Listen to Joe Satriani’s rollicking new track Headrush

Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani (Image credit: Getty)

Joe Satriani has shared a stream of his energetic new track Headrush.

It’s taken from the guitar virtuoso’s upcoming studio album What Happens Next, which will arrive on January 12 via Sony/Legacy Recordings.

Satch is joined on the record by his Chickenfoot bandmate and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, along with Black Country Communion mainman and bassist Glenn Hughes.

Speaking with UCR about Headrush, Satriani says: “I just can’t believe that we pulled that one off. It’s crazy and it’s a schizophrenic song. It’s a full-tilt boogie, and then it turns into this sort-of country Southern rock thing in the middle.

“I didn’t know if that was going to work. The demo sounded really stupid.

“There was just this drum machine clicking along. So when I gave it to Chad, I said, ‘I don’t know how you’re going to do this, but somehow you’ve got to make it work. I want it to sound country-like.’

“I didn’t know really how to express it to him in drummer terms, so I just had to have faith that he would figure it out, and he gave it that thing that only Chad knows how to do.”

Satriani will head out on the road in support of What Happens Next across North America throughout January and February, where he’ll be accompanied by Dream Theater’s John Petrucci and Def Leppard’s Phil Collen.

He’ll then play a handful of shows in the UK in April with Petrucci and former Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth.

What Happens Next is available for pre-order.

Joe Satriani What Happens Next tracklist

  1. Energy
  2. Catbot
  3. Thunder High On The Mountain
  4. Cherry Blossoms
  5. Righteous
  6. Smooth Soul
  7. Headrush
  8. Looper
  9. What Happens Next
  10. Super Funky Badass
  11. Invisible
  12. Forever And Ever

2018 G3 Tour featuring Joe Satriani, John Petrucci & Phil Collen

Jan 11: Seattle The Moore Theatre, WA
Jan 12: Salem Historic Elsinore Theatre, OR
Jan 13: Reno Grand Sierra Theatre, NV
Jan 14: Oakland Fox Theater, CA
Jan 16: Salt Lake City Delta Hall at Eccles Theater, UT
Jan 17: Las Vegas Brooklyn Bowl, NV
Jan 18: Mesa Arts Center , AZ
Jan 19: Los Angeles Orpheum Theatre, CA
Jan 20: San Diego Balboa Theatre, CA
Jan 21: Tucson Fox Tucson Theatre, AZ
Jan 24: Denver Historic Paramount Theatre, CO
Jan 25: Kansas City Uptown Theater, MO
Jan 26: Irving The Pavillion at The Toyota Music Factory, TX
Jan 27: Austin City Limits Moody Theater, TX
Jan 28: Houston Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, TX
Jan 30: Orlando Hard Rock Live, FL
Jan 31: Jacksonville Florida Theatre, FL
Feb 01: Pompano Beach Amphitheatre, FL
Feb 02: Fort Myers Barbara B Mann Performing Arts Hall, FL
Feb 03: St. Petersburg Mahaffey Theater, FL
Feb 06: Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, NC
Feb 08: Wallingford Toyota Presents Oakdale, CT
Feb 09: Syracuse Landmark Theatre, NY
Feb 10: Albany Palace Theatre, NY
Feb 11: Greensburg The Palace Theatre , PA
Feb 14: Washington Warner Theatre, DC
Feb 15: Boston Orpheum Theatre , MA
Feb 16: New York Beacon Theatre , NY
Feb 17: Philadelphia Merriam Theater , PA
Feb 18: Newark New Jersey Performing Arts Center, NJ
Feb 20: Rochester Auditorium Theatre, NY
Feb 21: Toronto Massey Hall, ON
Feb 22: Northfield Hard Rock Live, OH
Feb 23: Chicago Theatre , IL
Feb 24: Minneapolis State Theatre, MN
Feb 25: Milwaukee Riverside Theater, WI

Joe Satriani, John Petrucci and Uli Jon Roth 2018 UK tour dates

Apr 24: Southend Cliffs Pavilion
Apr 25: London Eventim Apollo
Apr 26: Bristol Colston Hall
Apr 27: Manchester Apollo
Apr 29: Portsmouth Guildhall
Apr 30: Birmingham Symphony Hall

Joe Satriani kicks it up a notch on new track Energy

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald newspapers, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.