| Not of This Earth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | December 18, 1986 | |||
| Recorded | Early 1985 | |||
| Studio | Hyde Street (San Francisco) | |||
| Genre | Instrumental rock | |||
| Length | 38:42 | |||
| Label | Relativity | |||
| Producer | Joe Satriani, John Cuniberti | |||
| Joe Satriani chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternate cover | ||||
 European edition / 1988 reissue | ||||
Not of This Earth is the debut studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on December 18, 1986, through Relativity Records. [1]
In the liner notes, Satriani provides a brief introduction to himself and the background behind Not of This Earth, which was recorded in early 1985. [2] He states that his goal was "to make a 'guitar-record' that would be enjoyed by all; not just a 'guitar-chops-record' but one with real music on it." He also mentions the recording of a follow-up album which he promises "will turn heads, drop jaws and create world peace in our lifetime!"; [2] this would become his 1987 breakthrough smash hit, Surfing with the Alien .
The album uses electronic drums rather than acoustic drums. The title track utilizes a unique compositional technique described by Satriani as pitch axis theory, which consists of shifting modes underneath a pedal tone (in this case, E). "The Enigmatic" uses the enigmatic scale. [3] "Rubina" is one of two tracks named after his wife, the other being "Rubina's Blue Sky Happiness" on The Extremist (1992). "The Headless Horseman" is performed entirely using a two-handed tapping technique, and was revisited in the form of "Headless" on Flying in a Blue Dream (1989).
Not of This Earth has been reissued several times. The original cover art used for the first vinyl and CD editions was lost early on, having since been replaced with an alternate cover which has been used for all releases since 1988. [4] Notably the guitar, an Ibanez 540S, with which Satriani is pictured on this second edition cover was never actually used by him, instead being merely "a promo shot that got too much press". [5]
The second major reissue of the album was as part of the Joe Satriani Original Album Classics box set, released on June 16, 2008 through Epic Records. [6] The most recent reissue was part of The Complete Studio Recordings , released on April 22, 2014 through Legacy Recordings; this is a box set compilation containing newly remastered editions of every Satriani studio album from 1986 to 2013. [7]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
Phil Carter at AllMusic gave Not of This Earth four stars out of five, describing it as having "superior compositions, a signature style, a unique tone, and playing that's out of this world." He praised Satriani's "fluid playing and wicked licks [that] are enough to drop jaws and widen eyes" and that "There isn't a weak track on this disc". [8]
All music is composed by Joe Satriani
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Not of This Earth" | 4:04 |
| 2. | "The Snake" | 4:43 |
| 3. | "Rubina" | 5:56 |
| 4. | "Memories" | 4:06 |
| 5. | "Brother John" | 2:10 |
| 6. | "The Enigmatic" | 3:26 |
| 7. | "Driving at Night" | 3:33 |
| 8. | "Hordes of Locusts" | 4:59 |
| 9. | "New Day" | 3:52 |
| 10. | "The Headless Horseman" | 1:53 |
| Total length: | 38:42 | |
Joseph Satriani is an American rock guitarist, composer, and songwriter. Early in his career he worked as a guitar instructor, with many of his former students achieving fame, including Steve Vai, Larry LaLonde, Rick Hunolt, Kirk Hammett, Andy Timmons, Charlie Hunter, Kevin Cadogan, and Alex Skolnick. Satriani went on to have a successful solo music career, starting in the mid-1980s. He is a 15-time Grammy Award nominee and has sold over ten million albums, making him the bestselling instrumental rock guitarist of all time.
Waiting for the Sun is the third studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released by Elektra Records on July 3, 1968. The album's 11 tracks were recorded between late 1967 and May 1968 mostly at TTG Studios in Los Angeles. It became the band's only number one album, topping the Billboard 200 for four weeks, while also including their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You". The first single released off the record was "The Unknown Soldier", which peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it reached number 16.
Surfing with the Alien is the second studio album by American rock guitarist Joe Satriani. It was released on October 15, 1987, by Relativity Records. The album is one of Satriani's most successful to date and helped establish his reputation as a respected rock guitarist.
Crystal Planet is the seventh studio album by the guitarist Joe Satriani, released on March 3, 1998, by Epic Records. It was his first album to be released on Epic, whereas his previous six albums were released by Relativity Records. Crystal Planet reached No. 50 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for eight weeks, as well as reaching the top 100 in five other countries. "Ceremony" was released as a single, reaching No. 28 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and featuring Satriani's first recorded use of a seven-string guitar, namely the Ibanez Universe. "A Train of Angels" was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1999 Grammy Awards, Satriani's ninth such nomination.
The Extremist is the fourth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on July 21, 1992, through Relativity Records. The album is one of Satriani's most popular releases and his highest-charting to date, reaching No. 22 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remaining on that chart for 28 weeks, as well as reaching the top 50 in six other countries. Three singles reached Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart: "Summer Song" at No. 5, "Friends" at No. 12 and "Cryin'" at No. 24. The Extremist was certified Gold on December 22, 1992. and received a nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1993 Grammy Awards, Satriani's fourth such nomination.
Time Machine is the fifth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on October 13, 1993, through Relativity Records and reissued in 1998 through Epic Records. It is a double-disc album: the first disc contains a selection of new tracks, outtakes and unreleased studio recordings, while the second disc is composed of live recordings from 1988 and 1992.
Flying in a Blue Dream is the third studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on October 30, 1989 through Relativity Records. It is one of Satriani's most popular albums and his second highest-charting release to date, reaching No. 23 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remaining on that chart for 39 weeks, as well as reaching the top 40 in three other countries.
Joe Satriani is the sixth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released in October 1995 through Relativity Records. This was his last album for Relativity, as he would switch record labels to Epic for his next eleven albums. Joe Satriani reached No. 51 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for seven weeks, as well as reaching the top 100 in four other countries. "(You're) My World" was released as a single, reaching No. 30 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and receiving a nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1997 Grammy Awards, Satriani's seventh such nomination.
Strange Beautiful Music is the ninth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on June 25, 2002, through Epic Records; a Super Audio CD edition was released on September 10. The album reached No. 140 on the United States Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for a week, as well as reaching the top 100 in four other countries.
Ethan Thomas Robert Johns is an English record producer, engineer, mixer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Johns has worked with artists including Robert Vincent, Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Paul McCartney, Ray LaMontagne, Tom Jones, Kaiser Chiefs, Rufus Wainwright, The Boxer Rebellion, Crowded House, Turin Brakes, Lauren Hoffman, The Vaccines, Laura Marling, The Staves, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. In 2012, he won the Brit Award for Best British Producer.
Dreaming #11 is the second EP by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on November 1, 1988 through Relativity Records and reissued on May 27, 1997 through Epic Records. The EP reached No. 42 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for 26 weeks. Its sole studio track, "The Crush of Love", reached No. 6 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart and was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 1990 Grammy Awards; this being Satriani's second such nomination. The remaining three tracks were recorded live as part of the King Biscuit Flower Hour during the Surfing with the Alien (1987) tour. The title track, absent on the EP, would later be released on Satriani's 1993 compilation album Time Machine. Dreaming #11 was certified Gold on August 15, 1991.
Super Colossal is the eleventh studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on March 14, 2006, through Epic Records. The album reached No. 86 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for two weeks, as well as reaching the top 100 in three other countries. Super Colossal was nominated for Best Rock Instrumental Performance at the 2007 Grammy Awards, Satriani's thirteenth such nomination.
Heaven on Earth is the second solo studio album by American singer Belinda Carlisle. It was released on October 5, 1987, by MCA Records. Three singles reached the top 10 of the US Billboard Hot 100, including the number-one single and Carlisle's signature song "Heaven Is a Place on Earth". The album has been certified triple Platinum in the United Kingdom and Platinum in many countries, including the United States.
Joe Satriani is a self-titled EP by guitarist Joe Satriani, released in 1984. Originally self-released in a limited run on vinyl only, the majority of the EP was later reissued on the first disc of Satriani's 1993 studio album, Time Machine, with the exception of "Talk to Me", which was not included due to its master tape having been damaged.
Professor Satchafunkilus and the Musterion of Rock is the twelfth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on April 1, 2008, through Epic Records. The album reached No. 89 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and remained on that chart for two weeks, as well as reaching the top 100 in four other countries.
Chickenfoot is an American hard rock supergroup formed in 2008. The group consists of vocalist Sammy Hagar, bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani, and drummer Chad Smith. Due to Smith's consistent recording and touring commitments with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kenny Aronoff joined the group in 2011 as a touring replacement drummer. While the band has not formally announced a breakup, in June 2016 Smith said that he had doubts about its survival due to their busy schedules.
Black Swans and Wormhole Wizards is the thirteenth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on October 5, 2010 through Epic Records.
Shockwave Supernova is the fifteenth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on July 24, 2015 through Sony Music Entertainment. It features bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Marco Minnemann of The Aristocrats, as well as progressive rock multi-instrumentalist Mike Keneally.
John Cuniberti is an American recording engineer and producer.
Shapeshifting is the seventeenth studio album by guitarist Joe Satriani, released on April 10, 2020, through Sony Music. Satriani co-produced the album with Jim Scott, with it featuring a "wide variety of styles". The album was preceded by the lead single "Nineteen Eighty". This is Satriani's last album to be released through Sony Music, as he had switched labels to earMUSIC for his next album, The Elephants of Mars (2022).
