Satch still wants Chickenfoot to fly

Joe Satriani admits he’s partly to blame for the scheduling issues preventing Chickenfoot from making a third album – but he hopes there’s more studio work to come from the supergroup.

He’s been wrapped up with a solo tour, while drummer Chad Smith has been working with his main band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Meanwhile, singer Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony are working together in covers band The Circle with Jason Bonham.

Earlier this month Hagar said The Circle offered some advantages that Chickenfoot didn’t, and added that he had no plans to record with his latest outfit.

Now Satriani tells Eddie Trunk: “Sam, Mike and Chad have other things to do. I come back from doing this stuff and I’m like, “let’s go.’ They’re like, ‘Well, hold on a minute,’ then I’m off again. So I’m partly to blame because of my schedule.”

But he adds: “I really want it to fly – I really want to put in as much time as I can get into the band. But it’s a little different for the other guys, because they have history and they have current commitments.”

Another problem is the changing music industry, says Satch: “It’s rolling away from focusing on albums and that puts Chickenfoot in an even more awkward position. A rock band needs to put out a record and tour. We’re not a singles band; we’re not a video band; we’re not a band that shows up at a TV show with a huge production.

“We’re trying to get our priorities straight, and we probably never will. But I do think there’s a couple of more records in there somehow.”

Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.