Sam Ash Presents: “The Best in Shred” Competition! One National Grand Prize Winner will win $20,000 in gear and play on stage with Steve on his 2011 tour! Download one of 6 Naked Tracks and hone-in on your best guitar “shred” performance to play live at a Sam Ash location. Entrants must print the registration form and bring it into your local Sam Ash by October 16, 2010. Visit www.samash.com/vai for official details!
Steve will be performing the music of Jimi Hendrix on the “Experience Hendrix Tour” which kicks off in Pittsburgh on October 26th! He will be joining Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Susan Tedeschi, Robert Randolph, Jonny Lang, Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas, Eric Johnson, Ernie Isley, Living Colour, Chris Layton of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble and The Slide Brothers a/k/a Chuck and Darick Campbell of Sacred Steel.
Here are the tour dates (tickets will be available soon on the Tour Dates page):
Oct. 26 – Pittsburgh – Benedum Theater
Oct 28 – Toronto, ON – Sony Center
Oct 29 – Quebec City, QUE – Grand Theatre
Oct 30 – Montreal, QUE – Place des Arts
Nov. 2 – Buffalo, NY – Center for the Arts
Nov 3 – Morristown, NJ – Community Theatre
Nov 4 – Mashantucket, CT – MGM Grand @ Foxwoods
Nov 6 – Albany, NY – Palace Theater
Nov 7 – Boston, MA – Orpheum Theater
Nov 9 – Hershey, PA – Hershey Theatre
Nov 10 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
Nov 11 – Baltimore, MD – Hippodrome
Nov 12 – Richmond, VA – Landmark Theater
*Nov 13 – Atlantic City, NJ – Caesars Casino (Steve will not be performing this date, sorry!)
Nov 16 – Columbus, OH- Palace Theater
Nov 17 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theater
Nov 18 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theater
Nov 19 – Merrilville, IN – Star Plaza Theater
Nov 20 – Indianapolis – Murat Theatre
Steve’s latest VaiTunes song, “The Burning Bush” is now available to download from all major digital music retailers, including: iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, Lala, IMVU, Shockhound, Amie Street, LimeWire Store and the Nokia Music Store as well as the corresponding digital booklet PDF on the VaiTunes page.
Song Juice:
Every now and then I get a new audio processor. I pump my guitar through it and fiddle about until something I think is interesting comes out. I was experimenting with a TC Electronic® G-force and I wrote this bizarre patch. The way it responded to the audio of the guitar compelled me to play a particular way and before I knew it this piece started to evolve. Before I could forget what I was doing I whammed the guitar part down onto tape and then layered it with some techno percussion loops, samples, and some backwards, upside-down, heavily processed chanting monks. For a while I called the track “Monks on Dope,” but then the atmosphere of the track started to remind me of the way church incense smelled so I named the song “The Burning Bush” (all due respect of course.) More…
Mark Your Calendars: On Tuesday, September 14th Steve will be appearing with Rickey Minor and The Tonight Show Band! Stay tuned…
August 4, 2010 – From the Desk of the NNO :
It has been 10 years since we started a unique festival in Groningen –the composer festival. Each year we organize an event that features an internationally acclaimed contemporary composer and this year The NNO, NPS Radio 6 and De Oosterpoort are proud to present world renowned composer and guitarist Steve Vai!
Steve Vai is the Paganini of the rock guitar– a virtuoso who pushes boundaries in both his playing and composing. He is a perfectionist in each style of music he chooses to pursue.
During the Steve Vai Festival you will hear several world premières from Steve as well as a symphonic piece which Steve has composed for the event. Vai will play together with the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (NNO) on two nights (October 22nd and 23rd). Later that week we will feature a Vai ‘Naked Tracks’ competition and on Sunday morning there will be a documentary on the history of the electric guitar. For specific program details, please refer to the schedule.
As part of the Steve Vai Festival, guitar players can participate with this small, but exclusive “Vai competition: Naked Tracks.” (more…)
If you’re looking for an excuse to get out of your dinner plans this weekend (and for the next several weeks thereafter), four of Steve’s songs are available for purchase on the Rock Band Network! As you can imagine, the difficulty level is set to “very much so/this guitar controller is unusually hot to the touch.” Don’t forget to apply everything you hear and feel to your real guitar. Have fun and Good luck!
A warm, heart-felt congratulations is extended to Ben Levin, Dustin Beebe, Eric Happe, Eric Potapenko, Jim Hawthorne, Joe Pignato, Martin Hough, Neil Swanson, Ronny Gutierrez and Steve Seydynski. They will be flying to Los Angeles for this very special Private Sessions with Steve @ Guitar Center. All of the submissions (and there were many of them) were wonderful and all are to be congratulated for putting themselves out there. Your courage is continuously recognized…
Live In Minneapolis: Where The Wild Things Are Limited Edition Double Vinyl features the Grammy Nominated audio performance from the “Where The Wild Things Are” RIAA Certified Gold DVD and Blu-ray.
The double LP was specifically mixed and mastered through analog equipment to a 96kHz / 24 bit digital format, the highest resolution audio experience of all the Live In Minneapolis: Where The Wild Things Are releases, and is printed on two 180 gram audiophile virgin vinyl colored LPs in a stunning full-color gatefold jacket.
The first 777 copies sold will be autographed and numbered by Steve and will include a limited edition t-shirt, guitar pick, vinyl dusting cloth and NAKED PASS which will allow you to download 4 LIVE Naked Tracks from the Live in Minneapolis: “Where The Wild Things Are” performance and will also function as a “Meet and Greet” pass on Steve’s next Tour!
Click here to order your copy!
Bill Westcott (center)
I’m deeply gutted by the passing of Bill Westcott. He was an unknown musical giant, perhaps the finest I ever knew.
He was a mentor and my theory classes with him were a sacred privilege. As I sit here right now composing for a 120 piece orchestra for a special 4 day “SteveVai Festival” In Holland with the North Netherlands Orchestra, for this October, every note I write has Bill’s signature on it. He taught me how to write, compose and appreciate music. “There was no greater musical influence in my life.” I’ve mentioned this in countless interviews around the world. I’m sure there are many who feel this way. He was a beacon of light, love and discipline for so many of us. I dreaded this day, but rejoice in his memory and gifts. I treasure the memories of my time with him and all my student friends. So many memories we all have of his humor, talent and energy. There are perhaps 2-3 people I have ever met where it seems that effortless and inspired music just flows out of them virtually unconsciously. I consider these people geniuses in their own right. Bill is one of them. Of all the memories and lessons I received from Bill, one in particular sticks out as a profound life lesson:
I was in a class and there was a student that was sitting with his legs crossed. I said “Why do you sit like that with your legs crossed like a girl?” Bill said, “Steven, don’t make fun of the way someone else feels comfortable.” It caught me at the root of the foundation of my moral evolve and from then on I never criticized anyone for what they wore, how they sat, or anything that is a self-expression of who they are. That is the power of a few words from someone you love and respect.
I remember one of his original choral compositions for our high school choir. As I’m writing this I can hear in my head that brilliant choral arrangement. It was called. “Holy Night Quiet and Still.” May it be for you now, finally, dear man.
God Bless you Bill, and thank you forever.
Steve Vai
July 20th, 1:28 pm
Los Angeles
Steve and Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders at The House of Blues Sunset, Los Angeles, CA on The Summer Slaughter Tour. Check them out!
Steve’s latest VaiTunes song, “Underground Garden” is now available to download from all major digital music retailers, including iTunes, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, Lala, IMVU, Shockhound, Amie Street, LimeWire Store and the Nokia Music Store as well as the corresponding digital booklet PDF on the VaiTunes page.
“Every now and then I pick up an instrument and something sweet comes out. I love when that happens and am very graceful for it. I believe it happens at times for all of us in our perspective fields. I was lucky to have a little take deck around to capture this riff when it first dropped off my fingers. I can’t even remember when that was, perhaps in the 1980’s? This little jewel was buried on the infinity shelf for a while and then one day, sometime in the 1990’s, I came across it and thought, “Hmmm, I could just rip this song out in a day” and that’s about how long it took me to complete the writing, recording and mixing of the whole thing…” (more…)
Due to the number of submissions the “Guitar Center Private Sessions with Steve Vai Contest” has received, it is taking some extra time to go through and declare 10 talented guitarists as the winners. Stay tuned…
Congratulations to Alessandro Serrago on his winning design submission for the Ibanez Design a JEM Contest! Ibanez will be manufacturing two JEM guitars featuring Alessandro’s design– one for Alessandro and one for Steve. Click here to see the top final design submissions from all over the world!
Update: We would like to congratulate Alessandro Serrago for winning the Jem 77,777 contest. Although elements were taken from a free art website, much of the design was based on his ingenuity. There were so many amazing designs & Steve looked at every single one. A heartfelt congratulations to all. Click here for a full gallery of all of the submissions!
The soundtrack to the motion picture “Crazy,” featuring songs from Roy Orbison, Shawn Colvin, Mandy Barnett, Madeleine Peyroux and more, is currently available in stores along with the DVD today, June 29, 2010. Steve makes an appearance in the movie and is executive producer for the film. Click here to watch the movie trailer.
Official Favored Nations Press Release
In-Depth Interview with Steve on MusicRadar.com
In the early 1980’s, just after Steve had moved to California, friend and Berklee College of Music classmate Marty Schwartz wrote and recorded Western Vacation in Steve’s garage in Sylmar, California. This record captures the harmony and energy of the amazing musicians, friends, family & chicken coop of Steve’s first California house.
Western Vacation features Zappa alumni Bob Harris, Tommy Mars and features an amazing guitar solo by Steve “Reckless Fable” Vai. Western Vacation has been fully remixed and remastered and is being met with rave reviews. It is available today for download through iTunes and Amazon.com.
The organizers and attendees of Jemfest, a celebration of the Ibanez JEM and Universe guitars in it’s 10th year, have made a generous donation to the Make a Noise Foundation. Steve performed an Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclass and was in attendance throughout the weekend. Click the above image to view a photo gallery of the festivities.
Steve’s latest VaiTunes song, “Speed” is now available to download from all major digital music retailers, including iTunes, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, Lala, IMVU, Shockhound, Amie Street, LimeWire Store and the Nokia Music Store as well as the corresponding digital booklet PDF on the VaiTunes page.
“I had just finished the Sex and Religion tour and was considering my next record. I always get ideas when I go running so I headed for the Hollywood Hills and sure enough I was flooded with inspiration…” read more.
“I make music to push my own buttons… I’ve always been driven by an addiction to create sounds that are unique. I’ve been using Waves plugins since they came into existence, on virtually every project I’ve done since. ” -Steve Vai
Visit Waves Audio’s website.
On June 6, 2010 Steve Vai will be celebrating his 50th Birthday.Wish Steve a Happy Birthday on the forums here — he will be reading each and every one of your birthday wishes.“After 7 years of dedicated and brilliant work, Mike Mesker will be pulling back from the reins of Vai.com and focusing on his inspired gifts of art and design.
I am deeply indebted to Mike and am looking forward to working with him in the future on various projects. We remain close friends.”
- Steve Vai
“The flexibility of the Axe-Fx is supreme. I did extensive tone testing with it and found it to be flawless. It’s all I need now. It makes me feel like every day is Christmas. It’s exceptional and I’m grateful..”
Steve explains his setup: “I’m running the send out of the back of my Carvin Legacy II into the Axe-FX and then back out of that returning to two Carvin Legacy heads. Amazing Flexibility. It’s a powerful combination.”
Visit Fractal Audio’s website or Facebook.
Steve has donated an autographed guitar along with a 2-piece stage outfit to be auctioned for Malaria No More. Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths. A non-profit, non-governmental organization, Malaria No More makes high-yield investments of time and capital to speed progress, unlock resources, mobilize new assets and spur the world toward reaching this goal. Malaria No More was born of a simple, startling insight: that ending malaria’s death grip on Africa is the best humanitarian investment we can make in the world today. Nothing else can have the same impact on as many people’s lives and livelihoods as quickly or cheaply.
The guitar and stage outfit will also come with a copy of Steve’s new DVD and Blu-ray Where The Wild Things Are – Live In Minneapolis, a Where The Other Wild Things Are CD, and a 5-disc Naked Tracks CD set.
The auction is on now, and ends on Wednesday June 2 at noon EDT.
For more information on Malaria No More and the excellent work they are doing, visit their website.
To visit and bid on the auction, visit CharityBuzz.com!
It’s not uncommon for a musician to record more work than they release. In my case I have a digital ocean of snippets in various degrees of completion. Some are leftovers from assorted project recording sessions, projects that were never completed, sound check jams, demo snippets, etc.
There are enough lonely unreleased notes in my world to fill an “infinity shelf.” VaiTunes are tracks that are culled from this melodic abyss, brushed off, sometimes severely hosed down, and released as digital singles.
These tracks may be specific to a particular project that has never had the chance to be a completed big picture, but now, with the advent of all this digital technology and distribution, it’s possible to release a variety of tracks from a potential project without having to complete the whole project itself. Eventually, if there is enough tracks completed that fall into a precise endeavor, perhaps they will be compiled and released as a cohesive CD. In any event, it’s a good way to release a constant stream of music.
Although the plan is to continue to create whole, full-bodied CD releases,VaiTunes can serve as temporary pacifiers for some delectable melodies to be sucked through the ears and absorbed into the soul.
VaiTunes are available from all major digital music retailers, including iTunes, Amazon MP3, Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, Lala, IMVU, Shockhound, Amie Street, LimeWire Store and the Nokia Music Store.
Visit the VaiTunes page on Vai.com to read more about the release. You can download the “The Moon And I” digital booklet (PDF format, 3.1MB) for free right HERE.
Please note: Guitar Nation has been postponed until November 13-14. Steve’s master class has been rescheduled then. We will provide updates as they come to hand, but in the meantime, visit Guitarnation2010.com for more information.
Guitar Nation is a two day music festival of performances, demonstrations, seminars and cutting edge debates for guitarists and musicians serious about music. It brings together the people who make the industry happen; world class musicians, band managers, top producers, media professionals, music industry guru’s and many more. Guitar Nation will get musicians closer to music and its industry than ever before. A broad variety of master classes, tutorials, seminars, performances and forums are planned, covering a wide range of hard hitting topics in a fun, innovative and creative environment.
Steve will be presenting a master class focusing on creativity and what you need to know to move yourself forward and reach that higher plain as a musician.
Tickets are on sale now! Don’t miss out!
Please note: Steve will be conducting a master class only, and will not be performing at this event.
Guitarists, this is your chance to learn Vai’s amazing guitar tricks, techniques and receive insightful tools and advice directly from one of the world’s most legendary guitar players. Upload your best solo guitar performance over any one track off of Steve Vai’s “Naked Tracks”, his new shred-inducing compilation.
Steve Vai will personally select his top 10 favorite performances to join him at the upcoming private Guitar Center Sessions event in Hollywood CA.
To enter and for entry details, upload a video of your performance to The Public Record.
Contest ends June 30,2010.
Video of Mary J. Blige and the All-Star Band’s performance of “Stairway To Heaven” from the American Idol – Idol Gives Back show on Wednesday night is now available for download on iTunes. The performance features Steve Vai and Orianthi on guitar, Randy Jackson on bass, Travis Barker on drums, and the one and only Mary J. Blige on vocals!
Click here to visit the iTunes Music Store to check out the video! All proceeds from the sale of the video will benefit the various charities associated withIdol Gives Back.
Steve Vai will be part of Mary J. Blige And The All-Stars this Wednesday night on “Idol Gives Back” performing “Stairway To Heaven!” The excitement begins at 8:00 PM/7:00 PM central on Fox!
To read more about Idol Gives Back and how you can contribute, click here.
Steve is bringing his Alien Guitar Secrets Master Class to Orlando, FL on Saturday June 19!
Saturday, June 19th
Venue: Radisson Worldgate Resort:
3011 Maingate Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34747
City: Kissimmee, FL
Time: 1:00pm
Tickets to the master class are $199 and available now through Vai.com’s online Ticket Store.
This venue will also be hosting Jemfest X which is a separate event. Go towww.jemfest.com for more info on the Jemfest event. Discounted hotel rooms are available for $89.00 per night. Use group code “Jemfest X”.
To read more about the Alien Guitar Secrets Master Class, including an outline of the course and topics covered, visit our general information page.
To celebrate the release of the new Steve Vai CD “Where The OTHER Wild Things Are” on April 13, Favored Nations and Ibanez Guitars are giving fan an opportunity to ask Steve Vai any question they like! One lucky grand prize winner will receive the brand new 2010 Ibanez Jem77FP2 Floral Pattern guitar (valued at over $4000!)
The winner will have their question personally answered by Steve on YouTube! Steve will mention the winner’s name and personally autograph the guitar to the winner on camera!
Entering the contest is easy – simply become a fan of the Favored Nations Facebook page, and ask Steve a question in the appropriate thread!
For the official rules, visit www.favorednations.com. Good luck!
Orianthi’s new track “Highly Strung” featuring Steve Vai is now available as a free tab in this month’s Guitar Edge magazine online! Check out the tabs and accompanying “Riff Notes” here!
Steve has added some new question and answers in his interviews page. Check it out here!
The new and highly anticipated Jem Floral Pattern 2 guitar from Ibanez has just been unveiled at Musicmesse 2010 in Frankfurt.
The third “floral pattern” design in the 23 year history of the Jem guitar, the Jem77FP2 features a basswood body clad in actual floral pattern fabric chosen specifically by Steve, and then clear-coated. The guitar features a 5pc maple and walnut neck with a rosewood fingerboard, and vine neck inlay with red accents to match the body design.
The neck pickup is a DiMarzio® Evolution® DP158, middle pickup is a DiMarzio® Evolution® DPS1 and the bridge pickup is a DiMarzio® Evo2™. Hardware is chrome and the bridge is an Ibanez Edge.
For more information about the guitar, visit Ibanez.com! Check back in the coming days for details on how you can win one of these guitars!
In 2010, Ibanez celebrates the 20th anniversary of the 7-string guitar and milestone introduction of the Universe Signature model.
The Universe UV77RE 1990 Reissue Multicolor will be available in highly limited numbers. Each swirl finish on these guitars are unique and distinct from each other, and swirled by master swirl artist and original “ATD” swirler Darren Johansen.
The guitar features a 5-piece maple/bubinga Wizard Jem neck and a basswood body with original heeljoint; 24 frets and rosewood board with disappearing pyramid inlays. Pickups are DiMarzio® BLAZE™II Neck, Middle and cosmo black hardware and a Lo-Pro Edge 7 bridge.
The guitar comes in a special silver-lined Ibanez Flight Case, along with a special printed high-quality poster and special certificate.
See the guitar HERE on Ibanez Japan’s special webpage, plus take a journey back in time with the 1987-2010 Jem & Universe Chronicle!
A limited edition, high-quality 2-page print of Steve Vai’s hand-written guitar and sitar score for “For The Love Of God” is now available through Steve’s official Ebay account. Each print is hand signed and numbered by Steve in red sharpie in the lower bottom right hand corner of the first page. These are UNFRAMED and will be shipped in a flat mailer. These are the second 100 prints of the edition which totals 1000. They will be sent direct from Steve’s studio to you! Click here to buy the 2-page unframed print.
Note: A single page autographed, professionally framed and mounted version of this print is also still available. Each print is hand signed and numbered by Steve in the lower right hand corner, and professionally framed and matted in a beautiful 19 x 26 inch (48.25 x 66 cm) black frame with engraved title plaque. Click here to buy the single page, mounted and framed print.
To celebrate the sale of the 77,777th Ibanez Jem guitar, Steve Vai and Ibanez are holding a very special contest that gives you the opportunity to design the Ibanez Jem of your dreams! The winner of the contest will have the guitar made for them to their specifications by Ibanez. Only two guitars will be produced -- one for the winner and one for Steve, making this one of the rarest Jems ever produced!
The contest is on now! Visit http://www.ibanez.co.jp/JEMUV/contest.htmlfor official rules, details and your Jem template. Three entries per person are permitted, so go crazy! Contest ends on June 6th 2010.
On April 13, Favored Nations will release Where The Other Wild Things Are on CD and digital download. The album is the official companion CD toWhere The Wild Things Are and features 12 tracks from the concert that didn’t appear on the first CD. The album comes in a beautiful full-color digipak.
The tracklisting is:
1. The Crying Machine
2. The Audience Is Listening
3. The Murder
4. Juice
5. Whispering A Prayer
6. Apples In Paradise
7. I’m Becoming
8. Beastly Rap
9. Earthquake Sky
10. Liberty
11. Answers
12. For The Love Of God
Where The Other Wild Things Are is also available as a digital release worldwide through your favorite online music retailer.
It’s not uncommon for a musician to record more work than they release. In my case I have a digital ocean of snippets in various degrees of completion. Some are leftovers from assorted project recording sessions, projects that were never completed, sound check jams, demo snippets, etc.
There are enough lonely unreleased notes in my world to fill an “infinity shelf.” VaiTunes are tracks that are culled from this melodic abyss, brushed off, sometimes severely hosed down, and released as digital singles.
These tracks may be specific to a particular project that has never had the chance to be a completed big picture, but now, with the advent of all this digital technology and distribution, it’s possible to release a variety of tracks from a potential project without having to complete the whole project itself. Eventually, if there is enough tracks completed that fall into a precise endeavor, perhaps they will be compiled and released as a cohesive CD. In any event, it’s a good way to release a constant stream of music.
Although the plan is to continue to create whole, full-bodied CD releases,VaiTunes can serve as temporary pacifiers for some delectable melodies to be sucked through the ears and absorbed into the soul.
VaiTunes are available from all major digital music retailers, including iTunes,Rhapsody, Napster, eMusic, Amazon MP3, Lala, IMVU, Shockhound, Amie Street, LimeWire Store and the Nokia Music Store.
Visit the VaiTunes page on Vai.com to read more about the release. You can download the “Without Me” digital booklet (PDF format, 1.8MB) for freeright HERE.
Hey folks.
First of all, I miss you. It seems as though I have not been on tour for way too long.
Well, I’m working on that.
I was hunkering down on the new project when I got a call from a friend of mine at Universal to play guitar on “Stairway to Heaven” for Mary J Blige. I thought, hmmm, this could be dangerous but challenging. So I went into the studio and we cut a track with Travis Barker on drums, Orianthi on guitar, and Randy Jackson on bass. The track came out beautiful but perhaps the highlight for me was sitting across from MJB, just her and I doing the classic song’s intro. It was magic really. Her voice sounded like moonbeams reflecting off of a mountain lake.
Then I took the track home and started to imagine the guitar arrangement I was going to do. It’s a difficult song to record. Not because the original part is hard to play but because it’s so perfect as it is, but I didn’t want to just play it as it is… why? But how do you build on it without being disrespectful?
The last time I played this song I was 14 years old and it was at a high school dance in the gym, and while I was doing the extended solo section the head cheerleader for the football team threw up all over my 4 inch 1974 teenage platform shoes. I’m hoping this new version doesn’t have the same effect on people.
Anyway, I just felt that if I approach the guitar parts with love, respect, humility and great admiration all the right things will just happen. I started to put a guitar part together and I must say that it’s coming out much better than I could have expected. I hope you like it when it’s done.
Besides that I’m very excited about VaiTunes. I have so much material in the vault, this is a good way to dust off some tracks and get them out there so they don’t die and go to digital heaven.
We are all so thrilled with the success and the feedback from Where the Wild Things Are DVD. It’s a home run for all of us in the Vai camp. We went gold in the USA and Canada!
I’ll be working on the new record until May. I have a title and a full layout of all the songs. In May I have to stop whatever I’m doing and lock myself up somewhere to start composing for the Symphony project in Holland in October 2010. I suppose it will take me 4 months of 16 hour undisturbed days to complete the compositions. This is another reason why I am working to release a VaiTunes track once a month if possible.
You’ll be hearing more about this orchestra project but for now I would just like to give you some of the working titles for the compositions. And as you know, things can change.
Pastel Vignettes
Brutal Beauty
The Middle of Everywhere
I’m so thrilled about this orchestra project I can hardly contain myself. I already started to sketch out some of the compositions.
Wishing you all the best. Enjoy the coming spring.
Peace and love and good happiness stuff.
s
From left to right, Steve Vai, Ron Fair, Mary J. Blige, Randy Jackson, Travis Barker and Orianthi. Photo: Andrew McLeod
A top secret recording session took place on Tuesday night involving a supergroup of sorts covering one of the most recognized songs in rock history: Led Zeppelin’s classic “Stairway to Heaven.” The players? Soul queen Mary J. Blige on vocals; guitar god Steve Vai and his pop protégé Orianthi on rhythm and lead guitars, respectively; Travis Barker on drums and American Idol judge Randy Jackson on bass, with producer Ron Fair (Christina Aguilera, Pussycat Dolls) handling piano, the arrangement and all-star recruitment. The track’s destination: Blige’s 10th studio album, due out later this year.
Steve Vai is a guitar player’s guitar player. You want layered, symphonic intricacy? There’s Vai. You want shred? There’s Vai, too. Tasteful, melodic majesty? Absolutely. On his own, as a band member and studio guest, he’s vaulted to the upper strata of the six-(and seven-) string pantheon. With a combination of hard rock abandon and virtuosic precision, this Playlist celebrates a career-spanning 14 tracks.
Click here to buy/download the album.
WaveGroup, best known for it’s long history in music game development, including it’s contributions to the original Guitar Hero™ and Rock Band™ games, today announced licensing agreements with major recording artists including renowned guitar virtuoso Steve Vai, to distribute their music in Rock Band™. WaveGroup will work with the artists’ original recordings, transforming them into playable Rock Band™ tracks, then releasing the music through the Rock Band Network Music Store. WaveGroup brings years of experience in music game development to the Rock Band Network initiative, and is working closely with Harmonix Music Systems during the beta period to develop this new way of distributing music to the masses.
“WaveGroup is the premiere production team for interactive music videogames and I was thrilled to partner with them on my songs,” said guitar icon Steve Vai. “Now I can jam with people in the comfort of their own plastic!”
For more information, visit Wavegroup.com.
The following videos are sneak peaks of Steve’s songs authored by WaveGroup for the Rock Band Network. They will be available very soon as downloadable content via the Xbox Live marketplace in-game store.
The brand new promotional video for “Highly Strung” -- featuring Steve Vai from Orianthi’s new album Believe.
In 1990, Ibanez released Steve Vai’s signature 7-string electric guitar – the Universe. Following the release, Ibanez’s new 7-string guitar spread with lightning speed to the guitarists who pursued new sound options and triggered their creation of new music.
In 2010, Ibanez celebrates the 20th anniversary of the 7-string guitar and milestone introduction of the Universe Signature model.
The Universe UV77RE 1990 Reissue Multicolor will be available in highly limited numbers. Each swirl finish on these guitars are unique and distinct from each other, and swirled by master swirl artist and original “ATD” swirler Darren Johansen.
The guitar features a 5-piece maple/bubinga Wizard Jem neck and a basswood body with original heeljoint; 24 frets and rosewood board with disappearing pyramid inlays. Pickups are DiMarzio® BLAZE™II Neck, Middle and cosmo black hardware and a Lo-Pro Edge 7 bridge.
The guitar comes in a special silver-lined Ibanez Flight Case, along with a special printed high-quality poster and special certificate.
See the guitar HERE on Ibanez Japan’s special webpage, plus take a journey back in time with the 1987-2010 Jem & Universe Chronicle!
Furthermore, in 2010 Steve Vai’s 6-string signature model JEM series will achieve sales of 77,777 pieces since its release in 1987. Steve and Ibanez are planning a unique JEM design contest in the near future. More information will follow in the coming days. Don’t miss it!
Grammy Award-winning guitarist Steve Vai struck gold twice with his latest concert film, Live In Minneapolis: Where The Wild Things Are, which has now been certified gold in both the USA and Canada.
“Now We Run” from the live DVD is nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Rock Instrumental” category. The 52nd annual Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday, January 31, 2010 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
2010 marks Steve Vai’s 30th anniversary in the music business. He first stepped into the spotlight in 1980 as a touring member of the legendary Frank Zappa’s touring band.
Live In Minneapolis: Where The Wild Things Are is available on double DVD, Blu-ray and a single CD. Later this year, Favored Nations will release Where The Other Wild Things Are, a 10-track CD of songs from the concert that didn’t make the first CD.
In January, Vai will enter the studio to record his next solo album for Favored Nations. Later this year, Vai will embark on a world tour that will take him through all of 2011.
Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan will be making a guest appearance on stage with Camp Freddy on Friday December 11th at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood! Doors at 8:00pm.
Steve has been nominated for the “Best Rock Instrumental Performance” category in the 52nd GRAMMY® Awards! The nominees are:
“A Day In The Life”
Jeff Beck
Track from: Performing This Week…Live At Ronnie Scott’s
[Eagle Records]
“Warped Sister”
Booker T. Jones
Track from: Potato Hole
[ANTI]
“Playing With Fire”
Brad Paisley
Track from: Play
[Arista Nashville]
“Mr. Surfer Goes Jazzin’”
Brian Setzer Orchestra
[Surfdog Records]
“Now We Run” [watch video]
Steve Vai
Track from: Live In Minneapolis – Where The Wild Things Are
[Favored Nations Entertainment]
The 52nd GRAMMY® Awards air on Sunday, January 31, 2010 on CBS.
Why the guitar? you ask.
Perhaps because it’s the coolest instrument in the world.
Well, at least the people in this book think so.
For most of them, the first time they ever laid eyes on the instrument, its intoxicating allure was swift and explosive. Yet there was never a moment when they made the conscious choice to become a guitar player. Because that would mean there had been an option. For them, the calling of the guitar was irresistible.
Its graceful curves, its slender neck, its variety of shapes and colors, its infinity of sounds, and the way it feels against the body when slung over the shoulder and gripped in the hands are like Cupid’s arrows piercing the hearts of its lovers.
Once they experienced its enticing charms, they knew they could never keep their hands off. They realized their six-string journey of discovery would have no end. It’s a magnificent life sentence. (more…)
