Description
Shapeshifting was coproduced by Satriani and Jim Scott Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty amp The Heartbreakers with longtime associate John Cuniberti on board handling the mastering duties. Satriani enlisted a wide range of collaborators, both old and new, to help him bring the songs to life. Legendary drummer Kenny Aronoff John Fogerty, bassist Chris Chaney Janersquos Addiction and keyboardist Eric Caudieux were the core musicians on the new album with additional contributions coming from Lisa Coleman The Revolution and Christopher Guest.The retro feeling sounds of first single, ldquoNineteen Eightyrdquo finds Satriani spiritually revisiting the time period when he was working with his first band, the Squares. The future guitar hero the world came to know less than a decade later, would have to wait. He recalls that in those early days, they ldquodialed back the guitar solos and histrionics to try to create a cooler new wave vibe.rdquo Decades removed from those goals, he was free to go forward and attempt to recapture what was on his mind in 1980.Staying true to the sounds of the time, he even used a vintage MXR EVH phaser. ldquoIrsquove always been a huge fan of Eddie Van Halen,rdquo Satriani says. ldquoIn my mind, he just crystallized that era. The late lsquo70s and early lsquo80s, he kind of saved rock guitar. So thatrsquos what I would have been doing.rdquo
