Here’s a really interesting interview of Joe Satriani from Music Radar that reveals just how much Jimi Hendrix influenced his decision to become a guitar player.

It’s hard to imagine just how much of an influence the passing of such a great player could have on someone. I mean when I read Joe say at age 14:

Jimi Hendrix died today and I’m going to devote my life to playing the electric guitar

It says it all really. In my generation there’s only 3 tragedies among the great guitar players I can think of: Randy Rhoads, but I was 6 when he was killed and didn’t know of him until about 10 years later; Jason Becker, who is still alive but bound to a wheelchair unable to play the guitar yet with so much music in his mind still and Dimebag Darrell, but I never really was a big fan of his.

And I know Satch wasn’t the only one who was heavily influenced by Hendrix’s death, Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai also mention it as a special event in their musical life, but perhaps not to the same extent as Satch.

Yet, when I see the great music he offers now, you can’t help but think that a lot of good still came out of Hendrix’s passing and as sad as an event like this is in itself, it’s also something to be hopeful about that he could have so much influence in living as in dying.

So cheers Jimi, and cheers Joe, keep playing!