Surfing with the Alien
Encyclopedia
Surfing with the Alien is the second album
by instrumental rock
guitarist Joe Satriani
, released in 1987. Surfing with the Alien contributed greatly to establishing Satriani's reputation as a respected rock guitarist.
Surfing with the Alien is one of Satriani's most successful albums to date. The album produced three hit singles for him: "Surfing with the Alien
", Satch Boogie
", and the radio-only single "Always with Me, Always with You". Although released in late 1987, it did not enter the Billboard 200
until April 1988. As of 2010, Surfing with the Alien is Satriani's only studio album to go platinum
in America
.
" and "Satch Boogie
" in addition to the stranger-sounding "Crushing Day" and "Lords of Karma", in contrast to slower, melodic songs like "Always with Me, Always with You" and "Echo" which provide a change of pace. Also notable is "Midnight", which utilizes the technique of two-hand tapping at great speed, resulting in a Latin-American effect. There are also Nashville tuned guitars (on "Echo") and key changes (on "Always with Me, Always with You" and "Echo") to vary the album.
The track "Ice 9" references the fictional apocalyptic substance from Kurt Vonnegut
's novel Cat's Cradle
.
The title song, "Surfing with the Alien
", is available as downloadable content in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
and Guitar Hero Arcade. "Satch Boogie
" is available as a playable track in Guitar Hero III's sequel, Guitar Hero World Tour
. It is also a bonus track in the game Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades. Additionally, both "Satch Boogie" and "Surfing with the Alien" are downloadable tracks for the Rock Band
series.
character the Silver Surfer
on the front and the hand of Galactus
on the back. The image is from Silver Surfer #1 (1982). The artist, John Byrne, has noted that the image was used without his permission and that he has never received payment for its use. The art is from panel 1 of page 6 of Silver Surfer #1 published in 1982. However, the album liner notes mention a Marvel Characters, Inc. copyright and say the Silver Surfer likeness is used with permission.
, Surfing with the Alien was re-issued in 1997 on Epic Records
and again in 2007 for a legacy edition celebrating the 20th anniversary of its release. The Relativity Records
version is now out of print.
.
All songs written by Joe Satriani
All songs published by Strange Beautiful Music/ASCAP
Produced by Joe Satriani and John Cuniberti
Engineered by John Cuniberti
In addition, Satriani played exclusive club gigs in select cities.
" is notable for being one of the first instrumental rock albums to appear in the Top 40 charts at all, although Flying in a Blue Dream beat its position in 1989.
Album - Billboard (North America)
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by instrumental rock
Instrumental rock
Instrumental rock is a type of rock music which emphasizes musical instruments, and which features very little or no singing.Examples of instrumental rock can be found in practically every subgenre of rock, often from musicians who specialize in the style, most notably Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Link...
guitarist Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
, released in 1987. Surfing with the Alien contributed greatly to establishing Satriani's reputation as a respected rock guitarist.
Surfing with the Alien is one of Satriani's most successful albums to date. The album produced three hit singles for him: "Surfing with the Alien
Surfing with the Alien (song)
"Surfing with the Alien" is the first song in Satriani's second album.The song refers to the comic book character Silver Surfer. The song was considered the 30th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers and is one of his faster shred guitar style tracks...
", Satch Boogie
Satch Boogie
"Satch Boogie" is the fifth track from the album Surfing with the Alien and along with "Surfing with the Alien" is one of Satriani's most famous pieces. The composition was considered the 55th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers. The solo is done by fast tapping, hammer-ons,...
", and the radio-only single "Always with Me, Always with You". Although released in late 1987, it did not enter the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
until April 1988. As of 2010, Surfing with the Alien is Satriani's only studio album to go platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in America
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
.
Album information
The album contains fast and complex songs such as "Surfing with the AlienSurfing with the Alien (song)
"Surfing with the Alien" is the first song in Satriani's second album.The song refers to the comic book character Silver Surfer. The song was considered the 30th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers and is one of his faster shred guitar style tracks...
" and "Satch Boogie
Satch Boogie
"Satch Boogie" is the fifth track from the album Surfing with the Alien and along with "Surfing with the Alien" is one of Satriani's most famous pieces. The composition was considered the 55th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers. The solo is done by fast tapping, hammer-ons,...
" in addition to the stranger-sounding "Crushing Day" and "Lords of Karma", in contrast to slower, melodic songs like "Always with Me, Always with You" and "Echo" which provide a change of pace. Also notable is "Midnight", which utilizes the technique of two-hand tapping at great speed, resulting in a Latin-American effect. There are also Nashville tuned guitars (on "Echo") and key changes (on "Always with Me, Always with You" and "Echo") to vary the album.
The track "Ice 9" references the fictional apocalyptic substance from Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His works such as Cat's Cradle , Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions blend satire, gallows humor and science fiction. He was known for his humanist beliefs and was honorary president of the American Humanist Association.-Early...
's novel Cat's Cradle
Cat's Cradle
Cat's Cradle is the fourth novel by American writer Kurt Vonnegut, first published in 1963. It explores issues of science, technology, and religion, satirizing the arms race and many other targets along the way...
.
The title song, "Surfing with the Alien
Surfing with the Alien (song)
"Surfing with the Alien" is the first song in Satriani's second album.The song refers to the comic book character Silver Surfer. The song was considered the 30th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers and is one of his faster shred guitar style tracks...
", is available as downloadable content in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is a music video game, the third main installment in the Guitar Hero series, and the fourth title overall...
and Guitar Hero Arcade. "Satch Boogie
Satch Boogie
"Satch Boogie" is the fifth track from the album Surfing with the Alien and along with "Surfing with the Alien" is one of Satriani's most famous pieces. The composition was considered the 55th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers. The solo is done by fast tapping, hammer-ons,...
" is available as a playable track in Guitar Hero III's sequel, Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
. It is also a bonus track in the game Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades. Additionally, both "Satch Boogie" and "Surfing with the Alien" are downloadable tracks for the Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
series.
Album cover
The album cover depicts the Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
character the Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Jack Kirby. The character first appears in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue arc that fans call "The Galactus Trilogy"....
on the front and the hand of Galactus
Galactus
Galactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
on the back. The image is from Silver Surfer #1 (1982). The artist, John Byrne, has noted that the image was used without his permission and that he has never received payment for its use. The art is from panel 1 of page 6 of Silver Surfer #1 published in 1982. However, the album liner notes mention a Marvel Characters, Inc. copyright and say the Silver Surfer likeness is used with permission.
Reissues
As with Satriani's other releases up to his 1995 self-titled albumJoe Satriani (album)
Joe Satriani is a 1995 album by instrumental rock solo artist Joe Satriani. Produced by Glyn Johns, it showcases a more laid-back, bluesier sound than Joe's previous recordings, with less reliance on effects or over-dubs....
, Surfing with the Alien was re-issued in 1997 on Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
and again in 2007 for a legacy edition celebrating the 20th anniversary of its release. The Relativity Records
Relativity Records
Relativity Records, often branded just Relativity, is an American record label founded by Barry Kobrin at the site of his company, Important Record Distribution in metro New York. Early on, as an indie label, Relativity released music in a variety of styles, including dance, jazz, punk, and...
version is now out of print.
Track listing
All songs written by Joe SatrianiJoe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
.
- "Surfing with the AlienSurfing with the Alien (song)"Surfing with the Alien" is the first song in Satriani's second album.The song refers to the comic book character Silver Surfer. The song was considered the 30th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers and is one of his faster shred guitar style tracks...
" – 4:20 - "Ice 9" – 4:08
- "Crushing Day" – 5:16
- "Always with Me, Always with You" – 3:20
- "Satch BoogieSatch Boogie"Satch Boogie" is the fifth track from the album Surfing with the Alien and along with "Surfing with the Alien" is one of Satriani's most famous pieces. The composition was considered the 55th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers. The solo is done by fast tapping, hammer-ons,...
" – 3:10 - "Hill of the Skull" – 1:46
- "CirclesCircles (Joe Satriani song)"Circles" is a song by the American guitarist Joe Satriani, featured on his 1987 album Surfing with the Alien. This song is often cited as one of the fans' favorite songs from the album....
" – 3:27 - "Lords of Karma" – 4:46
- "Midnight" – 1:42
- "Echo" – 5:38
Personnel
- Joe Satriani - all guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, percussion, drum programming
- Bongo Bob Smith - drum programming, sound design, percussion
- Jeff CampitelliJeff CampitelliJeff Campitelli is a drummer who has most famously been associated with Joe Satriani on many of his albums as well as when he performs live. He currently uses Drum Workshop drums and Paiste cymbals...
- drums, percussion - John Cuniberti - percussion
- Jeff Kreegar - pre-production programming and sound design
All songs written by Joe Satriani
All songs published by Strange Beautiful Music/ASCAP
Produced by Joe Satriani and John Cuniberti
Engineered by John Cuniberti
Reissue
Epic/Legacy Records reissued the album on August 7, 2007. The two-disc reissue includes a CD of the original album remastered in 2007, expanded liner notes by Joe with amusing stories that comment on the recording of the album such as the writing process for the album, how they went twice over budget for a low-budget instrumental guitar album, that the iconic name we all know was actually a second choice for the album after the original was mixed, and how in the days before Pro Tools and non-destructive edits, editing decisions were not to be taken lightly as they required physically cutting sections out of the master tape with a razor blade and splicing the ends back together. Also included is a DVD containing a live concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1988, the music videos for "Satch Boogie" and "Always With Me, Always With You" and additional bonus material.Track List for DVD
- Ice 9
- Memories
- Midnight
- Rubina
- Circles
- Lords of Karma
- Bass Solo
- Echo
- Hordes of Locusts
- Always with Me, Always with You
- Satch BoogieSatch Boogie"Satch Boogie" is the fifth track from the album Surfing with the Alien and along with "Surfing with the Alien" is one of Satriani's most famous pieces. The composition was considered the 55th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers. The solo is done by fast tapping, hammer-ons,...
- Satch BoogieSatch Boogie"Satch Boogie" is the fifth track from the album Surfing with the Alien and along with "Surfing with the Alien" is one of Satriani's most famous pieces. The composition was considered the 55th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers. The solo is done by fast tapping, hammer-ons,...
[Video] - Always with Me, Always with You [Video]
- Bonus Material [DVD]
In addition, Satriani played exclusive club gigs in select cities.
Charts
"Surfing with the AlienSurfing with the Alien (song)
"Surfing with the Alien" is the first song in Satriani's second album.The song refers to the comic book character Silver Surfer. The song was considered the 30th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers and is one of his faster shred guitar style tracks...
" is notable for being one of the first instrumental rock albums to appear in the Top 40 charts at all, although Flying in a Blue Dream beat its position in 1989.
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Billboard 200 | 29 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | "Satch Boogie Satch Boogie "Satch Boogie" is the fifth track from the album Surfing with the Alien and along with "Surfing with the Alien" is one of Satriani's most famous pieces. The composition was considered the 55th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers. The solo is done by fast tapping, hammer-ons,... " |
Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
22 |
| 1988 | "Surfing with the Alien Surfing with the Alien (song) "Surfing with the Alien" is the first song in Satriani's second album.The song refers to the comic book character Silver Surfer. The song was considered the 30th greatest guitar solo ever by Guitar World Magazine readers and is one of his faster shred guitar style tracks... " |
Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... |
37 |