VoiVod, Therapy?, Metric and even Rod Stewart returned in September as well. October featured two big soundtracks: Bohemian Rhapsody, and A Star Is Born. Ace Frehley, Greta Van Fleet, and The Struts came out with new music the same month. In November we got Mark Knopfler, the Smashing Pumpkins, Ted Nugent and yet another live Beth Hart. The month closed with the latest Def Leppard best-of. December boasted Metal Church but not a lot of rock. Thank the Metal Gods that Max the Axe swooped in with Status Electric to save the year.

I spent most of 2018 checked out mentally. I missed most of the new releases and have a lot to catch up on. The summer was spent on Highway 401, and a flash drive loaded with music helped me survive it. New releases were not the be-all and end-all for me. Therefore, my Top Albums of 2018 list includes some oldies that just helped me get through it all. It seems right to do it this way, since I can’t really do a well-curated list of new releases without absorbing them properly.

TOP 10 ALBUMS THAT GOT ME THROUGH 2018