Surfing with the Alien

This is the second studio album, released by Relativity on 15 October 1987 as 88561-8193-2, ten tracks. It produced radio hits and was the first all-instrumental release in many years to chart as high as it did, reaching number 29 on the Billboard 200; it is the record that settled Satriani's reputation. CBS/Sony issued the Japanese edition on 21 May 1988 as 25DP 5026. The budget was 13,000 dollars, and the gear was limited to match: two Kramer Pacer guitars and an adapted Stratocaster whose pickups he swapped to get different sounds, with a Roland JC-120, a Marshall '68 half-stack and a Rockman. Because he had to take whatever studio time and rooms were free, he printed his effects to tape while tracking. That turned out well for the title track, whose solo was recorded through a malfunctioning Eventide H949 as his allotted time was running out. To save money the album leans on drum machines, programmed by Bongo Bob Smith, with Jeff Campitelli overdubbing hi-hats, cymbals, toms and snares. Satriani has said this gave the music an awkward charm, and he kept the combination of loose guitar playing and machine-like programming. Satch Boogie is the only song with fully live drums, and even that was first cut to a drum machine pattern; the quick fade-out at the end hides the sound of the machine being picked up by the amplifier. The solo on the heavy metal-influenced Crushing Day is the only one worked out beforehand, because of its length, a decision he later regretted for how constrained it left him on stage. A Casio CZ-101 supplied the flute and orchestral sounds on Midnight.