JOE SATRIANI Thinks CHICKENFOOT Will Work On New Music Later This Year

Joe Satriani thinks CHICKENFOOT will reassemble before the end of the year to begin working on new music.

The supergroup, which features the legendary guitarist alongside former VAN HALEN singer Sammy Hagar, ex-VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith, has been largely inactive since 2012 when it toured with Kenny Aronoff on drums due to Smith's busy schedule with his main band.

Last week, CHICKENFOOT reunited at the Fillmore in San Francisco during the fifth annual "Acoustic-4-A-Cure" benefit concert. The even marked the band's first performance together in just over two years.

Asked during a brand new interview with "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" about CHICKENFOOT's current status, Joe said: "Well, a couple of nights ago, we were on stage at the Fillmore here in San Francisco, and we played a four-song set acoustically. That was crazy; I'm playing CHICKENFOOT songs on acoustic — wow, that's just crazy. But we had such a good time, and I know we were all wondering what was gonna happen. And the undeniable magic between us was palpable; everybody felt it. And afterwards, everybody said, 'You guys have to record another record,' and everybody wanted to do it. So everyone was hugs and smiles and we said, 'Let's do it.' So I was pretty shocked, because it looked like it wasn't gonna happen this year, but I think it is gonna happen this year. So I think the next step is writing and [seeing] if we can all get in the same city at the same time again for a couple of days. That's the way the band operates. We never have three months where we rent a chateau in France and record an album; that'll never happen. It's here and there, hit the ground running, which I like in a way. It keeps the juices flowing and the spirits up and we don't waste time. So I think that's good."

Satriani went on to say that CHICKENFOOT will probably never be "a touring band." He explained: "I don't think Sammy's thinking, 'I wanna do 70 shows in four months.' I don't think there's ever a chance of getting him on a tour bus ever again. [Laughs] And I don't blame him. The man has already done it; you know what I mean? And I understand now that, from his perspective, he doesn't want to feel like the job will stop him from being creative. And so I think that we all have to work around each other to give each other what we need to get to this next step. So I'm cool with just doing a record or doing a record and a couple of maybe residencies around the world. I think that whole thing about us touring like JOURNEY or DEF LEPPARD or something like that, CHICKENFOOT, I don't think, was ever going to do that, because we all have other things we're doing. But I've learned to love it. [Laughs] It's been frustrating in the past, 'cause I'm so used to touring and I love touring and I love the life and the tour bus and I love travelling. But it's different, I guess, when you're a singer. And those guys have accomplished a lot more in their careers than I have, so they have a different set of desires at this point in their lives."

In March 2017, CHICKENFOOT released "Divine Termination", its first new tune in five years, on "Best + Live", the band's first-ever best-of collection.

CHICKENFOOT's most recent album of all-new material was "Chickenfoot III", the band's second LP, issued in 2011.

Satriani released his sixteenth solo album, "What Happens Next", in January via Sony/Legacy Recordings.