Joe Satriani

Surfing With the Alien

First released1987

Surfing with the Alien was recorded at Capitol Studios and One on One Recording Studios in Los Angeles during 1987. The album was produced by Onan and engineer John Cuniberti, who played a crucial role in capturing Satriani's guitar work and overall sound. Satriani used a variety of guitars including his signature Ibanez JS model and employed innovative studio techniques such as extensive use of guitar synthesizers and digital effects to create the album's distinctive sound. The recording took advantage of then-modern 24-track analog recording technology combined with digital processing. Released in 1987, the album became a landmark instrumental rock record that demonstrated how guitar-driven music could achieve mainstream success without vocals, establishing Satriani as a leading figure in instrumental rock during the late 1980s.