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In a dream collaboration decades in the making, guitar virtuosos Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have released “I Wanna Play My Guitar,” the second single from their newly-formed SATCHVAI Band. The track, which dropped on May 8, 2025, features former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes delivering his signature powerful vocals on this celebration of six-string obsession.
The video, directed by Satriani’s son ZZ, captures the electric chemistry between the legendary guitarists and Hughes, whose commanding presence earned him the nickname “The Voice of Rock” during his tenure with Deep Purple in the 1970s.
For Satriani and Vai, who have maintained a close musical friendship for nearly 50 years, this collaboration represents a full-circle moment in their careers. Vai, who was once Satriani’s guitar student before launching his own successful career, explained the song’s significance: “This song depicts all that Joe and I used to think about as teenagers. All of the things we loved about pounding rock and roll and the glorious guitar.”
The track marks their second release as SATCHVAI, following their instrumental debut “The Sea of Emotion, Pt. 1” in March 2024. While their previous touring relationship was primarily through Satriani’s G3 concert series, this new venture sees them officially forming a band for the first time in their storied careers.
“I Wanna Play My Guitar” nearly had a different vocal arrangement altogether. Satriani had originally envisioned The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins sharing vocal duties with Hughes after seeing both performers on the Monsters of Rock Cruise. However, scheduling conflicts with The Darkness’s album release led to Hughes taking sole ownership of the microphone.
The all-star lineup supporting the guitar icons includes rhythm guitarist Pete Thorn, bassist Marco Mendoza, and drummer Kenny Aronoff, who has frequently collaborated with Satriani in the past. Keyboardist Eric Caudieux rounds out the studio band, with background vocals provided by Derek Day, Steve Vai, and Doug MacArthur.
This release comes just weeks before SATCHVAI embarks on their first full tour as a unified group. The “Surfing With The Hydra” tour kicks off on June 13 in York, England, and will take the band throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, including festival appearances at Hellfest, Umbria Jazz Festival, and Guitares en Scene Fest before concluding in early August.
For guitar enthusiasts, this collaboration represents a historic moment—bringing together two of the most influential instrumental rock guitarists of the past four decades. Their combined technical mastery and distinctive styles have shaped generations of players, and this new project offers fans the chance to hear them crafting music together rather than merely sharing a stage.
“I Wanna Play My Guitar” is now available on all major streaming platforms, and tickets for the SATCHVAI Band tour can be purchased at satchvaiband.com.
