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January
30, 1999:
Hi everyone...
Something I whipped up a year ago with some images of Steve both from
the net and magazines. Hope you all like it!
Cory Ekrem
Dear Steve,
The first time I heard your playing was when I was in college. I'm a
guitar player myself, and when I started attending a college in the
Los Angeles area in 1986 - I knew that I'd bump into some smokin' players.
Sure 'nuff when I was walking down the halls of my dorm for the first
time I heard some amazing guitar playing. I assumed it was a someone
listening to the radio, but I just wanted to know who was playing the
guitar on the song. I walked into a room with one guy playing guitar
and two onlookers. I asked if I could sit in and listen. The guy playing
guitar went on to start playing "Far Beyond the Sun" by Yngwie
Malmsteen note for note with the tape. I was astounded! I'd never heard
such fast playing, and to see an eighteen year old guy play it was even
worse on my ego.
A few days later I went to see this guy and he was practicing something
on the guitar. It was "Shyboy" from "Eat 'Em and Smile".
I was blown away by the way you and Billy Sheehan played together on
that song. I've come to the conclusion since listening to that album
that it is one of the top ten greatest rock albums of all time. Your
playing on "Tobacco Road" is some of the best playing I've
heard on any album. By the way, that guy who played Yngwie became my
roommate the next year and we had a ball!
Thanks Steve for all the wonderful music and I wish you great things
for the future.
Blessings,
Joe Dorsey
Dear Steve
Vai,
You have been my inspiration since you designed the Jem. Actually it
was because of you that I really fell in love with the guitar. My bedroom
is a shrine with posters of you and Ibanez guitars which I also like
a lot. I think they are the electric guitar of the century.
Anyway besides that I saw you play live in Melbourne at the Palace.
You were awesome. I came extra early and snuck around the back to hear
you practice and that was even better than the concert, because it was
all you, no one in there to impress. After the most amazing night of
my life I went backstage and I only spoke a few words to you because
I was awestruck by your presence, but you signed my T-shirt which by
the way, I made myself with a scanner, and it is now an original signed
Vai T-shirt that's all mine. We shook hands and that was that. Thanks.
By the way, that hand sign that you do, like Mr Spock from Star Trek,
is actually an ancient sign of the Jewish high priest. It's a sign that
initiates blessings of people from God. Just thought you might like
to know.
All the best to you and your family,
Julien Cohen
Dear Steve,
I once thought I saw a knot on a tree that was shaped like your head.
Rather it was shaped like a profile of your face. Not your whole head.
Anyway, your mouth was open so wide (rather the image of your mouth
on the knot, not your real mouth) that I could have fit my whole left
hand in had it been a real mouth. Not that you really would want to
fit my whole left hand in you mouth. Now that I think about it, you
probably wouldn't want to fit my right hand in your mouth either. My
feet are definitely out of the question. Anyway, your nose had a strange
candy cane shape to it. The knot's nose, that is. I swear if you had
stuck your tongue out you could have licked your nose. I mean if the
knot that vaguely resembled a profile of you face had stuck it's tongue
out...well if the knot had a tongue to stick out (it is a knot afterall),
it could have licked it's candy cane shaped nose if it had tried. Now
that I think about it, it didn't look like you at all. It looked more
like Phyllis Diller. Do you happen to know her website location?
Iniquitously ambient,
T.J.
Hi,
I'm from Costa Rica, and three weeks ago I went to see Joe Satriani
at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, and to my surprise and everybody's
surprise, Steve was invited by Joe to play the last two songs of the
show with him and Steve Lukather; you can't imagine how nuts me and
my friend (also from Costa Rica) went when we saw Vai play, cause we've
been fans for about 10 years of Steve's music. And for us in Costa Rica
it's impossible to see these fantastic musicians playing in our country,
so I think it was the best of lucks we got choosing that exact concert
with Steve playing too. And the best part of all, is that me and my
friend waited for an hour and a half outside the backstage waiting for
a chance to at least see Steve or Satch, the thing is that Steve did
come out and we met him, he even let us take a picture of him with us,
and he was always very nice. To be honest, I never thought he would
be that nice. So Steve, if you ever read this, remember the two guys
from Costa Rica who asked for your autograph, well I'm one of those
two and I'm very grateful that I met you, and that you took time to
talk with us...thanks for everything, and by the way that last version
of "Rubina" you three guys played was completely incredible..thanks!
Massimo, from San Jose, Costa Rica
I just wanted to
let you know that the stories of your teen years brought back some much
needed innocence.
I took up the guitar at a late age (24) and I am now getting over the
"I have to be able to play really fast" mode, and well on
my way to feeling really comfortable playing what feels good (now at
the age of 31).
I did want to ask you a question. What do you think separates the musician
who makes it and the one who doesn't? I love playing the guitar, but
at my age I have too many responsibilities to chase that dream (job,
mortgage, ect.). Having started at an age when such problems didn't
exist, do you think that helped make your path more clear? On the same
note, I am sure you know people who started at an early age and are
perhaps great guitarists, that didn't make it. Of those people, did
they have a good feel for the music or were they just technically good?
Or is it just luck??
The only music of yours that I have heard is the David Lee Roth and
"Crossroads" stuff, so I can't suck up to you and say that
I am a huge fan. I have however read a lot about you, and I am impressed
with your intelligence and humility. I try very hard to stay away from
the speedy guitar players, because I feel myself trying to emulate the
speed while loosing the emotion.
Thank you and keep filling in that journal, it is very entertaining!
Troy Amburg
Here's a sort of
cute one for ya.
I'm sure you hear a lot of people claiming to be Vai's BIGGEST fan.
Heck, I've been known to make that claim myself.Well, my five month
old daughter, Miranda Raye Bachiu, has got to be, without a doubt, Vai's
LITTLEST fan. She really seems to adore Steve's music. It would appear
that "Passion and Warfare" is her favorite album. She dances
(lying on her back, of course) to many of the songs, smiling the entire
time. Some songs REALLY help me out being a single dad, because they
entirely calm her down. I thought for a long time that almost any music
would have these effects on her, because she reacts favorably to most
music, but she really seems taken with Steve's licks. So you can let
Steve know that he's got the BIGGEST and LITTLEST fans in all of, well,
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan anyway, anxiously awaiting the release of the
box set! I may even buy Miranda her own copy, as a keepsake. Anyway,
catch you later!
Peace, love, and good happiness stuff,,
Mike Bachiu
Hi Steve,
My name is Reuben and I live in Singapore. I am 21 and have been playing
guitar now for 9 years. I have been a fan all my guitar playing life.
In fact, you influenced me to pick up the darn thing. I was a drummer
before and never knew what I was missing :). The first time I saw you
was in the Grammy Awards. You were nominated for "Passion and Warfare"
and they played a snippet of "I Would Love To" (my all time
favorite song). I was hooked and the next day I went out and got myself
a cheap electric guitar (the delusions of grandeur came free). I stopped
off at the record store and got my first Vai CD. You are the ultimate
inspiration for me musically and I am sure millions of other guitar
players feel the same. Now 9 years on, my life has taken many different
paths but your music has always been with me. I have never left my house
without my Vai CDs. I am presently trying to compose my first instrumental
album and you have taught me a lot about inspiration. I have learned
to face my personal demons through my music and that would never have
happened if I hadn't been gripped by the throat by your virtuoso playing.
Listening to your music and trying to understand the facets of your
songs have taught me so much about emotion and letting go when you play.
I know so many guitarists who have amazing technique but have no soul.
Your music helped me take my first step towards being true to myself.
I met you once...well actually you signed my Les Paul when you came
to Singapore in Tower Records. I don't expect you to remember but it
is an honour having your signature on my guitar. I was at the show in
Hard Rock Cafe and I can safely say it was the best!! The security was
a problem but then it always is over here. Can't fart without getting
hit upside the head but it was still worth it. I got home that day and
played for 2 days straight without stopping. I had to stop 'cause I
couldn't feel my fingers..hell...I couldn't feel anything :). You gotta
come back man...I got a Universe a few months back and all that's missing
is your autograph on it. That would make it complete. Seriously though,
do you intend to do a tour in Asia? And if you do, would you come over
to Singapore again? Well...I have taken up enough of your time. Thanks
for all the inspiration, the music, and the autograph. A Les Paul never
looked so beautiful :). I have always dreamed of jamming with you...well
a kid's gotta have goals :).
Regards,
Reuben Luke
Singapore
Dear Steve, family
and friends,
Thank you, that's all. Just thank you, for:
--the music
- the website (finally I am satiated with information, I had been looking
for such as this for a while, and now I'm up past my bedtime reading
and absorbing and enjoying and grinning). ["please, I beg you,
no more Steve Vai..."]
- the ongoing story of Vaiosity, replete with warmth, good Karma, and
all that good happiness stuff - long may you wave and please, be careful
while messin' with the bees!
Yours truly with warmest regards,
Tom
I'd like
to introduce myself... I'm Alexander Brandon, a composer who does game
soundtracks (recently the soundtrack from "Unreal", if you've
heard of it) and coming soon, commercially released music. I'm mainly
saying what my field is because I consider myself a little more than
just someone who listens since I'm also someone who writes and plays.
On to the compliment...
First of all I'd like to thank you for a very informative web page.
It's absolutely packed with goodies unlike many others I've seen, which
say absolutely nothing. Seeing the gear, the life story, the Foundation
work, and the complete sides of Steve's harmonious and revolutionary
life is what you've put forward and more... great job!
If you speak with Steve and could relay any of this to him, I'm not
only a fan but a colleage whose life he has had a serious impact on.
I had no idea Steve Vai existed until 1994 when I heard "Passion
and Warfare" for the first time. I listened and loved it but the
real connection came at one of his "Sex & Religion" concerts
at the Cleveland Agora soon afterwards.
Devin walked out onto the stage and began screaming his head off. I
winced a bit because I feared his vocal chords would come right out
of his mouth. While Devin danced, stomped, and raged like a monkey on
crack, a shape emerged from the rear of the theatre.... it was Steve,
dressed in long rags and robes, with a very calm, very genuine smile
on his face. The exact opposite of Devin, but the excitement was still
there in his eyes. Then he started playing.
I've been to many concerts and I watch carefully. I watch faces, fingers,
and every aspect of the performace. This was real... the playing was
real, and the compositions were perfectly portrayed. This was no Steve
Vai bouncing towards the camera on "Just Like Paradise", and
it wasn't another longhaired pop star trying to get attention. This
was a consumate musician, a virtuoso among virtuosos. The playing seemed
as effortless as the bliss he seemed to feel while hearing his creation.
From that point on, Steve redefined my approach to music. The way I
write, the intensity with which I enjoy my songs, and of course a new
found respect for the guitar. Since then my writing has been more reflective,
more heartfelt, and more evocative. Our personalities are different
in that I'm far less extreme on the outside (wearing polo shirts, jeans,
and Reebok boots as opposed to silk shirts or leather pants) but the
musical emotion seems close.
To make a long story short, I'm on the verge of a possibly very satisfying
musical career. With 'Unreal' selling hundreds of thousands of copies
worldwide, I've invested in a music workstation, a library of sample
CDs, and my first electric guitar: an Ibanez JEM90. Since 1996 I've
been playing furiously on an accoustic electric JBP artist and a Zoom
505 fx pedal and feeling a rush when my rough attempts at following
Steve's lead on "Liberty" or "The Crying Machine"
click and I can follow with precision.
So thank you. Thank you Richard for a site that I can read and read
and never read enough. Thank you Steve for your enthusiasm, your skill,
and most of all your passion in that which I hold dearest: the music
at the end of it all....
Alexander Brandon
Epic MegaGames
Straylight Productions
Juni Digital Music Group
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