Joe Satriani Recalls Being Escorted Offstage by Armed Police

Guitar maestro Joe Satriani has opened up about his deep-rooted passion for progressive rock pioneers Jethro Tull, recalling everything from his first concert memories to a chaotic festival bill in Malaysia that involved armed police.

A Lifelong Fandom Rooted in the 1970s

Satriani first caught Jethro Tull live as a young kid at the Westbury Music Fair in New York. The venue featured a theatre-in-the-round setup where the stage would rotate slowly. To a young music fan growing up in New York in the early 1970s, Ian Anderson presented an exotic and captivating stage presence.

At the time, the band was touring their third album, Benefit, released in 1970. Satriani praised the group’s distinctive approach, noting their use of odd time signatures, instrument switching, and uncommon instruments like the flute and mandolin, alongside Martin Barre’s rock-heavy guitar work. While acknowledging later milestones like Thick As A Brick, Satriani singled out Stand Up as a truly brilliant record that fused jazz and rock, engineered by Andy Johns.

Prog Roots and a Wild Night in Malaysia

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull performing onstage

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull on stage. (Eden, Janine and Jim from New York City, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Satriani’s appreciation for the era extends beyond just Tull. He regularly plays records from early Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and King Crimson backstage on tour, calling their compositions otherworldly.

However, sharing a bill with his childhood heroes years later brought some unexpected drama. Satriani recalled a very strange rock festival in Malaysia where he ended up getting escorted offstage by police carrying automatic weapons. Despite the chaotic exit, the night had a silver lining: he and the members of Jethro Tull had dinner together back at the hotel, making for a very special memory with a lifelong hero.