John Petrucci Reveals One Guitarist Who Blows His Mind More Than Anyone

Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci is one of the most influential guitarists of his generation.

Petrucci's fretboard fireworks helped make Dream Theater one of the biggest bands in the history of progressive rock. And just like his 2018 G3 North America tour mates Joe Satriani and Phil Collen, Petrucci's technical mastery of his instrument knows few boundaries.

But in a February visit to Q104.3 New York's "Out of the Box" with Jonathan Clarke accompanied by Satch and Collen, Petrucci revealed the classic rock guitar hero from whom he would have loved to get a lesson. 

"For me, I would love to just know how Stevie Ray Vaughan did what he did," Petrucci said. "Because it's the most ridiculous sounding guitar playing." 

"Some of the guys I can kind of pick up and imagine, 'Okay, I can figure out what he was doing.' I know it's a bluesy style, but just [SRV's] approach. To me, if I could see that like right in front of me and kind of pick up even 2 percent, I'd be happy...It's insane to me (laughs)."

While Satriani and Collen approve of Petrucci's choice, each of them agreed they would want to learn from one of Vaughan's biggest influences: Jimi Hendrix.

"I actually think he was the first, purest electric rock player," Collen said. "Everyone was doing stuff before that, but it was almost like [Hendrix] was being channeled. It was this new thing, blending funk, soul, blues and the first extreme rock player. I'd just like to see that being done, especially when he did it. It's still crazy."

A contemporary of the 2018 G3 crew, Steve Vai, was asked the same question by Nikki Sixx last fall. 

Vai named a living guitarist: Animals as Leaders' Tosin Abasi.

"He was on tour with me in Generation Axe, and he's got some stuff going on that's just...contemporary alien," Vai said of Abasi, shaking his head while describing him. "His whole approach to rhythm, man...I mean, it's not anything that I've heard." 

Satch and Petrucci know and love Abasi's playing as well.

"Tosin's an awesome guy," Petrucci added.

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