We also want to hear your question for the broadcast, submit to rsvp@siriusxm.com.
Virtual Trunk Nation with Steve, Joe and Eric Johnson
Inviolate Vinyl Released Today
For the Vinyl release of “Inviolate”, we mixed the record to 1/2 inch analog and had Bernie Grundman master for the vinyl. When I played it through speakers and compared it with the digital masters, I was stunned at the warmth and richness of the vinyl. It has a friendlier effect on the psyche. https://stevevai.myshopify.com
Inviolate Vinyl Released Today
Inviolate European Tour announced!
We are happy to announce that the Inviolate World Tour will now begin with a European leg of appearances beginning in Glasgow on 4 June, 2022.
Steve will be on the road in to mid-July, staging performances in the U.K., Ireland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland,
The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. See the tourdates for details and links to VIP and normal tickets.
Vai will be joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar / keys), Philip Bynoe (bass), and Jeremy Colson (drums).
Tickets will go on sale on March 2.
Please note that the VIP packages for the EU tour will be slightly different - The JEM Jr. package is not available in Europe.:
VIP1:
Name of package: Full On EVO Experience Package
Quantity per market: 10
Price per package: 265 Euro + Ticket + Fees
Description of VIP1 Package:
One (1) Premium Reserved Front Row or General Admission Ticket (location given at checkout)
Meet & Greet and Photo with Steve Vai
Invitation to Pre-show Q&A with Steve Vai
Soundcheck Viewing Access
Guided Tour of Steve Vai’s Instruments and Gear
One (1) Premium Merch Pack Designed Exclusively for VIP Purchasers
One (1) Autographed Tour Print
One (1) Commemorative VIP Laminate
VIP Venue Entry (Where Applicable)
VIP2:
Name of package: Meet & Greet EVO Package
Quantity per market: 40
Price per package: 175 Euro + Ticket + Fees
Description of VIP2 Package:
One (1) Premium Reserved or General Admission Ticket (location given at checkout)
Meet & Greet and Photo with Steve Vai
Invitation to Pre-show Q&A with Steve Vai
Soundcheck Viewing Access
One (1) Premium Merch Pack Designed Exclusively for VIP Purchasers
One (1) Autographed Tour Print
One (1) Commemorative VIP Laminate
VIP Venue Entry (Where Applicable)
VIP3:
Name of package: VIP Merchandise Package
Quantity per market: 100
Price per package: 110 Euro + Ticket + Fees
Description of VIP3 Package:
One (1) Premium Reserved or General Admission Ticket (location given at checkout)
One (1) Premium Merch Pack Designed Exclusively for VIP Purchasers
One (1) Tour Print
One (1) Commemorative VIP Laminate
VIP Venue Entry (Where Applicable)
Inviolate European Tour announced!
Vaideology Music Book
Vaideology Music Book
Inviolate out today!
My new record “Inviolate” is out today. The release day of a new record for an artist can feel like finally giving birth! I enjoy my life as a musician very much and days like today are those special moments. That feeling of enthusiasm to write, record and perform music has never left me, and "Inviolate" is the evolution of all of that. I believe those who enjoy what I do will get some fulfilling listening pleasure out of it, and perhaps some nice surprises.Enjoy
Inviolate out today!
US 2022 Inviolate Tour postponed!
Steve Vai has postponed his planned tour of North America until the Fall. The first U.S. leg of dates will now begin on Wednesday, September 28 in El Cajon, CA and wrap the first week of December. The itinerary will now feature performances in 52 markets as opposed to the initial plan of staging 54 shows. All ticket and VIP purchases will be honored for the rescheduled date. Vai’s performance in Atlanta, GA will now take place at the Variety Playhouse instead of The Eastern and due to scheduling conflicts, the Milwaukee, WI and Billings, MT shows will no longer be a part of the tour.
Approximately one year ago, Vai underwent shoulder surgery to repair an injury. That procedure was successful, enabling him to record the upcoming studio album release of Inviolate (Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group). In preparing for the tour, it became clear that a new injury emerged that requires another surgery prohibiting the tour to be staged as announced.
Vai shares, “I’m gutted that we have to move this tour, but I also know it’s in the best interests for us and the fans that we do.”
The following appearances are confirmed:
9/28 El Cajon, CA The Magnolia
9/30 Riverside, CA Fox Performing Arts Center
10/01 Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues
10/02 Scottsdale, AZ Celebrity Theatre
10/04 Salt Lake City, UT The Rockwell at The Complex
10/05 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater
10/07 Oklahoma City, OK Tower Theatre
10/08 Dallas, TX House Of Blues
10/09 San Antonio, TX The Aztec Theatre
10/11 Austin, TX Paramount Theatre
10/12 Houston, TX House Of Blues
10/14 Birmingham, AL Lyric Theatre
10/15 Macon, GA Hargray Capitol Theatre
10/16 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
10/18 Clearwater, FL Bilheimer Capitol Theatre
10/19 Ft. Lauderdale, FL The Parker
10/20 Orlando, FL The Plaza Live
10/21 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
10/22 Charleston, SC Charleston Music Hall
10/23 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore Charlotte
10/25 Alexandria, VA The Birchmere
10/26 Harrisburg, PA TBD
10/27 Port Chester, NY The Capitol Theatre
10/28 Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre
10/29 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre
10/30 Huntington, NY The Paramount
11/01 New Haven, CT College Street Music Hall
11/02 Providence, RI The Strand
11/03 Boston, MA The Wilbur
11/04 Rochester, NY Kodak Center
11/05 Albany, NY The Egg
11/07 Greensburg, PA Palace Theatre
11/08 Warren, OH Packard Music Hall
11/10 Detroit, MI Masonic Cathedral Theatre
11/11 Morgantown, WV Metropolitan Theatre
11/12 Nashville, TN CMA Theatre
11/13 Louisville, KY Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
11/14 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
11/16 Chicago, IL Copernicus Center
11/18 St. Paul, MN Fitzgerald Theater
11/19 Lincoln, NE Bourbon Theatre
11/20 Kansas City, MO The Uptown Theater
11/21 Sioux Falls, SD The District
11/22 Des Moines, IA Hoyt Sherman Place
11/23 Fargo, ND Fargo Theatre
11/25 Bozeman, MT The ELM
11/26 Missoula, MT The Wilma
11/27 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre
11/28 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
11/30 Turlock, CA Turlock Community Theatre
12/02 Napa, CA Uptown Theatre Napa
12/03 Los Angeles, CA Theatre at Ace Hotel
US 2022 Inviolate Tour postponed!
Happy happy merry merry!
Greetings Folks,I want to wish you all the happiest of holiday seasons and a prosperous 2022 and beyond beyond.I hope you have all found some silver linings over this last year. What I do to help myself get through the Covid challenges is to reflect on all the ways the pandemic has actually helped myself and my family. So I decided to write a list of 10 things that I have come to appreciate about this challenge.1. Through the lockdown we spent more time together as a family and still do. That’s a really good thing.2. I used the downtime to work on some pretty challenging guitar techniques. Check out "Candle Power", "Knappsack" and most challenging "Teeth of the Hydra". I don’t believe I would have gotten to these tracks without the time lockdown provided.3. I used the time to record, and almost finish, a solo acoustic guitar/vocal record. I was inspired to finally do this after I uploaded the solo acoustic/vocal version of "The Moon and I". The response was very encouraging, thank you. I’m really loving this record. It’s obviously unlike all the others. I had to shelve it to complete Inviolate so I could get on tour, but I hope to finish it and have it out in 2022.4. The lockdown was perfect timing to get some much needed surgical work done on my shoulder and finger. The surgery was last December (2020) and all is well with those issues. Unfortunately I tore another tendon in my shoulder but I’m still able to play and this one might heal on its own. We’ll see.5. Us musicians are a very resilient bunch of people and through this pandemic, we found ways to continue to co-create. Like many other musicians during lockdown, I started sharing files with others so they can put their parts down and send them back. This was new for me for sure. I’m usually hovering over every musician and policing whatever they play, but in this case I ended up sending tracks to my band to put their parts and also some other outstanding musicians who contributed such as Dave Rosenthal, Vinny Colaiuta, Terry Bozzio, Henrik Linder, and Bryan Beller. These artists secured their dazzling artistry on Inviolate and I could not be happier with what they contributed.6. Through lockdowns guitar sales were way up, especially the new black ONYX PIA. As the designer of the JEM and PIA, I receive a royalty and that was helpful when all tours were out and the royalties that artists receive for music these days has declined quite a bit.7. I had a lot less interruptions at the Harmony Hut. That’s always nice.8. I launched the "Alien Guitar Secrets" and "Under It All" series, and that was nice.9. I spent months preparing content for Patreon and launched a presence on the platform where exclusive content is uploaded, and where I do some exclusive Q&A’s.10. In May of 22 I will be going to Holland to record about 4 hours of my orchestra music with the Metropole Orchestra, and in August I will be in Finland recording with their symphony. I should have about 4 albums of diverse orchestra music when I’m done with it all. Through the lockdown I had the precious months necessary to review and tweak all the scores and prepare for these recordings.There’s so much more but you get the picture. Of course there were challenges during all this but I notice that when I choose to only focus on and talk about the advantages, I start to see more and more advantages and the challenges become much more navigable. If you have had an exceptionally hard time during the pandemic I might suggest experimenting with writing down a list of 10 ways the pandemic was helpful or revealed to you important things that may not have happened otherwise.I’m truly looking forward to a rebounding 2022 for all of us.Frankly, It feels as though this virus is virtually dying down and although it’s always a good idea to be responsible and careful, I’m putting this all behind and moving forward like a boss with you!!!Inviolate drops on January 28th 2022. I’ve been doing a lot of press and I do feel that the response from the press on this record is stronger than I’ve felt before. As I write this today, we just released the performance video for Little Pretty. While I was recording that track I felt my ear pulling me into an ethereal type harmonic direction. I just let it go wherever it wanted and when I completed the song and listened back I felt as though it was good and complete. Oddly enough, I found myself listening to it a lot while being seduced by the sound and feel of it. It kept drawing me in. I knew it was different and pretty obtuse with all those dense and rich synthetic chords and I did have my reservations regarding how the fans might receive it. It’s always a crap-shoot when you venture into uncharted waters and then come up for air. But much to my surprise and delight, (and even some humility) I was pretty stunned at the response of the press and the audience for this track. That really made my holidays!!! Thank you. Listening to the journalists and many of you, I realize that those ethereal dimensions the song elicits were not just in my experience. That is tremendously incentivising for an artist, yay!But in all my years of writing and recording music, it seems that it all led up to the writing and performance of "The Teeth of the Hydra". I set out to create a multi neck guitar with Ibanez and to write and perform a song with it that uses all its strings. First and foremost it had to have a good melody and be a stand alone enjoyable piece of music at the end of the day. The execution of this song on the Hydra has to be seen and I certainly hope to show it to you in 2022.I feel so honored to be able to deliver this record to you folks. I feel it contains some of my best work to date and I can’t wait for you to hear the whole record. And I have never wanted to tour so much in my life. We have over 250 shows on the books for a world-wide tour that will take me up to 2024! So if I don’t see you, I’m coming to your house!I want to be standing on that stage feeling that electrifying pulse surge through my body as I connect with the band, the atmosphere, the notes and most especially, you! I will be charging each note that I play with powerful joy and I will psychologically will those notes directly out to your souls! And a good time will be had by all.Much love to you all.My eternal appreciation.Steve VaiDecember 22, 20214:06pm pstHarmony HutEncino CA
Happy happy merry merry!
“Inviolate” – pre-order now!
My new record "Inviolate" drops January 28th, 2022. It's the culmination of 61 years worth of inspiration and training. It oozes delicious melodies and fierce pyrotechnics. It will also lift you up to levels of delight that will make the rest of your life a beautiful experience… well, maybe not but… close.
Steve Vai's “Inviolate” - pre-order now! Available on 180g black vinyl, limited gold vinyl, CD and download/stream. Also check out “Little Pretty”!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8H4wRglcbE&ab_channel=SteveVaiHimself
“Inviolate” – pre-order now!
Vai Academy 6.0
HELLO AGAIN!After this last year and a half, where everybody has been thrown a curve, it's going to be a blessed relief to get together once again. Being with another person and playing music together is a completely different headspace than anything else in the world. It's different from playing sports, it's different from being a co-worker, it's different from being a family member. It's different from being a spouse. It's a precious relationship. When you're with another person, communicating in an intuitive, impulsive, musical dynamic, there's nothing like it. When you're engaging in that, you're expanding joy. We've missed that. I know I've missed that!So, I'm very happy to announce that we're back up and running! And I'd like to personally invite you to join me at my upcoming Vai Academy 6.0, taking place August 4-8, 2022 at the Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa in beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada. To learn more / to register, please visit: http://www.vaiacademy.com/Each of my camps has had a theme that we focus on and the theme for Vai Academy 6.0 will be "Finding Your Note." Technique and all that stuff is great and there will be tons of it at the camp, but it's not everything. The question that I get more than any other is: "how do I find my own voice on the instrument?" It's a hard thing to discuss, because everybody has their own voice, whether they know it or not. So how do you recognize it? How do you exaggerate it? How do you expand it? How do you make it yours and surrender to it? How do you evolve that unique voice so that you're completely you on the instrument? This camp will be focused on helping you to recognize your voice and then cultivate it to the point where you become completely comfortable with it.I think there's a very special pull to this instrument. When you love the guitar – the way it feels in your hands, the way it sounds when you're playing – there's almost like a sense of nostalgia. When I was a kid, that feeling of enjoyment and happiness and connectedness with the instrument was probably stronger than any other time in my life because I had zero obligations, zero pressure, and zero stress about playing. My hope is that this camp helps to rekindle or cultivate that feeling, because that's the chemistry that's needed to evolve on the instrument. To find yourself on the instrument. To find your note.There's a note inside of you that sings. It's very clear. It's a very comfortable place. It's a very joyful place. When you're playing your instrument, and you're connected to your note, your playing flows beautifully and transparently. There's no fear in it, there's no concern. There's just a pure expression of freedom, of real enjoyment and enthusiasm, where that nostalgic sweet spot can truly be embraced.This is actually what it's really about. Most people think, "how are you going to make a living?" Well, it's a completely mistaken premise that success equals happiness. It can. Absolutely. But it is not the answer. Happiness is something that you feel when you're engaging in your purpose.It's not just me up there – we have all these incredible teachers that are giving multiple kinds of classes throughout the day. Every year we've had an extraordinary group of celebrity teachers come in and this year is no different. All of these players have really contributed beautifully to the craft and to the industry in such diverse ways. They have also all been able to discover their own note and then play with it. So they're going to be speaking about that: How did they find their own voice on the instrument? It will be thrilling to have them there.We have always tried to create a unique family environment for Vai Academy, this diverse family of very cool fans that have all become friends. It will be great to see faces that I've come to recognize through the various camps and when I'm on tour. As usual, I'm going to do my best to play with everybody. That's my favorite part of the camp, I love it. It doesn't matter how proficient somebody is on the instrument, none of that matters at all. Because it's all about communication. It's all about being aware. Just listening and playing. I love doing that with everybody. It's quite a workout, but I love it.Creative freedom is something that everybody has – they just don't always know it. This camp is all about that. I'm very excited about Vai Academy 6.0, and I hope to see you there!-Steve Vai
Vai Academy 6.0
Inviolate Tour 2022
Hey Folks… Well, I didn’t realize how much I was missing touring, feeling that stage under my feet, swimming in the atmosphere of your vibe, and all those other delights of being with my band and traveling from city to city. So it gives me great joy to announce my upcoming “Inviolate” USA tour. We will be kicking it off in late January, 2022. Just looking at these tour dates invigorates me. I also so much enjoy the EVO (special packages) where I get to sit for an hour and chat with you in an intimate setting. Pre-sale begins tomorrow, so stay tuned and thank you for the support! I really am chomping on my whammy bar to get out there and feel your energy again.S.
Keep an eye on our tourdates page for dates and ticket links!
Inviolate Tour 2022
Patreon is live!
Hey folks, my new Patreon page is now live! This is no April Fool's joke, and for only $5/month you will get access to episodes of Alien Guitar Secrets, Under It All, Lift The Riff segments where I teach you short riffs to add to your repertoire, Naked Tracks for you to jam over, lessons from my book Vaideology, contests, and more! I'll be adding more content throughout the month, and I will be answering your questions on there as well. See you on Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/stevevai
In Episode 9, Steve discusses his recent surgeries, recuperation, and share tips on protecting ones’ hands, insights on avoiding injury, thoughts surrounding the importance of posture, and listening to one’s body.
He also presents a never-before-seen performance video of the new composition “Knappsack” on his Ibanez Onyx Black PIA guitar.
The recording will be available for digital download and on all streaming services globally March 12.
Alien Guitar Secrets 9, 12 noon PST
New song “Knappsack” is out now!
While recovering from surgery, Steve decided to write something for one hand only......
Stream/download it here: https://smarturl.it/knappsack
New song “Knappsack” is out now!
Steve to perform with Living Colour
Steve will be performing with Living Colour at the Sunset Stage in Rock in Rio Brazil September 2021.
Full details on tickets will follow.
Steve to perform with Living Colour
DiMarzio & The Green Meanie
DiMarzio released this beautiful digital booklet about Steve's Green Meanie guitar. It includes photo's made by Larry DiMarzio himself and our very own Mike Mesker. You can check it out here!
DiMarzio & The Green Meanie
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Exclusive Live Stream Interview with Legendary Guitar Virtuoso Steve Vai
Join the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a free exclusive live stream interview with legendary guitar virtuoso, songwriter and producer Steve Vai on wednesday, November 18th at 7 p.m. EST on the Rock Hall’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
Vai will discuss his career, current projects, and legacy, which is celebrated in the Rock Hall’s Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll exhibit. The program will be hosted by Andy Leach, the Rock Hall’s Senior Director of Museum & Archival Collections.
Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll showcases iconic instruments used in rock & roll that had a profound impact on the art form that forever changed music. On display in the exhibit is Vai’s “Bones” electric guitar that has a sharpened Stratocaster-style body, humbucking pickups, and a locking vibrato system, solidifying the “Superstrat” style of instrument that began with Eddie Van Halen’s “Frankenstein” guitar. Vai introduced a pronounced cutaway that allows access to all twenty-four frets on the fingerboard, a floating vibrato design, and his signature “monkey grip” handle in the guitar’s body. "Bones" was designed by Vai before he started working with Ibanez and is one of four original Jem prototypes. The exhibit is open through December 2020.
Vai has awed fans of all genres with his exceptional guitar skills and musicianship for decades. He has toured the world as a solo artist, as a member of G3, Generation Axe, and with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Frank Zappa, Inductee David Lee Roth (just after Roth left Van Halen), Alcatrazz, and Whitesnake—at the peak of its popularity. Vai’s full discography encompasses more than 60 albums, including many with Zappa, others from stints with Roth and Whitesnake, as well as live releases, collaborations, compilations, and orchestral works. Highlights include 1990’s groundbreaking Passion and Warfare, and 2007’s Sound Theories Vol. 1 & 2, performed with the Netherlands’ Metropole Orkest. More than three decades, over 15 million in album sales, and three GRAMMY® Awards later, Vai has proven himself, in his own right, to be one of the music’s true originals.
About the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Rock Connects Us. Our mission is clear: To engage, teach and inspire through the power of rock & roll. We share stories of the people, events and songs that shape our world through digital content, innovative exhibits, live music, and engaging programs. Join the millions who love it as much as you do. Experience us live or online – Visit rockhall.com or follow the Rock Hall on Facebook (@rockandrollhalloffame), Twitter (@rockhall), Instagram (@rockhall) and YouTube (youtube.com/rockhall). Long Live Rock!
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Exclusive Live Stream Interview with Legendary Guitar Virtuoso Steve Vai
King Edward
Feeling deep sadness and overwhelming appreciation.The appreciation and love for him is bigger though.Let’s take a minute and try to imagine our world if he never showed up.It’s unthinkable.Thank you King Edward. You are deeply loved and will be missed.
King Edward
Candle Power!
Hey Folks, Vai here. I wanted to challenge myself for my 60th birthday and decided to record a simple trio track. I gave myself some parameters to work within. I told myself I would use a Strat style guitar, (tougher for me to play then a Jem) use a very clean tone, (not conventional for me) no whammy bar, (that’s like losing a body part for me) and no pick, just fingers (way out of my comfort zone). I also had this idea for a particular type of riff that can only really be played on a guitar with no whammy bar. It’s a technique that I call “joint shifting." This is where you bend a note while fretting another, but I wanted to do this technique with a combination of double and triple stop single note bends while fretting other notes and releasing bends. After considerable experimenting, I discovered it created a unique sounding passage. You can hear this technique on a few sections of the song. I certainly hope other ambitious guitar player see the potential in this technique and take it to the moon! We shot this quick little video of me performing the track at my Harmony Hut studio. During this period, the world is slowly starting to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Many people are still facing challenges and are eager to find entertainment on the internet. I have seen the best come out in many people during this challenging time. When people join together with a common positive intention, the power surge they create within the collective is the healing element that is most needed. Like many little candles coming together to burn as bright as a star. I needed a title for the song, and with the above in mind, and the fact that it’s my 60th, I choose the title “Candle Power." We are even issuing a commemorative “Candle Power” candle in the new vai.com merch store that also comes with a high-quality download of the song. Enjoy!
Birthday Stream! Alien Guitar Secrets Epsiode 8, June 6th
Hey folks,
join me on June 6th at Noon PST for a special 60th Birthday Facebook Live Celebration Edition of Alien Guitar Secrets where I will be premiering a new song and video! This livestream is also to benefit Extraordinary Families, supporting children and youth in foster care.
Thanks!
Birthday Stream! Alien Guitar Secrets Epsiode 8, June 6th
Facebook Live Sessions
Hey Folks, I’ve been enjoying the two weekly Facebook Live sessions we’ve been holding. Our Tuesday at noon (PST) “Alien Guitar Secrets: Live” has been geared towards music, and guitar-related things, and our Thursday (noon PST) "Under It All: Hard Questions” sessions are focused on more esoteric principles, and I will perhaps not be playing the guitar in these episodes. Through the years, I occasionally get requests to talk about meditation, which is a subject I’ve been practicing through the years. So I thought it would be nice that for this Thursday’s "Under it All" session (April 9) I discuss concepts and practices of various meditations that may be helpful. Meditation is the practice of focusing the power of your attention. At one level, when we are engrossed in something such as the creative process, playing an instrument, etc. it’s a form of meditation in the realm of doing. Understanding some of these principles can be very helpful in the creative process. The deeper forms of meditation are focused on discovering the true reality of what you are directly. If you feel this kind of discussion may be of interest to you, please join us.
You can find the archives of past live sessiosn right here on Vai.com under 'Live Podcasts' and you can choose Alien Guitar Secrets and Under It All
Facebook Live Sessions
Live Alien Guitar Secrets And Under It All on Facebook!
Greetings Folks,
We hope everybody is staying safe during this challanging times! Lockdown can be tough, so Steve decided to do some live Alien Guitar Secrets Facebook streams.
Be sure to check out Steve's Alien Guitar Secrets each Tuesday at Noon EST, where Steve discusses guitar and music related things.
And each Thursday at Noon EST, Steve will answer the Hard Questions in Under It All, going a bit deeper...
Where: Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/stevevai/
Live Alien Guitar Secrets And Under It All on Facebook!
Steve’s Guitar Collection
The folks at @reverb came over to the Harmony Hut for a tour of my guitar collection!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyivuwYQhbw&feature=youtu.be
In June of 1980 I had just turned 20 years old and the next day moved to Los Angeles from New York, I found myself in the Zappa’s studio surrounded by these musical giants I had studied for some years. It all felt surreal. Every member of the crew seemed godlike. But there was one crew guy I met that seemed to stand out. He had a thick Austrian accent, quirky, funny mannerisms, seemed to know his shit bullet proof, and was favored by Frank. His name was Thomas Nordegg, the Austrian tech that supported Frank’s backline. He was kind, funny, and tolerant of my naiveté. He was always doing something that made Frank, and all of us laugh and his dedication to Frank and his work was supreme. Through the 3 years I spent touring with Frank, Thomas was always there. He was also documenting virtually every day on those Frank tours with whatever the most up to date piece of technology was available. Through the next 10 years or so I would see Thomas from time to time until one day the stars aligned, and he was available to tech for me on one of my early tours. That was perhaps 25 years ago and he’s been with me since.
I’ve had the privilege of working with some pretty outstanding guitar techs, but when Thomas hit my scene, there was a paradigm shift in the infrastructure of my technology accessibility. Thomas was, and still is, fiercely interested in new technology. His apartment is a marvel in and of itself. Even in the 80’s he had a system that would turn various things on and off just by clapping. Through the years he has built, and continues to add onto, what I would call the most comprehensive and mind-blowing guitar rig on the planet. He calls it “Sonica.” To experience Sonica is to feel as though you have dipped your fingers into the abyss of automatic thought sound manipulation. Honestly, to see and experience it would be the only way to understand the magnificent depth of it. It also takes up virtually his whole living room.One way I hear about new gear is through Thomas. He brings me some new device at least once a week and forces me to try it. And then he somehow incorporates it into my studio rig. I have never known anyone in this business as detail oriented and hard working as Thomas. He loves his work with a wild-eyed passion. He is the kingpin on raising the enjoyment bar of any touring atmosphere he is part of. He rides a scooter and can transport virtually my entire rig on it. Almost everything he does or says makes us laugh. And as far as being a good guitar tech, he is THE guitar tech.There is nothing more important to me than to know that when I hit the stage my back is covered, and Thomas is the absolute “high-priest” of guitar teching. He usually claims to be “the oldest guy in the building”, and usually is, but is also the hardest working. Somehow his strength and stamina dwarfs those half his age. He is absolutely the first guy there and the last to leave. He can go for days without sleeping and NEVER misses a beat nor complains. His work is his life and joy. He is an inspired guitar lover and has seen me perform more than anyone on the planet, and is also frighteningly honest with his critique, which is helpful for me. I can’t imagine how I would function on tour without him. But what I have discovered being of the greatest value is the friendship we have created over the years.Father Thomas, you are extraordinary, and we are grateful. Happy birthday my brother.With all the appreciation in my soul.
Happy Birthday Thomas!
Richard Peikoff
Hey Folks, Steve Vai here. One of my favorite things about being a musician in this grand industry is all the amazing artistic people I have met along the way. I’m constantly being exposed to super talents and some of them completely strike a golden nerve in my soul, and Richard Peikoff is one of them. From the first time I heard his mellifluous acoustic guitar playing, I had that feeling that I had uncovered a treasure. His playing is soulful, inspired and a very warm place to park your heart for a while. And another great pleasure I derive out of this music business is having the opportunity to share these fine finds with others that I feel may resonate within the same heart strings as myself, and Richards music is just that. Please check out this link to his new website and his music, and enjoy!S
Richard Peikoff
Extraordinary Families
Extraordinary Families has changed the lives of more than 2,000 children in foster care. Together, for 25 years, we’ve written powerful success stories like this…
Chris and Jordan started their journey to parenthood after 11 years of marriage. Agreeing to foster one child, the universe had other plans for them. After receiving a call about two young boys, Joey and Jonathan, they knew they had enough love to welcome both brothers into their home. While preparing for their adoption a year later, they learned that the boys had a baby sister, Samantha, who also needed care. Surprising even themselves, they immediately said yes to keeping the siblings together. All three now share their “gotcha” day on December 5 when they became a forever family!
"Having children opened up a chamber of our hearts that we never knew existed. We couldn’t imagine our family any other way.”
Chris and Jordan did more than they thought they could when they opened their lives to provide a home for three children in need. Consider doing something unexpected too, and give the gift of home to children like Joey, Jonathan, and Samantha by making a donation to Extraordinary Families.
Our Year-End Campaign goal is simple. We want to provide homes for 200 children and youth in foster care in 2020. To reach this ambitious goal, we ask you to join us and make a contribution today.
Thanks to the generosity of two separate donors who have given a matching gift of $25,000, we have a unique opportunity to have your gift of $25, $50, $100 or more doubled if you give now!
Thank you, and best wishes for joyous holiday season,
PS – Make your gift by December 31 and it will be matched by two generous donors!
PPS – To make a year-round impact, register Extraordinary Families as your charity of choice when shopping at smile.Amazon.com. It’s quick and easy and makes a huge difference!
Extraordinary Families
STEVE VAI: An Earth Dweller’s Return
Very excited to announce "STEVE VAI: An Earth Dweller's Return" - A solo exhibition of my artwork and custom painted guitars at Fathom in Los Angeles! On view Dec 7 - Jan 4 with a special Artist's Reception taking place on December 14! http://bit.ly/stevevaigalleryshow
STEVE VAI: An Earth Dweller’s Return
Stillness in Motion Blu-Ray out today
Hey folks,
Today we are releasing the blu-ray version of Stillness in Motion, which has the concert in Blu-Ray, the "Space Between The Notes" tour documentary and the Audio CDs.
The bundle package includes Stillness in Motion Hot Sauce (and there will be a different Hot Sauce for each re-release, so collect them all!), T-Shirt, and pick.
Get them through our Webstore!
Stillness in Motion Blu-Ray out today
Pledge Music
Hey Folks, Steve here... I just wanted to let you all know that in regards to the Gen Axe PledgeMusic campaign, Gen Axe management has been working to acquire and verify records detailing who ordered what, what has been fulfilled to date and what still needs to be fulfilled for the Gen Axe and Jamathon campaigns. Gen Axe is still owed a huge sum of money from PledgeMusic that we assume will never be paid out, so like you and many other artists and their fans who are facing this same problematic situation, we feel robbed as well. All of your money is unfortunately still with Pledge and did not make it to us for the purpose of fulfilling your orders. At this time Gen Axe management is working on some kind of solution or partial solution for the people who have graciously contributed to the ill-fated Pledge campaign.
In regards to those who have supported the “Big Mama-Jama Jamathon” Pledge campaign, I can promise you that I will be fulfilling the Jamathon orders at my own personal expense as soon as we get all of the accounting done and I finish mixing the albums. I truly appreciate everyone who supported both of these campaigns. Thanks for your patience. Stay tuned for more info on all of this soon. In the meantime, I can't wait for all of you to hear the recently finished Gen Axe Live album! Thank you.
Pledge Music
Recording update 3.3.19
Working on a new riffing concept I call "joint shifting" for a song that has a working title called "Candle Power" (the name will probably change). This is where various notes on various frets are stretched while other notes in the chord are held. It requires a whole new set of brain and finger muscles that utilize finger independence. For me it's very difficult but the resulting sound is unique. I had to work a week to get even 8 bars of this technique to sound the way I imagined it. The challenge is the finger strength that's necessary and the independence of moving various finger joints that seem attached to other fingers. It's a little mind boggling at first. Plus, it wreaks tremendous havoc on your fingertips. I thought my calluses were in good shape until I started working on this. Now they are all torn up and throbbing, but for some reason that always feels good to me. Feels sort of like accomplishment. I'm very eager for people to hear this and hope that some players are moved enough by this technique to take it to a whole new level. In my minds eye and ear I can imagine a piece of music consisting of the heavy use of these joint shifts. I'm sure there are players out there that are doing this, I just haven't seen any. I know that it would create a melodic movement that doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard. Please... go for it!
Recording update 3.3.19
Update March 27
I've been thinking about these records for quite some time. I enjoy creating parameters to work within at times and for these records I decided to only use a trio with no guitar overdubbing, meaning that all guitar takes would consist of one guitar. But I also wanted to experiment with looping in ways that can fill out the track at times. I started to imagine some of the things I wanted to do with looping and started to look for a looper that might be able to do what I was envisioning. None of the conventional loopers would do it and some people pointed me in the direction of Ableton. I didn't know anything about this program but I took some online classes and hired this very amazing gal, Laura Escude, who is an absolute Ableton wizard, to teach me the program. I explained to her what I wanted to do and asked if it was possible, and she said yes! Yesterday she showed me how to do it and now my imagination is bursting.
Update March 27
Recording update..
Just trying to chip away at the guitar parts. Very many distractions.Candle Power/My Name is Mud
Recording update..
Recording update..
Woke up this morning and was hit by a wave of reality when it dawned on me how much work is involved with this project. But then I thought, "hey... what am I here for". And jumped out of bed. It takes 4-5 hours every day to take care of business, work out, bla bla bla. then I'm in the studio hot seat. The chops are being stubborn and my fingertips are throbbing a bit because the calluses have not had a chance to harden. I like the pain though. Feels like progress. Right before bed, I picked up the guitar ans started playing this very cool riff I am calling "Loving Matilda" as a working title. Today I chipped away at Candle Power a little bit and started getting "My Name is Mud" under my fingers.Song: Candle Power/My Name is Mud
Recording update..
Recording update
This is the first entry. I've been conceptualizing this record for quite some years now. I took a break from playing for a few weeks to fast out old ideas and let news ones come to the surface. I've spent time over the last 3 years pulling together tons of snippets of ideas from the infinity shelf. The goal is to create 3 instrumental guitar records that are trio based, with no overdubs, but using complex looping at times. I'm not sure how all of it will end up turning out but I'm diving in head first and just hunkered down in the studio to start playing again last week. My fingers are a bit behind the curve and I'm going to be focusing on getting them back up to speed this next few weeks. I'm so excited about this whole idea. I know many of the folks that have been following the music through the years are attracted to the guitar playing and these records will focus heavily on that. Join the journey with me!Song: Candle Power
Recording update
Vaideology
I’ve written a comprehensive music theory book for guitar players. It’s called “Vaideology: Basic Music Theory for Guitar Players” and it contains all the basic, and some very advanced, music theory that can stand as a powerful foundation for a lifetime of understanding the language of music. You can purchase it at SteveVaiStore.com. Enjoy
Vaideology
Piano Reductions Vol II
Piano Reductions Vol II continues the tradition of inspired solo piano performances of songs from my catalog. This Volume is performed by the truly amazing virtuoso Miho Arai. She has delicately, and at times tremendously aggressively delivered these performances with focus and passion. Enjoy. https://www.vai.com/pianoreductionsvol2
Piano Reductions Vol II
An Invitation from Steve Vai
It’s that time again! I’m very excited to invite you all to join me at Vai Academy 5.0, taking place July 29 – August 2, 2019 at The Mansion at Glen Cove on Long Island in Glen Cove, NY not far from where I grew up in Carle Place. I was a teenager on Long Island in the 70’s and it was an amazing place to grow up. New York City wasn’t far, nor was The Hamptons. Living in California is nice, but I’m one of those guys that pines after the seasons so growing up on Long Island was pretty magical. Summertime is especially beautiful so I’m already looking forward to it.Vai Academy 5.0 will include all of the things we usually offer – a myriad of classes with outstanding teachers, study and discussions on technique and theory, and of course, my own metaphysical meanderings that I believe are at the core of the transformation you are capable of with your instrument. But this year, the theme of the camp is “Sound Sculpting,” and we will be diving deep into the quality of the tone that comes out of your amp, focusing heavily on signal path and the use of FX. Signal path is integral to the quality of your tone. The way the signal comes out of your guitar, and goes into various stomp boxes, and then into your amp, alters tremendously based on the FX you use and the order in which they are plugged in. There will be discussions on the most effective signal path, when to use a digital or analog FX, how the FX loop actually works, how various FX work and the terminologies of FX perimeters when programming. It’s a vast field that many guitarists don’t quite understand, even though it’s integral to their sound.At my last camp, I personally taught more classes than ever before. I really enjoy speaking to the campers so that will continue at Vai Academy 5.0. We will also have a number of other extremely competent artists around to offer their wisdom and tips. The other teachers I’ve invited are all accomplished in their field, although that does not necessarily mean they need to be famous to be effective teachers. Of the utmost importance is that they are able to teach in a way that encourages and inspires the students to expand their own tools for the discovery and manifestation of their own uniquely creative visions. Having said that, we certainly do have some “famous” artists joining us.One thing that I think makes Vai Academy so special is that I jam with each and every attendee. This might be my favorite aspect of the camp. Connecting with another person on a musical level is an intimate space I love embracing. We musicians are always learning something on some level, and I believe I learn something every time I jam with a student, no matter what level they are at. I can make music with someone even if they show up with a dime and a rubber band.This is our fifth Vai Academy, and I’m so appreciative of how it has grown and evolved over the past five years. At the end of every camp we send out a questionnaire to those that attended, with very specific questions regarding what they liked, didn’t like, what they would like to see more of, etc. We really listen to what they tell us so hopefully this next camp will be our best yet. There’s a diverse group of people that attend, all at different levels of proficiency, with different understandings of music and the music business. We try to keep things at a level that is helpful for all, and the way we go about doing that is continuing to evolve at every camp.I know I’m personally looking forward to Vai Academy 5.0. Hope to see you all there!Steve Vai
Visit www.vaiacademy.com for more information!
An Invitation from Steve Vai
Final Jamathon Auctions
Hey Folks, Steve here. The “Big Mama-Jama Jamathon” was a wonderful success on many fronts, and at this time we would like to wrap up the final auction items to raise those funds for Extraordinary Families. These guitars were signed by many of the performers who graced the stage at the Jamathon live event! http://bit.ly/Jamathon
Final Jamathon Auctions
Handpainted Guitars…
When I started doodling with art, I decided to paint a few Jem bodies and the colorful guitar I used in the “Dark Mater” video was one of them.
I’ve painted 4 guitar bodies so far. Two were Ibanez Strat style guitars I did some years ago for the “Experience Hendrix” tour.
One of them, “Girly”, is used quite a bit on tour these days. It’s tuned down a whole step so I use it on songs like “Gravity Storm", and "John the Revelator".
The other one is “Cherry Blossoms” and was raffled off on the Story of Light tour for charity. Someone won it for a dollar, but we raised about $15k for the “Make A Noise Foundation”.
S.
Also shown below is the guitar used in the Dark Matter video, and another Jem called "Be With the Note".
[foogallery id="21970"]
Handpainted Guitars…
Dark Matter Official Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aINCu8CoTA&feature=youtu.be
Hey Folks, Steve here. Enjoy this little video adventure we made for “Dark Matter”, a track from Modern Primitive where I get to steam punk out a bit. http://bit.ly/SteveVaiDarkMatterThe idea was to create an alien type landscape where each band member was filmed at a different speed and then brought together in various shots. I had to learn the song backwards! This left me knowing the future for a few days after the shoot, and I discovered all is well.s
Dark Matter Official Music Video
Big Mama-Jama Jamathon Auction Updated.
Hey Folks, Steve here. THANK YOU to all who played, donated, and made the first ever Big Mama-Jama Jamathon such a huge success! The amount of amazing donations from incredible artists from all over the world has exceeded our expectations! And because of the amount of items donated, including a few recent additions, we are extending the auction through to Sunday, October 14 at 8pm pst! Go to http://hyperurl.co/JamathonAuction to see what you can bid on and win now! All proceeds benefit the amazing charity Extraordinary Families.
We are also running a Pledge campaign that contains Branded Jamathon Merchandise, audio recordings from the event, some of my signed guitars, and other things we know you might be interested in. To check it out please visit http://hyperurl.co/JamathonPledge
Big Mama-Jama Jamathon Auction Updated.
Steve jams on Good Day LA, talks Big Mama Jama Jamathon
STEVE VAI ANNOUNCES FIRST ROUND OF GUESTS PERFORMING AT
“THE BIG MAMA-JAMA JAMATHON” IN LOS ANGELES SEPT. 28-30th
WHERE THE MUSIC WON’T STOP FOR 52 CONSECUTIVE HOURS
Dave Navarro, Moby, Dweezil Zappa, Al Di Meola, Steve Morse, Lee Ritenour, and Andy Vargas and Souleros Among The First To Commit To Performing At The Event
Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai will host and serve as the musical director for “The Big Mama-Jama Jamathon," a 52-hour long open musical event that takes place Sept. 28-30 at Musician’s Institute’s new venue LiveHouse in Los Angeles. Order exclusive merchandise, CDs, vinyl, unique artwork and more to support this worthy cause! Check out details and purchase tickets for the event at jamathon.org
The Big Mama-Jama Jamathon Pledge Campaign.
Webstore: Labor Day Sale. 20% to 40% off.
We will be having a labor day sale on our Vai.com Webstore, from Aug 31st to Sept 3rd.
20% off any purchase
30% off orders over $60
40% off orders over $120
Some items are excluded.
Webstore: Labor Day Sale. 20% to 40% off.
STEVE VAI ANNOUNCES “THE BIG MAMA JAMA JAM-A-THON,” SEPT. 28-30
STEVE VAI ANNOUNCES “THE BIG MAMA JAMA JAM-A-THON,” SEPT. 28-30 AT MUSICIANS INSTITUTE IN LOS ANGELES — WHERE THE MUSIC WON’T STOP FOR 52 CONSECUTIVE HOURS
100% OF PROFITS TO BENEFIT LEADING NONPROFIT FOSTER FAMILY ADOPTION AGENCY EXTRAORDINARY FAMILIES
VERY SPECIAL GUEST ARTISTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JAM — LIVE-STREAMED WORLDWIDE IN ITS ENTIRETY
LOS ANGELES, CA — Steve Vai has announced he will host and serve as the musical director for “The Big Mama Jama Jam-a-thon" — an open, improvisational music/art event where the music doesn’t stop for 52 hours — to be held Sept. 28-30, 2018 at Musicians Institute’s brand new venue, LiveHouse, in Los Angeles, California. The jam-a-thon will mark the public grand opening of LiveHouse. 100% of the profits raised will benefit Extraordinary Families, a leading nonprofit foster family, adoption agency in the Los Angeles area dedicated to improving the daily lives of children and youths in foster care.
Various professional musicians to be announced (including many of Vai’s friends) and novice musicians, along with celebrities, painters, poets, magicians, visual artists, speakers and other creative performers from all genres are invited to support each other in an “in-the-moment,” continuous 52-hour jam featuring non-stop music and other creative activity. Vai will be center stage for the majority of the event and will be directing the band and jammers in an impromptu setting.
The festivities, which will commence on Friday, Sept. 28 at Noon Pacific and conclude at 4:00 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, Sept. 30, will be streamed live worldwide via www.jamathon.org, www.vai.com, and Steve’s official Facebook page, alongside other outlets including websites, social media, and cable TV stations. The website www.jamathon.org includes more specifics about the jam-a-thon and outlines various ways to be involved and donate to Extraordinary Families.
“I currently serve on the board of Extraordinary Families and let me tell you, these folks are extraordinary, and do vital work for families and children in L.A.,” said Steve Vai. “It is such an honor to be involved with this organization, and to host something like this that will benefit so many children and families. ‘The Big Mama Jama Jam-a-thon’ will be a ton of fun and a place where anything can happen — expect quite a wild ride!”
“Our organization is so fortunate to have such extraordinary and dedicated supporters who have demonstrated a long-standing commitment as role models for children and youth in foster care,” said Sarah Boone, Chief Executive Officer of Extraordinary Families. “And we welcome more supporters to be someone who matters to someone who matters.”
Stig Mathisen, Chair of the Guitar Program at Musicians Institute (MI) added: “MI is very honored to team up with Steve Vai and Extraordinary Families for this unique charity event and important cause, bringing together the world of music academia and the music industry, benefitting families that are doing an incredibly important job of providing support for children and youth in foster care.”
Entry to the jam-a-thon can be purchased here. Wristbands (good for 4-hour blocks of time) are for sale for $50 on a first-come, first-served basis (these will also be available at the door if spots remain available). Individuals interested in taking to the stage to participate in the jam can purchase and secure a slot on the jam (approximately 10 minutes in duration) during the hours of Midnight PDT to 7 p.m. PDT on Saturday, Sept. 29 and Midnight PDT to 3 p.m. PDT on Sunday, Sept. 30. 100 pre-purchased slots will be made available and guaranteed for a donation of $100 each, while they last. On-site stage participation passes can be purchased for $150 if schedule and space allows but advance registration is encouraged. Beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and simple munchies will be made available to purchase in the venue.
Auction items plus other unique and fulfilling opportunities to donate to Extraordinary Families will be available online at www.jamathon.org and at various times throughout the live webcast.
About Steve Vai:
A virtuoso guitarist, visionary composer, and consummate producer who sculpts musical sound with infinite creativity and technical mastery, Steve Vai has awed fans of all genres with his exceptional guitar skills and musicianship for decades. At age 12, he started taking guitar lessons from Joe Satriani. At 18, he began his professional music career transcribing for, and then playing with, the legendary Frank Zappa. More than three decades, over 15 million in album sales, and three GRAMMY® Awards later, Vai has proven himself, in his own right, to be one of music’s true originals.
Vai’s work has been recognized with a long list of awards and honors, including over 15 from Guitar Player magazine alone. His career accomplishments have earned him honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music and Musicians Institute. The 2016 Long Island Music Hall of Fame inductee was voted the 10th “Greatest Guitarist” by Guitar World magazine and consistently lands among the best in various lists of the top guitarists of all time. In 2012, the TEC Foundation honored him with the prestigious Les Paul Award, created in 1991 to salute those who have set the highest standard of excellence in the creative application of technology (past winners include Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, and Bob Clearmountain).
Vai has toured the world as a solo artist (including many performances backed by an orchestra), as a member of G3 and Generation Axe (with Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi), and with Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth (just after Roth left Van Halen), Alcatrazz, and Whitesnake—at the peak of its popularity. Vai’s full discography encompasses more than 60 albums, including many with Zappa, others from stints with Roth and Whitesnake, as well as live releases, collaborations, compilations, and orchestral works. Two of Vai's landmark recordings are 1990’s groundbreaking Passion and Warfare, and 2007’s Sound Theories Vol. 1 & 2, performed with the Netherlands’ Metropole Orkest. As an accomplished audio producer, Vai has written, produced, and engineered all of his solo albums, and released many via Favored Nations Entertainment, his own independent record label that has also released over 70 albums by legendary musicians such as Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Lukather, Eric Johnson, Billy Sheehan, Larry Carlton and many more.
For more information, please visit www.vai.comAbout Extraordinary Families:
Over 20,000 children and youth are currently in L.A. county’s child welfare system and are in need of safe loving homes. An average of 1,000 young adults age out of the system every year and are still in need of critical resources and support. Extraordinary Families finds families for children in foster care, and provides employment services, education planning, resource coordination, and mentoring to foster youth transitioning to out of child welfare and into adulthood.
Extraordinary Families’ mission is to help children and youth in foster care to have the childhoods and futures they rightfully deserve. The organization’s vision is that every child, youth, and family in child welfare will have the ability to achieve their hopes, fulfill their dreams, and thrive. Extraordinary Families was formed in 2015 with the merger of two robust nonprofits: Southern California Foster Family and Adoption Agency (SCFFAA) with a 20-year history of direct fost/adopt services, and Child Welfare Initiative (CWI) founded in 2007 to advance advocacy and policy initiatives.
For more information, please visit www.ExtraordinaryFamilies.orgAbout Musicians Institute:
Located in the heart of Hollywood, California, Musicians Institute (MI) is a world-renowned music college dedicated to inspiring artistic and academic excellence while preparing students for careers in the music and entertainment industry.
Musicians Institute provides an innovative education that prepares graduates for creative and professional careers in the contemporary music industry. MI is dedicated to providing comprehensive instruction, facilities and other resources to support and inspire artistic and professional accomplishment. MI connects students to the global music industry with all the tools they need to enhance their careers and pursue their artistic dreams.
More information about Musicians Institute can be found at www.mi.eduAbout LiveHouse on the Musicians Institute Campus (the venue for the event):
As a welcoming, multi-purpose, arts-centered, community-rooted venue in the heart of Hollywood, Musicians Institute’s newly built LiveHouse is an 11,000 square-foot music venue, student lounge, and dance studio, all under one roof.
The 300-person capacity venue incorporates a 700 square-foot stage with state-of-the art sound equipment, lights, hi-def LED wall, and broadcasting abilities alongside a greenroom with its own shower and load-in dock.
As aptly noted, this will be “The Venue missing in L.A.”
The Big Mama Jama Jamathon will be the first public event held in LiveHouse.
STEVE VAI ANNOUNCES “THE BIG MAMA JAMA JAM-A-THON,” SEPT. 28-30
Steve to perform with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Steve will be performing with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra on November 2nd in Birmingham, AL. during the Sound Edge Festival.
The concert will take place at the UAB's Alys Stephens Center - Jamison Concert Hall.
The ASO is thrilled to perform with guitarist, composer, and producer Steve Vai, who “has awed fans of all genres with his exceptional guitar skills and musicianship.” Carlos Izcaray calls Vai, “...the Paganini of electric guitar, an artist whose total mastery of the instrument has redefined his craft. His visionary approach transcends any musical genre, and it provides a sound world with infinite possibilities, one that matches perfectly with a full symphony orchestra.”
Tickets will go on sale on August 7th. Please stay tuned on Vai.com for ticket links.
Below is the press release for this special event:
Alabama Symphony Orchestra Presents: Steve Vai
(Birmingham, AL) – The Alabama Symphony Orchestra presents a collaboration with virtuoso guitarist and Grammy award winner Steve Vai on November 2, 2018.
The ASO is thrilled to perform with Grammy Award winning guitarist, composer, and producer Steve Vai, who has awed fans of all genres with his exceptional guitar skills and musicianship for decades. The 2016 Long Island Music Hall of Fame inductee was voted the 10th “Greatest Guitarist” by Guitar World magazine and consistently lands among the best in various lists of the top guitarists of all time.
Carlos Izcaray, ASO Music Director, says, “Steve Vai is the Paganini of electric guitar, an artist whose total mastery of the instrument has redefined his craft. His visionary approach transcends any musical genre, and it provides a sound world with infinite possibilities, one that matches perfectly with a full symphony orchestra.”
This program is a special event of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra’s 2017-2018 Season. Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 9:30am and start at $25. Discounts are available for groups. To purchase tickets, visit us online at alabamasymphony.org, in person at 1200 10th Ave. South, Birmingham, or call 205.975.2787
About the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Since its founding in 1921, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra has grown to become the state’s premier performing arts organization and only full-time professional orchestra. The ASO inspires, entertains, and provides vital programming to the residents of the state, serving nearly 100,000 people yearly throughout Alabama through concert series, youth programs, and educational and community engagement efforts to fulfill our mission of changing lives through music. The ASO works to produce creative, dynamic programming and to be recognized as an artistically innovative leader in the field.
About Steve Vai
Steve Vai is a virtuoso guitarist, visionary composer, and consummate producer who sculpts musical sound with infinite creativity and technical mastery. Vai has awed fans of all genres with his exceptional guitar skills and musicianship for decades. At age 12, he started taking guitar lessons from Joe Satriani. At 18, he began his professional music career transcribing for, and then playing with, the legendary Frank Zappa. More than three decades, over 15 million in album sales, and three GRAMMY Awards later, Vai has proven himself, in his own right, to be one of music’s true originals.
Vai’s work has been recognized with a long list of awards and honors, including over 15 from Guitar Player magazine alone. His career accomplishments have earned him honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music and Musicians Institute. The 2016 Long Island Music Hall of Fame inductee was voted the 10th “Greatest Guitarist” by Guitar World magazine and consistently lands among the best in various lists of the top guitarists of all time. In 2012, the TEC Foundation honored him with the prestigious Les Paul Award, created in 1991 to salute those who have set the highest standard of excellence in the creative application of technology. Past winners of the Les Paul Award include Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Herbie Hancock, Steely Dan, and Bob Clearmountain. In bestowing it on Vai, TEC noted, “Steve Vai’s sheer breathtaking facility on the guitar is acclaimed in the rock world and beyond...Vai has dedicated his talents to creatively advance the language of music. While many artists fit easily into a single category, Steve Vai remains unclassifiable. He is a musical alchemist of the highest order.”
Vai has toured the world as a solo artist, as a member of G3, and with Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth (just after Roth left Van Halen), Alcatrazz, and Whitesnake—at the peak of its popularity. Vai’s full discography encompasses more than 60 albums, including many with Zappa, others from stints with Roth and Whitesnake, as well as live releases, collaborations, compilations, and orchestral works. Highlights include 1990’s groundbreaking Passion and Warfare, and 2007’s Sound Theories Vol. 1 & 2, performed with the Netherlands’ Metropole Orkest. Vai’s other orchestral compositions include “The Middle of Everywhere,” which had its world premiere in 2011 with the Noord Nederlands Orkest. The orchestra’s director, Marcel Mandos, said of Vai’s work, “Steve Vai’s music can easily compete with that of famous contemporary composers.”
As an accomplished audio producer, Vai has written, produced, and engineered all of his solo albums, and released many via Favored Nations Entertainment, his own independent record label that has also released over 70 albums by legendary musicians such as Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Lukather, Eric Johnson, Billy Sheehan, Larry Carlton and many more. For Vai, virtuosity and versatility are not mutually exclusive. He has created music for blockbuster films, bestselling video games, national sports franchises, and corporate brand initiatives.
In 2012, Vai embarked on an epic three-year tour spanning 253 engagements (including shows, concerts with various orchestras, & master classes) in 52 countries in support of his 16th solo album release, the critically acclaimed The Story of Light. Upon signing a multi-recording agreement with SONY Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings in 2015, Vai released Stillness In Motion - Vai Live in L.A., a 2-CD set and 2-DVD set, internationally. The multi-album deal marked an SME homecoming for Vai, who set the gold and platinum standard for instrumental rock music across a series of albums released through Relativity and Epic Records from 1990’s game-changing Passion and Warfare (his second album and first major label release) through 2007’s orchestral Sound Theories, Vol. I & II.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of his landmark album, Passion and Warfare — highly regarded as one of the greatest instrumental rock guitar recordings of all time — Vai released Modern Primitive/Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition in 2016. The release, which included previously unreleased material, was celebrated by a very special 100+ date world tour in which he performed the entire Passion and Warfare record live from top to bottom for the first time. Having conquered Europe and the U.S., the third leg of the Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour traveled to South America, Mexico, and Puerto Rico in May and June 2017.
In addition to his solo tour work, Vai is known for his creative live performances with orchestras around the world and for projects such as Vai Academy (his annual guitar camp), Alien Guitar Secrets master classes, and Generation Axe — a unique combination of five fiercely talented guitar players in which he currently tours internationally with Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, and Tosin Abasi.
Vai’s signature instruments include the Ibanez JEM guitar, which he designed in 1985 with first-of-its-kind features including the floating tremolo and the monkey grip. The JEM is now one of the longest running, most successful signature series guitars in history, and for over a decade its sister model—the RG—is second in worldwide sales only to the Fender Stratocaster. Also for Ibanez, Vai designed “The Universe,” the first commercial 7-string electric guitar. This instrument inspired a revolutionary metal subculture that started in the mid ’90s. Among his many other innovative collaborations with equipment manufacturers, he designed the Steve Vai Legacy V3 series of all-tube amplifiers with Carvin Corporation.
In the film realm, Vai has credits including Executive Producer for the acclaimed 2008 Hank Garland biopic Crazy, in which he also appears as Hank Williams. In the 1986 movie Crossroads, inspired by the legend of blues icon Robert Johnson, Vai appears as Jack Butler—“the devil's guitarist”—and collaborated with Ry Cooder on the music scenes.
In 1998, Vai established (with Ruta Sepetys) the Make a Noise Foundation to provide instruments and music education to young musicians without means. “Music educates the whole person as an integrated individual. It educates the mind, the senses, and the emotions,” says Vai. “Those interested in music should not have to sacrifice their ability to develop important skills and express emotions due to limited financial resources.”
Steve to perform with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Steve Vai and Tapiola Sinfonietta, Lauri Porra Flyover Ensamble
Helsinki Festival
Steve Vai (USA) w/ Tapiola Sinfonietta, Lauri Porra Flyover Ensemble
Monday 20.08.2018 klo 19:00
Huvila-teltta
Steve Vai is considered one of the best electric guitarists in the world – regardless of genre. Vai is known for his mind-blowing, fast and melodic solos and stylistically perfect guitar sound. He is also a showman through and through, whose gigs turn into fiery Events progressing with insane energy. Vai’s music melts progressive rock and metal into a red-hot euphoric mix.
During his long career, Vai has played with giants of rock ranging from Whitesnake and Ozzy Osbourne to Motörhead and Meat Loaf, won several Grammy Awards and sold over 15 million albums. Vai rose to fame in the late-1970s as a member of Frank Zappa’s band, which is likely the origin of his massive, genre-breaking ambition and inclination to think outside the box.
Lately Vai has been composing for various big bands and using classical orchestras. At Huvila Festival Tent, Vai is accompanied by a reinforced Tapiola Sinfonietta – the audience is in for a tent erupting with sound.
Th e evening’s opening act is a pioneer of modern progressive rock, Lauri Porra Flyover Ensemble. Headed by bassist-composer Porra, the band has cemented its place as one of the best live acts in Finland, receiving praise from both jazz and heavy metal enthusiasts.
Steve Vai and Tapiola Sinfonietta, Lauri Porra Flyover Ensamble
US Generation Axe tour 2018
STEVE VAI, ZAKK WYLDE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, NUNO BETTENCOURT & TOSIN ABASI TO STAGE SECOND NORTH AMERICAN GENERATION AXE TOUR32-Date Run Begins November 7 At The Fox Theater in Oakland, CA and Wraps December 18 At The Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA – General On-Sale Begins July 13
Los Angeles, CA --- The term “supergroup” gets thrown around on a regular basis these days, however, GENERATION AXE undisputedly brings together some of the greatest guitarists of all time. Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, and Tosin Abisi once again will join together to tour North America to stage 32 appearances across the country. Beginning on November 7 at the Fox Theater in Oakland, CA, the run will return to markets where the inaugural tour was celebrated and hit several new cities for the first time. The general on-sale goes live July 13.
Steve Vai offers, "The Generation Axe show is a unique performance of five fiercely talented guitar players coming together to create a 6-string extravaganza that is sure to amaze and delight.” Each tour stop will include a variety of collaborations by the five players, including everyone performing together as one cohesive band with a rhythm section including Pete Griffin (Dweezil Zappa, Stanley Clarke, Edgar Winter) on bass, Nick Marinovich (Yngwie Malmsteen) on keys, and JP Bouvet on drums. Vai, Wylde, Malmsteen, Bettencourt and Abasi will perform songs from their various catalogs and join forces on some well-known songs (as well as probably a few unexpected, unearthed gems). Vai shares, “The Generation Axe experience goes way beyond simply gathering five guitar greats on one stage to jam. The idea was to create a seamless show with one backing band and 5 completely accomplished and astonishing guitarists that take to the stage in various configurations, performing some of their solo music and merging together as cohesive co-creators of lushly orchestrated guitar extravaganzas. Guitar Jams like this can get really messy when there is no organization and my idea was to create parts for everybody to play in harmony and off each other so it’s not a mess of noise. This worked out remarkably well. There are places where everyone is playing together in wild harmony.”
Making this rare tour experience even more special, Generation Axe VIP packages will be offered, giving fans access to these guitars masters and exclusive one-of-a-kind memorabilia. A front row package (including a meet & greet), a meet & greet package, and a VIP tour package will be available. For more information, visit www.generationaxe.com.
Many artists fit easily into a single category, while Steve Vai remains unclassifiable. He is a virtuoso guitarist, visionary composer, and consummate audio producer who sculpts musical sound with infinite creativity and technical mastery. He is one of the most in-demand, versatile, eloquent and soulful guitarists in the business. The GRAMMY Award-winner has sold over 15 million albums and toured the world as a solo artist, a member of G3, and with Frank Zappa, Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. Vai launched his successful solo career with the release of Flex-Able in 1984 and has written, produced, and engineered all of his solo albums. He has appeared as a guest artist on more than 40 albums and created music for blockbuster films, best-selling video games, national sports franchises, and corporate brand initiatives. Vai has earned honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music and Musicians Institute. For more info, visit: www.vai.com.
GRAMMY Award-winner Zakk Wylde’s legendary career includes a lengthy tenure with Ozzy Osbourne in which Wylde co-wrote and recorded several albums, including the multiplatinum No More Tears, Osbourne’s largest selling solo album featuring the classic hit single, “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and the bulk of the double platinum 2002 set, Ozzmosis. With Osbourne, Wylde has played on countless world tours and television appearances, with his signature bullseye Les Paul in tow. Wylde has his mitts imprinted on Hollywood’s Rock Walk of Fame; guest-starred alongside Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston in the movie “Rockstar”; and even momentarily joined Axl, Slash and Duff in Guns N’ Roses. But nothing offers the pure expression of Zakk Wylde’s animalistic “id” like Black Label Society, the stomping, heavy, bluesy, recklessly unhinged hard-rock-metal quartet who are quick to rip up a solo as to dip into a piano-fueled anthemic ballad. For more info, visit: www.zakkwylde.com.
When Yngwie J. Malmsteen hit the scene in the early 80s, he turned the entire guitar world upside down. Never before was guitar playing like his ever heard. Drawing inspiration from his love for Baroque and Romantic classical music, Malmsteen employs classical violin techniques such as four and five octave arpeggios, pedal notes, and harmonic minor, diminished and Phrygian scales, flawlessly delivered at mind-boggling levels of speed and clarity. In doing so, he has singlehandedly created a brand-new style of guitar playing and composing that is still derived from today. In addition to having written and produced 35+ neoclassical rock albums, Malmsteen composed and orchestrated the "Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra,” which he recorded with the prestigious Czech Philharmonic in Prague, conducted by Yoel Levy of Atlanta Symphony fame. Malmsteen subsequently performed the piece live with the New Japan Philharmonic and the Taipei Symphony, among others. Malmsteen has received numerous Grammy nominations, hundreds of magazine covers, dozens of Reader's Poll and Composer of the Year Awards, a plaque on the Rock Walk of Fame, signature model guitars, amps, pickups, strings, picks, pedals, microphones, and more. TIME Magazine placed him as one of the top ten guitarists of all time. Some 35 years and 25 million+ album sales later, Yngwie shows no signs of slowing down. For more info, visit: www.yngwiemalmsteen.com.
Guitar virtuoso, singer-songwriter, and record producer, Nuno Bettencourt rose to international prominence as a guitar player with the GRAMMY-nominated, Boston-area band EXTREME, one of the most successful rock acts of the early to mid-1990s selling over 10 million records worldwide. Musically, EXTREME is dominated by Bettencourt’s blistering guitar riffs, often with funky, syncopated timing, and incendiary, high-speed rock/metal solos. Bettencourt penned the acoustic ballad “More Than Words” that went to #1 on the Billboard charts and “Hole Hearted” that reached #4. He has released multiple solo albums as well as with bands he founded including Mourning Widows Population 1, Dramagods and Satellite Party. Bettencourt has written, produced and performed with many legendary artists including Rihanna, Steven Tyler, Paul McCartney, Janet Jackson and many others. For more info: www.nunobettencourt.com.
Oluwatosin Ayoyinka Olumide Abasi, better known as Tosin Abasi, is a Nigerian American guitarist known as the guitar player and founder of the instrumental progressive metal band, Animals as Leaders. Abasi’s compositions of intricate music have garnered critical acclaim in a few short years. Abasi is part of the breed of new contemporary players who are raising the bar on the concept of electric guitar virtuosity. His approach to the guitar stems from a passion for advanced techniques and harmony. Using 7-, 8-, and 9-string guitars have allowed Abasi to create a highly unique and individual sound. For more info, visit: www.facebook.com/ animalsasleaders
Generation Axe - A Night of Guitars is produced by Copeland International Arts and is booked by CAA. For additional information visit: www.generationaxe.com.
Confirmed appearances include:
11/07 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
11/08 Anaheim, CA City National Grove
11/09 Las Vegas, NV The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
11/10 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre #
11/11 Albuquerque, NM El Rey Theater
11/13 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre – Denver
11/15 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theatre
11/16 Salina, KS The Stiefel Theatre
11/17 Tulsa, OK Brady Theater
11/18 Des Moines, IA Hoyt Sherman Theatre
11/19 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre
11/20 Grand Rapids, MI 20 Monroe Live
11/21 Detroit, MI Fillmore Detroit
11/23 Medford, MA The Chevalier Theater
11/24 Niagara Falls, NY The Rapids Theatre
11/25 Kitchener, ON Centre in the Square
11/27 Bethlehem, PA Sands Bethlehem Event Center
11/28 Port Chester, NY Capitol Theatre
11/29 Albany, NY The Palace Theatre
11/30 Atlantic City, NJ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City – The Theater
12/01 Rochester, NY Kodak Center for the Arts
12/03 Greensburg, PA The Palace Theatre
12/04 Westbury, NY NYCB Theatre at Westbury
12/05 Richmond, VA The National
12/08 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle
12/09 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
12/10 Davie, FL Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
12/11 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall
12/13 Austin, TX The Moody Theater
12/14 Dallas, TX The Bomb Factory
12/16 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex – Rockwell
12/18 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
# - Nuno Bettencourt not appearing
US Generation Axe tour 2018
In Memory of Joe “Jem” Despagni
It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Joe “Jem” Despagni had passed away on Tuesday May 29, 2018 in his sleep.Joe was not only an excellent luthier, he was a brilliantly creative, funny, considerate, and generous person. He was also perhaps my very best friend in this life. When we go through a loss like this, there’s an opportunity for the divine to shine through and I’ve been thinking about him constantly lately and as my mind and heart are filled with so many precious memories of our friendship, I feel great love and appreciation for him and the life we had together, and the amazing person he was. And of course, there’s the great pangs of loss. He will be profoundly missed by those who loved him.Some of you may know about my relationship with Joe and a bit about him, but here’s a little more. I remember Joe Despagni being in my life as long as I can remember remembering. We lived a block away from each other and it seems like we were always in each other life. I’m still processing the loss and as I do I’m flooded with memories of our life together and I would like to share a few.All the kids that grew up on my street were relatively well behaved, never got into trouble, never really did things we were not supposed to do, played sports, Monopoly, Risk, listened to music, etc. We were basically very simple. But two streets over was a completely different group of kids. They were good spirited but considered “greasers”, heavy metal rock and rollers, bikers, trouble makers, drinkers, smokers and drug takers. I split my time between the two groups and fit in well but was still a bit of a misfit in both groups. Joe was absolutely part of the greaser group and though he and I spent the most time together on our own, we would also hang out with our rocker friends and do things with them that greasy golden memories were made of.Joe had a brother Rob and a sister Carmela. They were younger, and I really liked them. We were like family in a way. Joe’s Mom and Dad were good people. They were pure Long Island Italian as my family was and his Mom was such the sweetie. She would cook for us occasionally. His Dad was funny and warm and good to us kids. Coming from an Italian family I understand how the household dynamics work. From an outsider’s point of view, it could look as though there was a lot of bickering going on inside the home, but in reality, that’s just the way we communicated. The love in these Italian families runs deep and strong.Joe owned the first guitar I ever played, a Hagstrom III and we would gather in his basement and take turns trying to figure it out. Joe and I spent most of our time together from the age of 12 to the time I left for Berklee college when I was 18. There’s no way to quantify the impact we had on each other’s lives. It’s a blessing to have a friend that you completely and utterly feel comfortable with, that you can share anything with because they understand you and don’t criticize you for anything. I’m fortunate in that I have had many friends like this in my youth and my life, but in those most formative teenage years, Joe was the closest.Through those years we grew together and made all those discoveries you make as an adolescent such as, music, girls, cars, bikes, drugs, life, independence, etc. Joe and I would have deep talks about everything. There was nothing we couldn’t say to each other. I have recordings of some of it. He was always kind, considerate and generous with even the simple things he had, and we were laughing most of the time. It felt like we both had a totally bizarre sense of humor that only the two of us understood.When I started to practice the guitar hours and hours in my bedroom, (age 13) Joe was there. Sometimes he would hang out while I practiced. Many hours were spent in the dark of the room playing chords for each other and telling the stories that those chords told us. Whenever I discovered a new riff on the guitar I was so excited to show it to Joe. We were both fascinated with what I could come up with after all the hours I was practicing, even if it was a rip off of a Hendrix lick.The first time I ever heard anybody use the word “shred” associated with a guitar was from Joe after we had discovered the first riff I could play that sounded fast and “shreddy”. We used the term constantly after that. Perhaps it’s possible that he was the first to coin that phrase?We discovered new music together, went to concerts and once we were old enough to get away with fake id (14 perhaps, the drinking age was 18 at the time) we started going to funky rock and roll dump bars on Long Island with our group of greaser friends. We would try not to miss going to shows by some of the Long Island elite bands when they played such as Twisted Sister, Zebra, Rat Race Choir, The Good Rats, etc.Our group of rocker friends liked partying, getting into trouble, hooking up with girls, smoking weed, (mostly cut with oregano) starting fights, riding motorbikes and just finding mischief whenever they could. This was in great contrast to the social activities of the “cleaner” group of kids that lived on my street… BIG contrast.Another turning point was when I joined the band “Rayge” at the age of perhaps 14 with some of the other rockers in our roving youth gang of a town. The band played, Zeppelin, Kiss, Bowie, Queen, Aerosmith and all that great rock music from the 70’s. We played all sorts of odd gigs like back yard parties, bars on Long Island, High school dances, parks, or anyplace that would have us. We had a built in rowdy audience in our large group of wild friends who all took part in virtually every show we ever played. Things usually seemed to really get heated up whenever we would play “Born to be Wild”. It was like a call to arms of destruction and teenage insanity whenever we played it. We would make it like 30 minutes long and it acted as a hysteria potion.It was so great to be a teenager on Long Island in the 70’s and playing in a rock band. Joe was there with me through it all, virtually every show, every rehearsal and all our spare time. Besides fixing my guitars when they broke, he was the band’s electronic and light show mastermind. He was in charge of the light show and he and I would sneak around the neighborhood at night and “borrow” flood lights from people’s properties which he used to build a make-shift lighting truss. We would go to JC Pennies and purchase these little rocket engines for these toy rockets they sold. They actually had flash powder in them and we would sit for days and peel the outer wrapping and gather all the flash powder for these flash pots he rigged that we would use at the shows when I would do my Jimmy Page impersonation with a violin bow. I would strike the guitar with the bow and when the echo came out, Joe would hit the flash pot. One time while doing a gig in our high school gymnasium, the flash pots malfunctioned and they all went off at once and singed my eyelashes off. This was miraculous fun. After the gig the entire gymnasium was thick with smoke and as it dissipated it left in its wake a pile of beer bottles, articles of clothing soaked in vomit, all sorts of odd debris, and a handful of passed out high school students.When I wrote my first orchestra score, “Sweet Wind from Orange County” when I was perhaps 15 or 16 years old, Joe was there to encourage me. He even did the art work for the cover of the score.We loved to eat… a lot. At times I weighed close to 200 pounds in high school.Joe and I would always save a few quarters after we bought beer on the weekends to purchase a few sticks of butter. We would stash the butter in the bushes before we went out for the night because in the middle of our town was a bakery that baked their fresh bread all night. When we would show up there after the nights festivities at around 3-4am, the bakery folks would give us a few loaves of freshly baked warm Italian bread. We would retrieve the butter stash and pig out! It was amazing.One night we got home to my house at around 4am and were pretty out of it. We were also quite hungry. I made one of my “famous” tuna melts. You mix the tuna with a ton of mayo and onions and then spread it out on a piece of bread, cover it with Velveeta cheese and melt it in the toaster oven. Pure delight, but in the morning, I asked my Mom if there was anything for lunch. She said there was a can of tuna in the cabinet. I told her Joe and I ate that last night. She said, “well, I saw it there yesterday, it’s next to the can of cat food”. That’s when I looked in the cabinet and to my surprise, the only can of anything in there was of tuna fish. Those were the best cat food cheese melts we ever had. There were many times when I learned things from Joe that had a tremendous effect on my perspective. I remember once when his girlfriend got a car I said to him, “This is great, now you can ask her if we can borrow her car to go out to the Hamptons this weekend” and he said, “Nah, that’s her car. I’m not going to be that guy”. This seemed simple enough, but it had a huge impact on me.I remember I purchased my first car from the singer in our group for $50. It was a Chevy Impala and had a totally blown engine and wouldn’t even start. Joe and I would just sit in it for hours at a time talking and imagining we had a real car.Eventually I received a hand-me-down Buick LeSabre from my parents that was on its last wheels. That car became our sanctuary. We went everywhere in it. It had no heating or AC but that didn’t matter.I believe the first place we drove to in that car was to get our first tattoos together. We started drawing these tattoos years before we got them. We would sit at the table in my kitchen and just draw. He was so much better at it than me. But we had finally decided what we wanted, and we went and got our first tattoos together.We were really into Harleys. All the older cool guys had one. My brother Roger had an amazing chopper. Joe and I would just fantasize about owning one. Then as fate would have it, Joe was hit by a car while crossing Glen Cove Road on his bicycle. He was OK… sort of, but there was an insurance settlement that he was eligible for on his 17th birthday. When that day came Joe received the money and immediately purchased my brothers 1200cc Harley chopper.It was like we hit the jackpot. We rode EVERYWHERE around Long Island on that bike. How we survived based on the things we did is still a phenomenon to me. Joe would stand on the seat with his arms out in an iron cross and ride through town. He was the only guy we knew that would ride his Harley barefoot. One time he came riding through town with his legs stretched out over the handlebars like he was relaxing and watching tv. In his mouth hung a cigarette, in one hand a beer, and in the other a handful of bottle rockets. He would drink the beer and light the bottle rocket with his cigarette and then discharge them at his unsuspecting victims while whizzing by them on his Harley.Although a big part of me was very rock and roll and “greaseresque”, in my heart of hearts I wanted to be a composer and a guitar player, and I wanted to further my studies by attending Berklee college of Music. This did not sit well with the band as we all had fantasies of going on to becoming a famous rock band. I just never felt that was a realistic thing because the whole idea of being that successful seemed so impossible to me. But I believe the band knew that I had different aspirations, so I was off with their blessing… I think.I was going to miss that little town, the band and our wild group friends, but I knew I was really going to miss Joe. But I also knew it was time for me to transition.Around the time I left for Berklee Joe started to get serious with his guitar building talents and started building guitars instead of just fixing them. We always stayed in contact and saw each other whenever we could.When I joined David Lee Roth’s band, Joe made me a bunch of guitars, the lightning bolt guitar, swiss cheese guitar, the flame guitar, and a handful of others. His approach to making guitars was similar to his approach to other things which was insightful, bombastic, seemingly haphazard but with a creative panache that captured his personality and intentions. The guitars he made for me were best suited as stage guitars. They were bold and exotic looking in a way only he could muster.He hand-made me the one and only original “Flame” guitar that I used quite a bit with Roth and Whitesnake. I used the guitars he made me periodically through those years. Several were stolen from a storage locker in Pasadena while I was rehearsing with Roth.Joe called his guitars “Jems” and one of the reasons I named my signature Ibanez guitar the “Jem” was in hopes to bring some attention to him and his work. The early guitars he made me bore no real resemblance to the Jem I designed for Ibanez, but Joe was the first one I asked to put a monkey grip in one of my guitars.He made such odd and inventive instruments. I still have some. He even made me a beautiful instrument a few years ago. Making these wild instruments was Joe’s passion and he did it with much joy and brilliance. His specialty was animated type flames. He just had a way of understanding certain things such as electronics, handy crafts, etc. He was just great at it all.Joe was always surprising us with his inventive work but perhaps the most outstanding thing about Joe Despagni was the size of his heart. He was just a really good, fun and easy guy. He had a particular integrity that helped to fill in so many of my blanks. He was tremendously supportive of me through my entire life.As I sit and write this I’m completely in awe at all the absolutely amazing life experiences we had, the things we did, the places we went, the secrets we shared. Only a very small amount of these adventures is written about here. We knew each other better than anyone. And though my heart is heavy I can’t be more grateful to the Universe for Joe and I having each other in this life. I’m blessed with many best friends in life, from different situations, towns, times, etc. but as mentioned, there’s something about that one person that you have through those teenage years that’s just a little different. Someone that was a blessing in your life.If not for my relationship with Joe Despagni, Steve Vai the guitar player and the Ibanez Jem would most certainly not be as they are known today. Joe really was a game changer for me and I loved him so much, and still do. I love thinking about him and our crazy youthful days and when I do that, in a way, he’s even closer to me than when he was among us in the flesh.Here’s to you my dear friend. Thank you for who you were and all we had.Steve VaiJune 1, 20186:57 PMLos Angeles
Added: 23 July 2018
Hey Folks,
When I was growing up with Joe Despagni, there was a small group of us (maybe 3-4 at times) that were ultra close. One of those folks, a very very dear friend, had written this insightful reminiscent of Joe and she and I agreed to post it here for those who were interested in getting a little deeper view of what our good buddy Joe was about. Enjoy!
Remembering JOE DESPAGNI
The first time my mother met Joe he had come by when I wasn't home. When I got home my mother said, "This black thing with chains came to the door asking for you?!!!” I knew it was Joe.
Joe was a great driver. Joe always stopped whatever he was doing (drinking) to drive me home so my father wouldn't kill me. He'd be drunk but his driving was always impeccable.
We drove around a lot. SO MUCH FUN JUST DRIVING AROUND.
Joe would drop me off around the corner from my house when we were on his bike. My father hated motorcycles. It was funny! I'd walk in and my father would sometimes ask "Were you on a motorcycle? I heard a motorcycle!!" I'd tell him it was a Volkswagen. Pop never figured out how the different engines sounded, but I can still tell em apart to date!
Us in the Impala doing doughnuts in parking lots after it snowed. Joe taught me how to turn into a spin out on snow in a parking lot. Inviting kids to bumper hitch while driving down the main drag of Carle Place - sent one kid head first into a snow bank. HA
Drinking outside during the winter when we were underage, Joe would only wear one glove - on his beer-holding hand.
The layers of tee shirt, cut-off denim jacket, then black leather jacket. Joe had the quintessential biker look. BLACK BOOTS.
Joe actually tried to teach me how to drink beer in the bus parking lot at Rushmore. He was inspiring. I had trouble with the bubbles but wanted to drink with him very much.
Joe doing a beer shooter at the Beverage Barn then kind of barfing with beer foam coming out his nose. HA
Singing with Joe - lots of Zappa.
Going to Joe's house where his sweet mom would always make us the best coffee (instant, I think, with cream) and feed us great her great cooking.
Joe so drunk and falling down that some guys wedged him between two telephone poles outside the Carvel ice cream store where I worked.
Joe and I riding on the 74 police special he bought from Roger, in the middle of winter. Me wearing my mother's old beaver coat and old, round sunglasses. Joe in biker layers of denim and leather. Wish I had a picture of that...
Meeting up at Steve's. Singing notes under Steve's direction to help him with what he was composing. Going out, sans Steve, to party till like 4 am, then back to Steve's where he'd still be playing guitar.
Ran out of gas far from home; kinda lost, like 2 am, in a creepy place, I think in front of a cemetery. Joe and Cheech went off to get gas and came back for Steve and I in a cop car. The cop was not happy to have us but agreed to drive us over to a gas station. I was scared shitless, sitting in the front seat. Joe's in the back seat and in a very innocent voice he says something like " Wow, I've never been in the back seat of a cop car before!" SO HILARIOUS. I remember the excruciation of sitting next to the cop trying not to laugh and get more trouble!
Left my denim jacket in Joe's car one night. He returned it to me with a drawing he had made all over the back. I was kinda pissed. I still have that jacket:
Driving around, setting up, standing around at Rayge concerts with Joe. ROCK PUB (PIT). Battle of the Bands! Some weird bar at Roosevelt Field - BEEF(Y) BARN! I drank too much and ended up puking in the parking lot outside the Beefy Barn while Joe held my hair.
Sitting on amps outside bars after shows, guarding the band's gear, waiting for Joe to show up with the van.
One time Joe completely took apart Wally Williams' Volkswagen "Thing" in the parking lot of CPHS while the rest of us were in class. Joe was so smart but did not like going to school.
Joe riding by the front of CPHS, standing on top of his bike doing the iron cross.
Joe was kind of everywhere in Carle Place. I could always see him. HE STUCK OUT in a glorious way. Plus, since he didn't like to go to high school much, he always seemed to be nearby waiting for us to get out.
Joe driving up in his car. Driving up on his bike, giving it a little pop of gas to make the engine growl before switching it off. So stylish and well performed - BIKER STYLE.
Joe always seemed to be around. Easy to find. Easy to see:
- Joe driving up smiling
- Joe in front of O’Hara’s smoking and holding a beer
- Joe patrolling inside and outside of bars and parties.
I SAW HIM EVERYWHERE. I could find Joe 24/7. It was cool and fortunate. I think too, he was always looking for me...
Drinking Long Island Ice Teas (first and last time) with Joe at the restaurant Marion worked at, then going to another bar somewhere on the South shore for more. So drunk. Came back to my house (parents weren't around?), had bad sloppy sex and in the process broke my bed!
Joe talking about making guitars with such love. I remember the sparkle in his eyes, the joy in his voice, as he explained in detail how he'd set up a tank and was doing an old Florentine technique to make the marbleized paint look on guitars.
So proud when Joe sent me his JEM Guitars catalogue. So proud of his talent. Hope I still have that catalogue. Can't find it. Shit.
Joe was so proud and in endless love with his daughter, Melissa. I think his relationship with Melissa's mom was not working out, but he never said anything bad about her. JUST focused on how he loved Melissa.
So proud was Joe of Steve. He would just glow talking about Steve.
Joe did good Zippo tricks. He gave me a Zippo. I still have it.
Joe chain smoked beautifully. Like a poet gangster.
Going to Jack-in-the-Box at four in the morning, all of us with our jackets on inside out and backwards to disturb the cashier, getting and eating a million "dogmeat" tacos.
Getting great hot semolina bread from the bakery next to O'Hara's at four in the morning, stuffing loaves with sticks of butter, eating mass quantities. So fun and tasty to put on top of beer.
Joe reporting on going to jail: "It was cool - I knew so many people there!"
Joe smiling, admitting he'd lost most of his teeth to speed and fist fights.
Joe standing around so serious, so proud, watching Steve play in Rayge.
Rayge playing a CPHS dance. Drank quarts of Colt 45 in the bushes outside. Came in to Rayge playing BAD COMPANY. Me so thrilled to see my friends being a badass rock and roll BAND! Joe patrolling the scene, so proud! The fireworks went wrong and nearly blew us all up.
Joe talking about Melissa with so much love.
Joe biting a shot glass on a bet at the ROCK PUB.
Fights. Drunken fights. Me standing on top of the cigarette machine at the Rock Pub watching all below me in a big fist fight! Joe in the middle of it all.
So many fuzzy high nights following Rayge around. Joe serious about sound and lights. DRINKING SMOKING I remember the honor of being the DRINK supplier from the BAR to the BAND at the BEEFY BARN. Such power! Standing next to Joe while he adjusted the soundboard. WE RULED the bar! The world was so funny.
Battle of the Bands. Who was Rayge battling? WE ALWAYS WON as far as we were concerned.
Joe & Co. doing drunken kick line dancing to Born to be Wild. We were ROCKERS. Very anti-Disco - NO dancing - except when Born to be Wild came on. Then everybody would cut loose and go insane. THAT song was our Pledge of Allegiance.
Sitting in diners after the bars closed, eating breakfast before going home.
Joe took a lot of shit for being fat. Joe was always so kind, supportive loving towards everybody. And he never fought back when they put him down. Made me sad.
JOE HAD BEAUTIFUL EYES & BEAUTIFUL HAIR and such style - I always loved the way he looked.
His eyes sparkled and laughed a lot. His hair was mostly kept in a long black, then grey, then white braid. I occasionally braided his hair. It was beautiful.
We all developed a collective sense of humor laced with inside jokes, phrases, code that we cultivated, curated and enjoyed a lot. My sense of humor was honed talking with Joe and Steve and Cheech. ALL such smart, curious, inventive, imaginative guys. They'd almost compete to be funny. WHAT a pleasure. What great good fortune to hang out with my best friends.
I always wished I was a guy. All the females would hang out together, go together to parties and bars, where they would hook up with the guy groups. I would show up all the time with Joe/Steve/Cheech. They never seemed to notice or care that I was a weirdo girl who didn't have much rapport with the other females. They didn’t hold my gender against me. Made me feel special to not just be T&A to those guys.
Joe and Steve and Cheech excitedly discussing some kind of guitar trick or figuring out how to play other people's guitar licks.
We were misfits but we got away with it. I think greater CP let us be for a few reasons:
- JOE was hilarious FUN
- STEVE was a great rock guitarist
- CHEECH was stealthy and a clever troubleshooter.
Mostly though: ROGER VAI would kill anyone who touched us and ALL KNEW IT.
Steve driving an ice cream truck, Joe in the jump seat shouting "Wheelie Time!" as we bounced around the backyard of some rich chick's house on the North shore at a CRAZY PARTY.
We were all such happy derelicts.
My father told me one day there was a kind of impromptu parade going down the street (maybe 4th of July...). Joe was in a convertible surrounded by gnarly bikers, drinking and smoking and the usual rowdy shit. Joe apparently saw my father, stopped everything and greeted him very politely in the middle of all the mayhem. Thrilled and impressed the hell out of my dad.
Many warm, comfortable time sitting in Steve's den or bedroom. Steve with a guitar, Joe, me, Cheech and occasionally others. Talking serious, joking serious. Steve playing, us somehow very much participating with Steve's playing.
Joe's phrasing and intonations were beautiful and fun to listen to. He had a way of coloring in what he was saying by how he said it.
Lines he said come back to suddenly, out of nowhere - things he said decades ago! Too many, too deep in there to remember off the top, but I hereby commit writing them down when they show up going forward.
Joe respected the people he felt were above him with sincerity. He seemed always proud to be us and he was kind to those who fell below us in the crazy hierarchy of our teenage years. HE LOOKED SO MEAN BIKER but he was SO KIND and EMPATHIC towards all. I so admired his generosity of spirit.
One time I had a dream at around 16 years old. I was driving along the water when I was the silhouette of Joe on his bike at the end of a dock. I stopped, got out of the car and walked down the dock. There was Joe. He was really old, long white braid, kinda skeleton head. I was TERRIFIED. I asked him, "Joe what the fuck happened to you?!!" He replied, "It's like this Vic, you get old, you get ugly, then you die". With that, he revved the motor then drove straight off the dock.
I woke up with a START! I never forgot. HE WAS RIGHT and eventually, when his braid was white, it would remind me of that dream...
I always felt safe with Joe, no matter what kind of crazy shit we got into. HE WAS SO LOYAL. I felt sure he would protect me. DIE for me. I learned loyalty from Joe and Steve's relationship. I'm not sure if I have ever know more loyalty, allegiance, alliance than we had between us in those days...
Joe went to visit his parents in FLA and ended up staying there and taking care of them until they died. He did it with empathy and good humor. He easily adapted to FLA, found old friends and new ones to party with - I was amazed.
He described pretty horrible care giving situations without fear, rancor or complaint. WE WOULD END UP LAUGHING no matter what was going on.
When his parents died, Joe just stayed there. FLA seemed to suit him. He/We talked about him moving to California a bunch of times but it never happened...
He would call me up and tell me of all his ups and downs and the saga of his DRINKIN SMOKIN GETTING IN TROUBLE lifestyle. Once he told me he landed in jail and was amazed at how many of his friends were there too!
Joe came to visit me in San Pablo in around 2005. It was the last time I saw him. We drank and smoked. I took him to the local biker bar. He was immediately one of them. I left to walk my dog, came back to get him. HE WAS DRUNK and with all his friends as if they had always been together.
Joe sat in my kitchen and cooked while I went to work. He made the BEST eggplant parm I have ever had. He taught me to make an oregano chicken dish. HE WAS AN EXCELLENT COOK!
Also on that visit Joe did a thing I haven't mentioned so far which is get super DRUNK and OBNOXIOUS! He had the capacity to get relentlessly OBNOXIOUS when drunk sometimes. This time he got my BIG PIT BULL dog upset enough I became afraid. He was falling down (literally) drunk and my dog was starting to get defensive of me cuz of the way Joe was acting. I ended up locking myself and the dog in my room. NOT A GOOD MEMORY...
One time I was mad a Joe (likely for for being drunk and obnoxious to me) and turned down the opportunity to go with him to see LED ZEPPELIN at Madison Square Gardens. Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!
Joe always remembered my birthday. I think his was December 5th, but I was never any good at birthdays. One time Joe borrowed his uncle's (?) limo, picked me up and drove me around town for my birthday. He played chauffer while I sat in the back acting rich and famous. I felt so special and important. It was a wonderful present
I thought Harleys were cool but poorly built unreliable motorcycles. Joe explained to me it wasn't the bikes, it was the dumbass guys who took them apart all winter to "fix" them that fucked them up and made HDs unreliable. HA
It bugged me out how self-destructive Joe could be. He would hurt himself and it would piss me off. At times it seemed like the world was shitty to him and he would take it out on himself. I now notice I did/do the same thing, albeit less with liquor and more with cheese.
I think we connected as misfits. All of us: Joe, Steve, Cheech and me. WE FIT TOGETHER VERY WELL and it steeled me against the pain of being different.
I liked to draw but my father always told me I sucked at it, which made me feel horrible. In my twenties, I did a series of flower/moon drawings and gave them all away. I gave one to Joe. He told me several times how he thought it was beautiful and he would keep it forever. THAT MADE ME SO HAPPY.
We all liked being smart and derelict. Joe liked being derelict more than the rest of us...
I felt loved by Joe. He showed a lot of love easily. Generous with his heart.
RIP, Doe.
In Memory of Joe “Jem” Despagni
AGS Tour recap
Hey Folks,
Pia and I just returned from a fabulous “Alien Guitar Secrets” master class tour in Europe.
I got to visit some places I have never been and met some wonderful folks along the way.
I so much enjoy doing these little tours and would like to thank all the fine people that attended the classes.
A special shout out to my good buddy Riccardo Cappelli who organized the trip and had us laughing virtually the whole time.
We were in :
Oslo Norway, Helsinki Finland, Zoetermeer Netherlands, Guilford UK, Madrid Spain, Luxembourg, Malta, Athens Greece, Isola Del Liri Italy and Tel Aviv Israel
[foogallery id="21835"]
One other bit of cool news. Some time ago, The Hard Rock Cafe acquired my 1946 Harley Davidson Knuckle Head motorcycle and it’s on display in their Daytona location. I loved that motorcycle and put a lot of miles on it back in the 90’s and now it’s so nice to see it in a place where more people could enjoy it than when it was sitting in my garage!
AGS Tour recap
NTR Radio & podcast interview with Steve
This Sunday, March 18th , Mr. Vai & Co de Kloet will discuss the creation of Pink & Blows Over in Co Live!
Co will also air the Complete Version so it turns into yet another SV Special at NTR!
It will air at 20.00 hrs Local Dutch Time (12:00 PDT, 15:00 EDT) on NTR Radio and is released right after the broadcast as a podcast.
Download this, and all the other Co Live! podcasts right here.
And….
Send Co an email about this: the first 15 emails receive a free limited edition Co Live! CD
Starmus IV, is a festival that gathers together some of the most intelligent, creative and artistic minds on the planet for 6 days of lectures, panel discussions, and concerts.
Astronomers, Astronauts, Cosmologists, physicists, philosophers, musicians, artists, biologists etc. who have made significant strides in their fields come together to share interests and ideas about our origin and evolution, the human brain, society, technology and global issues in our world and the Universe in general.
This year’s programs opened with a fascinating conversations between two of the last surviving lunar astronauts from the historic Apollo mission, Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt. It also included such diverse people as Oscar winning filmmaker Oliver Stone, Larry King, economist Jeffery Sachs, and 11 Nobel laureates from across the globe discussed The Role of Science in the 21st Century. There has never, in the history of festivals, been so many Nobel Prize winners taking part in one panel discussion. The line up was: Edvard Moser, Adam Riess, Chris Pissarides, Finn Kydland, George Smoot, May-Britt Moser, Robert Wilson, Stefan W. Hell, Susumu Tonegawa and Torsten Wiesel. Carlos Moedas, the EC Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, opened the debate with a keynote address.
Stephen Hawking was scheduled to appear and give the keynote speech on “The Future of Humanity” but unfortunately had to cancel at the last minute. But he did deliver his keynote speech via SKYPE.
This year introduced the second Stephen Hawking Medal Ceremony and this was accompanied by various musical performances, and this is where I came in.
Brian May, one of my all time guitar heroes, is part of the founding team of Starmus and for the first 3 festivals he was able to attend and contribute with performances and talks. This year he was on tour with Queen and he and the other festival founders reached out to me to put together some performances for the festival.
Of course I saw this as a great honor and opportunity to meet with some fascinating people. I was also excited to get a chance to spend some time in Norway. The phrase “Clean and Green” comes to mind.
The festival was scheduled for June 17-23. My wife (Pia) and I arrived on Saturday the 17th .
One of the perks of having the responsibility of pulling together a few of the musical segments of the festival was the opportunity to invite some special guests. Being that Nuno Bettencourt and Brian May are such close friends, and Nuno and I are like brothers, he was an obvious invite.
Devin Townsend and Grace Potter, who both have great interest in the sciences, reached out to the festival and were invited to participate too.
Sunday the 18th : I gave a speech entitled “Creative Manifestations” that can be viewed here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7MV-RBeVnc
That night there was a dinner with all the various attendees invited and we had an opportunity to meet many of these brilliant minds. Even thought the collective IQ among the guests was perhaps in the millions, these folks were very down to Earth, interesting, interested and just charming.
Monday the 19th: This was rehearsal day with the Trondheim orchestra. The orchestra was scheduled to perform a piece by Phillip Glass “Icarus at the Edge of Time” (narrated by Brian Greene) and two pieces by a lovely Norwegian artist named Ane Brune.
Originally I was going to do an orchestra arrangement for “The Moon and I” and have Grace Potter sing it. We did a re-edit on the video that was used in “The Space Between The Notes”, but the vocal range was a little low for her. She did some research and realized that Stephen Hawking’s favorite song was Rod Stewarts version of “Have I Told You Lately” so we thought it would be very special if she did a performance of the song with the orchestra, and it worked out fantastic.
Up Next was Devin. It’s no secret that he is one of my favorite artists and it was great to get to spend some time with him this week. He’s still as funny as ever, and BUFF! When He was first invited to the festival I wanted to figure out a way to get him a performance with the orchestra and his song “Truth” is about as close to the voice of God in metal music that I have ever heard, so we decided that would be the piece we played with the orchestra and it was about as epic as one could imagine.
Then we rehearsed “For the Love of God” with the Orchestra” and lucky for us all, the Trondheim orchestra is a good one and can read music well. I wanted to figure out a way to end the show with all and somehow include Brian May in it, who was not there.
In 1991 I performed at “Guitar Legends” in Seville Spain and it was the premier of the performance of the song “Liberty” and Brian and Joe Satch played on it doing the beautiful harmonies so I thought it would be cool to end the show with Brian on the screen from the Seville performance and myself, Nuno and Devin on melody guitars. It was exceptional.
After rehearsal, Pia, Devin, Marty Schwartz, Nuno and myself all went out to dinner. One of the odd things about Norway at this time of the year is the sun actually never fully sets. It drops down below the horizon for an hour or so, which creates a very long and beautiful sunset, and then rises again shortly after midnight or so. So you can be out until 4am and think it’s still 7pm. Pretty dangerous!
Tuesday the 20th.
This was a big day. It started with a 9am run through of all the tracks with the orchestra. The Stephen Hawking medal Ceremony took place at around 4pm and the concert started at around 5pm.
The entire event was stupendous and the orchestra and guest artists all delivered beautifully. But that night we had rock band rehearsals for the concert the next day. Directly after the concert Pia and I were invited to a private dinner at the royal palace with the Prince and Princess of Norway and the speakers at the festival. Yup! I can’t believe these things happen to us.
This was a trip. It was a very formal event and I almost pulled out because I did not even have time to change my cloths after the show but they said, “No problem, you’re a rock star. You can get away with what you’re wearing”. I didn’t want to be disrespectful but I also didn’t want to miss this event so I went wearing my stage cloths. I guess the rest of the black tie guests didn’t get the rock star attire memo, ha.
But the Prince and Princess didn’t seem disturbed about it. As a matter of fact they were as charming and royal as one could imagine.
The dinner at the palace was quite surreal and was a great opportunity to mingle with some tremendously interesting people. One of the guys I got to talk quite a bit with was Adam Riess who won the Noble Prize for discovering that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating.
I unfortunately had to leave early, which is quite rude when you’re invited to a royal palace, but the band was waiting to rehearse and it was getting very late. I caught the eye of the prince and mouthed “thank you”. To my surprise he got up out of his seat and came over to me and walked us out. While walking he said, “Weren’t you in that movie Crossroads? When I was a young boy learning the guitar that movie was a big inspiration to me”.
I told him it was me and if he would like we could change places for a few days just for kicks. (You guys would love it if I did something like that wouldn’t you).
So back to rehearsal for the rock show. I wanted the show to have my band performing for about 1 or so hours and then the guests.
For the guest segment Nuno came out first and did an unbelievable version of his solo acoustic track “Midnight Express”. I’m always fascinated with the way he plays that song. Then Grace Potter came out and they did a truly lovely version of “More Than Words”. Then we did one of Grace’s songs “Stars”.
She is just something else folks. I highly recommend checking her out.
Next up was Heavy Devie. I wanted to do one of his tracks that has a female voice on it and we picked “Super Crush”. Devin is such an exotic bird. I don’t know anyone who can write so heavy and so beautifully melodic. I never get a chance to play this kind of chugga-chugga guitar pounding and man did I enjoy it. It’s got a fat eight-note laid back pocket that gives a new dimension to Djent! And both Devin and Grace sang gorgeously together.
And then something that hasn’t happened for 25 years, Devin and I did a track from “Sex and Religion”… “Here and Now”. It was really good to hook up that way with him again and hear his voice and feel his energy.
After all my obligations were done, Pia, myself and one of our best friends, Marty Schwartz, hung out for a few more days and really got a chance to check out the charming little town of Trondheim and take in the little walking streets, lovely eateries, canals, and of course all the inspiring talks that these scientific giants were giving for the final 2 days.
The last event was the night of Friday the 23rd when all the remaining speakers attended an exclusive black tie dinner at the hotel’s ballroom.
By that time it seemed like we were all good friends. There was a lot of mutual appreciation, admiration and love in the room. We sat next to one of the bankers that helped fund the event, (and his lovely wife), Also the mayor of the providence, (who turned me onto a traditional type of Norwegian music called “Joik”). We also were sitting with the absolutely remarkable Dr. Sandra Magnus who is the Executive director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. She’s an astronaut. To hear her speak about what it was like to live in space and to see the Earth from the view from the heavens was mesmerizing.
Her and I had an opportunity to get pretty philosophical too, and even broche the spiritual dimension, which is relatively taboo in the scientific community.
I got to bond a bit with May-Britt Moser who is a Professor of Neuroscience and Director of the Center for Neural Computations at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. She is a Nobel prize winner and one of the most endearing, warmest and lovable people you could ever hear speaking passionately about their work.
Rubbed shoulders a bit with Neil deGrasse Tyson, and was very moved by Torsten Nils Wiesel who is a Nobel prize Swedish neurophysiologist. He was in a panel discussion with Larry King moderating. Oh, and he’s 94 years old and hard to keep up with.
There were so many engaging and brilliant speakers, but just as if you were to hang out with one of your guitar heroes for a while, the fascination of their achievements takes a back seat to the quality of person that is there. And I’m happy to report that every person I met, even the cute couple that was helping to book our transportation, to the doormen, to the geniuses that are discovering exo-planets, alternative Universes, Black Holes, and alien life in the Universe, were all unassuming and delightful.
All in all this was one of the most extraordinary events Pia and I have ever taken part in. I did say, I can’t believe such cool things happen to us.
And that was the last show of the tour and now I’m going home and burying myself in the studio until I feel like I have something special for you. So goodnight for now my friends. See you when I wake up from my studio slumber.
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STARMUS IV: “LIFE AND THE UNIVERSE” 2017
Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclasses 2018
A short series of masterclasses have been scheduled for Europe in March 2018:
March 13th – Zoetermeer (Netherlands) – De Boerderij – 8.00 pm - tickets Yasi Hofer will open for this class.
March 14th – Guildford (UK) – The Mandolay Hotel – 8.00 pm - tickets
March 17th – Esch sur Alzette (Luxembourg) – Rockhal – 8.00 pm - tickets
March 20th – Athens (Greece) – Athena Live – 7.00 pm - tickets
March 21st – Isola del Liri (FR) (Italy) – Cinema Teatro Mangoni – 8.30 pm - tickets
Seats are linited, so book yours quickly. See you there!
Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclasses 2018
India 2017
Hey Folks,
The show in Pune India on Dec 9, 2017 was magical as was the show on October 28th in Meghalaya. I usually wouldn’t travel to as far away a place as India for a one-off show, but I’ve always wanted to perform in India and myself and the band are ecstatic over the whole trip in general. Traveling through India is a unique experience itself, and it was such a nice surprise to see the legions of music loving fans who attended this festival.
Deep appreciation to all who worked so hard to put this show on, to all the bands that contributed to this amazing festival, to my band, crew and management… who in one week slept less than perhaps any other tour we ever embarked on, to the incomparable Mohini Dey who joined us on stage for a jam at both shows and totally tore it up, and especially to the fans for their incredibly warm support.
For us it was a perfect convergence. In my minds eye I can go back to that last show and look out over the connected audience, the beautiful evening air, the excellent sound that the stage offered, the feeling of the music flowing through us as a band and into the audience. When I do this, I find myself swooning in the delicious realm of pure appreciation.
s.
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Photos by Vicram Chandrasekar
India 2017
Zappa Hologram tour
A day doesn’t pass that I don’t think about Frank. Nothing could, or ever will take his place in the hearts of the fans, his family and the musicians that have toured with him and loved him... Nothing, and we all know that.
When I was invited to contribute to 3-4 shows of a potential Zappa hologram tour I thought… this could be odd, but another part of me felt this could also be pretty special too. To be on the stage playing his music again for the fans with some of his alumni, (many dear friends of mine) and to have his ghostly image residing over the proceedings was interesting and alluring enough for me to commit to helping kick off the tour.
Of course it’s not Frank, and I’m not 20 years old anymore, but I am very happy, and honored that I was invited to contribute to bringing the spirit of Frank and his eternal music, with this new technology, to those fans who connected so deeply with him. I felt the same way when I contributed to the ZPZ tour, and that was a fantastic experience.
I believe that the fans understand it’s just an image and that holographic technology has its limitations, but it is an evolution in technology and with an open mind it could be embraced for a worthwhile experience. I would want to attend this show if I heard about it. If a person can attend the show with their spirit of the love of Frank’s music at the forefront I believe it could be a very touching event for all involved.
It’s an opportunity to engage in a massive “nostalgic hernia” because for many of us, Frank’s “music is the best”.
Steve Vai
9.24.17
Los Angeles CA
Zappa Hologram tour
Steve Vai to headline the Bacardi NH7 Weekender 2017, Meghalaya, India
In year eight, Bacardi NH7 Weekender, India's largest multi-genre music festival heads to the gorgeous hills of Meghayala on October 27-28 and back to the city it calls home, Pune on December 8-10.
Head to the happiest music festival to catch amazing live performances by artists from India and around the world, a buzzing bazaar that'll bring you local finds and foods, inspiring (and Instagram-worthy) art installations, and more of that an unmistakable vibe! One great weekend, a lifetime of memories. Steve will be headlining this festival on October 27/28.
Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclass 24th Aug, Music Zoo, NY
New webstore!
The Vai.com Merch Store has been completely redesigned and features several new items, including Steve’s signature DiMarzio Pickups, straps, cables, the brand new Diodak LED guitar display, Neck Illusions fretboard stickers, CDs and a large collection of apparel in all sizes! Visit https://stevevai.myshopify.com
New webstore!
HISTORIC 4 HOUR STEVE VAI RADIO SPECIAL IN CO LIVE!
The CoLive! Radio Show & Podcast will repeat the famous 1997 show
Steve Vai & Co de Kloet made, partly in Sacramento, called:
"The Missing Link Between Contemporary Music & The Rock 'n' Roll Guitar Solo".
The show was presented by Dutch music and radio celebrity Henk Westbroek.
All 4 hours! Remastered!
Airdates: July 15,16, 22 & 23 (20.00 hrs on www.nposoulenjazz.nl/colive Local Dutch Time )
And available as podcast, so subscribe for free
https://itunes.apple.com/nl/podcast/ntr-co-live-podcast/id1250922661?mt=2http://feeds.ntr.nl/colive
HISTORIC 4 HOUR STEVE VAI RADIO SPECIAL IN CO LIVE!
STEVE VAI’S MODERN PRIMITIVE ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE
Modern Primitive, the stand alone release for the 7th installment of the Steve Vai Secret Jewel Box is now available! This stand alone release of Modern Primitive is a limited edition album and has been modified specifically for Vai's Secret Jewel Box, making this an instant collector's item for Vai fans around the world.
Modern Primitive is comprised of material that was written and partially recorded with Vai's band "The Classified" back in the early 80's. "The Classified" consisted of Tommy Mars on Keyboards, Chris Frazier on drums, Stu Hamm on bass and Sue Mathis on vocals and keyboards that he formed after his first solo record Flex-Able (1983) and prior to the writing and recording of the music on Vai's renowned, Passion and Warfare (1990). Vai completed the recording in 2016, 30 years after its inception. The album represents that missing link that exposes the colossal growth period between Flex-Able and Passion and Warfare.
Vai's Secret Jewel Box Set a deluxe 10"x6"x6" gloss black box, lined with red velvet. Hidden in a flap on the underside of the box in an exclusive CD interview with Steve specifically about the project. Much of the recordings contained in The Secret Jewel Box are comprised of various material from dozens of different records including guest appearances, film soundtracks, bonus tracks, a piano reduction CD, and a full CD comprised of choice tracks that Vai contributed to while working with Frank Zappa in the early 80's. All of the rare and essential Vai recordings that do not appear on his solo records are collected here, with many surprises for even the most hardcore collector. A limited run of 7,000 units of the box set was manufactured and sold out.
Favored Nations' Modern Primitive is now available in our web store
STEVE VAI’S MODERN PRIMITIVE ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE
Modern Primitive Pre-order on Amazon
The pre-order of the special edition of Steve Vai's "Modern Primitive" as the latest instalment of The Secret Jewel Box collection (and as a standalone disc) is now live on Amazon here!
Modern Primitive Pre-order on Amazon
Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclass in Mexico, 28th of May
Steve will be doing an Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclass on the 28th of May, at the Foro Viena in Mexico City.
ALIEN GUITAR SECRETS is an unprecedented masterclass opportunity offered by Steve Vai to all music students and guitar enthusiasts. This two to three hour unique experience gives the attendees a unique opportunity to hear Steve discuss music theory, guitar technique, the music business, and most importantly, methods to discover and unlock your personal musical identity. In this class Steve shares his rich experience as an independent musician and offers tremendously inspiring, and at times deeply esoteric, insight into being the best you can be at your craft.
Steve also plays along to a few select backing tracks, and also offers a question and answer session, and the opportunity for a few attendees to jam or personally interact with Steve during the class.
For more information and tickets visit www.alienguitarsecrets.com. Tickets are also directly available via Ticketmaster here.
Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclass in Mexico, 28th of May
Steve Vai to headline Starmus IV Festival in Norway, June 18 – 23
Just announced: Steve Vai will be headlining at Starmus IV Festival with "The Modern Primitives" ~Devin Townsend, Nuno Bettencourt & Grace Potter~ in Trondheim, Norway, June 18-23! Starmus is a celebration of Astronomy, Science, Arts and Knowledge whose dedicated speakers include Stephen Hawking, Buzz Aldrin, Brian Eno and many leaders in art and science. Board members include Brian May, Peter Gabriel and a dozen top astrophysicists! In addition to performing at the festival, Steve will also give a presentation on Creative Manifestation. Get tickets at www.starmus.com🖖🏼
Steve Vai to headline Starmus IV Festival in Norway, June 18 – 23
Now in its fourth year, Acoustic-4-A-Cure has quickly become one of the year’s hottest tickets, with legendary artists performing acoustic sets, epic collaborations and impromptu jams from the stages of intimate and storied San Francisco venues like The Fillmore. The benefit was created by Bay Area rock legends Sammy Hagar and James Hetfield, whose vision was to raise needed funds and awareness for the pediatric cancer research by throwing a must-see concert for fans and donating all of the proceeds to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. In past years, artists including John Mayer, Billie Joe Armstrong, Jerry Cantrell, Melissa Ethridge, Joe Satriani, Pat Monahan, Adam Sandler, Nancy Wilson, Linda Perry, Chad Smith, Vic Johnson, Tommy Lee and Kris Kristoferson have joined Hagar and Hetfield to rock the sold-out benefit concerts.
Steve to perform at the #Acoustic-4-A-Cure on May 15th in San Fransisco
FRONT AND CENTER DEBUTS EPISODE FEATURING GUITAR LEGEND STEVE VAI
Public television’s critically acclaimed concert series, Front and Center, has debuted a new episode featuring three-time Grammy Award winning guitarist Steve Vai. The intimate performance was filmed at New York’s Iridium — the smallest venue Vai has played in years. He was voted 10th “Greatest Guitarist” by Guitar World magazine in 2015.
In an exclusive interview captured prior to his performance Vai says, “when I wrote ‘Tender Surrender’ it was similar to any other song that I wrote that I thought was worth its salt. It came from just being present.” Vai continues, “I saw a great interview with Eric Clapton and they said ‘What are you thinking about when you’re playing?’ and he says, ‘Nothing, just being in the moment.’ And they said to Bob Dylan, I remember, ‘Where do you get your inspiration from?’ and he goes ‘I don’t know.’ Of course, Rolling Stone Magazine, they’re going to press him, ‘What do you mean, you don’t know?’ and he said, ‘I don’t know, it comes from that infinite pool of creativity that exists in everybody.’ So I think that that’s the right answer.” The full video can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/NnAduEDkhuU
The episode will air nationally on public television. Check local listings for air dates and times here: https://vupulse.com/c/1324
Front and Center is currently in its seventh season. The series features CMA Award winners, Grammy Award winners, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and emerging artists. The show has featured performances by Cheap Trick, Dawes, Shawn Mendes, Southside Johnny, Kaleo, Southside Johnny, The Cadillac Three, and Rob Thomas, as well as Jennifer Nettles this season. Videos and more information about Front and Center are available at www.frontandcenter.com and www.youtube.com/frontandcentertv.
FRONT AND CENTER DEBUTS EPISODE FEATURING GUITAR LEGEND STEVE VAI
Steve Vai at Disney Concert Hall – March 11th, 2017
Steve Vai at Disney Concert Hall – March 11th, 2017
Mexico Los Pinos 2017
Hey Folks, Steve here...I have always enjoyed visiting Mexico either on tour or on a vacation. Mexico City, in particular, is deeply cultural and the government puts a keen focus on artistic value. Just driving through the city one can tell that the art scene thrives. LaCasa Azul in the Coyoacan district is phenomenal.I have always found the Mexican people to be warm andfriendly with firm family values, and the fans are just wild!So you can imagine the surprise and delight when we werecontacted by Roberto Padilla Domínguez, Technical Secretary of the Cabinet of President of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto, and was extended a formal invitation to Los Pinos (the official residence of the President of Mexico, equivalentto our White House) on Sunday, May 28, 2017, where I was given a “Special Acknowledgment and Distinction for Brilliance in a Musical Career.” Phew!It was a wonderful event. Pia and I were courteously shown around the beautifully manicured 20-acre presidential grounds and attended a charming ceremony where some very nice words were spoken and some lovely gifts were received. Mexico is a multicultural nation with deep ancestral traditions, and they have always been accompanied by a vast musical diversity. I felt privileged and grateful to receive this considerate honor and would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Mexico, its people and its diplomats for not only honoring me, but for the recognition they give to so many American and International artists.You guys rock.S
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American Youth Symphony performance at Disney Hall LA.
Hey folks, Steve here.I’m thrilled to announce that I will be performing at Disney Hall in Los Angeles with "American Youth Symphony” on March 11, 2017. I’ve been going to concerts at Disney Hall since it was constructed and feel tremendous appreciation to have been invited to perform my music there. The pieces that will be performed are...1. There’s Still Something Dead In Here (without Steve)
2. Kill the Guy with the Ball (with Steve)
3. The Murder (with Steve)
4. Call it Sleep (with Steve)
These pieces were chosen by Carlos Izcaray who is the exceptional conductor of this event. It’s interesting to note that the first 3 pieces are perhaps some of my darkest and most brooding music."There’s Still Something Dead in Here” is a complex, dense and very atonal piece of contemporary music.“Kill the Guy with the Ball” is violently fast and furious and the Orchestra version is just ripping.“The Murder” is macabre and harmonically heavy.“Call It Sleep” is from Flex-Able with an updated symphonic orchestration and will be a blessed relief after the first pieces.Interesting that all the titles of these pieces could lead one to believe I have a preoccupation with Death! Truth is, I’m way too alive for that. Hope to see you at the show.s
Ticket link: http://bit.ly/VaiLADisneyHall
American Youth Symphony performance at Disney Hall LA.
Front And Center performance airdates on PBS
Steve Vai's blistering performance for "Front And Center" at The Iridium in New York City will begin airing in US cities on PBS February 2nd and continue through late March. Visit http://vupulse.com/c/1324 to see when the show airs in your city.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sAuZBCwqEQ
Front And Center performance airdates on PBS
Generation Axe Japan Tourdates
We are announcing a few Generation Axe tourdates in Japan.
April 3, Nagoya, April 4, Osaka, April 6 and 7 Tokyo. Ticket links will be added once they go on sale.
Stay tuned for more...
Generation Axe Japan Tourdates
Ibanez Jem 30th Anniversary edition is here!
Today at NAMM, Ibanez has released the 30th Anniversary Jem models, in the original colours Loch Ness Green, Dessert Sun Yellow and Shocking Pink. Check out this cool website by Ibanez, which includes a video, shown below, where Steve and key Ibanez people tell their story on how a legend was born. The Jem 30th is available through your local Ibanez representative.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtpze0qzvgY
Ibanez Jem 30th Anniversary edition is here!
The Making of Woody
Check out this really cool video, the Making of Woody, Steve's all wood Jem created for the 2015 Vai Academy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wyKqZeMdUI
The Making of Woody
VaiAcademy 2017
Hey Folks, Steve here.
Well, the Vai Academy 3.0 this year in Asilomar CA was truly epic. All of the folks that contributed put their best foot forward and raised the bar for all of us. The atmosphere was alive and vibrating with learning, creativity and enthusiasm.
We all made new friends and connected a lot of dots that will inevitably add to the quality of our musicality and life.
The guest clinicians, Carlos Alomar, Zakk Wylde and Al DiMeola, all delivered generously, inspirationally and humorously.
But perhaps my favorite part of the camp was when I had the opportunity to jam with any of the campers that were willing. I enjoyed focusing on them and their musical ideas and watching and listening to how those ideas manifested with the band.
My deepest appreciation and gratitude to all those who attended. We are looking very forward to the next camp that will probably happen around the same time net year (early January).
All the best to you for 2017 and beyond beyond.
Steve Vai
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VaiAcademy 2017
Steve Vai Describes Developing Dark Matter 2 Pickups with DiMarzio
Check out this new video of Steve Vai describing his work with DiMarzio on developing new pickups and straps.
By the way, soon we will carry these items in our vai.com webstore!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1g-jybIJac
Steve Vai Describes Developing Dark Matter 2 Pickups with DiMarzio
Happy Holidays!
Hey Folks;
And happiest of holidays to you all.
We just returned from a 103 show Passion and Warfare 25th anniversary tour that spanned Europe and USA.
It was an exceptional life adventure and myself and the band wanted to sincerely thank all of you that attended the shows.
I didn’t realize what an effect it would have on me to perform that whole record (PAW) from beginning to end.
It was an honor for all of us and we are still swooning from that peak experience.
When looking towards your 2017 I wish you all infinite freedom, expansion and joy. This is at the core of who we are.
Peace and love and good happiness stuff!
s
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Happy Holidays!
39th Annual Kennedy Center Honors Broadcast on CBS
The 39th Annual Kennedy Center Honors Broadcast on CBS featuring Steve as part of the musical tribute to the Eagles, airs on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 9 p.m. EST / 8 p.m. CST on CBS-TV and CBS All Access.
The annual ceremony, which was hosted by The Late Show's own Stephen Colbert and attended by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on Dec. 4, paid tribute to the 2016 honorees: pianist Martha Argerich, rock legends the Eagles, actor Al Pacino, gospel and blues singer Mavis Staples, and singer-songwriter James Taylor.
Here is a little preview:
39th Annual Kennedy Center Honors Broadcast on CBS
Dec 4th show in San Antonio Canceled
Due to an unexpected scheduling conflict, the Steve Vai show set for Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016 at the Tobin Center has been cancelled. Purchased tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase (to the original transaction credit card, or if purchased by cash or check a check, the refund will be mailed to the name and address on the original transaction). Ticket holders with questions may contact the Tobin Center Box Office at 210-223-8624. Their friendly customer service representatives are happy to assist you and answer any questions.
Hey Folks, Steve here. We are on tour honoring the 25th anniversary release of PAW and we are having an amazing run. The band is just smoking! I’m taken back by such positive responses at the shows from the audience and I’m feeling a tremendous amount of appreciation in all aspects of this tour, especially performing all the songs and every note! It dawned on me at the beginning of this tour what incredible good fortune I have and when thinking back to the making of Passion and Warfare and the 25 year old Steve that was cooking it up, I remember the deep enthusiasm I was feeling during the whole process.
Now, 25-30 years later, (because I started working on the record close to 30 years ago) when I play these songs on stage I feel so much gratitude that I can be doing this 25 years later and there are people that are enjoying it.
We have a lot of nice surprises in store for 2017 and I’m looking forward to continuing to “Just go for it”.
Peace and love and good happiness stuff,s
Update from the road – Note from Steve
Vai Academy 3.0 Press Release
STEVE VAI’S THIRD VAI ACADEMY GUITAR CAMP TO TAKE PLACE JANUARY 2-6, 2017 IN CARMEL, CA
PASSION & WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION 180 GRAM VINYL NOW AVAILABLE NORTH AMERICAN PASSION & WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR CONTINUES
LOS ANGELES — Steve Vai’s third annual Vai Academy Guitar Camp — Vai Academy 3.0: “Passion and Technique” — will be taking place in Carmel, CA at the Asilomar Conference Grounds from January 2-6, 2017. Along with a star-studded lineup of special guests including Al Di Meola, Zakk Wylde, Carlos Alomar and others, Vai will stage the event for players and music lovers of all ages, levels, interests, and tastes. The four-day gathering offers once-in-a-lifetime activities such as jamming with Steve Vai and his band, as well as activities and workshops for master players, beginners, and enthusiastic fans alike. For more information, including a variety of registration options, visit www.vaiacademy.com. Register by November 24 and receive a BOSS SD-1 Super Overdrive Pedal, TC Electronic Polytune Clip, and a copy of the Tone Wizards eBook when you arrive to Vai Academy.
“I’m so excited that Vai Academy has been as successful as it’s been, and it seems to become more interesting every year,” Steve Vai, the newly-inducted 2016 Long Island Music Hall of Fame Member, remarked. “For 2017, we chose the Asilomar Conference Grounds in beautiful Carmel, California during the first week of January, which is great because everyone’s ready to start the year fresh after the holidays. This year, we’re going to focus on guitar technique, and we’ll talk about finding inspiration within yourself to write melodies and songs. The technique is the tool. It’s your most useful friend to express what’s inside. We’ll unlock that together.”
“Ultimately, the main goal of Vai Academy is for everybody in attendance to feel incredibly enthusiastic when thinking about their goals, their future, and connection to the instrument, and to make some new friends, maybe find a new bandmate or two, and have a great time.”
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of his landmark album, Passion and Warfare, Vai released Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition, earlier this year via Legacy Recordings. Modern Primitive includes previously unreleased material either recorded or written following Vai’s first solo record Flex-Able and prior to Passion and Warfare. The 25th Anniversary version of Passion and Warfare is remastered from the original analog tapes and includes four bonus tracks (“Love Elixir,” “We Are One,” “As Above,” and “So Below”).
Now, a limited edition first time 180 Gram Audiophile vinyl of Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition is available — impeccably mastered and enhanced on two clear LPs with four recently unearthed bonus tracks from the album sessions, featured in a first time gatefold cover presentation and pressed at R.T.I. Fans can now hear 1990’s Best Album of the Year, as designated by both Guitar World and Guitar Player, like they have never heard it before. The 180 Gram Audiophile vinyl is available here: http://amzn.to/2g3vk1b
Vai is currently on a critically-acclaimed, 100+ date Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour celebrating one of the greatest instrumental rock guitar recordings of all time. For the first time ever, Vai and his band are playing Passion and Warfare from front to back live at each tour stop. In a show review, Mass Live said Vai “bent notes and minds” and of the performance at The Fillmore in San Francisco, SF Sonic noted, Vai “delivered a masterful performance” and added “it was hard to not get wrapped up in the enthusiasm emanating from Vai, who seemed overjoyed to be playing these songs…his playing demands and holds your attention throughout, a mark of a true master.”
The North American leg of the tour includes these upcoming concerts:
Nov. 15 - Vienna, VA - The Barns at Wolf Trap
Nov. 16 - Harrisburg, PA - Sunoco Theater at the Whitaker
Nov. 18 - Charlotte, NC - Neighborhood Theatre
Nov. 19 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
Nov. 20 - Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theatre
Nov. 21 - Durham, NC - The Carolina Theatre
Nov. 22 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
Nov. 23 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theatre
Nov. 25 - St. Petersburg, FL - Palladium Theatre
Nov. 26 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Parker Playhouse
Nov. 27 - Orlando, FL - Plaza Live
Nov. 28 - Macon, GA - Cox Capitol Theatre
Nov. 29 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
Nov. 30 - Birmingham, AL - WorkPlay Theatre
Dec. 1 - New Orleans, LA - Joy Theater
Dec. 2 - Austin, TX - Paramount Theatre
Dec. 4 - San Antonio, TX - Tobin Center for the Performing Arts
Dec. 5 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory
Dec. 6 - Tulsa, OK - Cain’s Ballroom
Dec. 7 - St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
Dec. 9 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up
Dec. 10 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex
Dec. 11 - Albuquerque, NM - El Rey Theater
Dec. 12 - Scottsdale, AZ - Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
To purchase tickets, EVO Experience VIP packages (including front row, meet & greet + Q&A opportunities with Steve), and for more information, visit: www.vai.com/tourdates/
Known for his intense, virtuosic and instantly recognizable guitar style, Steve Vai is also a visionary composer, consummate producer, and relentless live performer who sculpts musical sound with infinite creativity and technical mastery. At 18 years old, he began his professional musical career transcribing for, and then playing with, the legendary Frank Zappa. More than three decades, more than 15 million in album sales, and three GRAMMY Awards later, Vai has proven himself, in his own right, as one of music’s true originals. While many artists fit easily into a single category, Steve Vai remains unclassifiable. Throughout the years, Vai has awed fans of all genres with his exceptional guitar skills and musicianship while touring the world as a solo artist, a member of G3, with Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, and bands such as Alcatrazz and Whitesnake. As an accomplished audio producer, Vai has written, produced, and engineered all of his solo albums — several released via Favored Nations, his own independent record label that has released over 70 albums by legendary musicians such as Tommy Emmanuel, Steve Lukather, Eric Johnson, Billy Sheehan, Larry Carlton and many more. For Vai, virtuosity and versatility are not mutually exclusive. He has created music for blockbuster films, bestselling video games, national sports franchises, corporate brand initiatives, as well as several accomplished orchestras around the world with whom he has performed. Vai remains one of the most honored guitarists of the past few decades. His career accomplishments have earned him honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music and Musicians Institute. Vai has been honored multiple times by Guitar World and Guitar Player as Guitarist of the Year and Guitar World has ranked him as one of the Top Ten Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Vai Academy 3.0 Press Release
We Are Not Afraid Campaign
Keith Richards, Robert Plant, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh, Peter Gabriel, Brian Wilson, Sting, Iggy Pop, Steve Vai and more than 175 other rock legends unite to declare "We Are Not Afraid" - a movement to end the global refugee crisis and support victims of religious and political violence.
We Are Not Afraid Campaign
Town Hall NYC Show gallery
Enjoy these pictures taken by Steve's nephew Roger Vai (of Roger Vai Images), of the Town Hall NYC show last Wednesday!
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Google displays incorrect starting time for Vai shows
It has come to our attention that Google search results incorrectly displays show starting times for the current leg of the Passion & Warfare 25th Ann. Tour.
Please always refer to your (e)ticket for the actual and correct show starting and door opening times. When in doubt, confirm with the venue.
Most shows will start at 8 PM local time, with doors opening at 7 PM, with just a few exceptions. No show will start later than 9:30 PM. There are no shows starting at 10:30 PM or midnight.
If you have an EVO package, you will receive an Email from Future Beat with information on what time you are expected at the venue.
For more information on EVO Packages, visit the Future Beat website.
For any remaining questions, feel free to write in at our messageboards
Google displays incorrect starting time for Vai shows
SENA European Guitar Award 2016
I was recently honored with the SENA European guitar award in Holland.
Holland has always held a special place in my heart and career. It’s here that my orchestral music was first performed as spearheaded by my dear friend Co de Kloet, (the creative catalyst at ZivaSound), and I’ve developed a family of reminds there.
The awards ceremony was touching. Many great young talents performed in my honor and the organizers of the event, including the mayor, were tremendously supportive. It was a great opportunity to hook up with one of my brothers from another life, Adrian Vandenberg. Although I haven’t seen him since the Whitesnake days, Adrian and I always had a connection and at this awards show we were able to bond even deeper than before.
At one point while I was sitting in the audience witnessing all this great honor being bestowed on me, I kind of woke up to what was happening and a deep profound feeling of Universal appreciation washed over me. I’m still stunned by all the good fortune that has graced my music career, and my life in general.
One might think that receiving an award like this is the goal, and yes, it’s very nice, but what I have discovered the real payoff is, is in the connections you make with all the people along the way and the feeling of fulfillment one has when exorcising their inner creativity. But every now and then someone taps you on the shoulder and says… “good job, and here’s a recognition that shows our appreciation for your contribution”. It’s humbling and enriching.
I am eternally grateful to those that contributed to this prestigious awards ceremony and deemed me worthy of it’s recognition.
s
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A video of the event and interview are on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpNgfww5rpQ
SENA European Guitar Award 2016
Vicopisano 2016 – Keys to the City
In 2016, Steve was presented with the keys to the city of Vicopisano, Italy.
After being welcomed in the Council Hall from the Mayor Juri Taglioli, the Vice-Mayor Matteo Ferrucci and the City administration, Steve Vai had asked to visit the historic center and the Brunelleschi’s fortress (Rocca). Professor Giovanni Fascetti and Ester Marinai guided us in this charming rediscovery of the Brunelleschian beauty, beginning from Palazzo Pretorio and ending on the top of the Fortress. The musician and his wife, walking in the burg (?), have been charmed from the Torre dell'Orologio (Clock Tower), the magnificence of the Fortress, the landscape and the Pisan Hills, expressing us few times the desire to come back soon and to happily be the “ambassadors” of our beauties.
Thanks to the Fehr family for the usual kindness, to the Gruppo Culturale Ippolito Rosellini for being once again so friendly and for the passion in taking care of the Rocca Complex and to the Niccolai family for sharing with us the enthusiasm for this talented guest!
In the Vicopisano area Genius is at home...
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Vicopisano 2016 – Keys to the City
Exclusive Vai Academy Video featured on Guitar World
Exclusive Vai Academy Video featured on Guitar World
Steve Vai was Scintillating in Riverside
The first reviews are coming in on Steve Vai's US Passion & Warfare 25th Ann. Tour shows.
Guitardisorder.com posted this nice review:
http://guitardisorder.com/steve-vai-was-scintillating-in-riverside/
As always, if you attended one of the shows, please post your reviews on our messageboard concert reviews section.
Steve and the band do love to read your reviews personally.
Steve Vai was Scintillating in Riverside
Vai Academy 2017 Schedule
The schedule for Vai Academy 2017 has been announced. This intensive 4 day camp, called "Passion and Technique" features Steve Vai, Zakk Wyldel Al Di Meola, Carlos Alomar, Stig Mathisen, Dave Weiner (official music page), Philip Bynoe, Jeremy Colson & Doug Doppler! You won't want to miss this one! To reserve your spot visit the vai academy website.
Vai Academy 3.0 ScheduleMon. Jan. 2
1:00PM-5:30PM - Arrival and Check In
5:30PM-7:00PM - Steve Vai Welcoming Remarks and Q&A
7:00PM-8:30PM - Dinner
8:30PM - Opening Night Concert followed by Camper Jamming with Steve
Tues. Jan. 3
8:00AM-10:00AM - Breakfast
10:00AM-11:30AM - Steve Vai Master Class
11:30AM-1:00PM - Carlos Alomar Session
1:00PM-2:30PM - Lunch
2:30PM-4:00PM - Steve Vai and Carlos Alomar Joint Session- Lead and Rhythm
4:00PM-5:30PM - Breakout Sessions with Stig Mathisen and Doug Doppler
5:30PM-7:00PM - Free time to jam, practice, relax, check out presentations from our gear companies, or join Al DiMeola’s Session or the Play With Steve’s Band Session! (For the Play With Steve’s Band Sessions, we will be providing a list of 10 Steve Vai songs. Attendees can choose any one of these songs to play with Steve’s band. Limited to one song per person.)
7:00PM-8:30PM - Dinner
8:30PM - Concert followed by Camper Jamming with Steve
Wed. Jan. 4
8:00AM-10:00AM - Breakfast
10:00AM-11:30AM - Steve Vai Master Class
11:30AM-1:00PM - Al DiMeola Session
1:00PM-2:30PM - Lunch
2:30PM-4:00PM - Group Photo followed by individual shots with instructors
4:00PM-5:30PM - Steve Vai and Al DiMeola Joint Session
5:30PM-7:00PM - Breakout Sessions with Zakk Wylde, Doug Doppler, and Stig Mathisen, or Play With Steve’s Band
7:00PM-8:30PM - Dinner
8:30PM - Concert followed by Camper Jamming with Steve
Thurs. Jan. 5
8:00AM-10:00AM - Breakfast
10:00AM-11:30AM - Steve Vai Master Class
11:30AM-1:00PM - Zakk Wylde Session
1:00PM-4:00PM - Lunch with a chance to purchase merchandise and a signing session with the instructors!
4:00PM-5:30PM - Steve Vai and Zakk Wylde Joint Session
5:30PM-7:00PM - Free time to jam, practice, relax, check out presentations from our gear companies, or join either the Doug Doppler, Stig Mathisen, or Play With Steve’s Band Session
7:00PM-8:30PM - Dinner
8:30PM - Concert followed by Camper Jamming with Steve
Fri. Jan. 6
8:00AM-10:00AM - Breakfast
11:30AM - Check Out
Vai Academy 2017 Schedule
North America “Passion & Warfare 25th Anniversary” tour about to kick off
Attention USA & Canada! Steve Vai's "Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary" North American Tour kicks off next week and you won't want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime performance! Visit www.vai.com/tourdates/ for tickets and EVO/VIP packages!
North America “Passion & Warfare 25th Anniversary” tour about to kick off
Steve to be inducted in the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
Today, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (LIMHoF) proudly announced their 2016 inductees - a diverse array of performers, groups, music industry leaders and venues that have made significant contributions to Long Island’s rich music history.
This years’ class of inductees includes legendary music executive Charles Koppelman, guitarist and composer Steve Vai, singer/songwriter Garland Jeffreys, film composer Carter Burwell, hip-hop performer Big Daddy Kane, legendary songwriters/instrumentalists Santo & Johnny, early jazz specialist/bandleader Vince Giordano, and Westbury Music Fair, now the NYCB Theater at Westbury.The LIMHoF will also present the 2016 Harry Chapin Award to Steven Van Zandt for his dedication to music education on Long Island and across the country. Additionally, LIMHoF honors the 2015 and 2016 Music Educators of Note -- Long Island public or private school educators who have demonstrated an exceptional and long-term commitment to music education, as well as Long Island music students.
All of the inductees were selected from LIMHoF’s evolving and growing list of involved people, artists, groups and entities that were born, raised, were founded, or have resided on Long Island for a significant portion of their career or existence.
On Thursday, November 3, 2016, the Sixth Induction Awards Ceremony and Fundraising Gala with a star-studded red carpet event will take place at The Space at Westbury, 250 Post Avenue, Westbury, New York.
In addition to tributes, performances and introductions by the class of inductees, the Induction Ceremony will host a variety of celebrity appearances, musical performances and visits from former inductees.Past attendees have included: Billy Joel, Lou Reed, LL Cool J, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Eddie Money, Joan Jett, Clive Davis, Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge, members of KISS, Paul Shaffer, Leslie West & Mountain, Roger Waters, Blue Oyster Cult, Taylor Dayne, Little Anthony, Laurie Anderson, Charlie Daniels, Al Kooper, Salt N Pepa, Vanilla Fudge, Alec Baldwin, the family of Aaron Copland, Public Enemy, members of Dream Theater, Ron Delsener, and many more.
"On behalf of myself and the entire Board of Directors of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, we are thrilled to have a new class of inductees join a long list of incredible people who have made their mark on the music industry”, said Joe Jankowski, Executive Director of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame.“This Induction Ceremony is set to be one of our best yet and as always, we have quite a few surprises up our sleeves."
“I am very pleased that the Long Island Music Hall of Fame has chosen The Space at Westbury for its prestigious induction ceremony.We look forward to hosting this extraordinary event,” said Cyrus Hakakian, founder and owner of The Space at Westbury.
Discounted Pre-sale tickets will go on sale Tuesday September 13, 2016 at 11am, and end Friday, September 16, at 10am. General on-sale will then begin. General seating starts at $95 ($75 presale) and are available through Ticketmaster online at http://thespaceatwestbury.com.Premium VIP table seating and sponsorships are available, which includes an exclusive VIP Pre-Induction Awards Dinner Party, Performances, and Awards Ceremony.
Steve to be inducted in the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
Honorary citizenship Vicopisano for Steve
Cool news! Steve will be given honorary citizenship and a key to the city of Vicopisano, Italy (near Pisa) next week! Photos to follow!
Steve will be in Italy giving Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclasses on the following dates:
September 18th: Fiorano (Modena), Italy - Teatro Astoria - 7.00 pm - info: www.musicaafiorano.it
Specially for Labor Day: save 20% on all Vai merch when you use code "Labor20" at the checkout on our web store. The sale ends 9/5 at midnight PST.
Labor Day sale on Vai.com
Tony MacAlpine opens for Steve on West Coast tour leg
Very cool news:
Long time The Breed band member Tony MacAlpine, who incidentally celebrates his birthday today, will Join Steve’s tour to open on the following dates:
Oct 8: Riverside, CA – Fox Performing Arts Center
Oct 9: Las Vegas, NV – House Of Blues
Oct 11: San Diego, CA – House Of Blues
Oct 12: Ventura, CA – Ventura Theater
Oct 13: San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
Oct 14: Sacramento, CA – Ace Of Spades
Oct 16: Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
Tony will be joined by his band: Aquiles Priester (drums) and Bjorn Englen (bass).
We are so happy that Tony is recovering and feeling back to normal, and thrilled that he will join this part of the Passion & Warfare 25th ann. tour as part of his own tour during October.
Tony MacAlpine opens for Steve on West Coast tour leg
Additional US Tourdates announced
New North American Tour Dates Added for Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour!
Ticketing links will be posted shortly
Saturday, October 8, 2016 Riverside, CA Fox Performing Arts Center
Sunday, October 9, 2016 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues Las Vegas
Tuesday, October 11, 2016 San Diego, CA House of Blues San Diego
Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Ventura, CA Majestic Ventura Theatre
Thursday, October 13, 16 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Friday, October 14, 2016 Sacramento, CA Ace of Spades
Sunday, October 16, 2016 Portland, OR Revolution Hall
Monday, October 17, 2016 Nanaimo, BC The Port Theater
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Kelowna, BC Kelowna Community Theatre
Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Calgary, AB Jack Singer Concert Hall
Friday, October 21, 2016 Saskatoon, SK O'Brians Event Centre
Saturday, October 22, 2016 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings Theatre
Sunday, October 23, 2016 Burnsville, MN The Ames Center
Tuesday, October 25, 2016 Northfield, OH Hard Rock Rocksino
Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Milwaukee, WI The Pabst Theater
Friday, October 28, 2016 Grand Rapids, MI The Orbit Room
Saturday, October 29, 2016 North Tonawanda, NY Riveria Theater
Sunday, October 30, 2016 Kitchener, ON Centre in the Square
Tuesday, November 1, 2016 London, ON London Music Hall
Wednesday, November 2, 2016 Ottawa, ON Algonquin Commons Theatre
Friday, November 4, 2016 Albany, NY Hart Theater at The Egg
Sunday, November 6, 2016 Boston, MA Wilbur Theatre
Monday, November 7, 2016 Ridgefield, CT Ridgefield Playhouse
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 New York, NY The Town Hall
Thursday, November 10, 2016 Montreal, QC Corona Theatre
Friday, November 11, 2016 Portland, ME Merrill Auditorium
Saturday, November 12, 2016 Westbury, NY The Space at Westbury
Monday, November 14, 2016 New Brunswick, NJ State Theater
Wednesday, November 16, 2016 Harrisburg, PA The Whitaker Center For Science & the Arts - Sunoco Theater
Additional US Tourdates announced
Steve’s Leather Jacket on Ebay
Our Ebay Auction is now live:
Check out the auction here or visit or special Ebay page for more information.
Hi Guys,
I was lucky enough to be in Sydney in February and was hoping to take my 16-year-old daughter Suzanne along to Selina`s at Coogee to see the band. We were extremely disappointed to find that it was an 18+ venue and that she would not be allowed in. However, Suzanne, knowing how much of a fan I am, insisted I go alone. What a night – I thought I would never see such a gig again, and to think you had done it all three years to the night earlier. I arrived back at our hotel that night full of it and having bought a tour programme discovered that you were playing in the UK six weeks after we got home. Needless to say as soon as we got home we booked for the Manchester Gig (no age restrictions). Wow. What a show!.How do you guys do such a massive tour playing almost every night and look so fresh? It was very apparent from both shows that you were all having a great time up there on stage. I know the audiences had a ball. It goes without saying that you have another dedicated fan in my daughter Suzanne. I was a great Zappa fan and could not foresee any band that might replace his ensembles for live shows. Although the style is different the quality is of an equally high standard. Come back soon,
Pete and Suzanne Swaysland
Weston-Super-Mare England
Mailbag
Mailbag
Photos sent in by J.T. Davis (Oklahoma City 1999 show)
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My name is Uwe Weinert from Germany. I would like to tell you today about a meeting I had with Steve after a concert here in Dusseldorf on 04/04/2000. After the show, I have waited 2.5 hours to get this German license plate signed. It is a German tractor license pate from the small town VAIHINGENa. This town has the prefix towncode VAI. I showed him this plate and he said to me: “It´s amazing”. Then he signed it and gave it back to me. He reached into his jacket, took a camera out and made a photo of me with the license plate in my hand. Than, he gave the camera to his roadie, came beside me and the roadie made a photo of Steve and me. Then Steve told me that he will put this photo on his website! It was 2:30 am and very dark, so I think you can see from the license plate only the reflection of the flash. Out of this reason, I send you a scan of this plate and hope you can use it when you put this on his website.
Peace and love and good happiness stuff,
Uwe
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Hi all there at Vai.com
My name is Gareth and I am a 19 year old male living in Northern Ireland. Ireland is not very good if, like me, you are into music no good bands ever come to play here. All of that changed recently when Steve Vai himself stopped off at Vicar Street Dublin to play a date on the 13 March.
I was there and I had the time of my life. It was a very long drive down from where I live to Dublin but it was worth it I can tell you.
Before the gig started I was hanging around the bar and I could hear some playing going on in the main hall, I asked the security guy if I could go in and he let me. I went into the hall and I could not believe it when I saw Steve sitting there warming up with Mike Keneally, I was so amazed as I have to be the biggest Steve Vai fan in Northern Ireland. He was really playing some amazing stuff.
Then I had to go back outside and wait for the doors to open, once they did I was like one of the first people into the hall. The first high point came when I spotted Dave Weiner over at the mixing desk so I went up to him and asked him for an autograph – he is like such a nice guy and down to earth.
After a bit more waiting about Eric Sardinas came on stage and played some furious blues, later that night I also met the big man himself, he is bigger than me and I am like 6 foot 3, and got his autograph. It was so cool when he lit his guitar onstage, I had never seen the like of it before and I don’t think that I will ever see anything quite like the energy that he gives off onstage.
Then, the bit that I had been waiting years for, Steve Vai came onstage. He played a blistering set, he even recorded a new song in Dublin that he had never played anywhere else, just wait ’til it comes out on one of his records, he had the whole crowd really fired up!
Steve himself and his band give off lots of energy and Steve is very charismatic, he was even messing about and talking to the audience and telling them the story behind the song “Voodoo Acid” which was very cool. I have never before seen a guitar player with so much feeling in his playing, you can really feel the passion in his notes.
The high point for me was when Steve threw a guitar pick into the audience and I got it! I could not believe it, seriously, I have always wanted my very own Steve Vai guitar pick and now I have one, locked up safely I might add. That was really the best for me, thanks Steve, all I need now is to meet him and get his autograph.
I would also like to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who was involved in this amazing concert in Vicar Street, Dublin. The show was amazing and I just can’t express my thanks enough to everyone who organized it, I would especially like to thank Steve and his whole crew for being a great bunch of lads and also you guys at Vai.com for making the best site on the internet. I couldnt be happier as Steve Vai is like my favourite artist ever and I am never going to forget that night that I had in Vicar Street Dublin.
THANK YOU,
Gareth
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Steve Vai’s last concert of the world tour, in Istanbul, was one of the best shows I have ever seen. Turkish audience worshipped his kind, funny and attractive behaviour as much as his guitar skills. It was a show that would never be easily forgotten.
I thank him personally for entertaining me non-stop for 2.5 half hours. It was an ultimate show and good music. I absolutely would like to see him again, whenever, wherever…
BeaR
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DEAR STEVE!
hey hey! what up!?
check this, this is me and my uncle… trying to play your music.. ahem… haha, we need 4 hands to play your stuff, what i’m saying: YOU’RE THE BEST, warm regards from holland!
thanks for the inspiration and…
warm regards
MEMROX
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Hello out there!
I was at Steve ‘s concert in Nijmegen, Holland on the 7th of March. To me, as a big fan of Steve, it was a very emotional event. Crying and laughing at the same time is a weird experience, I can tell you. Steve ‘s show only proved to me what he is capable of, and that he ‘s still growing in what he ‘s doing. Steve is also a kind of a motor to me, giving me a push to keep playing guitar. His concert here in Holland was a smashing experience, something which I ‘ll never forget. I ‘m going to wear my Ultra Zone t-shirt proudly and I ‘m telling everyone who wants to know about you!
Peace to you all,
Marcel Boekholt (Holland)
P.S. Damn! Still haven ‘t got that JEM…….yet!
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You are my inspiration in my art. Look what you have done to me… hehe… this I made for your next album, okay?
With Regard,
MANTRA
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Hello, Steve!!!
Here is my picture that was taken in Orvieto (Italy) on 26-03-00. This day was seriously one of the greatest day of my life. I’d like to thank you for that amazing clinic.
I want also thank you for making such great music that inspires me each and every time I pick up my guitar. You are the Master, the only one!!!!
Thanks a million Steve.
Angelo Gramaccioni
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Steve,
It’s a bit dated now, but I finally scanned my Polaroid of us from the Winter 1996 NAMM show. I think I was the only person there with a stinking Polaroid camera. The upside was that I didn’t have to wait to see if the picture would come out. You might remember, I doubt it, but you might. I was the guy with the Polaroid. One of the people helping you there asked to get a picture of you and her with my camera. You were very nice and signed 4 or 5 photos for me to take back for my friends as well. You were very friendly, and had to lean over the counter quite a ways, and grab me and pull me in to get the shot. I remember thinking “WOW Steve Vai is practically hugging me”. Another cool note is that the shirt you have on must be one of your favorites, because it’s on the G3 CD too. I got that CD and told my friends HEY I TOUCHED THAT SHIRT!! Your music does nothing but inspire me. There is a part in “Ultra Zone” when you’re getting all quiet, and playing the small licks in the middle. Then you just grab it and go, the part almost sounds like your fucking your guitar (edit for content if you must here) and not in a nice way :-). Unlike in “Bad Horsie” when it sounds like your doing it nice and slow. Anyway, that’s a rather sick line of thought, but it’s what I picture in that part of the song. I’m a member of that camp that thinks you and Joe Satriani should get together for an album. He was the reason I picked the guitar up in the first place because of “Day at the Beach”. Eddie Van Halen made me keep playing after I realized how hard that stuff is. You, however, put me in total awe. I had Passion & Warfare before I ever started playing. That was mostly because “The Audience is Listening” was a cool song, that anyone could dig. I was also into Zappa. After I discovered the guitar, that album was my favorite. I used to sit in the dark and listen to “For Love of God” and try to see and feel the music. “Sisters” was the first one off of that album I was able to play and make it recognizable. I’ve babbled on enough. I hope to see this pic and letter on your site!
Warm Regards,
Stacey Lee
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Dear Steve,
I have been to many concerts since1968, some impressed me more, some less. Your concert in Vienna last week was one of the best – if not the best of all – I have ever been.
This surprised me even more because I expected to hear music which I like but is sometimes hard to listen.
The impression of you and your band members was much better than on CD – the music went deeper in me than on CD.
Maybe it was the strong personal impact of you and your band members that let me feel your music better. Maybe the sound mixing – especially on FEVER DREAM – suits me better than on CD.
Also all my friends enjoyed your concert very much, all of them felt that your concert was really great! (One of my friends had no idea of your music before) I travelled 700 km to see you and it was worth it!!!
Please Steve is it possible to play not so loud? Only a little bit less would help much. I am 46 years old, my ears are already a little bit damaged (The Who or ELP or Led Zeppelin or maybe motorbike-racing, I don’t know). During rock concerts I used to take earplugs, but I cannot do this when I hear your music. I take the risk (as my doctor says) of having ringing sound in my ears after such a concert. It isn’t wise I know but you (your sound engineer) are playing too loud.
Sorry for my bad english.
I wish you all the very best from my heart and that all your dreams come true!
Kind regards,
Wilfried
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Dear Steve,
I’ve just returned from the show at Ancienne, Belgique (6/3/2000). For me, this evening has been wonderful – at times an enlightening experience. I have loved your music for the last 10 years and I admire the integrity and intensity you give at all times. Tonight you had a few technical problems – notably in “Angel Food” (that damn lead) and “Fever Dream” (well if it ain’t the lead again). Still, we all got through it and thanks for perservering – especially as “Fever Dream” is one of my personal favorites of The Ultra Zone. It’s difficult to describe the emotion of finally seeing you strut your stuff after listening to you for all these years, but there were a few defining moments tonight that summed it all up – the crowd towards the end of “Tender Surrender” (‘You know how to make an American boy feel proud’), my tears during “For The Love Of God” (I just couldn’t believe I was really watching you play it) and your dive into the crowd at the end. I wanted to bring my ‘Flo’ JEM for you to sign, but I’m walking with a crutch at the moment (you may have seen me waving it about near the front on your left) and that pretty much ruled it out, but nevertheless that doesn’t spoil anything – maybe next time. Thanks for a great evening, inspiration and for touching my life in such a delightful way.
David A Baird
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Hi Steve,
Firstly I’d like to thank you for the wonderful show you & your band put on in Wolverhampton, England on the 12th March. It’s the third time I’ve seen you through the years and your genius astounds me. Also thank you for spending time with myself and my girlfriend, she is now a confirmed fan. I’ve been telling her how good you are for years but I guess she needed to experience you with her own eyes and ears. I still can’t believe that I finally got to meet you. I’ve met most of my heroes over the years as I’m an autograph collector/dealer and its very rare that when I meet a celeb that I get a real high now, in fact most are a disappointment. Well, my head has been in the clouds for the last week – you’re a true gentleman and an example to us all, may you have health and happiness for many long years. Please come back to the UK SOON!!!
I’ve attached a couple of photo that I had taken with you.
Regards,
John Hodges
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Hey Steve!!!
I just got back around two hours ago from the incredible performance you put on in Manchester Apollo. I have been playing my axe since I got back but I had to stop because of the ungodly hour. Anyway, all I want to say is that the show tonight had me lost for words. It was more an adventure than a concert, and the memory of that will be with me forever (I can now imagine how those who saw Jimi at Woodstock must have felt). And Steve, the way you described ‘Voodoo Acid’ within the song, well it was amazing. I can’t think of words that can express how I feel. I am on an incredible high and I’m never going to put my guitar down again.
Thank you so much.
Chris Booth
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Dear Steve Vai & Band,
Thank you for letting me experience one of the greatest nights in my life. This might come a bit late, that gig I’m talking about was in Hannover, Germany on April 6th and…what can I say…it was amazing. I really stood there with my jaw dropped to the floor and I had tears in my eyes, so beautiful it was. And not only the guitar performances, but also the drum ones were really great. It was truly unbelievable. My boyfriend was with me that night and I watched him several times during the show and I can tell, he was just as caught as I was by your music. You know, he wasn’t really a Steve Vai fan until he saw that show…
Well, as I said, “thank you for the music” and I (or we) hope you’ll come to Germany soon again, or at least tape one of the Ultra Zone gigs and make a video, thanks.
Yours,
Kati
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So, here’s my story from the recent Australian Vai tour. I’ll try to keep it brief because I could go on for ages. Basically, being a huge Vai fan, and probably an even bigger Keneally fan, I wanted to make the most of the recent Australian tour. I knew that just one show wasn’t going to be enough for me and so, I decided I’d be a bit crazy and go to all 5 Australian shows (a bit excessive, I know, but it’s not every day that they come to town and I got a package deal which kept the price down a bit). I had 3 months of holidays from university over the summer so I spent this time working my butt off packing shelves at a supermarket to save up the money for the airfares and accomodations. It was definitely worth it! (even though I was totally broke when I returned home).
The first show was in Melbourne. I got to the venue pretty early (as I did for all the gigs) so I could get a spot right up at the front. I was glad I did because while waiting outside for the Melbourne show, Steve came walking down the street (guitar in hand) and invited us earlybirds in to see the soundcheck. I don’t really need to say how fantastic the show was that night (and every other night). Next stop was Sydney (where I’m from) and I got to meet Steve in the morning at a record store signing. I got him to sign two pretty rare items for me — the original “Flex-Able Leftovers” EP (second cover) and my Loch Ness Green Jem777 guitar. I told him I was going to all of the shows, although I’m not too sure if he believed me (which is understandable). I had a MK “Sluggo!” shirt on and we both agreed what a great album that is (cool!). I got to meet Mike before the show that night and he signed all of his CDs for me and was ultra cool. The show in Sydney that night was pretty wild.
Next stop was Brisbane, and then Adelaide where I went to see Mike’s little acoustic concert at a music shop (thanks Jamie). This was the first time I’d ever heard Keneally material live and in person and it was an amazing thrill. Mike was real cool and appreciate of my “commitment” but I still couldn’t help feeling like some sort of crazy stalker or something (“The Wreckage Was Large” comes to mind). Oh well, Mike didn’t seem to care. After the Vai show the next night I got to meet the rest of the band and they were all really nice too.
The next night in Perth I went to Mike’s second acoustic show (thanks Gary). There was a bigger turnout and it was great. Mike answered a bunch of questions and played some Keneally classics. The final Vai show in Perth rocked. The aftershow shindig was pretty relaxed and we got in. Once again, everybody was really nice. We eventually pushed our way through the throng of people crowding Steve and said I’d been to all of the shows. I’m not sure if Steve recognized me or not (Steve obviously sees a lot of faces), but I did have my “Sluggo!” shirt on again. I guess he must have believed me because the next thing I knew, he was taking off his chain necklace and handing it to me! I was shocked and I couldn’t believe he was serious. I mean, how cool is that?! I thanked him repeatedly, got a photo, and that was it. I said bye to Mike, and thus ended one of the most exciting and incredible weeks of my life!
So, to Mike Keneally, Dave, Philip & Mike — thanks for the great shows and for being so cool. And to Steve, thank you so much for your unbelievable generosity and wonderful music.
So there you have it. Feel free to include this in the “Your Letters & Photos” section of the website, that is, if you can take the time to type it up. I would have sent it by e-mail instead of in the post, but I don’t have a scanner for the photos.
Thanks, and all the best —
Jimmy Lardner-Brown
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Dear Steve,
I hope to you get to read this. I’ve just got back in from the most amazing show I think I’ve ever been to! You gave us your all tonight, Steve – the atmosphere was so warm, fun and electric, you let me in for the soundcheck, and the new “tea and crumpets” song you recorded is so, well, English. It’s lovely. You played “Tender Surrender”, I cried again. “Windows to the Soul”, oh my God,. Then afterwards I met you. I’ve waited so long for that, and believe it or not it took a lot of courage for me to come up to you. You were so nice to me. Then I asked you to sign the back of my jacket, and you said to me “such a beautiful jacket too”, Well it will be even more beautiful to me now Steve, thank you so much for your music, we all love you so much. I wanted to say that to you at the time, but could just about speak, and I know you will come back and see us. I know you felt the warmth and love we all sent you, we didn’t want you to stop playing for us. Well God bless you Stevie, and it was such a privilege to hear the new song being recorded at the soundcheck. Yes, even all 12 times!! :o)
love to you all,
Chris J.
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Well, I just wanted to tell anybody who reads this that Greasy Kid’s Stuff is really cool!!! I really love it, keep up the good work,
Alejandro Salas
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Hi there!
Just had the best day of my life on the 10th of March. I went to see Steve in Manchester. I met Steve and he signed some stuff for me. He then asked me to come in and watch the soundcheck… WOW… What a day I had. I spent just over two hours against the stage, taking over 200 photos of him up close & personal. He also played 2 brand new songs, one of which he said represented the United Kingdom. You really are a true gent, Steve, and a genius on all levels. A big thank you to you and your band for all of your kindness and hospitality when you were so busy.
Forever Happy,
Paul
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Take a look at these excellent pics of Vai playing at the “London Astoria” on the 9/3/00. I took these photos myself. I’m not feeling big-headed but would’nt you say they came out superb? I’m realy suprised because I’m not a camera expert and I’m only 17.
Please feel welcome to publish these on the “Vai Site” for all to see!
All in all the concert was excellent because I got right to the front. But even better than getting to the front was when Steve handed out the body of his guitar to the audience. I was the only person to touch his whammy bar and make some really cool guitar noises…LIVE!!!
Yours faithfully,
Raymond Reilly
UK
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Hey Steve,
My friends and I were in Marseille at “Le Moulin” for your second visit to our beautiful town. Just a few lines to thank you for the great show you gave to us. The place was crowded and the concert was OUTSTANDING!! You gave us 3 hours of pure HAPPINESS and lots of good memories… I would like to thank you for playing “Windows to The Soul”, “For The Love Of God” and “Tender Surrender” which made us dream. Thanks again.
Peace.
Hakim
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Hi Steve,
The JEM’s neck is so large that I had to customize my young sister’s arms to make her able to use it as good as you…
Continue to offer our ears such wonderful poetry, and be always the same…
Few notes from France,
Matthieu Saqué
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Hi, Nicholas from Singapore here. It’s a bit late but here are some pics from Steve’s concert here on February 4 1997. Superb show and I’m glad I waited for it. I queued up from 6.00pm to 10.00pm before I got in and it was worth every effort.
Thank you Steve for the great music.
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Hi ;
First of all, excuse-me , my english is not very good, and congratulations for being such a good musician. My name is Xavier, I’m 24 and I live in Barcelona. I’ve never written a letter to anybody in all my life. I write to you cause I love your music and I feel some kind of connection between our minds when I listen to it. This is a feeling that I’ve got just with a few other musicians (John Petrucci, Nuno Bettencourt, Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucía, John McLaughlin, Eric Johnson…) but the feeling is never as strong as when I listen to you. I know that nobody cares about what I think but it’s just something I’ve always wanted to tell you (I’m sure I’m not the only one).
Actually, I don’t know anything about harmony or composition, I play guitar but I learn by myself. (I can’t read a partiture for example). That’s a very sad point, cause I’d like to know a lot about music to really appreciate-it.
I was in your concert in Barcelona on March 17. In my opinion it was even better than the last time in 1993 (it was great too), when you recorded us with a microphone. (I was very surprised that you remembered that). It was a great concert, you played songs of most of your albums, and everybody played very, very well. I didn’t know Eric Sardinas until then, he’s really good, and the rest of musicians too: “The Great Mangini”, Philip Bynoe, and Mike Keneally, he is a genius.
There is something very curious in you, it’s not just the music, I’ve got the feeling that you’re a great person, not only a great musician. I’ve talked about this point with my “twin” brother, who is a fan of you too, and he’s got the same feeling. I remember you in the last concert, taking a camera from someone in the public and trying to make a photo of yourself and that person, (while playing!!). Nobody else in the world would do that, it was very nice of you. The fact that you make the music that you want to do is fantastic too. You don’t make commercial music, just what you feel and that means you’re a musician, not a business man. And I think that for
all your fans, the fact that you make music for a minority public is very good for our little vanity.
Thank’s for all and good luck , see ya.
Xavier
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Happy birthday Steve! Best wishes and peace and love and good happiness stuff to you and your beloved family from your German fan(atic) Katrin Vollmann (yes, a female fan). Thank you for being in Germany April 3rd 2000 in Nürnberg/Forum. It was the best concert I’ve ever seen in my whole live! When I’m an old Grandma and I’ll forget my own name I’ll remember THIS. Please visit Germany again soon. See you,
Katrin
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Hi Steve!!
This photo is from your clinic in Orvieto (Italy). I was really happy to met the man who wrote so many songs that I love. I mean…they remind to me a lot of things in my life. I went to the “VOX” disco in Nonantola during your soundcheck. I talked with the big guys…you know…the guards in the disco, and they let me enter the “VOX” at 14:00 and I saw all your soundcheck. It was great and I couldn’t believe that you were so near from my house (I live10 minutes from “VOX”). Be prepared because in few years I will be a great guitar player!! Maybe better than you! ^_^
It has been nice to meet you,
Nikola (Italy)
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Hey Steve & Company
I saw you in Manchester, England in March. I’d just like to say thank you for putting on the best concert I have ever seen! I am a huge fan of you and Eric Sardinas (I bought his album about 1 year ago) and I think both of you are fantastic guitarists – I loved the Crossroads dual in “The Attitude Song”! Oh by the way – I wasn’t dragged along by a man! I had to drag my dad along so I could come to see you! (He was dead impressed too).
Thank you for inspiring me.
Rachael Wood
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Rich, Steve, and Vai fans;
Just wanted to comment on an article I recently stubbled upon in the Archives section of Guitar Player website from December of 1999.
Here I thought I’d see them ALL but was forwarded the Vai article, and I couldn’t take my eyes from it until I had read each and every word! Very nice write up and no, had not seen this one.
I learned a lot from that. Mainly, something that touched me I hadn’t known was that his father passed away while recording the Ultra Zone.
Interesting…very sad and yet, very inspiring that he was able to overcome the overwhelming and instant sadness of this to not only finish the Ultra Zone, but also have it turn out so beautifully at the same time.
To be so in touch with your own feelings to be able to utilize the feelings within as (in a sense) motivation toward completion is utterly unequalled!
Where so many would have given up, he continued onward to perform (what I feel) is his best yet! The diversity and guitar techniques are truly the works of a “master” and that could ONLY be Mr. Vai HIMSELF. (I am very sorry for your loss, and I understand what you may have been going through. You have my deepest sympathy but I truly believe the spirit and soul live forever.)
I find him such an inspiration to everyone who would hope to aspire in anything, NOT just the guitar but any kind of vision. It makes me smile that he has given such a wonderful gift as his music.
His eminent talent and his will to succeed in his craft should give anyone the encouragement they need to find their own niche in life.
It also made me realize that by finding your own true talent in life, you could be giving others quite a bit too! There are no losers in this kind of a deal!
Thanks Steve for sharing so much, and giving us your “all”!
Kris McBeath
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I’ve been to a lot of different concert with a lot of different bands but this concert was… well, different. And the best, by far.
Rich Pike, thank you, thank you, thank you for getting me the two aftershow passes, but I still didn’t get laid… :-)). Who cares, what´s sex after this…?
Steve Vai, you amazed me on stage, even though you according to Mike K. were ill. I hope it wasn’t the food or the weather… and that you got well soon. Maybe you´re driving yourself too hard..?
And thank you for signing my Jem 90 Certificate.
Mike Keneally, what have you been smoking? 😉 Ok, Steve is far out but you took the meaning of the term one step further. Now, all I need is to get hold of “Nonkertompf”… Norway is a 3rd World country when it comes to music imports. Thank God for the Internet!
And thank you for signing my Jem 90 Certificate.
Mike Mangini, you just blew me away. I have bought a 7 drum Yamaha set and am practicing 2-3 hours a day (a man has to work too, and I am never quitting the Guitar…). Hell, yes!
And thank you for signing my Jem 90 Certificate.
Philip Bynoe, you are the glue of the band. You know what it takes and puts it in there. Cool playing, man!
And thank you for signing my Jem 90 Certificate.
I never got hold of the name of Steve’s “apprentice”, but you evidently belong in this band, that’s for sure. Nice job!!!
Too bad I didn’t get your name on that Jem 90 Certificate, you need to stick around with the other guys more. 🙂
Now all I need is to learn to read sheet music, play the keyboards, some bagpipe, harmonica and about 3000 other instruments, then I´ll kick some butt!
BTW, when is Steve´s 10-cd set coming out?
Thanks for a hilarious, breathtaking, inspiring and moving concert, Steve. I had to travel 860 miles to see it, and it would have been worth it even if I’d had to walk there and back.
…so, when will you come back to Norway…?
Sincerely yours
Alf Torp
Norway
PS!
I know the best skiing tracks in Norway, Downhill, Slalom, Telemark, you name it, so just send me a mail when winter holidays are coming. Of course, afterski is not optional. 🙂
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hi rich & steve,
just a quick note and a couple of pics to say thanks for the guitar package auctioned off on mfnrocks.com. It arrived a few weeks ago and now hangs proudly on the wall next to my other guitar Steve signed in Wolverhampton, UK in March. My wife & I wanted Steve to know that we had a fantastic time at the show, and even better that we got to meet him and the band afterwards!! We have some excellant photos as memories and I really hope when Steve tours again 2-3 years time (i’m sure he will!!) he visits Wolves again.
Anyway, the pics are of my 17 mth old daughter (who also met Steve that day, maybe one of his youngest fans?!) when Steve sang The Blood and Tears to her. Hope u can put these up on the site, it would make us very proud!!
thanks
andy, nikki & serenna
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Dear Steve,
I just wanted to email you to tell you how much you have influenced my life. My interest in guitar playing has gone from strength to strength, thanks to your music and your incredible passion for what you do. How you are able to express yourself through your music gives the amazing illusion of how your guitar is simply an extension of yourself. You are one with it, and everyone who is privileged to witness you play your music becomes hypnotised, entranced, and completely drawn into your world. I am constantly in awe of your talent. Just when I feel I know your music, something new emerges and a new boundary is set… until the next album. Seemingly there is no end to the complexities of your vision for making music. This only serves to inspire people around the globe who make contact with your music. I was privileged to have met you when you were in Australia, and was blown away by your down-to-earth nature and accessibility. I was honoured for you to sign my 10th Anniversary Jem. Your concert was all I imagined plus so much more. I will definitely remember and cherish my experience there. In this day and time, it is warming to know that heroes do exist. Thank you.
Kindest regards,
Mario Rabottini
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Vai-Tal Ebay auction: Fire Garden Leather Jacket
Steve’s First Leather Jacket w Hand Painted “Fire Garden” Artwork from Tabitha Rose
Buyers for this month’s Vai-Tal used gear auction will have a chance to own the very first leather jacket Steve purchased with stunning new artwork of Steve’s “Fire Garden” album cover by Tabitha Rose.
From Steve:
“I always loved the look of these long leather coats and when I was around 18 years old and going to school in Boston I decided to have one made. A big step for a guy living on cereal and peanut butter. I loved this coat and wore it for years and then just kept it in my attic until Tabitha Rose recently spun some serious magic on it”
-Steve Vai
Check out our Ebay page for more details.
The auction will start August 22, at 11.00 PDT
Vai-Tal Ebay auction: Fire Garden Leather Jacket
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STEVE,
Thanks for an amazing show you guys put on in OKC,OK! I just wanted to tell you that I really appreciate the time you took to talk, sign autographs, and be socialable with me. I was hammered by the show you put on for the Ultra Zone tour! My all time favorite tunes are Little Alligator and Bad Horsie, those two always gets my attention. I picked up the Alien Love Secrets DVD and it is awesome! I love the story how you were an Indian getting chased by the train. Tender Surrender is always a pleasure to hear. I was wondering if you are ever going to release a live record with all of the current material? A live record and a DVD of that show would be the ultimate! Please consider it. I remember you were on the Fire Garden tour. Your bus caught on fire and you had a lot of personal items destroyed, at the show in OKC you pulled a DAT recorder out and recorded us. Will we ever hear a live record with that “trash dat” recording? I do hope so! Well thanks again for your tireless quest to get to the next level!
A devoted fan
always Brandon Barnett
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Hey there Vaiguy!!
Me and my girlfriend saw the Ultra Zone tour in London Astoria in March. We hail from good ‘ole Wales (that’s right, the country NEXT to England!) and usually I wouldn’t travel that far to London to see a gig, but hey, it’s Steve Vai!
Anyway, being a virtuoso fan since I first picked up the six-string wand and spending endless hours listening to Satch, when I got introduced to your music, I freely admit, it is the best music that I have ever heard in my life. The musical spectrum that you achieve on just 12 notes is immense. Me and my guitar tutor (I’m in music college) spend hours going through your techniques and styles.
I dragged my girlfriend along to the gig, and even she thoroughly enjoyed it!! Which is definitely saying something! Anyway, I don’t need to go on about how amazing you are and how inspirational your music is, that’s already been said by every sane person that’s listened to it! I’ve played guitar for 5 years now and since listening to your music my style has greatly increased, or so my girlfriend says, maybe she’s just saying that to keep me happy! I did take some photos from the tour but for some reason the camera made you guys look eeny-weeny so I’ve been checking out the site more than regularly waiting to see if any London photos have been put on yet! Please put them on!!
Anyway, Sardinas was great, You guys were better, and I’ll see you on stage in a few years when I make it big! (or something!)
Say “Hi!” to Keneally, Mangini, Bynoe and all the roadies. Oh yeah, Weiner rocked! Cool sitar playing on ‘For the Love of God!”
See you guys soon!
Simon Taylor
South Wales
PS Neath College rocks! especially Jeff Rees (Who is a huge fan!)
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I had the privilege to meet Mr.Vai at “Harmony House” last year on Sunday, August 14th, in Detroit, the morning before his show at St. Andrews Hall, (AWESOME SHOW). Mr Vai did 3 songs at Harmony House (UNBELIEVABLE)… then signed autographs… I waited 2 hours to meet Steve & had him sign 2 discs & my “Ibanez acoustic”… THANKS STEVE!!
I had my 4 year old daughter, Victoria with me & she saw that Mr. Vai was signing “Daddy’s” stuff and asked me… “Daddy….can you ask Steve Vai to write on my hand???”… Sooooooo… I did…And to my surprise… Not only did he sign my daughter’s hand… BUT… He asked her…”Do you know how to write your name???”
She said “Yes”… and then he asked her to sign “HIS” hand…Well needless to say she was thrilled & gladly printed her name on Steve’s hand….WHAT A GREAT GUY!! I didn’t have my camera, and was bummed out, BUT, one of the sweet, sweet ladies that was with Steve took 2 pictures of Steve & my daughter and mailed them to me( BIG THANKS!!)… My daughter begged me to take her to the concert, later that night, but she’s only 4 & I just wasn’t too sure about taking her to a concert…
But, she never washed her hand… Steve`s name eventually had to wear off… And she looks at the pictures almost daily on my PC… So, I’d like to thank you Mr.Vai for making a little 4-year-old’s day (and her Daddy’s)… You are truly one of “The Great Ones”…
Peace To You & Yours,
David & Tori
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Dear Mr. Vai,
Thank you for your tender heart. I received your autograph and UZ-pick last month. Not only I but my wife trembled with joy.
Please come to Japan again by all means.
Happy birthday and please take care of yourself!
I wish you every happiness.
* * * * * * * * *
Sincerely yours,
Tadao Kaneko
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY
To the Man whose music touches the very depth of the soul; The Man who opened the gate to a place full of wisdom, senses, tenderness and a little madness😉
A place where “you’ll never know where i end and you begin”.
Ten years ago i was impassioned by “Passion and Warfare”, then came “Sex and Religion” and the question “is it right what I do in my dreams with you?”…
In 1995 I heard from you about “Alien Love Secrets” and I found that the secret is THE GUITAR…
Four years ago I almost burned in Your “Fire Garden”, but now I’m totally obsessed by the richness of your soul, boundless mind and amazing sounds in the “Ultra Zone”.
THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC!
God bless you and give to You and Your family all the best that can exist in this world!
Forever Yours: Stela
p.s. Have a nice beekeeping. I have already harvest the honey from one of my hives.
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HELLO VAI.COM
I send you again a new artwork for your great website!
Thank you,
Rodolphe Wery from France
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Just thought I’d write a complaint with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek. As I was cruising the streets of Toronto today with my wife, I broke out Steve Vai’s ‘Sex and Religion’ cassette. Just before pulling into the driveway after listening to the album TWICE, my left speaker cakked out making lots of squeaks with every beautiful guitar note. I happily went downstairs and replaced the worn out speakers with an old set of Bose I had stored in the basement. Now it sounds even better, thanks STEVE.
‘Sex and Religion’ seems an even more relevent album for these last 12 years of earth as we know it!
Sincerely,
David Elton
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Hey Steve,
I’ve got to admit that I didn’t know who you were prior to 2 months ago. I had not heard any of your material (at least that I knew was yours). I play Christian contemporary music in the band I’m in and had shut out all secular music for the longest time. I own a large Carvin sound system that we use regularly and enjoy much, it seems like I had spent an eternity looking for an amplifier that would emit the sound and feel that I was seeking. CARVIN had already proven itself so I figured I would try your VL-100 half stack.
Steve, hats off to you bro, your Carvin Legacy amp surpasses my expectations in both sound and craftsmanship. I like it so much that I bought one of the VL212 combo series amps for smaller gigs.
I was in a local music store here in Austin, Texas, when I noticed this guitarist in a white suit in a video that was playing with the volume off. I was struck by the intensity and effortless negotiation of the fretboard. I asked a sales guy who that was and he said “Oh, that’s Vai”. I asked him to turn it up, he did and I havent been the same since.
I know that I will never be able to play like you (and maybe thats a good thing), but I have finally found the sound that I myself as a guitarist have been looking for. Thanks Bro.
Dave Swisher
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Hello Everyone at Vai.com,
The attached graphic is the result of listening to a recently acquired “Flex-Able” CD. I hadn’t heard the songs, other than in my head, for over 9 years. While listening to “Call It Sleep” I cranked up my graphics suite and just let my imagination go wild, following themes and trying new stuff. My initial offering was quite simple and it quickly grew into what you see as I went from “Flex-Able” to several of Steve’s bluesy songs from later albums. If anyone on your end thinks my graphic is worth the bandwidth I would be honored to see my creation on Vai.com. Steve’s music is an enhancement to my life and I thank him for that.
Regards,
Jonathan Shroyer
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Dear Steve,
Hello. I am writing this letter to you to to tell you of the length I went to, to perform “For the Love of God” at one of my larger gigs.
I play lead guitar with a Christian band known as Faith Out Loud (I’m only 16). Our main audience is a Youth Group consisting of 13-18 year olds. A couple of months ago in early April, I knew that we had a fairly large (large for us, anyway) gig coming up. It was at a church fiesta, and we were going to be playing in front of about 500 people. So far, my largest audience had been 250 people, so I was very excited. About a month before the gig, I was listening to the G3 record, and I thought that it would be great if I could arrange “For the Love of God” for the whole band so that we could play it at the fiesta.
Personally, I thought it was a great idea. It would add an instrumental number to the band’s repertoire, it would be a nice break from all the faster vocal songs, it would give the singers a break, and it would give me the opportunity to perform one my favorite songs of all time on stage! The title also worked for the band. I talked to the bandleader about it, and he said that we should let all the band members listen to it, so as to get their take on the song. So later, after all the band members had listened to it, I asked for each of their opinions. The Bandleader, who is also rhythm guitar, liked it and seemed very positive about it. The keyboardist loved it. The bass player liked the bass line, but was a bit spooked by the “psychedelic guitar lead” as he put it. The drummer, for whatever reason I STILL can’t figure out, hated it. All he did was whine about how it was “too slow” and “It’ll put people to sleep.” Even as I pointed out all of the positive aspects to try to get him to see some light to it, he still hated the song. I knew that he didn’t like your music at the time but I had no idea that he’d be that opposed to it. He has no tolerance for anything other than what he likes, which is punk/alternative. Anyway, he did not give me a yes or a no about whether he would play it or not, but I could tell he didn’t like the song at all. Personally, I am baffled at how some people simply do not like your music. What’s not to like? I think it is the best music ever recorded!
Anyway, back to the subject, I got the go-ahead to arrange the song for the whole band. I made copies and simplified notation/tab of all the song’s instruments, tape copies of the studio AND live versions, gave them to the band, and learned the guitar riffs and leads note for note. I thanked them for their cooperation, and the bandleader told them to practice it. It was a month before the gig.
Five days before the gig. The bandleader is reluctant to play the song, nervous about the audience’s reaction. The bass player had lost interest in the song and managed to lose his sheet music TWICE!!! The drummer was refusing to practice it, except for a few 30-second bursts. The keyboardist, bless her soul, had dutifully learned her parts. It was not practiced.
Three days before the gig. I have ran through four minutes of it with the rhythm guitarist only. The drummer and bass player show up to practice, and the drummer manages to get through four minutes of it before quitting. I was seriously beginning to doubt that the song would be performed, and maybe I should quit. I pressed on, confident that I could persuade the band members to pull this off. Why was I doing the persuading? Because the 34 year-old bandleader was not willing to persuade the rhythm section, a 14 and 18 year old, to do it.
T minus two days and counting. While installing an Evolution bridge pickup in my Ibanez RG450DX, the electronics are fried in a freak technical mishap. The guitar is only repairable through a complete electronic overhaul. I do not have a guitar. Since it is an emergency, my parents agree to loan me the money to buy any guitar I choose, as long as it is under $1000. And I would have to pay back every penny of it, which was fine with me. I decided I needed a new guitar that would need no modifications and that would last me for years to come. I chose a JEM 555. It arrived the next day in the mail as I exhaled in relief.
The day of the gig. I have the band run over the song…halfway. The keyboardist has come down with a 105 fever and has to miss the gig. Just after the intermission, the bandleader instructs the rhythm section to start playing on my cue. I cue them, and play the first notes of FTLOG. To my dismay, the bass, drums, and rhythm guitar come in about 3 bars late. Oh well, at least they actually started. Suddenly, the drummer accelerated to about 70 bpm, a far cry from the 50 bpm. Nevertheless, I kept playing the song perfectly. About two minutes into it, all other the other instruments, bass, drums, and rhythm guitar stop playing. I am shocked, but I hang on the note I left off of and end with some feedback and a dive bomb. I was very disappointed that they ended the song like that, but the show went on.
Later, at home, I got so frustrated with the bad attitude and poor performance of the band on that song that I almost cried. I mean, I’ve played some special request songs of theirs, even if I didn’t like them. I didn’t matter if I didn’t like their songs, because my job, as a musician in that band, is to learn the songs I’m assigned and play the parts to the absolute best of my ability. My job is not to complain. I still can’t express how disappointed I am with the whole thing.
But I suppose I should look on the bright side. It did get played a little bit, and something is better than nothing. And the head of music for the whole parish LOVED it, and now he wants to put it on the band’s upcoming CD. My efforts were not totally in vain.
I just wanted to tell you this story to express to you how far I will go for and to play your awe-invoking sonic explorations of the guitar. It may not be much compared to some, but it’s the best I could do.
I remember the first time I heard your playing on the first Merry Axemas album. There was something about your rendition of “Christams Time is Here” that touched something deep in my soul. I bought “Passion and Warfare” and when I heard the music on that record, I knew what I was shooting for, musically.
In a nutshell, I wanted to share my little tale with you just because I thought you might find it interesting. That is really all that I have to say. Gee, how do I close up a letter to the greatest guitarist on the planet? Uhhh.. I’M NOT WORTHY!!!! hehe. I guess I’ll just say this; Thank you for reading my letter, thank you for being my greatest musical influence, and keep up the good work. Peace.
Warm regards,
Brendan Dora
Lead guitar, Faith Out Loud
P.S. Oh yeah, I LOVE my Jem, and I plan to move up to a 7V eventually. I’ll send you a picture of me playing it live. Could you please post this on Vai.com? I know you must get thousands of letters a day from wackmobiles like me, but it would mean a lot to be if you could post this on the site. Thank you so much!
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Hi,
I attended a great concert on 10th March when Steve Vai and Band came to Manchester… although I am disabled and in an electric wheelchair, nothing was going to deter me and my little lad Aaron from making it to the show.
It was great, the only problem is that there is only one photo posted yet that I recognize from that night…. My son Aaron is on it with his new Steve Vai plectrum given to him by Philip Bynoe, front row, little lad with white t-shirt holding his pic on the “throwing the guitar” photo) so I would like to offer 2 photos from the night which we hope that you will use on the website….
The [second] photo is Steve meeting and signing an autograph for my son (albeit that someone stood behind my son blocking him from shot…good closeup of Steve though.. and the [1st] photo was taken when Steve was right above us on stage, and my son Aaron is the one with the Vai Ultra Zone Cap…..
So if you are feeling in a generous spirit and would like to make Aaron’s and my day then please feel free to post the photos on your great website….
Thanks a lot and all the best…
Mike & Aaron Hodkinson
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Dear Steve,
My Name is Joe and I’m writing this letter today to express the happiness I feel when I listen to your music.
Back when I was 15, when “Passion and Warfare” came onto the market, instrumental music was something new to me. The video for “The Audience is Listening” inspired me to run out and buy the tape. Since then I have been a Huge fan. Your music inspired me to start playing the guitar. Unfortunately I never really got to be any kind of a virtuoso like yourself. I played for about 4 years, and ended up pushing the guitar off into the wayside. I’m 25 now and am serving in the USAF, but yet the same fire I had 10 years ago to be able to play like yourself still exists deep down inside. Two questions are always embedded in my mind. Where do I begin the learning process and am I to old to be able to get to the level that you are presently playing at?
The first electric guitar I ever had was a B.C. Rich Warlock, then I moved to a Fender Strat. It wasn’t long till I realized what a good guitar was. So I went and traded them in for a Washburn KC-40V, and I eventually traded that later for a Washburn N-2.
Sincerely,
Joe Howle
P.S. To me you will always be the String King
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Hey there, Steve…
I’m from Long Island also (Seaford) and couldn’t stop laughing when, as I was looking through your online “vault” of guitars, I saw that you purchased your sticker Strat at Matthew’s Music in Roosevelt Field! I LOVED that store and bought a ton of gear there (along with Sam Ash on Front St. in Hempstead and Focus II in Bellmore). Just seeing that remark brought back a flood of memories and how sad I was when the place went under (the old 20% to 40% to 50% discounts didn’t clue me in until it was too late) and stuff that I’ve gotten rid of from there (except my Boss pedals – they stay FOREVER!). Too bad the field has become an “upscale” mall, with the giant food court and getting rid of the “unapproved of” establishments like the arcade and the News Rack. Ah well…just for that, the Boss pedals are coming with me when I go to the studio tonight…
later bro…
Anthony Lucisano
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Hi, my name is Emi and I’m from Romania. Romania is a very poor country (our profit = $50 per month). I’m a bass player but this doesn’t really matter ’cause the music means all the instruments of the world played with something that I call spirit. Maybe you don’t believe me, but I do know how your way of thinking is. I mean the spiritualy way of life and a great sense of good. I don’t think you’re a musician; I think you’re a man who found the good way of living. Music is the comunication with the other and guitars (all kinds) are the words. Now, get me straight: I really don’t have any possibilities to buy a bass guitar. I’m not asking you to send me one, I’m asking you to remember this kind of people who has none of the possibilities to study music because they don’t have the instrument, to study their way to comunicate with the other people. Wish me luck in my searching for LIFE.
With respect, Emi
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Hi Steve!
…do you remember the night after the show in Milano (29 march 2000)?…you was “simply” GREAT!!!
I send you the pic when meet you with my friend Gianclaudio (JOHN!)… I play gtr (but not like you…sigh!) with a group called LEGATURA… we’re looking for a label…. Now we are on www.vitaminic.it with 2 songs in mp3!
hope to see you soon (magari in Italia…vieni presto!)… saluti in famiglia e ai ragazzi della band… .from ZAK!
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vai:
Cool is too much overused
as opposed to simply overused
So I’m wondering what to use
to tell you that I perused
your site that seems all right
it’s quite
all right
with me
so I’ve got to find a word
that would say something much less bored
than simple cool with all of her
much too too old absurd
that seem so nerd-
y.
can’t you see
it’s time to find a way to be
something more than simply cool
or even cold
it sounds so old
let’s all lite up loco
it’s chocolaty and cocoa
not a weed
just the first time uses, like a seed
of some new word
let’s light up ‘loco!’
[anonymous]
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Steve, I have just been looking at the site as an enourmous fan of your guitar playing and just realized that I have been engrossed for three hours! What a fantastic web site with so much information!
I’ve laughed out loud reading the journal for 1960-1980 (reminds me of David Lee Roth’s book, you should write it ALL in a book), played around with the panaoramic studio Quicktime thing, been inspired by the ‘Little Black Dots’ and ‘Martian Love Secrets’ and had fun watching the video clips. One thing that has really come across from this, is the lack of ego you display in the creation of this site. It seems that you still clearly remember what it is like to be a music fan and put all the stuff that us as fans want to read, see etc. Even down to actually personally replying to messages!
I’ve seen you a few times live here in the UK but the best show was this year at the London Astoria, I really felt you were playing for US, the fans and you seemed really confident as a showman, putting on a great show and taking the piss out of yourself! You played ‘Salamanders in the Sun’ which I never understood before, but after seeing it played, I was nearly reduced to tears by it, such an awesome piece of music.
Thank you for years of inspiration.
Ollie
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Ciruelo Cabral created this petropicto (painted stone). The beauty of Vai’s face,
the stone nature and Ciruelo’s hands all in one. In the private collection of a GKS Member.
Your friend Jon Diaz in Barcelona
(vai.com note: Ciruelo later went on to create the cover images for both The 7th Song, and The Elusive Light and Sound.)
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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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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
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y 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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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Steve,
There’s something about the word “Individual.” That word is one that everyone wishes for but many just cannot attain. You are one of the few ‘persons’, let alone ‘musicians’ that have clearly defined yourself in such a way. To be quite honest, I love ya more as a person that a guitarist because you’re such a humble guy, much like myself. Your guitar playing is awe-inspiring. I remember the first time I saw you–it was on “Crossroads.” Jack Butler was a role made totally for Steve Vai. You hold a charisma and entertaining aspect about yourself when you’re playing that I wish I had. I’ve only been playing guitar for a year and a half, but listening to certain players tend to “influence” us all. I guess you could say that my style, which tends to coincide with the very likes of yourself, Jimmy Page, Satriani, Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix, consists of a feeling and aspiration for perfection. Which is how I feel about each one of you guys as musicians. Those individuals we look at and say, “Man, I’ll never be that good.” It’s not that we ‘hold ourselves back’, but we feel that it is something so sacred and dear to our souls that we leave it for what it is and just don’t touch it, like a signed guitar by your favorite player.
Needless to say, I’m a total fan of yours. As I said earlier, “I love ya for the person you are.” You do it for the love of the music and you are one of the few people that haven’t been influenced by ‘them.’ Them, I guess you can say, is pressure, commercialism and egotistical jackasses. I enjoy that you’re being your own musician and a total disciple of yourself. That’s what we all as musicians, especially the young bloomers like myself, say about each other–“I care more about challenging myself than dueling with others.”
I recently saw you on the G3 video and you were awesome! “For The Love Of God” is a creation that is ‘divine and grandiose’. When I play with others in a jam session, I watch everything; their hands, body language and most importantly, their face. Steve, let say this for myself — in “For the Love of God”, you were there, man. I saw it in your eyes — the total drive of feeling and freedom. Like an eagle almost, soaring and being proud of what you’re doing for yourself, your loved ones and your fans. That look is one that I’ll never forget. I was almost as if you were thanking God for giving you what you had and there are so many others that want that same feeling — to be loved and doing what you do best.
I’ll close this letter by saying that I play guitar because I love the instrument. I play because it’s fun and I express myself. I guess you could say that guitar is my “Stairway To Heaven” or moreover, my “Liberty.” Continue to lavish us fans with music that takes our pain away, that soothe our souls and captivates our imagination to live life a little better each day. Songs to me that you’ve made that I hold dear are: “Hand On Heart,” “Die To Live,” “Brother,” “Liberty,” “For the Love of God,” “Sisters,” “Bad Horsie,” “Tender Surrender,” and “Fire Garden Suite.” Steve, thank you so much for your time, your guitar playing, your incredible sense of feeling with music, your creativity and your desire — desire to be the best (not to mention you’re succeeding with that!)
Keep this great website and thank you so much!!!
The Hitman
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Here are two photos of Steve during a seminar in Rome, in June 1991.
Giuseppe Centi
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Special thanks to Steve Vai, my inspiration, without whom this guitar would just be just another mass of wood and tangled wires. This one’s for you, Steve. If you behave yourself, someday I’ll let you play it. 😉
Kirk A Slossar, Jemfest ’99 Organizer
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Hey, just checkin’ how Vai is coming along with his new project, hope good… because all the rest turned out great… I know you’ve got a creative mind… but sometimes you take it to the limit… Vai you are great..so keep in mind you have fans like me to back you up… I always looked up to you… so keep going to the edge with your Jem… and keep rockin…
LOL
your friend, Ryan
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Dear Stevie,
I first off wanna let you know that I am your biggest spiritual fan there is aside from God. You have given strength in believing in myself when times on the guitar were hard. When in my first couple years of playing, I would sometimes sit and cry when I thought my playing would get no better. Through all of your interviews, lessons in magazines, videos, I have realized that the fault of all this was myself. You showed my the way to Zen and guitar Utopia. I really appreciate all of what you have done for me. Playing for 14 years now, I can say that I am more in tune with myself and God and the relationship I have with my music. I thank God for stopping and thinking while creating you, you are my spiritual guide at times and I will never ever forget that. Some people laugh at me because I still have this “idol/mentor” thing with you. I am 28, I will always show my appreciation towards you and your spiritual energy that is endeuced (my new word of the day, not sure if it really means anything but sounds cool huh?) through your music.
Thank you, I will meet you one day if God is willing.
My question is: When are you and Joe Satch going to do anything? I had a DJ around 1989, 1990 ask you about that at the NAMM show and I told him to ask you if it would be called “Sea Of Emotions”? Secondly, I saw Niacin play in New York a few weeks back at the Bottom Line, and talking with Billy Sheehan I asked when you and him are gonna play again? Since, in my opinion – you work the best within regards to the best guitar and bass duo. You both have that same mentality of just being nuts! Thank you for your time. My web site is: http://members.aol.com/stevievai1/index1.html
Dave Lovallo
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Steve has been a part of my musical life since 1987, the year I graduated. I went to Street Beat in Chillicothe OH and on impulse got a copy of ‘Flex-Able’, on cassette. That was it. I now have 11 or 12 hours of recorded material, which I did using SoundEdit 16 (PMac 8500av), my guitar & amp (Westone/Crate), and ‘captured’ drum beats out of my cd collection. I say Steve has been 1 of 2, of my MAJOR influences – his music is like a fast forward library, as well as a collection of tasteful, psychadelic, passionate, deep, and of course, off the wall MUSIC!!!!
I dare you to hum some…..
Scott Durflinger
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Dear Steve,
Do you have any plans for touring europe? Please, please, please try to include a very nice little country called Denmark, the next time you go on the road it would mean a lot to my friends and I.
Best regards,
Heino P. Gullichsen
P.S: Thank you very much for inspiring me to pick up my guitar.
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Hi!
I was trying to send to you a picture I took of Steve on a Music Messe in Frankfurt in 1996.
Take care!
Yuri
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To Steve,
I’m Yuko Kiriyama, a Japanese girl. I looked at your home page, & am sending my photo. I bought your new CD “Flex-Able Leftovers”. I’m playing the guitar, and I respect you. I’m looking foward to your next concert in Japan. Good luck your music life!!
Your fan,
Yuko
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Dear Steve,
I have a question as someone really into life and the universe etc. Based on quantum mechanical theory, all universes are possible, so having released an album called ‘Alien Love Secrets’ does it bother you that some totally excellent musical alien has released an album called “Steve Vai’s Love Secrets”?
And keep playing as you are my greatest source of inspiration, and if you can tour the UK it would be nice…
Yours widdlefully,
Dave Evans
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Excuse me, but stuff happens that causes other stuff to happen, and it makes your day. At the risk of sounding like a starstruck groupie, I offer this.
I was sitting at my computer earlier this evening when the phone rang. Before I tell you who was on the other end of the line, let me skip back in time and preface things by relating to you a few of my actions that resulted in this particular phone call. A couple of days ago, Monday, Jan. 18th, 1999, I decided that I needed to update my ever growing inventory of everything VAI. So I headed out to the WWW site that also happens to be everything VAI. Saw the new “Alien Love Secrets” DVD was on sale… hmmmm. I have the CD already… I don’t own a DVD player… still gotta have it though, don’t I? Of course I do. So I order the DVD and a subscription to GKS as well, something else I’ve been meaning to do for some time. I’m golden!
So I’m buying a DVD player just for this. Can you think of a better reason? Me neither.
Now it’s Wednesday, and I’m really impatient when it comes to stuff like this, so I got to thinking about how long it would take for the DVD to get here… my first issue of GKS… oh… I can’t stand not knowing! So I fire off an email asking about the shipping status of orders cause I’m an impatient maroon. Just the thought of knowing I’d asked the question seemed to ease the anxiety somewhat, but not totally. There was still something else that needed to be done. So, I went back to Steve’s site and ordered the Vai Signature Licks Book/CD as an afterthought to my first order. I got this brilliant idea that if I start now ordering things every few days, I’ll have a steady stream of incoming Vai goodies for a little while… sweeet! And I scoped another item to order in another couple of days to help bring my brilliant idea to fruition.
Anyhow, this really helped satisfy the inner demon crying for more Vai stuff. I felt better. So, I went on about my business. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t thinking anything in particular at the time the phone rang. I answered it. But as I always answer my phone I simultaneously looked at the caller ID message on the phone.
A sudden rush of amazement came over me as I read the name. No it wasn’t Steve… but the name was of someone very close to him. RUTA SEPETYS. Wooaahh! Being the Vai fan that I am, I instantly recognized the name. If you don’t know, you should. As I’m saying hello, I’m trying to figure out why she or someone from Light Without Heat, as she didn’t give her name, was calling, and also at the same time realizing that whoever this was, was probably someone that has some direct communication with Steve. What would I like to say to Steve if I had the chance and it might actually make it to him? Man, lots of possibilities on this one. As it turns out she was calling to confirm my order information and let me know that they would be going out tomorrow. I must admit I was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t a call to be his second guitarist on the next tour. I guess that Keneally guy wins again! He deserves it – we think you’re cute too Mike!
I’m also thinking as this very brief conversation is taking place how cool it is that someone from LWH was actually taking the time to call me. In today’s world, it just doesn’t happen. I’ve ordered many things from many places, and never received a confirmation phone call from any individual/company/whatever, even when there was a problem. Now, I can only guess as to whether the e-mail I sent off only a couple of hours earlier had triggered this call. Regardless of that, I was just totally impressed and it only furthers my belief that everything that is VAI, is in fact VAI. Steve’s obvious love and passion for what he does, as well as that for his fans and fellow human beings, shows through in everything he does. From the amazing music he releases to us, to the actual machine behind the scenes that makes it all come together. A total 100% class act. It just doesn’t get any better than this, kids. Steve, you should know that the people working for you are the best on the planet I’m sure. Of course, how could they be anything less. Anyhow, when all was confirmed and the conversation was about to end, I quickly scanned my memory banks for that one quick message I could politely ask her to relay to Steve… fearing I’d miss my chance I said the only thing that made sense.
I said… Thank you.
Michael Timothy Biondolillo
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Steve,
I just wanted to write a thank you letter of sorts. I will have to start by telling you that when I was in high school I was a big fan of a lot of 80’s glam rock/pop bands. I thought they had the best musicans in the world. One day a guy in my shop class and I had a debate about how much talent they really had. He said “Gina, since you live on the way to my house I will drop you off at your house and we will listen to someone with some real talent”. I said “oh yeah and who is that?” He said “Steve Vai!” I said “whoever”. He played ‘Passion and Warfare’ and by the time I got out of his car (it was probably only 10 minutes later) I said “now where is it that I could get a STEVE VAI tape?” He just laughed and said “Gotcha hooked now” I said “yes you did” and bought ‘Passion and Warfare’ that night.
I do want to thank you for not only gracing us with your talent but also because of you I went on a search for more talented musicans and discovered Joe Satch, Eric Johnson, Steve Morse, Alan Holdsworth, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Dixie Dregs, Brent Mason, Mark O’Conner, etc etc.
I also wear a Steve Vai shirt to every concert I go to and or even when I go to a night club with a band. I have been stopped many times by bands and had long conversations with their guitar players mainly about you and how great you are, we have actually became friends because they noticed I was wearing your t-shirt.
You have opened my eyes to all sorts of music I would have never even considered listening too if it hadn’t been for you. I have also made quite a few friends who pass through town from time to time and I just want to say thank you. It’s been a great experience being a fan of yours.
Love ya,
Gina
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Steve, my name is Agustin R De La Gala and I hope you enjoy my artwork (2 pics above).
Thanks Steve, your friend & fan forever.
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These 5 photos (above) are from 24 November 1995 in THE OPERA THEATRE – ARGENTINE and March 1997.
PABLO SEBASTIAN FREGEIRO GIL
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Hello All! My name is David LoVecchio and as you might guess I love Steve Vai’s music. I’m from Concord, MA in case anyone wants to know and I thought I might throw this Photoshop piece I did your way.
Enjoy and take care. Hugs and kisses,
David LoVecchio
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All begins Nov.16-1995 at 17:40 (Curitiba – Brazil – at the AeroAnta ShowHouse). Me (Rony), Luca and Mirian meeting with Sergio Buss (Lucas´s old Friend since the Musician’s Institute days). I’ve been a fan for a long time ago, but after almost 5 hours before the concert with this guy, man… Steve is really the best guitarist and composer flying through the Universe. You can feel his energy and soul jumping under the stage each time he plays….it was wonderfully amazing…. I just hope someday Steve come back to Brazil to share his feelings with all of us again…God keep walking beside him. The best ever song for me: “For the Love of God”. Here is a beautiful picture of us (Luca, Miriam, Steve, Me).
One of the best moments in my life. Bye…
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I would like to share my most precious moment with Steve and the rest of all you fans. On May 15 1998 at 2:35 am, my son Phoenix Vai Regan was born. Not only was he named after Mr. Vai but he was born to the song “For The Love Of God”. My girlfriend and I ended up going to the hospital that morning due to her blood pressure being so high and Phoenix’s the same, so they induced labor. Phoenix was not due till Mr. Vai’s Birthday, June 6 and we were so excited because Steve has been a big influence in our lives. When Phoenix was born he had jaundice really bad and had to be under heat lights for the first 3 weeks of his life, only to be taken out to feed him. Listening to “Passion and Warfare” helped Phoenix relax and helped my girlfriend and I relax and settle down and worry less, all night and day we listened to Steve and his music, without him I would have gone nuts.
I had just recently introduced Steve Vai to my girlfriend in October and she loves him, I myself have been listening to him for 12 years or so. He is why I became a guitarist and am doing very well with my own record label. If I ever had the chance to meet Mr. Vai I would thank him for making this world a better place, he may not think it, but his music makes miracles happen. I can feel everything when he plays. My girlfriend feels the same, and when I pop in one of Mr. Vai’s cd’s Phoenix either gets all excited or it puts him to sleep, especially when “For the Love of God” is playing. Phoenix is only 8 months old but he already has the feel for the guitar, drums and keyboards. I only hope someday he will be as great as Steve Vai. A father can only wish that upon his most precious gift. Thank you Steve for all you have given all of us, forever you will have friends.
C.C. Regan, October Larson & Phoenix Vai Regan
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Here are some pics of Steve on the ’97 G3 tour. I’m not sure where this is, but the guy’s a moose! I saw G3 at Jones Beach in New York on June 20, 1997, and it was by far the best show I have ever seen. I hope you enjoy these pics as much as I enjoyed watching Vai perform!
Thanks, Scott
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Photomontage submitted by Ricardo Bello (various other photographers).
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Hi there –
I don’t know if Steve will remember this gig or not, but here’s my story:
Back in November of 1993, my best friend John Bruno’s band got the call to open for Steve at Toad’s Place in New Haven, CT. While we were both HUGE fans, we were absolutely thrilled with the prospect of actually talking to him backstage and seeing the show from behind the scenes. A day or so before the show, we got a call from Roger (Steve’s guitar tech on the tour) who asked us to bring ALL of our Ibanez guitars to the show as there had been some sort of mix up and Steve’s gear was not all there. We agreed and brought all of our axes to the show that night. We are both Ibanez players, so we had quite a few there. We had the distinct pleasure of watching Steve try all of our guitars out (I never knew mine could sound so good). He took a strong liking to my Loch Ness Green RG550 with a snake inlay on the neck. In any case, it was prepped a la Vai and sat in the rack with the 3 white/gold JEMs that actually made it to the show. I never thought he’d go to it because he had 3 JEM’s there, but in a stroke of luck, he broke the strings on one, the strap broke on one, and when he needed a fresh guitar to play on, Roger handed him my guitar on which he played a couple of songs on. Of course, it was the end of the show and I had NO FILM LEFT!! I also don’t know of anyone who took pictures that night who actually got a photo of him playing the mysterious green guitar, but I had him sign it at the end of the night. He was thankful and took a group photo with all of us. He is a really great guy and if anyone reads this who was at the show and has pics of him playing it, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! I had the guitar tattooed on my calf so I will always remember that night and how special it was for me.
Chuck Czajkowski
New Haven, CT
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Hi there all…
just a little bit of computer artwork that i created…
erm..just to explain things a little…
the blurred out universe head belongs to a friend of mine…and when this friend saw the picture (which i designed for graphical purposes) he analysed it in a way that i hadn’t seen it…
going clockwise from the top….
t
he triangle is the door.
the fire on the right, which merges into coloured stars, shows how out of the most negative emotions can come the most beautiful results.
the blurred guitar shows that music is bigger than the instrument (which is why its called an…ahem…instrument).
the ying yang sign…i just like that (heh) but i also believe that balance is everything.
“we’re still animals” is a quote from passion & warfare, it indicates that some things will never change about his fans.
my friend saw the bubbles as how high playing the guitar makes him feel.
and the number 7 is my spiritual number and one i hear steve treasures as well…
the hard to see musical notes shows how understated things can be beautiful…to look between the lines…
evo, his fave geetar, i think, has a star behind it as well as the word “passion” between the bottom horn and the neck, which is where the high notes and vai’s fingers go a lot…
it is turned to the left as if he would be playing left handed because even if he was forced to, his passion would still come thru. (he also played with his left hand when he was playing with dave lee roth, i think).
the wooden block has my initials “np” carved in it and its wooden looking because sex and religion is my fave album…
and lastly, vai, the audience is listening means that he and his fans are the center of everything.
i think i’m too wordy a person..heh
ok…that’s it!
xxoo
Noelle Pereira
Singapore
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Howdy, I’ve always wondered how many songs Steve works on before he finds one he feels is good for mastering? And how long does it take to get there? After playing in bands a couple of years I bought a 4-track and started writing stuff but sometimes get stuck by not having a melody to fit the other parts. Is there a way or method Steve uses to move on when stuck on something thats going nowhere fast?
I saw Steve in Seattle when he played a small club during the ‘Sex & Religion’ tour. I was probably less than 4 feet from the stage, and probably had the shortest hair in the place besides Devin. I couldn’t have been happier with the show and afterwards my friends and I got to have somethings signed. I only had a ‘Passion and Warfare’ CD for him to sign, but my friend Jim got his ’88 floral pattern Jem signed. The most touching thing was that Jim’s sister was engaged to a huge Steve Vai fan who was tragically killed by a drunk driver. Warren had purchased a killer multicolor Universe before he was killed. Steve didn’t just sign the guitar after hearing about Warren’s death, he wrote quite a bit more. Steve was compassionate and caring as he thought out what he was going to write, I was very impressed by his character. Warren’s mother keeps the guitar locked in the closet where it can be preserved. I asked her about taking pictures but she’s not ready for that quite yet. She is watching Steve though, wondering about him as a role model. I have pictures of my friends and I watching Steve sign the guitar.
Thanks, Steve, for not only standing out as an artist but also being standing out as a human being in a world filled with negative people.
Dennis Whitney
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I attached my work… I was thinking about modifying that work because the guitar isn’t looking good. But I’m sending it anyway. Hope to see it in your homepage soon.
Bye.
Vai’s great fan,
Arnold W. Shim
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I have been a huge fan of Steve Vai since I was very young. The first time I saw Steve play was in a movie with Ralph Macchio and I have to say that I have probably watched that part about 1 MILLION times and it still inspires me. I own every album I believe he has ever released, and I just wanted to thank him for the inspiration he has given me. And one other thing. This is the first website I’ve ever visited, as I just got online and this was my first priority.
Thanx Steve
Nick
P.S. Cool web site!s
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To whomever this may make smile:
I’ve been listening to Steve for years, but apparently my (very conservative, by the way) wife is just now opening her ears.
Steve’s performance of “The Attitude Song” on the “G3 Live” video was on the TV. At the start of the song, she starts by tapping her foot, smiling, then getting up and starting to dance.
And I quote: “*That* song I like. THAT’s cool. That song has ATTITUDE”. (She did not know the name of the tune at the time.)
*At this point she’s flailing around the room…having a blast…*
Continuing quote: “If I was going to be a stripper, then *that’s* the song I’d dance to!”
Thanks, Steve.
I think you can definitely say “Mission Accomplished”.
—Chris
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Avid instrumental loving music lover turned entrapenuer, that’s me. Just got “G3” and it has this website on it. I come in and I realize what I’ve been missing all these years. I’m on my 3rd career and I’m not 30 yet, working so much I don’t go out looking for music as much as I’d like and all the music buddies I had are all “responsible” with kids now. I’m going shopping tomorrow to get some of this stuff. I love finding discographies, gives me something to listen to for a month or two. Steve, if you actually see this, thanks for making such maniacal music. It’s these Picasso-like portraits that you paint that got me through schooling and continue keeping me sane throughout life itself.
Grazie amico
(no name given)
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Steve & Company,
No particular question here, I just wanted to thank you for developing the DiMarzio Evolution pickups. I bought a set and they are the best sounding ones I have ever heard!
Mark Franklin
Louisville, KY
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Hi!
My name is Andreia and I’m your fans. I live in Indonesia, I really like your music you’ve been playing. You are my number one guitarist, so when are you going to perform in Indonesia again?
I missed your show in Indonesia several years ago (at the Hard Rock Cafe )and I would like to come to your show if you do it again in Indonesia.
That’s for today. Bye,
Andreia
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Vai, for you, Fabiana Zimerman Yuko
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I have to say that I love reading Steve’s personal journals. I have been a fan of Steve’s since the DLR days (saw him at the Nassau Coliseum on the Skyscraper tour) but I had no idea how interesting and funny he is. Not only are his personal stories hysterical, but they are really well written. Steve really knows how to tell a story. I read the entire journal and personal post cards in one day at work. I couldn’t stop reading. His teenage years were hilarious and his entries from the Asian tour were insightful. He seems really down to earth. When he tells a story he not only writes what happens but he has the ability to make you feel like he is talking to you. I laughed out loud at work. I think he should write a full length book of funny stories. His bee hobby is also interesting. Who would ever think that Steve Vai keeps bees?
Growing up in Jericho NY (two towns from Carle Place and Westbury) I always identified with Steve and Joe. Like Steve, I went to parties at Old Westbury mansions (though I never stole floodlights) and waited on line for midnight showings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Take care and keep up the good work.
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Hi, I’ll try to be as brief as I can, but I’m dying to share with you what happened to me in 1993…
We went to Mulhouse (a town on the North-East of France) in November 1993 to see Steve Vai performing during the ‘Sex & Religion’ tour. The musicians were Steve, Scott Thunes on bass, Devin Townsend on vocals AND guitar (and I mean Guitar), along with a keyboard player and a drummer whose name I didn’t catch. The show was absolutely fantastic and astonishing.
After the show we waited near the tour buses for about 2 hours, when Steve came to us, quite simply I must say, and he was absolutely kind, warm and friendly. I couldn’t believe that this was the same man as the crazy maniac we’ve just saw on stage 2 hours before! As a welcome message to Steve I started to sing ‘Stevie’s in town…’ (an adaptation of ‘Frankie’s in town’, a song about Zappa I heard on a bootleg). Steve immediatly recognized this one and asked: ‘Where did you get that?’ I was embarassed when I mumbled the word ‘bootleg’. We discussed a little about further projects, I told him it was me who shouted ‘Salamanders in the Sun’ between two songs during the show, and I made him sign on my score of ‘Answers’ along with my personal copy of ‘Flex-able Leftovers’ (the original small vinyl record – how proud was I to handle it to him!). We did more chatting and then he said goodbye and we let him go… Unfortunately, nobody had taken any photograph, so the only links I have to this moment is my memory (and the autographs, of course).
Needless to say I was feeling very, very happy the next days…
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Mr. Vai,
You and Satriani both have the power to create that which moves the soul. If it weren’t for the two of you, who knows where rock would be now. I believe that the music that you and Satriani, create moves the soul, and lifts the spirit. Thanks for being that which drives the souls of those that believe in real rock.
Leftcntr
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I just read the Journals…WOW! Obviously a great addition to a great page. My mind is racing with emotion as I write this note. The greatest memories for Steve and myself! The real meat looks to be the Diamond Dave tour, and I must say, it really was. As I was reading his journal, my mind took me on a journey of a time most fond in my own heart. As Steve went through a day by day account of that tour, so many fond memories came into my minds eye. I am so glad to have lived those times as I did not really know what or who I was sharing them with! I look upon it now and can only agree with Steve, that karma and the gods had brought us to this stage in our colorful lives.
I was on that tour with Dave, Billy, Greg & Steve 10 years ago. So many other names pop into my mind, on that tour, good times-bad times. So lucky to have traveled with such great people, great minds, very great times. I remembered (most) of what I was doing on each of the days listed. Unlike Steve though, names like Wheatly, Angelis, Stranger, Bad Bob, A.J.,Wilbur, Wolfman and The Tittyman come to my mind, we were all in the same places, we just had different realities!
Thank you very much for adding this in here, you not only took me down memory lane with Steve, but took me to places that I had’nt been in a decade!
Boy just like Steve, I could write a book, but I’d probobly be sued too!
Thanks for the memories,
Dan Pickell
Truck driver, lighting gear
1986 “Eat ‘Em and Smile” Tour
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Hi Steve, I’ve just been at your website, and I must say it’s been time well spent. Your personal comments about the tunes, musicians, and just plain life are very insightful and honest. I’ve been with you since “Flex-Able” and I’m looking forward to your upcoming music, best to you Steve Vai.
Mark
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YOU SAVED MY LIFE FROM HOLLYWOOD HELL –
I was very depressed. I had been attending Musicians Institute of Technology in Hollywood and had very little self esteem from all the challenges of the city life, and things were starting to overwhelm me. I was losing weight fast from not having enough money to buy food and the $5 coffeehouse gigs were taking a toll on my will to live. I thought I was a good player but I became lost in a sea of speedpickers willing to lose their souls just to gain notoriety.
One day you came to my school and you spent time talking and I listened. You spoke about being shy once before, and having spent time finding out who you were inside. I made a recording of this day but have never needed to replay it because I can still hear your words, “Get in touch with your inner being then you will be ready for anything”.
Well, maybe I took it farther than you might have meant. I went back to my hometown and obtained a degree in Clinical Psychology and plan to obtain a PHD in several years. I have gained a style of my own and many people can hear me playing on any recording and they know it is me playing.
I have not followed your career but always know your playing when I hear it and now have the pleasure of helping others like you helped me. I thank you so much for helping me get though that rough time in Hollywood and have created a website to help other musicians. It is called Musicians, Inc (www.thestage.tv) and I hope you can visit someday. That would mean a lot to me.
Thank you again warmest wishes,
Nesmo King
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Back in 1990, Guitar School magazine held a drawing for which the grand prize was an Ibanez Universe UV7 guitar and a lesson with Steve Vai. I sent in ONE entry on the exact date of the deadline and basically forgot about it ( no one actually wins these things – especially guys like me, right? ). I was just hoping to win one of the 2nd or 3rd prizes: a copy of “Passion and Warfare” or a tab book of the same. Well, you guessed it, a month or so later the magazine called to inform me that my name had been drawn and I was the grand-prize winner. It took them a few minutes to convince me that it was legit and not one of my friends just messing with me. It ended up taking several months for Ibanez to deliver the guitar to me – something about having problems with the Lo-Pro. The lesson with Vai happened about a year later due to conflicts with Vai’s schedule and due to the fact that I had moved twice and they had trouble finding me. But one day I got a call from Steve’s sister and she invited me down to Steve’s house for the lesson.
My wife and I arrived at his house at 10 am on a Saturday morning. Steve himself answered the door and invited us in. I thought I would be extremely nervous and intimidated by him but he was very “normal” and down to earth and made us feel comfortable and welcome to be there. We ended up spending about two hours in his studio listening to tapes (mine and his) going over areas such as theory, technique, and creativity. The most amazing part of the lesson was when he talked about pushing oneself beyond playing one’s basic repetoire of licks and riffs to come up with something new. He said to do this you need to take an entire day and do nothing but play without any outside distractions. He briefly demonstrated by standing about 10 feet in front of me and improvised riff after riff after riff for a good ten or fifteen minutes. Needless to say I was absolutely AMAZED. I wasn’t sure if I should start practicing 12 hours per day or just give up.
Anyway, that’s my Vai story. Hope you enjoyed it.
Donald McCue
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Hello!
Greetings from Australia! Unfortunately Steve Vai is not known as the huge guitarist that he should be down here. As you can imagine, that can be very annoying to a big fan! I have never seen Vai live — when he last played here it was 18+. I wasted $32 on that ticket and wasn’t allowed in. Oh well. To make up for it, I have smothered myself in collectables!
Steve has recorded one of the greatest musical literatures ever, “Passion and Warfare”. From the opening track to the ending track, this CD has sent me numerous times into unaccountable frenzies! The only remedy I have found is to learn how to play all of Vai’s songs. However this is a lot easier said than done!
Keep up the good work,
Lachlan Barclay
P.S. Please publish this letter so Steve can read it!
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Hello!
This is (in my humble opinion) the best picture ever taken from Steve. I took this one in Rotterdam during the G3 tour (May 23, 1997).
Greetings… Harold Kip
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Hi there,
I have some wonderful pictures from Steve’s recent trip to the Motor City on Sept 11, 1999! Here the first of many. I’ll send you more when I can.
Thanks,
Adam Baker 😉
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What an excellent product demonstration, as well as the show itself! Steve sounded great at the Detroit in-store Sept 11! It was a great experience to hear and see his playing up close. I am really glad I showed up. What type of signal processor was he using with the Carvin Legacy? It was awesome to say the least.
insanius maximus
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I first found out about the in-store appearances when I was home sick from work. I decided right then and there that I would not miss the Detroit appearance no matter what! (Detroit is only an hour away). Well, when I got to work the next day and went to write the date on my planner, I noticed that I would be out of town on that Saturday in Chicago!!! I was absolutely crushed! But there was nothing I could do to change either date… so I decided that I would make the trip to Chicago a day early and see Steve there. My Friday started at 2:30 am. We arrived in Chicago EXACTLY at noon!
The show was spectacular! Steve is the most emotional player I have ever heard, and just listening certainly doesn’t do him justice. He poured his heart out to us for the three song set. I can’t imagine how drained he must be after such a show!
The highlight of the trip was, of course, meeting Steve after the set. I had a whole list of things planned to say but when I got to the front of the line, I was so starstruck I couldn’t speak! Steve was kind enough to make sure that everyone who wanted autographs that day left satisfied, despite his feeling under the weather. Steve, I hope you’re reading this, because I would really like to thank you. You give so much to us through your music and your generous spirit. I hope you know how talented you really are.
Sincerely,
Amanda J. Pennington
“Porcupine”
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Really, thanks for the show and posted photos from Chile! I am glad to see the photo with the Chilean flag on your guitar neck , this is amazing!! I hope see you again very soon in Chile, me and all your fans here. The new flash web page is incredible. ”Ultra Zone” is one more GREAT page for the Guitar Bible.
THANK YOU MAN FOR ALL
Nos Vemos Amigo
Claudio Silva
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hey mr. steve (and i say mr. not only out of my great respect and admiration for you as a man but mostly as an arteeeest… mmmm)… as long as we be on the subject… here is another piece that is a direct result of “The Riddle”. I listened to it over ond over until the colors came together. that album you did… damn… it’s the best thing since Jeff Beck’s “Blow by Blow” and “Wired”… it is a part of my daily musical ritual… right along with Jimi and Mozart and Bach… how is it that you shred so well and yet so it with so much delicacy?? Beautiful bro… so very beautiful.these pieces i e-mailed to you are my humble gift to you… hope you like ’em… say hi to joe. be well
rene simons
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What does sound brings within? When I’m listening to Steve’s music, I get a feeling that I want to explain, but it seems quite indescribable with words. I get infinite and one at the same, there’s this whole beauty, this suffocating awareness and feelings, feelings, feelings. I think, after all, it’s all about sensitivity. Making your senses be God.
I get images, I get sensations, I interact, it feels like a dive and it’s deep. But it comes back… and it goes… and it swallows. And I shine, all shines and floats and colors, oh yes the beautiful colors ,they are infinite and they shine just like I’ve seen in dreams… their own light.
It’s a firm feeling, after all. It’s smooth but it wants to take over and to tear out. To break through… It’s almost obvious when you read this. I like words even though they’re always full of rancor.
Maira
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I would ordinarily write how Steve’s speed and choice of notes, and how to play them, is a passion of mine like watching a Scorsese film. However, it’s mid-summer and changes are obviously going to happen for me — for everybody. The September 7th release of Steve’s new CD “The Ultra Zone” is perfect timing and has inspired me even before hearing it. The art world has many treats and talents, from Hunter S. Thompson to Uma Thurman, but this release should be the greatest release of the millenium’s end. Thank you!
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One of my most valued possessions is a videotape of an FZ concert, Samhain night 1981, featuring a very young but still brilliant Steve Vai. In the Steve’s Journals section, there was nary a word about the show/tour, FZ, or anything relating to that year. Hope the reason is not an unhappy one. Having read bits and pieces in “The Real Frank Zappa Book” I would look forward to hearing more from Steve’s perspective.
“Passion and Warfare” is an inspiration; have had this CD since it was a new release, and lately I’ve been itching to play again after a 22-year hiatus. Listening to this CD really intensifies the urge to go ahead and get callouses again, not to mention the investment of several bottles of chloroseptic (to deaden the pain in the fingers!).
Enjoyed the hell out of the G3 tour – thought I’d be the only old fart in line, but it didn’t turn out that way. Looking forward to future performances. Thanks for all the fun.
Lynn Patterson
Denver
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Hey guys…my name is Bill and I’m from San Diego CA. I was just mailing to say that since my guitar teacher let me borrow ‘Passion and Warfare’, I couldn’t turn it off. I knew who you were when I saw ‘Crossroads’ but when I heard your stuff I said “man, I bet he could play that piece with his eyes closed and with his tongue!” I’ve been playing guitar for about 2 years and still have yet to have a day where I dont play… I think you’re the greatest musician (not just guitar player) ever… your mind just seems to work in these outstanding creative ways… also, if you plan to tour, don’t forget SAN DIEGO!!! I really really really want to see one of your shows. Anyway, keep up the great music and hope to see ya in SAN DIEGO!
Bill Trevaskis
San Diego, CA
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Steve and Co.,
Well, a few my co-workers(who are also musicans) & I went up to Boston last night to see Steve’s “Ultra Zone” promo at Tower Records. It was killer! Steve ripped and we snapped some pretty good pics of him in mid-stroke! Awesome!! There is also a pic of Steve & I.
An inspiring experience to say the least! When I got home I practiced my guitar for a solid three hours.
Thanks Steve and best of luck with the “Ultra Zone” tour! I will look forward to the tour coming through the Boston area!
Sincerely,
Paul LaParle
PS – One more… there was this half-naked old man riding around on a scooter where the line was outside of Tower Records… too *$#&’n funny! So I snapped a pic of him as well…”Scooter-Dude!”
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Hello world, hello Steve,
This year I did an audition for Audio Design (4-year academy in Holland). I played ‘Sisters’ on my beloved JEM10th (#825). It worked, and I owe you a big THANK YOU.
Bart Van Oort
The Netherlands
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Hey. I took the pictures of Jems from the Ibanez site, pasted them together and did some editing and this was the outcome… To me, the pictures look like erotic nightmares… at least that’s what my erotic nightmares look like.
J.E, Brookline, MA
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You know, there’s probably a million things I’d like to say, besides that my cat is named Vai after a guitar player that I started liking after seeing “Crossroads”, but never realized who he was until David Lee Roth made his name known to me. What can I say except that I’m a “failed” guitar player who turned to sound as a way of staying in the local music business…
Anyway, to the subject of this message, the undergarment quilt that Steve mentioned somewhere here wondering where it ever ended up, it’s on display at the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlantic City, NJ.
Maybe Steve already knows this, but maybe if he doesn’t, I can receive some sort of gratification that I was able to convey this knowledge to the virtuoso. I’m 33 years old, and I have an Ibanez poster on my wall by my computer of a guy that I’d love to be able to play like, and he’s wearing and displaying some hideous colors… heh heh… but the beach chair looks nice, and the poster was a gift to me from my older brother who has since passed, and that poster holds a lot of emotion for me…. Thank you.
I don’t think I’ve ever written a “fan” letter in my entire life…
David
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(This letter originally posted to the unofficial Steve Vai mailing list)
I want to comment from my personal experience regarding “exposure”… I am a nurse… my man is a professional musician… I had always lived in the music… I gave a myriad of exposure of all music to my children… as my parents had given to me…
…last week I was driving Frank’s car, taking my 84 year old patient to an appointment… we had to pull over to the side of the road to wait out a torrential rain… Lenore says “why don’t you play your music for me while we wait?”…ummmm… she had sat on P&W tape… well… i think… grinning… what the hell… so I did put it in… and Lenore was stuck down… (my wording)… she was transfixed… no kidding… I played “For the Love of God”… she listened… she did not simply indulge me… she was into it… she said…”this is so abstract…so beautiful, Jane. Where does his music come from? I can hear classical influences… he layers his emotions with how many instruments?”… tears brimming my eyes even now in recollection…
…nothing happens randomly in my crazy littleworld… and this was another “miraculous event”…
I hope that Rich will tell Steve about his music touching an elderly woman… and that all of you will share your world with others… please take that risk…
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I saw Steve Vai for the first time in his video “The Audience is Listening”. I was very impressed and swore to myself that I would see Steve, if he ever comes to Germany. I found out that he was member of Whitesnake at that time. Not much later I heard about an upcoming Whitesnake tour in Germany. “THAT IS MY CHANCE”, I thought happy! I instantly ordered the tickets. I’ve seen Steve in August 1990 and only had eyes & ears for Steve and waited for his solo. I fortunately caught some pics from the balcony. Steve’s appearance in Whitesnake was the only reason for me to visit the show.
I made the pencil drawing 1990 from the the “Passion And Warfare” CD. Now I’d like to share my artwork with other Steve Vai fans. I’d love it if Steve could see it… I wonder if he likes it.
The other photo is one of my tour pix.
Cheers,
Ingrid
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Hi. My name is Darcy Farris. I live in St. Louis, MO and have been a fan of Steve’s since “Passion And Warfare” was released. I saw the video for “The Audience Is Listening” on MTV and had to have the album. When I got it I was so amazed at this guy. He was the most awesome axeman I’d ever heard! To this day I admire and respect him for all the great music he has written. He plays with so much emotion. I was lucky enough to see him live for the first time on the Fire Garden tour when he made a stop in St. Louis at Mississippi Nights. I love the way he has the rockstar vibe onstage, yet maintains a very spiritual mood. It’s like his guitar is just another part of his body. At the end of the show a bunch of people were out back meeting him and getting his autograph. Well, it got down to my friend Julian and I. We were the last two standing waiting to meet him when one of the bouncers in the club started pushing Steve saying he had to go. I cannot explain to you how disturbing this was to me. I was waiting for this moment for like 7 years. It was almost like a pilgrimage of sorts for me going to see Steve play and then getting to meet him after the show. Steve looked right at me as I sighed, being rejected because of the evil Mississippi Nights bouncer. At this time I felt a connection with Steve and knew for sure that I would get the chance to meet him again someday. I still know that I will, and cannot wait for that experience. Until then I will be listening…
Darcy Ferris
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Dear Mr. Vai,
I hope you don’t mind me writing you at your email address, but I would like to express my many thanks for the poster you personalized to me while I was severely ill when I was 13. (I am now 23.) The inspiration I found in that gesture, as well as your music, was a primary factor in my full and unforseen recovery; calling it uplifting would be an understatement.
My father, believing that your contribution to my recovery was quite substantial, bought me a green Ibanez Jem (#221) once I was well enough to go with him to the store. I played that guitar so much that the fretboard is worn considerably and the signature wore off. Ibanez sent it back to you and you were kind enough to resign it once again. Unfortunately, that one wore off, too.
Ibanez, in their apparent annoyance with me, told me something quite ridiculous when I told them the second signature wore off: that I shouldn’t play the guitar since it is a collector’s item and that I couldn’t have it resigned again. (That was quite a while ago, and I seldom play it since I have a different Jem and have been more in the bebop vein for the past 4 years.) I apologize for the tangent.
My point is to sincerely express my appreciation for the things you did for me. While in my adolescent idol phase, you were my hero. I have since grown out of that, realizing that we’re made of the same molecular structure. 🙂 Joking aside, I am thankful to have been touched by your music at such an early age and continue to enjoy it… I wish you the very best and look forward to hearing the new album!
Eternally grateful,
Seth ‘Speedy’ Greenberg
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Hi!
Just wanted to give my feedback on both the new CD and the new website.
In a word, ‘brilliant’!
The opening track (The Blood and Tears) is outstandingly meaningful – and quite beautiful. Overall, an outstanding contribution to sonic knowledge. I look forward to hearing this stuff live!
The site is great also. If it gets any better, none of us will ever get any work done! 🙂
Take care
Jimmy (England, UK).
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Hi Steve,
Since you must get a TON of email, I just want to make a quick comment…
My favorite so far has been “Passion And Warfare”, but I just bought “The Ultra Zone” and I must say that once again you have proven yourself to be incredibly unique, innovative, and original. It is simply AMAZING and I like it better than anything you’ve done since P&W. Please continue to let your spirituality and individuality guide your hands!!!
I’m glad the old Steve is back and better!! Your music and playing style is an inspiration, and a true gift to all of us, THANK YOU 🙂
Dave
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I’ve been listening to what I call guitar rock since the late sixties, early seventies and have heard quite a few of the best guitarists that have set foot on this planet. I have seen them receive acclaim and awards, sell millions of records and make a lot of money. My personal favorites are the ones that sound more original and try to do something more extreme and off the normal path. Steve Vai is one of these people. I appreciate his music, his knowledge of music, his playing (more than you know), and his real love of family as well as other human beings. But I feel that he has received his just due to some degree and has made a name for himself. My point is that there is a guitarist out there that Steve had mentioned in an article that I read somewhere he has great respect for and it just so happens that I saw him last night. With all due respect to Steve — who I think is at the very top of his art form and I listen to his recordings over and over again — there is a guitarist that us fellow guitarists need to show more appreciation for. We need to hold a tribute to his untouchable style and major contributions to the world of “guitar music”. He has paid his dues many times over and has said recently in an interview that if this last go around doesn’t prove successful that he might give it up, and we can’t have that. He is someone that is so far ahead of the rest of us mortals the we need to tell him how much we appreciate his being. JEFF BECK!! I know I’ve said enough but need I say more?
Respectfully yours,
Mel Ruddy
Hercules, CA
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Dear Steve,
We hope that you are fine. We are seven friends from Argentine. Our names are Liliana, Graciela, Jorge, Carlos, Sergio, Fernando and a baby called Nicole. We are very impatient, because we want to see you very soon and we want to know when you’ll come back to Argentine. You are the best and the GUITAR’S GOD!!! We love you and we miss you.
The Flexables Friends
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Hello Mr.Vai,
I’m a new fan, I guess. I first heard you play about 3 years ago when a friend of mine handed me a copy of “Slip of the Tounge”. I thought “wow,” but when i purchased “G3” and “Ultra Zone”, well…”WOW! I just love the wierdness. It’s such a departure from the rest of the guitar world. Your technique is both the best and the worst that I have ever seen. You break just the right rules. A friend of mine thinks you should tone it down a bit. I think not. I love Joe’s playing too. He is so smooth and elegant. Keep playing that strange beautiful music. God only knows whats in store for Mr. Vai & his music, and he ain’t talkin’.
Your Fan, Friend and Student,
Mark Shields
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Some photos by Adam Baker, from the Detroit “Ultra Zone” in-store in October:
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Dear Steve,
It’s 2:00am on 9/6/99, the day before your appearance at the Hicksville mall. I can’t sleep.
Around 3 am or so, I finally fall asleep and get up around 7:00, packing all my old vinyl and CD covers, hoping you would sign everything. I don’t know what to expect from your visit, I am hoping for the best. It’s now 8:30 am and I am at the mall, picked up your new CD, talked to some of the cats at the record store, got a cup of joe and sat and waited. I watched the SIR people come around 12 pm to set up the stage and I was already on my 5th round of ULTRA ZONE at the time.
It’s now 5:30pm. I’ve met a few fans from waiting 9 or so hours and we’re in the starting position, ready to claim perfect viewing of the performance. I DID IT. I got front row center, just 3 feet between me and you. The anticipation was killing me – for 15 long years I have waited for this moment. You are my mentor, Steve Vai, and this was something big, this was to be the apex of my life. Your performance was nothing less than perfect. As I saw close up how much control over the instrument you have and how you can feel the heart in every single note, my GOD it was like I was at Sunday Mass, amazing!!!
Now it was time for the raffle, as God is my witness I wanted that axe so bad. Of course, I didn’t win, but I didn’t care, I got GREAT pics, you handed me a pic and a pack of Blue Steel guitar strings (which I will never use because now of sentimental value). Ok, the moment of truth. I am number 34, however there were these 2 very nice guys in front of me that had 2 extra numbers, so now I was number 30. Yeah baby, I was told that due to limited time you would be only able to sign two things and to have them ready. I was wanting so so much to have you sign my 3 vinyls of WESTERN VACATION, FLEX-ABLE and FLEX-ABLE LEFTOVERS. While I was waiting, I showed these guys a calling card I had that had your name on it (you know what I mean), they laughed and said I should definitely show Steve that. So I got up there, and I’m so nervous to finally meet you after 15 years, and BAM there you are, I shook your hand & told you how much you’ve meant to me and that without you I would not be the musician and person I am today. You have inspired me beyond belief and I owe you a lot. You smiled seriously, very sympathetic to my little 30-second speech and were very appreciative. Anyhoo- I whipped out the calling calling and you immediately laughed and shook your head, then you said “I remember you, I don’t forget a face”. I was in shock, then you said “you were the person waiting since like 8:30 huh?” I was amazed. You asked me about the new CD “Ultra Zone” and I told you that it was the best work you’ve ever done, the CD encompasses all the styles and flavors of FLEX-ABLE to FIRE GARDEN — simply amazing. The tributes to Frank and SRV are wonderfully composed. And, to my amazement, you signed all of my 3 vinyls. If I may quote Eric Cartman of South Park, I was feeling “SWEEEEEET”. Next time I will try to have all my other CDs signed by you. As I said goodbye, I yelled out with joy that I finally met you. I had the biggest smile at the place that night for sure. I must of spent like 5 minutes with you, tee hee — that was awesome.
You made my life Steve, I thank you for this memory that will last forever in my mind. You have made one of your biggest fans so very very happy because of this. I know this a very long letter, but at least everyone can read this on the site to know what a big fan was thinking when going to the show in Hicksville. Attached (above) is a pic of me and you, sorry about the quality but the lady taking the pic didn’t hit flash, oh well!! Thank you and please visit my website when you get a chance.
God Bless,
Dave Lovallo
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Hi All,
First of all, I want to compliment the people who got this site to what it is now, it really looks super. Now I take the opportunity to write something at the fan forum. I went just like Harold Kip, who has post a picture here, to the G3 concert in Holland in 1997. We met Steve before the concert and he was really so cool, he was just relaxed, took time to talk and sign a lot of stuff for me – my Alien Love Secrets, my cap, and my jacket. During the concert I got his pick, so the night was for me unbelievable. After the concert I got to talk to Mike Keneally, he also signed my jacket, it was really super. Last but not least, we were informed by a roadie that Satriani had left the Ahoy (venue) from the “backdoor” so we got as quick as we could to the other side and there he was. We also talked a little, and of course he signed also.
After the concert I received photos from Harold, great looking pics. I contacted Ruta Sepetys (Steve’s manager) to see if it was possible to get them signed also by Steve, so I could have something else really special. They told me it was no problem and so I sent those pics to the States. They did tell me that it could take some time because Steve is out touring and stuff, but I expected something like that, because he isn’t , like me, a guy who is often at home…hahaha. It took a really long time, 2 years to be exact, when I finally contacted Sepetys again. I didn’t have an e-mail address so with the help of Mike Keneally and a lot of others I reached Ruta. She told me that they had lost the photos during a tour, when I heard this I was really disappointed, but she promised me to make it up. So in a week a received a large packet from the States, with all kinds of Steve Vai stuff – it was really super. Ruta kept her word, and I really think that is awesome, knowing Steve has thousands of fans all over the world. This is really something I won’t forget easily. I really think this is a great display of loyalty to the fans. Again, thank you very much.
Peter Verhey
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Here’s a pic of me and my son Brendan when we met Steve in Detroit on September 11th. It’s amazing to me the way his music is spanning generations. All morning prior to meeting Steve, my son was bouncing off the walls singing “Ya Yo Gakk!”
When we finally got in to see Steve, we were planted in front of one of the speakers, I tried to cover my son’s ears, but he said he couldn’t see Steve “By” (he has a hard time saying Vai!)
We finally got to meet Steve, and he signed my Universe and my son’s Les Paul Pee Wee. We were going to have the picture taken, and Steve grabbed ahold of Brendan and set him right on his lap! Too cool! I waited a long time for this moment, and all I could spit out was “great show, I can’t wait for you to come back!” (picture me as the kid in “A Christmas Story” saying to Santa that I wanted a football instead of the Red Rider BB Gun!)
Anyhow, Steve’s performance was amazing, and I can’t wait for the show in Detroit!
Thanks,
Kirk Slossar
Jemfest
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got to see Steve in Boulder Colorado last week… it was the best show I’ve ever seen. It was a very intimate concert. He was close enough to touch. I never thought I’d ever get the chance to see him perform… let alone be so close to him. The show was one of the highlights of my short life… I can go to sleep a very happy girl now….
susie
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Yo! All the way from England. I just visited your new site at it total blew me away. I thought the old site was one of the best I’d seen, but this… whoa! I’m still recovering from the shock. Those Flash animations are so cool. The content is also stunning. I look forward to fully exploring the site in the future.
Andy Gleeson, LONDON
PS. Steve is the best ……EVER!
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I first got into Vai by listening to the “Sex & Religion” record. Yes, I admit that I bought it because of Devin Townsend (there’s a true genius), but that album has been very influential on me and has opened my horizons. Not very many people mention that album because it is so different from Steve’s other works. It showed that Steve can write a complete album with a very progressive style. The lyrics are great and the other musicians (Townsend, Bozzio, Stevens) show incredible ability, but Steve is the mastermind who put it together. I now also own “The Ultra Zone” and “Passion and Warfare”. Steve has also shown me the light of Zappa, which is becoming a costly yet rewarding path. Steve’s work helped show me that there is good music besides heavy metal. I just regret that the “Sex & Religion” tour was a little before my time. I’ve heard stories of Steve and Devin onstage and would love to have seen that for myself. I’m a very new fan and I guess you can thank Devin for bringing my interest to Steve’s music. I’m going to see Steve for the first time in two weeks in Phoenix and I can’t wait…
Bud Lyding
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Hi Steve,
I’m 15 years old and have been playing the guitar seriously for about 4 years. Until I saw you on the G3 tour in 1997, I was unknown to quality guitar playing, and did not explore your area of guitar technique. After that night in Nottingham (England), I have been inspired by that performance and all of your albums (including David Lee Roth) to PRACTICE harder than ever to play like you and Joe Satriani. So thank you Steve, without you, I probably would not be considering a career as a guitarist! I hope you come to England soon.
Thanks
Rachael Wood
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It’s been just about 20 years since I’ve seen Steve Vai, the first time being with Frank Zappa at Indiana University (if I recall correctly) in about 1980. On Saturday night at Birch Hill in Old Bridge, NJ, I was able to see again why I was so amazed 20 years ago. Although no one would mistake Steve Vai for Frank Zappa, it’s great to see all the influence Frank has had on Steve Vai’s musical and professional development.
Saturday’s performance was one of unworldly talent, and I’m talking about Steve of course, but also of the entire band; of amazing stamina, after over 2 hours of 120% intensity I was convinced that Steve could have continued all night long given half a chance and an audience as energetic as himself; and LOUDER than anything I’ve been too, for… well, ever! So during the show, Steve named his band members but I’ll be damed if I could make it out. So being a drummer myself, I’ve got to know… who the hell is that guy? And what planet or galaxy does he come from? I haven’t seen a one-handed drum roll since Buddy Rich, and even then I’m sure Buddy didn’t hold out as long as this marshmallow man did!! So what is this guy’s name and does he also have a website?
Thanks for your help and tell Steve that Frank must be pleased.
Bob Bunger
London, England
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Dearest Mr. Vai:
I hope this letter reaches you and the people who love you. I am one of those people who love you, and I don’t mean that I’m a fan, I respect your music, or that I think you are cute. That is all true, but that’s not what I mean when I say that. Let me TRY to explain…
When I was a teenager (yuck!) I had no positive adult mentors anywhere in the vicinity of my lonely soul. And just as God intended, your music found it’s way to me. Your guitar playing reached right into my heart and made it beat differently, happily. So I read everything that I could find about you. I quickly learned that there was a reason why you made me feel so good. It was because you were put on this planet to help people, among other great things.
I had always believed in God and all that stuff, but I hadn’t found the right place for God in my heart. You taught me everything I ever felt I needed to know about spirituality. All of what you said made so much sense to me. You changed the way I perceive EVERYTHING and I find positive things and incredible joy everywhere I go. I would not have that if it weren’t for you. You took me to my destiny, Steve. I will be eternally in your debt for that and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I had the honor (huge understatement) of meeting you on 11/18/99 for the first time (and I loved it so much I went to your show on the 21st and met your band!). I thought I was going to be so awestruck that I would pass out! 🙂 But you have a calming effect about you. I suppose that makes sense. I finally got to tell you how much you have meant to me for the past 11 years. Thank you for giving me the chance to do that. You are so kind to your fans. What a huge heart you have! And what a huge fan you will have in me until the end of time and beyond!
With the deepest kind of love,
Leslie Monaghen
Rhode Island
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Hey!!!
My name is Mike and I used to live in Manila (the Philippines). One evening in early ’97 I was watching MTV and they announced the Fire Garden Tour in Asia. I absolutely flipped out for a minute, but then came down pretty hard since the dates did not include a show in the Philippines. Thanks to my wonderful parents, who know how much Vai means to me… (they found out when I insisted for like 3 years that I had to have a Jem and not just any plain Ibanez guitar, which means a price difference of about 500 dollars – they got it for me though!), my father decided to take me over to Singapore to watch the Vai concert there!!! I got myself excused from school for a day or two and early Monday morning, of Feb. 2nd, we took off together to see Steve! The whole trip went well and as soon as we had checked into the hotel I went down to the Hard Rock Cafe to stand in line. Unfortunately the cue was about a block long and they said that they were about to stop letting people into the Cafe. I went up front and told this young lady that I had flown all the way from Manila to see the concert and that I could not live with not getting in… I doubt that she bought my story, since it must have sounded pretty absurd. God thank her though for saving me and letting me cut! My father never got in, but it didn’t bother him all that much, since he only wanted to see the concert because I hadn’t shut up about Steve since I first heard “Passion and Warfare”. Before the show the cool staff of the Cafe even gave a tour poster. It’s now framed in my bedroom.
The show was amazing! I was in the front row and even got to touch Evo at one point. Thanks Steve, I’ll never forget that!
The only thing that was bad about that concert was that the crowd was a bit rough and these guys decided to jump down on us from the second floor. You should have seen the police beat them up, it was scary! Unfortunately I lost my dad’s camrea then and got my ass kicked for that. It was one of the greatest experiences of my entire life!!!
I was a freshman in high school then and my teachers wrote on one of my report cards that I had been a quiet guy before the trip, that they would have liked me to participate a bit more, but that after I had seen Vai I wouldn’t shut up about it! (Of course they knew about Vai, because they were either followers of Zappa or Whitesnake when they were younger, or because they were tortured by me in lectures on him!) Anyway, now I live in Barcelona and today I found out that there is going to be a European Tour coming through here in early 2000. I am really happy about that and already got two tickets for the show. I am also planning on taking a train up to France the weekend after the Barcelona show to see Steve play again. Who knows… maybe I’ll meet him! These two shows are the last great thing that is going to happen to me in high school life (I graduate in June and am off to Berklee) and I am glad to be able to say that I began and ended high school with Vai concerts. They made it all a better experience and gave me something amazing to look forward to… In any case, I just wanted to send this letter to let you all know how happy and excited I am about the two Vai concerts that I’ll be going to see one week apart in a couple of months! I don’t know if this will ever get posted on the site, but that would sure be cool!?!
Sincerely,
Mike Simsch from Barcelona, Spain
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Hello to Captain Vai and whoever happens to read this,
I was investigating your site and saw all of the other people sharing their thoughts and praise, and felt left out. So here is MY wonderful letter.
I don’t know what the appropriate word or phrase would be to describe what I know of Steve Vai. Wowser comes to mind, but doesn’t capture anything. You(Steve) really amaze me, you play so much, and even overplay a lot, but never lose anything from the songs. You always manage to keep the whole emotional aspects of your music in mind. That is really neat. Many people work really hard to play like you, but end up just being another person who does nothing but show off in guitar stores. The key problem I find is that people aren’t playing for their hearts, but for their egos. It doesn’t matter what or how many notes you play but how you play them and what they mean to you. I think that on many of your songs, like “For the Love of God” and a plethora of others. That’s all I have to say about that, for now. So, in conculsion, you rock! What was the point of all this? I hope it was enjoyable if anything. Au revoir, Chief. Keep it bassy!
Jay Ratkowski
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Steve,
Just wanted you to know that a few of the boys of Carle Place High School were at the Fu Bar in Florida and screaming our heads off for you!! When you mentioned that you were taking photos for your website, I wanted to check it out and decided to write you a letter! You ,Vicky Garguzzi and I would always have our smoke break right before Miss Fagan’s English class! I can also remember you playing “Stairway to Heaven” better than Jimmy Page in High School 1980!
I have followed your career from the start and went to all the concerts when you were with David Lee Roth & Whitesnake!
Other attendees @ your show that night were Mark Cotugno, Nick Just, Rob Skudder…
Take care Steve. “You are our Hero of Rock & Roll and you put Carle Place on the Map!!”
Bobby Brois, Class of 1980.
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Guillermo Vazquez Lopez
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Mr. Vai:
The only words I have to say to you are “we love you!” I’m a big ARGENTINA FAN of you since 80’s, I heard all your albums and am amazed how you can make people feel hearing your music. I have to tell you that my wife and I saw you performing here in Buenos Aires and I told my wife “you will see one of the most wonderfull guitar players on Earth”, and I have to tell you that we need to see you again here in Argentina. “We miss you a lot!” My little daughter loves to hear “For The Love of God”. I’m proud that my family can understand the “meaning of your music” so, from Argentina I have to say: Steve!!! We need you to come here soon!!! We miss you!!! Peace and love to you and your family!!
Abraira Juan Manuel
Buenos Aires , Argentina
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Rodolphe Wery created this cool animated gif!
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Steve’s music has been a source of great joy for me for many years – I have to say thank you for that, also thank you very much for a beautiful, generous website. I downloaded the FTLOG video (took two hours!), and it blew me away. Thanks for keeping my love for music intact through hundreds of shitty pub gigs, playing covers to drunks – there’s still something beautiful in music to me, thanks yet again for bringing it home to me time and time again.
All the best, and much love.
Ross
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Steve & Company,
The show, as expected was great… I managed to squirm my way up to the front of the stage with my digital camera. Included are a couple of color, B&W and a few that I used a couple of the funky settings to get some different effects for the pix. I was so close, that several times I grabbed one of Steves’ extra guitar picks right off of his guitar. Several times (while playing) Steve gave that me that look and shook his index finger as if to say, “now, now, now… you’ve already got some, leave some for the others”. Total laughs!
What’s cool about the Vai camp… is that they are genuinely nice. Hanging out after the show, taking pix with the fans (there is one of Philip and myself), signing autographs, etc. Having selected fans (who won a radio contest) jam on stage with Steve and the band (the guy in New Haven was pretty good). There are not many camps that embrace their supporters in such a way, so thanks again!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Paul LaParle
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Mr. Vai & crew:
We had the privilege of seeing you live at the Barrymore in Madison,WI recently and were awed by your show and wonderful attitude. It is a breath of fresh air to see musicians of your caliber playing in a small venue such as the Barrymore. Further, the attitude conveyed by you and the band seemed to be one of sheer enjoyment of simply playing your music and being there performing for the fans.
We were also impressed by the fact that you invited a local radio station contest winner to jam with you on stage and to also invite Mr. Sardinas back to play with you during your encore. What a wonderful experience for those people to have the honor of actually jamming with you live.
The web site is wonderful. I look forward to seeing the interactive lessons up and running when you get the time. It is very cool that you are willing to share your vast talents with the world.
Thanks for the years of music, inspiration and your take on life.
Very truly yours,
Mike & Laurie
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Hello,
Here is a piece I started to work on while listening to “The Ultra Zone”. I always wondered where Steve got his guitars, and now that I see his new space suit and remember the little green men, I think I’ve figured it out. I’m no artist, but I do like music! Tell Steve I said, “Thanks”.
Later,
Larry Nicholson
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Hi to all, or “Vai” to all,
Even though it’s all been read before, I just HAD to throw in a word or two briefly. I was fortunate enough to see my very first Vai solo show recently. Although I do not play guitar, it’s impossible to not notice the talent, enthusiasm, and overall love of the instrument and music this man has when he is performing. And the music itself can be appreciated by all, as the crowd loved his Anaheim show at the Sun Theatre last week.
Even more impressive to me than his musicianship was his kind regard to all his fans. Afterwards he did not miss one individual who waited so patiently inside, as well as the crowd that awaited him outside. He was kind, personable, patient, caring, and extremely involved in each person and the words they spoke. I found it very unusual for a man of such stature to take the time like he did, especially since he was still not yet over his recent illness. He thoroughly enjoyed all his fans and it was quite obvious, as I watched him greet and chat with each person from a distance before leaving myself. Such a wonderful musician, and above all this, it’s so amazing that within such talent lies a very friendly and down-to-earth guy! Mr. Vai, if you do happen to read this, please know how grateful we fans are that you take the time to meet us and sign autographs afterwards. And, I personally want to thank you as well for taking those wilted flowers I had held throughout the night – with of course, another trademark item that you so graciously accepted as well. And even though the gifts I’m sure left little image in your own mind, please know that my mind is very happy to finally meet just a “nice” guy who’s also the most talented musician of our time.
Your kindness (and of course, your artistic brilliance) is appreciated!
Ms. Kris
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Somehow, when the celestial bodies are aligned just right, and you’re tapped into the collective consciousness, and you’re mojo is really workin’, you find your dreams may come true. Mine did at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta on 11/30/99 when I found myself cutting heads with my all-time favorite guitar hero. It just doesn’t get any better than that! Thanks go to Steve and Guitar Center for holding the contest. Is any other rock star quite as cool? I think not!
-Eric Sands
www.ericsands.com
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> My name is César, a Spanish Steve admirer and amateur guitar player that loves Steve’s music and ideas. When I first listened to his music I was tuning Radio Nacional de España 3, and I only listened a little piece of music which wasn´t played entirely, but was as a kind of presentation of a radio program. It was “The Boy from Seattle” and it struck me for its strange and dreamy melody. I had already heard about him from my friend of that time David P.T. , but stupid prejudices that blocked my mind prevented me from discovering his music long before. The first album I heard entirely was “Sex & Religion” and it really got me although I must confess that at the beginning I didn´t like it so much as when I had heard it twenty times. The thing is that when I listened (and listen) his music I start to fancy and dream :”Hey! How the heck has he done that thing? And that other? That sounds beautiful!” It caused on me an effect of spurring my imagination to distant places where I hadn’t ever been. I had taken the guitar already, and I must confess that it was my aforementioned friend playing and Joe Satriani’s music what aroused in me that unknown love for music, but when I discovered Steve’s music it really pushed me forward to be a better guitar player.
I have to say also that I have been through hard times in my life, and it has not been just one time when I’ve been cheered up by Steve’s music. It helped me a lot in some occasion, especially “Liberty” and “Erotic Nightmares”, this last song having one of the rhythm guitar parts that I like most. This is true. The purpose of this letter is a kind of giving thanks to you, Steve, for being as you are (although I suppose you can’t help it, and that’s fine in my opinion) and for making that music that I like so much. Thanks a lot, and warm regards.
C.E.S.R., from LOGROÑO, SPAIN
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>I have been a huge fan of yours since the Zappa days! I own the vinyl albums of PIL and ‘Disturbing The Peace’, and even took a chance on a record by an unknown guitarist based on your (pre-Roth) recommendation of his work (FYI – it was “Not Of This Earth” by Satch, the vinyl version).
I want to thank you for the immense enjoyment you have given me over the years, and am looking forward to your new boxed set.
I am including for your reading pleasure a review of the 10/26/1996 G3 concert. Please feel free to share it with other Vai-fanatics. Thank you!
Mark J. Rabuffo
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G3 – Live in NYC
Saturday night, October 26, 1996. The biggest happening in New York City was not Game 6 of the World Series. The main event, at least for fans of guitar virtuosity, was occurring at The Beacon Theatre. The Big Three of instrumental guitar music were in town putting on a showcase not to be missed.
Steve Vai. Eric Johnson. Joe Satriani. The names conjure up images of high volume, fleet-fingered picking, mind-boggling two-handed tapping, and extreme whammy damage! And Saturday night’s show certainly lived up to its billing.
The opening of the show, however, was a solo acoustic set performed by Adrian Legg. He was a wonderful contrast to the electrified bands he preceded. Indeed, Mr. Leggs’ virtuosity was apparent immediately as he performed a number of compositions which thrilled the crowd. But, there was no doubt who we were there to see when the lights went out and the opening of Steve Vai’s “There’s a Fire in the House” began.
Steve Vai began this night of ruptured eardrums with a number of cuts from his recently released CD “Fire Garden”. It was obvious why he was chosen to start the show – his enthusiasm was infectious as he really worked the crowd into a frenzy. The highlight of Steve’s set was arguably his rendition of “For the Love of God”, which he opened by explaining how he first “heard” the song as a young man listening to headphones. Steve also sang “Little Alligator”, which sounded surprisingly good for a man not known for his vocal ability.
Steve’s band was hot! Especially Mike Keneally, on keyboards and second guitar. Just to hear my favorite Vai tune, “The Attitude Song”, performed by Vai and Keneally made my night! It was also quite humorous since they played the song while both wearing “Cat in the Hat” hats and running crazily across the stage. An excellent start to the evening. The only glitch was that Vai’s guitar was often too low in the mix, and was occasionally drowned out by the rhythm section.
After a quick set change (I was impressed by the speed of the changes between sets – each was about 10 minutes and went off like clockwork!), Eric Johnson came on and promptly had to stand up on stage to wait for the soundman to return and shut off the intermission music!
Eric was in stark contrast to Steve Vai as he was quite reserved onstage, sometimes even playing with his back to the audience. But if his stage demeanor was shy, his music stood tall. He played only one vocal tune, “Rock my Plimsoul”; the rest were instrumental offerings from his three CDs. I was happy about this since, as much as I love his voice, I agree with the late Frank Zappa’s immortal line “Shut up and play your guitar!”. This also stayed true to the spirit of the tour and allowed us to hear Eric really let loose. This was especially evident on his signature tune, “Cliffs of Dover”. He began all alone with very loose, sparse playing, eyes closed, occasionally teasing us with a few bars of the introduction, then eventually reaching a crescendo of 32nd notes amid thunderous applause.
After another quick set change, Satch came on. By this time, there was no one left in their seats. We were all standing, bopping with Joe. He looked very cool on stage, dressed in dark sunglasses and shaved head. He was obviously enjoying himself immensely as he did not look this loose when I last saw him perform. He also performed a stunning set of blistering instrumentals, at one point leaving the stage for Stu Hamm to showcase his bass vistuosity. And when Joe’s set ended, neither he nor his band left the stage.
The highlight of the show was the jamming at then end! Joe introduced Steve Vai, then Eric Johnson, then promptly went into Jeff Becks’ “Going Down”. WOW! This was followed up by Steve Vai and Mike Keneally singing Zappa’s “My Guitar Wants to Kill Yer Mama”. More cool jamming! Then, a rousing version of Hendrix’s “Red House”. It was almost too much to bear!
Mark J. Rabuffo
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>The first time I saw Steve was in the movie “Crossroads”. I kept thinking he was the guitar player in the band Black & Blue, don’t ask me why. I even bought a ticket to one of their shows just to watch Steve play! Imagine my disappointment. I finally got to see him play, although it was years later when he was with Whitesnake. Steve was worth the wait. His music is at once beautiful and twisted, with just a touch of comedy. Thanks Steve for the many hours of listening enjoyment you’ve given to us.
ROYAL98
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>In late 1990 after being a Steve Vai fan for only about a year. I heard on the radio that Steve was going to be signing autograghs at a Haunted Hay Ride in Fairborn OH, not far from where I live. This was just after Whitesnake. We got there early but still had a very long line. After about two hours of standing in the cold I was next in line. I had my guitar out and was ready to meet the MAN. At that moment some guys said Steve we have to go…..I’m sure it was not Steve’s fault. The next chance I got was in Cincinnati when Steve opened up for Bon Jovi. That’s where I got my “Alien Love Secrets” video. I didn’t get to meet Steve but did get to meet his keybaord player. After viewing my new Vai video I subscribed to Greasy Kid’s Stuff…..Then the call came!!! It was Richard Pike. To make a long story short, he got me aftershow passes for the G3 show in Columbus. The six year wait was over. Thanks Richard & Steve. See you next tour.
Shawn Gillespie
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>It all started about ten years ago me when i found that Whitesnake was coming to Minneapolis on tour. At this time the only music I knew was the music my dad would play around my brothers and I including, Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, Zappa, and Pink Floyd just to name a few. I had no idea who Steve Vai was and really didn’t know what I was getting into when I went to my first concert at age thirteen.
I can remember it like it was last night….my father and I had to settle for nosebleed seats, but I didn’t care! I was going to my first rock concert and my body and head were filled with a rush of hot blood the whole time Vai was on stage. He had started this solo like no other person with a stage presence that I have yet to see another touch in my whole life of concert going and music appreciation. It was with this amazing chrome sequined Ibanez. It glittered like stars in the darkness when the spotlight hit every shining facet. I will never forget….
It is now nearly 10 years later and I have become more than just a fan of his creations. When I hear of anything recorded by him or even anything even touched by him I feel as though I must have it immediatly. Then I go and buy it as soon as I can find it.
At times I fell as if I am like Pavlov’s Dog; drooling at the mouth when his name is even mentioned. Awaiting his next work of passion. I also think of myself as in his debt for his influence in the music that I listen to. He was able to open my mind with “Passion and Warfare”, and make me realize that there is more than just a steady beat and few melodies to music. There are a lot of parts to a peice of music that matter more than I had even begun to dream of. He is the one responsible for making me realize this.
So I say, thank you Steve Vai…thank you from every part of me…
Rh8675
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>It was quite a few years ago when I first found out who Steve Vai was! About 9 years ago I started playing guitar, and before long I rented a movie called “Crossroads”. When I first saw the end of that movie I couldn’t believe it. I never knew anyone could play guitar so well! Since then I researched (so to speak) into Steve and his music, and once I looked into his music you know Joe Satriani comes into the picture. To make a long story short, both Steve and Joe are excellent guitar players. Each has their own sound and I like what I’m hearing from both. Steve Vai has been an inspiration for years and if I didn’t discover his music, I probably wouldn’t be playing guitar today! Thank you so much for the inspiration and the music.
Jamie Zavatsky
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>Dear Steve
I’ve just been checking out your web site, WOW!! What can I say, I really enjoyed the photos of you when you were younger, they’re great — reminds me of my teenagey photos (think we were born around the same era, yes I recognise the flares!!)
Lots of good friendly feelings,
Chris Jauncey
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>I just had to write in after reading Steve’s words about the making of “Passion And Warfare”. I had always thought and even had heard that Steve put himsef into PAW but now I know for sure.
I have seen Steve live numerous times now and I have always considered a Vai show to be something of a religious experience, however one show in particular will forever stand out in my mind. After Steve finished the first G3 tour he started touring for ‘Fire Garden’. About two months after he played the G3 show in Minnepolis he returned to a small club in Minneapolis called First Avenue (Prince filmed parts of “Purple Rain” at First Ave.)
Mike Keneally & Beer for Dolphins opened the show after a long technical delay. I didn’t mind however, since Mike spent about 20 minutes talking with me in the audience before he went on, it always amazes me how no one realizes who he is. BFD kicked ass!
But, But! Nothing could have prepared me for Steve, not up close. I stood at the edge of the stage for 3 hours just to make sure I’d have a great vantage point, I wasn’t disappointed. I have to say now that any Vai fan who has never experienced Steve up close while he is playing is missing a whole different dimension of Steve… I could talk for hours about that show but I’ll mention just one song, my personal favorite… “For The Love Of God”.
I know this song like the back of my hand, every little squeak and nuance. While Steve was playing FTLOG I was euphoric. Steve looks people directly in the eyes while he plays, he makes these truly wild and intense faces… I noticed that many people other than myself were getting into this song just as deeply as I was… I also noticed that when Steve would make eye contact with me it seemed like the more I got off the more he got off. For all you guitar players out there you’ll understand the next part: You know that part in FTLOG about 4/5ths of the way through, just before he brings it down, where he is playing those otherworldly apreggios? I was going nuts… I’d say close to having a cosmic orgasm… He looked right at me making this intense face and he saw me totally freaking out, with him on every note… and he didn’t look away…he just shook his head as if to say “yes… you know why I’m up here” and he was smiling from ear to ear… It was truly intense…
Maybe I’m just a nut but I don’t think so… I think the Zappa in me was just waiting for Steve to come along and free my musical soul…. Thank you Steve, your music has moved me.
On a closing note, it was a red letter night at that show for a tried and true Vai fan. Thanks to the help of a friend (you know who you are) I became the receipient of the guitar pick Steve threw after smashing the white RG550 at the end of “Kill the Guy With the Ball”… Also Steve kindly autographed a tour poster where he wished a merry xmas to a woman who is very dear to me, she was thrilled and still cherishs it. Oh yeah… she’s as much of a Vai freak as I am…. One other point of interest, I gave my kind friend (who secured aftershow passes for me) a Pignose amp in gratitude… When I next heard from him I was told Steve was using the Pignose to warm up before shows! There’s only one dream left, Steve… when can we jam??? (hint hint)
One hell of a night wasn’t it? 🙂
Peace!
Gary Hancq
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>My First Meeting With Vai’s Music.
Well, I guess the first Vai song I heard was ‘Juice’ from his ‘Alien Love Secrets’ album. I didn’t hear the CD version, I actually heard some other guy play a homemade version of it with a band backing up. (I recall that the drummer used a lot of emotion when he so steady played that shuffle groove, ‘man it was awesome!!) Well, right after the show I took the bus home and I kinda had made my mind up that I have to either play some songs of Vai, or at least purchase some albums (y’know, I play the guitar myself). I chose choice B and went to a record shop and bought the only Vai album they had there, ‘Sex & Religion.’ I kinda had a clue that this was goin’ to be quite different from what I heard at the concert so I was very open-minded. And what a wow-xperince I got!!! To begin with, Devin’s vocals on the record were a little…hmm…”unexpected?!” and lotsa songs had like a hit-sound-thingy goin’ on, but I soon got used to it and I started to pick up some guitar stuff too. I had a transcription to the intro of ‘Rescue Me Or Bury Me’ and nailed that one pretty fast. So I ordered the ‘Alien Love Secrets’ CD and bought the note-book some months later. Well, a year has gone since I saw that guy play ‘Juice,’ and in February ’98 I played that same song on the same stage, one year later. But I played it just like the original, but only a little bit faster (bpm=230), and with a midi-file drums/bass as backing band (sequenced it myself). So I gotta say that Vai, you’ve changed me. Without your music I wouldn’t be the guitarist I am today!! My progress on the guitar has really increased since I started playing the tunes on the ‘Alien Love Secrets’ album, and it has developed my own music too. So I strongly recommend every guitarist to take a peak into the ‘Alien Love Secrets’ guitar techniques and music, it’s just like havin’ a well tempered clavier book for the guitar.
Keep up the good work!!!
Frode A. K. Thorkildsen
PS: I’ve never even seen Vai play live!!! And I haven’t heard other albums than “Sex & Religion”, “Alien Love Secrets” and “G3”!! I still have lots to discover!!!
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>Dear Steve,
The first time I heard you was through a friend of mine named Tom (who by the way is a brilliant jazz pianist of the calibre of Chick Corea and Co). I was 15 and was listening to Satriani really heavily (as I still do), and I thought that your playing was really strange and I didn’t get into it at all!! BUT, then I listened to P&W again and as my musical awarness grew, so too did my appreciation of your unparalled ability to express yourself on this six stringed beast. And so, Now I’m 21, and I love every single piece of music you compose or cover (in the case of the Christmas song). Thanks for giving me years of pleasure Steve, and I’m counting on you to give me years more. Oh yeah, please come back to Perth, and when you do, give me a call and I’ll show you around, its a really great place!!
Regards, Joe Colgan
Perth WA, Australia
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>Greetings Mr. Vai, and salutations to your blessed family. I’ve been a fan of yours for about 8 years (being 25), and “discovered” you with the “Eat ‘Em and Smile” album. Through your work I’ve come to appreciate not the flashy guitar style, but the total abandonment to the instrument, and to music in a larger sense.
Your music led me to Frank Zappa’s treasure trove of inspiration, a world of invention I never dreamed existed. I’m studying classical guitar, piano, ear training and transcribing all I can find to achieve my goal in life (for I believe this is what I was meant to do), which is to communicate music to others, whether it be my own or not.
I”ll never be as proficient as you on the guitar, and to be quite frank, I don’t care to be. It’s not who I am. But I do hope to achieve a decent level of musical knowledge.
I won’t take any more of your time, thanx for the music.
daviault
p.s. the new site is great. There’s everything anybody could want to know about you. It must be a little intimidating, though, to have your entire life on a hard drive. Peace.
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>Greetings and salutations…
Just spent way too much time checking out the “new & improved” Official Vai Web Page for the first time [Rich’s note: she refers to vai.com version 2.0, now gone], and I’m practically speechless!!! It’s so thorough that’s it’s going to take a buzzillion more visits to get through it all!
Besides all the other cool goodies (way too many to list here), the addition of the fan input section, Steve’s notes, general comments by vai.com’s author, etc. adds a nice warm feel to the page that I haven’t quite experienced on other music-related pages. It’s just really nice having access to information that reveals a little more about the man behind the music, and also about those around the world who have made his music their own…
As for the fan art section: some fans are very talented artists in your own right! I quite enjoyed their contributions as well…
Cheers!
Catherine Z.
P.S. To the page designers: I quite appreciate the fact that the page is *not* loaded with ultra-fancy “wallpaper” & a bunch of other “pretty” but cumbersome things that make it frustrating for the slow-modem owner. Ease & speed of viewing are often the number one factors in deciding whether I stay on a page or just give up out of impatience… no matter how visually enticing that page is. The white text on subdued black-on-black patterned background for the larger text blocks makes for easy reading, but still retains a classy professional feel. In the opinion of at least one graphic artist: great work, folks!
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>Hey Vai site people! This is my Vai story , it’s a sad one.
You could say that it all began about two summers ago… I was in a local music store looking for a Pearl Jam CD for my older brother. I found the disc I was looking for and noticed that I had about 15 extra bucks in my wallet. At that very moment I caught a familiar sight out of the corner of my eye. It was the cover of a CD I had seen before at a guitar buddy’s house. It was the sweetest looking artwork I had ever gazed upon; a man dressed in black armed with a 7-stringed “bow” and a quiver of arrows, stood with gardens above, fires below, heavens to one side and a empire in ruin to the other. As I looked closer, a brown ribbon was noticed wrapping around the mysterious man. At an even closer look the immortal words came into focus, “Passion and Warfare”. My heart jumped with excitement as I held the long forgotten jewel in my hand. I ended up buying that disc that day and after listening to it over and over that night, I was, you might say, hooked. It didn’t take long to find the rest of Mr. Vai’s CD’s, and with each listening I grew deeper and deeper in my respect, admiration, and amazement of a such a guitarist.
In the middle of February of ’97 my dreams sailed to a new height with the purchase of three tickets to go see a “guitar festival” at a local venue. My dreams were soon to come true by seeing my guitar god live playing his heart out for all of his addoring fans including myself. I patiently awaited for that night and it did come. As I got ready I was eyeing the tickets just as I had done so many times before, looking at my box “A” seat number and thinking of being two feet away from him as he flows through such compositions as “Tender Surrender” and “For the Love of God”. The car ride to the local venue was a good one. My dad, older brother and myself were listening to Satriani and Vai in anticipation of the night. As we pulled into the parking lot of the Hollywood Bowl, I could see the rear of the bowl towering over a half car-filled lot. I was almost out of control with excitement. We were actually here!!!!!!! I couldn’t believe that I was going to see Mr. Vai play live! We parked the car, got out and made our way to the entrance. We were three among a throng of fellow long-haired guitar junkies and I felt in place. We made it to the entrance and it was a funny thing, no one there to take the tickets?? “Oh, well,” my dad spoke up,” let’s go find the seats.” As we were about to turn the corner into the seating area, images of an amp filled stage, with drums taking the middle and mics dancing upon the fringes filled my mind. In my head I could almost hear the soundchecks cutting through the chatter of an eager audience awating the star of the show. And as I turned the corner and passed into the isle way, I looked up and saw… nothing .
I couldn’t believe it, the show had been cancelled two days before with no hope of a reschedule. I wasn’t going to see Mr. Steve Vai play his guitar and those hopes and dreams were shattered faster then a sweep of his pick. It was a very quiet and lonesome ride home that night. I got home and just slipped into bed. The next day it came to my attention that they had played San Diego that Oct. 4th instead of L.A.. why? I will never know.
A dreamer of shattered dreams,
Brian D.
[Rich’s note:The Hollywood and San Diego dates were switched several weeks prior to the concert. Anyone going to a show is advised to keep eyes and ears peeled for any news of a change, as they do happen, and calling the box office on the day before a show is a good idea too. We’ll also be posting any changes to Steve’s tour dates as they are announced, on the Tour Dates page.]
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>I don’t now how to start. I have been online reading this site for the past hour (maybe more) and the more I read the more I’m stunned. I really can’t put into words what I think of this site as it is right now, it’s so good, really really WONDERFUL you have done an amazing job! The site has everything! Please do keep up the good work, I intend to mail you my story of how I first got to know Mr. Vai’s music, but not today. I just had to write to you complimenting the wonderful work you are doing. It really made me want to take my guitar and play for hours in a row (but I don’t have any of my guitars here with me.)
From a huge fan from Portugal (how about a concert here? I would be first in line!)
Luis Oliveira
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>Excellent job, guys! I’m a friend of Mark Weinstein’s (the original vai.com webmaster), and I do have to thank Mark for one of the best nights of my life. I attended the May ’96 Z-Rock show in Detroit, the one Mark broadcast over the Net, after which Mark, my friend & I all hooked up. He was able to get us passes for the “meet & greet” thing after the show, which was nice, but I was really hoping (with Mark’s connections) to just sit and hang out with Steve. But, I took what I could get, right? We were going to grab a bite, so we followed Mark back to the Doubletree Hotel where they were all staying. My friend & I waited in the lounge while Mark went to change.
Sitting in the lounge was Chris Frazier (Steve’s drummer at the time). We struck up a conversation until Mark arrived. Soon afterward, a couple of the other guys from the band joined us, and finally Mr. Vai entered the room. Now, I have been awestruck by this man for the last 13 years – I’ve read every article about him, played as many of his tunes as possible in high school bands (even the Alcatrazz stuff), plastered my room with photos – you know, the whole neurotic fan thing – and here he was standing right next to me! Mark introduced us, and I did my best NOT to act like the “neurotic fan”. The left side of my brain was saying “Don’t bug him, he just got off stage, let him unwind and hang with his friends, he has heard a million times before how awesome he is, he’s just another guy, don’t embarrass yourself.” But, the right side of my brain was racing “OH MY GOD, I’M SITTING HERE WITH STEVE VAI, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, I HAVE TO PEE”. As he does onstage, offstage he commands attention. He’s just got this way about him that makes you feel comfortable and long for the next word that escapes his mouth. He broke into stories about the last time he drank a certain brand of whiskey, and how he and David Lee Roth were projectile vomiting all over the back of a limousine. We were in stitches. Then he asks who’s going out to eat. Of course we responded. A big group of us went over to Greek Town in downtown Detroit. I live in northern Michigan, and try not to go downtown (because I’m afraid of bullets), but Steve just walked confidently down the street. That always stuck out in my mind, like “wow, this guy is untouchable”.
Anyway, we get to the restaurant, and I was playing musical chairs in my head. Willing to use physical force if needed, I was going to sit right across from Steve. As it turned out, I didn’t need to hurt anyone. I sat there for about 2 hours, right across the table from my idol, while he told tour stories in a very animated manner. Now, there have been many article written about Steve, suggesting he is “out there” or “lager than life” – sort of inaccessible like a Michael Jackson figure – but I found him to be one of the nicest, most generous, down to earth people I’ve met. Heck, he paid for my dinner. I kept pretty quiet through out dinner and let him talk, until he started talking about the Alcatrazz days. He was talking about how none of the fans knew that Yngwie had been replaced. So, while he was waiting at the side of the stage at the first gig, the whole crowd is chanting “Yngwie, Yngwie!”. He said “So, I walk out (this little twig) and nobody clapped, but nobody left”. That’s when I spoke up and said – “Well, that was probably the first time anyone saw somebody tap out arpeggios” – Steve got this confused look on his face, and said “How did you know about that?”. That’s when I divulged how big of a fan I was. I told him that I saw it in the live Alcatrazz video. He said “No kidding, you have that!”. I said “Oh yeah! And I’ve got this, and this….” It was so cool. After dinner, we all walked back to the hotel. Steve and I talked about gear the whole way back. We walked by a parked car, and the alarm went off – Steve looks at me and starts waving his hand over his butt (like he cut one and it set the alarm off). (You had to be there!) We got back to the hotel and said our goodbyes.
If you’re reading this Steve – I want to thank you so much for that night. You probably don’t realize what that night meant to me, but if you remember how you felt the first time you met Frank – that is the same gift you gave to me that night. Thank you. You are not only an amazing guitarist, but an amazing man as well. Keep up with the inner journey.
PS: How much do I owe you for dinner?
Jim Roosa
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>Hello Steve Vai & Co.,
I was on your very interesting homepage. It gave a very in-depth insight of you, your music and your life. To be honest, I don’t like all of your stuff even though I have all your ‘Vai’ records. Some of it I only listened to once or twice.
On the other hand there is a lot to learn from your music. I have bought myself the ‘Passion and Warfare’ songbook and it is one of my best investment in music scores. Not that I want to imitate you (I probably couldn’t do that, even if I wanted to, hehehehe), but to learn from you and your music. Your way of seeing things in this world of caos and translating them to your music is just insane and beautiful at the same time. I have been playing the guitar for about 14 years and am still having problems focusing on what kind of music I really want to play. One day it is jazz, the next blues, etc. But in your music I saw that it is possible to connect these together to make something you can’t describe.
The song that wants to make me cry and is is still my favorite instrumental is ‘For the Love of God’. The first time I listened to that song I had a shiver go up my spine and I almost peed in my pants (just kidding, hehehehe). This still happens (the shiver, not the peeing)! I hope you continue to be you and don’t let yourself be influenced by those stupid record companies who ruin good music.
Best regards to you and your family
David Forbes, Germany
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>Hi
I once sent Steve a mail entitled “3 thank you’s from England” to which he sent me a reply (which for a guy as busy as Steve, is a cool thing to have done). I’d just like him to know that I scraped the money together back in October ’96 and came over to see him on the G3 tour in New York and the following night in Boston. They were great gigs and I had a great time.
A couple of guys called Thanos & Tom put me up over the few days I was there, and they both came to the gigs… Without their help I couldn’t have afforded to do it. Vai fans are the greatest.
Cheers Steve…keep it going.
God Bless
Ric Lovett
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> Hi, my name is Alberto Palomo, and I am part of the Greasy Kid’s Stuff fan club. This photo was obtained in the Radio Station WFM when Steve was going to his hotel, and I stopped the car and said please one more photo. And Steve smiled and stopped the car for us.
Thank You, Steve, for giving to the world the best of you!!!
Your disciple,
Alberto Palomo
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>Hey there! Just calling in from the UK… Man, the G3 tour rocked… well, come back to the UK soon, from all the guitar lovers here!!
Thanks
Craig Phillips
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>How are you? I’m sending a Steve cartoon and a picture of him that I took in Brazil when he came here. I hope you enjoy it.. 🙂
Peace,
Ricardo Bello
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> People,
Excellent website! It made me realize that I am not the only one with messed up musical dreams and alien ideas. I guess the thing that struck me most was how much Steve’s passion for music/guitar comes across. It makes me feel like a freaking cop out for not persuing music and instead becoming a, gulp, TELECOMMUNICATIONS & NETWORKING engineer! How blah… how boring… how pathetic… how TYPICAL! Playing music is so much better than designing the roads on the information highway. Well, at least “breeyark” is a cool name, even though it does sound like a Martian projectile vomiting a wet roll of toilet paper.
Anyways, the reason I was writing was to relate my Vai story. Well, it really doesn’t involve Steve (directly), and I haven’t met him either, and well, I’ve only seen him once in concert (G3, Montreal). Man, I was HOPING to see a jam with Michel Cusson’s Wild Unit. Steve, Joe and Michel jamming with a funky HORN section. THAT would have been something to see….)…so, what is this email about??
Well, it’s really about my mother, who I lost last year to cancer. She was the sweetest thing. I have her on an old cassette tape singing Greek songs from the 50’s, when they had these big bands backing the singers. My mom used to love singing acapella, because she had problems finding the key with other instruments! But, I can remember her soft vibrato, her controlled tone, and the songs she sang about the crazy kind of love people fall into (mom, I STILL don’t think it exists!!)….
While I was in university, studying engineering, I used to NEVER STUDY. I would instead play guitar for 8-10 hours a day. How I passed, I will never know. The amp would be in my room, and I would have this long cord that would snake out to my brothers room, who had the stereo. There, I would jam along to various guys, Steve being one of them, sometimes playing along, most times improvising my own stuff. The levels were perfect between the rooms when I had the amp cranked just right, it would sound like I was in the band.
No matter how much I played, not matter how long, my mother never complained. Not even once. She would be downstairs, fighting with the after-effects of another chemo session, while I was upstairs playing along with “For the Love of God”, or “Always with Me, Always with You”, or “Giant Steps”, or “Sofa”. It never crossed my mind whether I was playing like crap or like genius… I just played. I cherish that time I spent playing THAT freely…
A few years later, after finishing school and deciding to do the engineering thing, I was out on one of my first business trips, and when I came back, my mom had this wicked gleam in her eye, like she always had just before she was going to laugh at you. She started to recount this story about her walking past my room and her hearing crying coming from it. She had such a serious look on her face, I was like so INTO her story at that point. She had me hooked… I was wondering to myself who was crying in my room while I was away??
So, while she’s telling me about the crying, we’re walking toward my room, and she opens the door. She ends up with, “I heard your WIFE crying for you!!”, and she grabs the headstock of my beaten, cigarette burned, chipped, yellowed, white Universe. She breaks out into this HYSTERICAL laughter, all the while saying that she had me fooled (I must’ve had this concerned look on my face…), that I had NO idea WHO she was refering to as my wife (me?? MARRIED??)…etc… I hadn’t seen her laugh so hard in years. Chemo tends to quell one’s sense of humor.
Then, she told me something I will never forget. She asked me to put on the guitar and just play. Turn on the stereo and play, honey, she told me. After all those years of hearing me every day, she missed hearing the sounds coming from my bedroom. My brother would later tell me that my mom would tell him while I was playing, “your brother is really good, isn’t he?”. THAT compliment was the BEST compliment I had ever gotten…. you can bring back ANY of the heavies I admire (Miles, Frank, Trane, Bird, Jimi…) to compliment my playing, but it wouldn’t even come close to what my mom said.
And I just wanted to thank Steve. Thanks man, for being one of the reasons for me to pick up the guitar. Thanks for providing the inspiration; so that my mom could hear me play and feel a little better. When I lost her last year, I lost my biggest hero, but I know she’s better where she is. In fact, I’m pretty sure she’s somewhere right now, pulling the same stunt she pulled on me to Frank. But, Frank is lucky. He gets to hear her laugh.
Sincerely,
Dennis “breeyark” Sarlis
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>It was a warm afternoon. We had just driven 6 hours to see G3 in Portland. We got lost, but finally arrived. We walked in, got our ‘meet & greet’ stickers, and we were in. It was the usual atmosphere of a rock concert and I loved it! As we turned the corner and saw the stage, my body filled with adrenaline. I could’ve jumped to the moon, but being at a Vai concert, I was much higher. For the whole drive over to Portland, my friend had been talking about what he called “the Vai experience”. He tried to explain how when Mr. Vai walks out on stage, everyone has this unexplainable feeling of excitement. But we couldn’t understand until it really happened. Kenny Wayne Shepherd finished his set in which he played the most incredible version of the old Hendrix tune “Voodoo Chile”. And a few minutes later we heard the air raid sirens. And out came Vai. My friends and I started doing the old “we’re not worthy” thing and Mr. Steve Vai laughed at us. It was amazing! He was actually REAL. Until this point he was a mythical figure that my friends and I would talk about and listen to his music constantly. He played awesome! I don’t remember hearing even one mistake. The best part was when he played ‘Tender Surrender’, at the end he played a little bit of “The Sound of Music”‘s ‘These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things’. It was so cool. At the end jam with the other G’s, everyone rushed the stage, and my friend and I were the leaders. I can only imagine how funny it must have looked to see three idiots simultaneously jumping above the crowd making ugly faces. Mr. Vai and KWS were both laughing at us. Thanks for inspiring young musicians like me to actually learn the guitar past the power chord lesson. By the way, that suit with the Japanese writing on the sleeve kicked some serious ass!
Jake Terry,
Eric and Shane Wintch
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>Dear Mr. Vai,
I just wanted to write and explain myself. My name is Anthony Vincent, I am 16 years old and I have been playing guitar seriously for about 6 but have been close friends with the instrument and a few others all my life. I have been closely studying you and your beautiful music for a while now, but you know wanna something that I had never expected? I never expected you to seem like a nice guy, or to seem like a good father. I thought you would just be some self-absorbed star who knew that he was good, and I find myself now wanting to be like you in many ways. I am studying chord structures, theory, and composition and I intend to make beautiful music just like you when I get older. I have already decided that I will attend college to learn as much as I possibly can about the machine, I have taught myself “The Crying Machine” and most of “The Attitude Song” by ear and have a thorough repertoire of all the techniques you use. I am having a slight bit of trouble with two hand tapping on more than one string but I am confident that I will succeed. So here’s to you and your wonderful family, I wish nothing but the absolute best to you and your amazing gift. Keep up the great work and keep inspiring others to get good.
Warm Regards,
Anthony Vincent
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>Hi Steve, My name is Jeremy Krull, I am 12 years old and have been playing guitar for 6 years. I use Ibanez Guitars. I am attending the national guitar summer workshop at which Mike Keneally is supposed to be teaching this year! I have family in CA, so next time I’m there, I’ll look for your house. Steve, you are the most amazing thing in music since the invention of the guitar.
P.S. I’ve met and jammed with Jon Finn and Les Paul!
Jeremy Krull
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>Hello, Steve!
This is about something weird that happened in 1995: I was in the audience in Brazil looking at you playing incessantly – I can’t remember which song of ‘Alien Love Secrets’ – and I felt completely alone, I couldn’t see anybody around me (it’s not a case of drugs, oh, no!!!). I only felt my vision increasing – as I was very near the stage. Well, at that moment I saw you shining… a beautiful and warm aura around your body.
A bluish silver aura….
Just try to believe and never stop to play, “Starshining” !
Much peace and love for you and your family,
Paula Pedroso, Brazil
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>Here is photo of my band…Liquid Numb. Steve is the inspiration for the guitar player, Scott Sill.
BubaMeat
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>Hi! My name is Denis Hebert from Stratford (Quebec). I’m pretty happy to have talked with you at the aftershow at Montral (Centre Molson) last summer. The G3 show was so cool!!! I hope you will come again soon. Take care, peace 🙂
Denis Hebert
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>Well, here I am!
My name is Maria Paola, I’m 22 and I study philosophy in Bologna and I really love Steve’s music and visions and his positive energy. I hope Steve will not see my photo (that’s a big lie, but I’m shy in some way or I am something else I couldn’t say, because I gotta keep it clean…) and I hope also that he will never want to listen to me playin’ his “Bangkok” or “The Crying Machine” with my soprano sax (another lie).
About the photo: It shows 3 different dimensions through mirrors, left to right; PAST (when I was not yet born), PRESENT (where I am now, even if I don’t realize why…), and FUTURE (what I will be, maybe, and if my face does not appear in the future it’s because I’m not strong enough to face my future…but I’m still growing and I will use my inner strength to find the answer, one of these days…)
Are you still there?
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>Newfound Hope:
I was about 13 when I first heard an album that floored me. Up until that age I was convinced that all good guitar music was already created with the likes of Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen, and Yngwie Malmsteen. My friend had this funky pink jacketed CD with this nutball on the cover with a multicolored guitar. That was the beginning of the rest of the fascination of guitar playing for me, and then of course my obsession with the man’s music, none other than Steve Vai. I told myself years ago that I would play just like that. Well, I am not even close to being there (though with my Jems and Eventide I sure as hell sound like him!!). I have always thought that it would be ideal to tell him how I really felt about his music and how it has influenced me so, but on a more important note, how it helped my brother smile.
My brother was born with a rare disease, Hyperammonemia, a blood condition that affects about 1% of the population in the US. He was diagnosed since day one with the condition and was always given grim prognosis by the medical community. My brothers and I ignored them all, knowing that he will live long and healthy because we willed it so. The doctor’s said early on that he would not make it to the age of eighteen and if he did, he would slowly mentally deteriorate because of his abnormal ammonia level in the bloodstream that was hard to control. He had always looked up to me and followed my steps, ultimately he wanted to be nothing more and nothing less than a rock star. A cute kid’s dream that I never frowned upon.
When he turned 16 I gave him the ultimate gift for a teenager, his first real guitar. It was an Ibanez-RG550 that was hot-rodded from the pickups on down. It was my first real guitar, and I wanted it to be his. He loved it and never put it down. Everyday I gave him a lesson, a book, or a new trick that he practiced til he had it down nailed better than I sometimes! He had an unbelievable determination to master his newfound skill. I introduced him to the Steve Vai in my collection and I could see it in his eyes that that was what he wanted to acheive with the guitar. He had an ambition, and desire that matched only mine, and then some. He went to numerous rock concerts, shows, venues, you name it, but he lived the last 4 years in Guatemala, Central America, and of course there aren’t too many rockers parading through there these days. He was hoping that he could come to the US with me and see Vai in action. Well the first time I saw Vai was on December 7, 1996 at the House of Blues in Chicago. It ranks as the number one show I have ever seen in my life. I saw Vai again on the G3 Tour at the Riv in Chicago in June I believe a year later. I finally met him, but unfortunately was too starstruck and barely keeping the tears back to tell him how much he means to me and how much he meant to my brother. My brother died in March of 1997.
I never thought of music or a musician that can have a profound impact on one’s personal life. I never stepped back to see what I really saw in music until months after my brother passed away. I heard “Tender Surrender” carefully, and intently, and felt the aspirations, emotions, and mindset that Vai might have felt while playing that song. I began to really feel the emotions that I longed to play, every nuance of every note gushed romanticism, feeling, and power. And that is why I adore the music so, and why I have been committed to preaching the wonders of Vai…..and then some.
I wanted to take this oppurtunity to thank Steve Vai, for the inspiration, the hope, and the smiles your music put on my brother’s face. I have not become jaded, cynical, or depressed after his death for too long. I also found hope through the mellifluous notes I hear in “Sisters” which to me represents any family.
Thank You Steve Vai….both in mind, heart, body, and spirit.
Paolo Urizar
For my brother Hector Urizar {January 17, 1980-March 31, 1997}
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>This is just a collage of some guitar magazine scans and other pictures of Vai. I think it looks pretty cool with the soft edges and stuff… doesn’t really fit the theme of the artwork that made it on the site but it would be cool to be on there anyway! It’s actually what I use for my wallpaper, it’s 1024×768 and not bright and not cluttered with any words, so it works perfectly!
Matt
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>Steve,
Thought you might find this funny. My ten year old son believes you are the second coming of Christ. He absolutely hates today’s bands (I raised him right). Anyway, it is the last day of school in his fourth grade school year and the teacher throws a home room party, and lets the kids bring their CD’s (each kid gets to play one song each during the party.) Naturally, the kids bring Spice Girls and other top 40 groups. What does my kid bring? Mine brings “Passion and Warfare.” His teacher asks “Who is Steve Vai?” My son shouts to the class, “the best guitarist that is and ever will be!!”
My kid is the first to play his selection and of course plays “The Audience is Listening” (in the spirit of school). A small bit of laughter arose when the teacher begins coaching “little Stevie” and when Steve’s teacher shouts “turn it down,” my kid reaches over and cranks up the volume on the jam box. It was straight out of a movie – hilarious!
Next year, my son (he is the apple of my eye) plans on entering the school talent show, playing of course – the guitar (I bought him a little Washburn). Watch it Steve, he’s gonna kick your ass 10 years from now!
Alan Atwood
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>One overcast day, a stainless steel tour bigger than it appeared to be from the outside. The insibus without any windows pulled in front of my house. As I walked toward the bus the doors opened. Inside, I discovered that the bus seemed MUCH de walls of the bus were lined with electronics from the floor to the ceilings. It looked similar to a space craft. Next to every row of electronics was what looked to be giant speaker mounted into the walls of the bus. There were 4 of them. In front of every speaker, on the floor, was a small meditation platform. On the center platform…there was Steve Vai kneeling in a meditation position. As I knelt on the platform next to his, the electronics throughout the vehicle came alive with process. As I/we began to meditate, the bus began to drive. There was no driver, no windshield or any operating mechanisms. As the bus drove we began to levitate. We hovered 3 feet off the floor. The lights turned dark blue. The electronic devices processed our energy, which was being drawn by the the speaker like dishes, into the electronics and processed into MUSIC! The music was powering the bus and was also being projected through an enormously loud speaker system on top of the bus. As the bus drove… everyone stopped what they were doing and ran to see where the glorious sound was coming from. People listened as they watched the bus drive by slowly. It made everyone who listened love one another and forget hate. As the bus drove the earth, wars stopped, violence seized and there was peace in the world….then I woke up!
joe sozzi
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>Hi Steve,
I was reading one of your journal entrails, er, ‘scuse me – entries – yesterday, on your web page. Good looking page, by the way. I think you wrote something about one of your friends, how he was having a really low time in his life, and then, almost suddenly, a really high or euphoric time. It made me think of something I just read in the book I’m currently reading, “The Tenth Insight”. You strike me as the kind of person who would like this book as well as the first part, “The Celestine Prophecy”, both by James Redfield. I wouldn’t be surprised if you have already read them. Anyway, in the book, he’s referring to souls who won’t or can’t yet allow themselves to accept the help or love they need to pull them out of a very tough or anxious place, why they won’t ‘wake up’ or ‘accept the love’ they so badly need. I don’t know if this applied to your friend or not. The one guy asks “Why can’t they accept the love”?, and the other replies ” Because when they feel the energy (love) and it raises their consciousness a degree, their preoccupation lifts somewhat and doesn’t fend off the anxiety of their aloneness. Coming into awareness and breaking free of a control drama always feels anxious at first, because the compulsion has to lift before the inward solution to the lostness can be found. That’s why a ‘dark night of the soul’ sometimes precedes increased awareness and spiritual euphoria”. I dunno, I thought it was a pretty good one, and what you wrote about your friend going from in the dumps to a state of euphoria made me think of that. It also reminded me of times in my life that were that way, and I think it’s true. Always darkest before the dawn kinda thing. So that’s all, thought you might dig that. You’ll like the books if you’re into reading. Also, check out “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior”. Great story.
Peace,
Glenn
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>This is some artwork I did in school. The pictures (one above & two below) are from a scanner and then Adobe Photoshop. I also added a picture that I took at G3 here in San Antonio.
Satch69
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>Here is a picture I did for Steve. I hope you like it. I had many variations of it, but this is the final of it. I am 21 years old, and play the guitar. I live in Turkey Istanbul, I wish that Steve will come here someday. I currently attend a guitar course, but we need some support for music education. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks,
Okan
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Has the Steve Vai interactive CD-ROM been released? (Dawn B., Australia)(Revised answer) The CD-ROM project evolved into the DVD for “Alien Love Secrets”. There were plans to work on an interactive guitar instructional DVD and a second DVD for “Alien Love Secrets”, but these things take a lot of time and work and in the midst of records and tours, the instructional DVD just didn’t happen. The idea has not been abandoned, but it has been shelved for now. Don’t fret, however — check out our new Little Black Dots section with interactive guitar lessons online right here at vai.com! (If you’d like to get the “Alien Love Secrets” DVD, you can order one online from our Merchandise section, amazon.com, or find them at just about any music store!
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What books have you been reading lately? (Yoshiko Y., Japan)
“I just read ‘Quest For Light’ by Maharaj Charan Singh Ji. It’s a beautiful book of letters written by a guru to his disciples.”
Is Steve’s wife Pia the female singer on “Flex-Able” named Pia Maiocco? (Patrick W., Austria)Yep. It’s Pia who says “Just go for it!” in the middle of ‘Viv Woman’ – and at the beginning and middle of ‘Jibboom’ too! A Tae Kwon Do black-belt, she also played bass in Vixen in the mid 80’s, and had a few smaller roles in movies including “Hardbodies”.
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Are the “Little Alligator” lyrics a slap against transsexuals in general? As the “finest transsexual metal singer” according to BAM Magazine, should I be offended? (Christine B., San Francisco CA)
Steve replies:
“The song was written about one transsexual in particular whom my wife & I were entertained by in a club in Miami. I never meant it to be disrespectful, I don’t do that with my music. Only you know what will offend you. I’m terribly sorry if anyone was offended by these lyrics. Trust me, I don’t judge people by their sexual orientation.”
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What happened to Steve’s big heart-shaped guitars, as seen in the Just Like Paradise video? (Steve B., England)There were originally two of those guitars, one was seen in the video and an extra was built as a spare. During the Fire Garden album release party/performance in Universal City, CA on Sept 17, 1996, Steve donated the original guitar to the Hard Rock Cafe where the release party was held. (He also donated his outfit from the Guitar Legends festival). The spare guitar was later taken on the Ultra Zone tour, where Steve used it to perform “Fever Dream.” At the conclusion of the Ultra Zone tour, it was raffled by Steve’s nonprofit charity The Make A Noise Foundation, and the lucky winner was Eddie Andersson from Sweden!Steve actually has a third heart-shaped guitar that is actually painted a metallic purple. It will be available for your viewing pleasure shortly in the Guitar Gallery.
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Does Steve still keep in touch with Devin Townsend? (Kelly C., Alberta Canada)
“Yes, I talk to Devin occassionally. He always sends me his latest projects, and believe me, they’re devastato. He’s really a brilliant dude and his music is so intense. He’s the most unpredictable person I’ve ever met. And I’m a pure instigator, so when we both get together it’s quite the extravaganza”.
For our first online issue of Answers, we will reprint some questions and answers from past issues of Steve’s official fan club magazine, Greasy Kid’s Stuff.
Is Steve ever going to be in a movie again? (Angie M., Jonesboro ME)
“Well, if the right movie comes along, sign me up”
Steve has actually received several offers to appear in other movies since “Crossroads”, but
“most of the time people send me scripts for the part of the demonic, nasty, mean apparition. I wonder what ever gave them the idea that I’d be good in a role like that?”
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What is Devin Townsend doing currently? Has he been releasing anything lately? What is his band called? I’ve searched the whole web but didn’t find anything.
Frank PleinDevin may be among the most prolific and most talented human beings stomping around on our planet today. A website with info about his various bands including Strapping Young Lad and Ocean Machine is located at www.hevydevy.com
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I really want to get the pickups Steve uses, but buying the whole guitar is over my budget, so I’m wondering where I can find and order the DiMarzio Evolution pickups to customize my own guitar. Can you order them separately, and from where? Also, how much would they cost me?
Frank PenningtonSteve uses the Evolution pickups in some guitars (including Evo), DiMarzio’s new BREED pickups in other guitars, and DiMarzio PAF Pros in some older Jems (on which the PAF Pros came stock). For info on these and all other DiMarzio pickups, go to their site at http://www.dimarzio.com.
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My husband is looking for the tablature of the song Steve played in the movie ‘Crossroads’. Any idea where I could find it?
Gloria MartinezThe only magazine we know of that featured the complete transcription is the April ‘89 issue of ‘Guitar School’. It’s been out of print almost since publication, but back issues can sometimes be found at various online auctions like ebay, or try posting on our message board!
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Why is it so hard to find American-made Jems, particularly the burnt stained blue finish or the natural wood finish?
Andy, Sherman Oaks CAThe 7BSB, which is the stained blue Jem you mention, is available from any authorized Ibanez dealer and is a regularly available Jem. There is no Jem with a natural wood finish, but you’re probably thinking of Steve’s ‘Bad Horsie’ guitar, which is a custom guitar built specially for Steve. (If you’d like to check out the Ibanez site, click here).
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I have a guitar question for anyone who can answer it. Is there such thing as a seven string Ibanez Jem on the market? I’ve been wanting to buy a new guitar and I’ve been looking for one like this for a long time. Thanx for your time!
TomMor311Ibanez makes and sells the Ibanez Universe series of guitars, which are 7-string electrics designed by Steve and based on the idea of a 7-string Jem (the Jem guitars were also Vai-designed). Go to the Ibanez web site for more info, or check our list of Fan Sites for several sites devoted to the Universe guitars!
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I heard that Steve used to give guitar lessons. Is that true? If it is, does he still do so?
Ben J.Steve did indeed give guitar lessons to students years ago. Steve gave lessons while living in Long Island, in Boston, and after he moved to Los Angeles. Soon after moving to Los Angeles, however, his career really started taking off and he no longer had the time to dedicate to teaching. He no longer gives guitar lessons.
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Does anyone know how I can get the “Shankar/Caroline – The Epidemics” in the USA? I have been looking for this CD for five years and would appreciate any help in locating a copy.
– SurgeThe record has been out of print for several years now. Copies can sometimes be found in better rare records shops or collector magazines such as Discoveries, and of course, there’s always Ebay!
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Does Steve ever pop into the chat room on his site?
– Jon WardenYes, both Steve & Rich visit the chat room on vai.com from time to time. (Steve uses the name SSV, Rich usually uses rpike)
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I know this is old news, but whatever happened to the novel that Steve planned to write in conjunction with “Passion and Warfare”?
– Jason MiddletonSteve got about halfway done with it while on tour with Whitesnake in 1990, but we all know how insanely busy Steve keeps himself, so the book eventually was put on the shelf while he toured with Whitesnake, produced Bad4Good, and wrote & recorded ‘Sex & Religion’. Much of the P&W novel actually went on to become the basis for much of the Fire Coma script, which was the inspiration for ‘Fire Garden’. Also, Steve has written several stories based on songs from ‘Fire Garden’, click here if you’d like to check them out!
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I would like more information about the Make A Noise Foundation. I play guitar and wanted to go to MIT [school] but can’t afford to move, much less go to school. I’m teaching myself without much progress.
– Steven StanfordInformation about the Make A Noise Foundation can be found HERE. The nonprofit charitable organization was started by Steve Vai & Richard Pike, and while still in the very early developmental stages, should be up and running very soon. Our goal is to help underprivileged young people who want to play music, and to keep music programs in schools where budget cuts threaten any kind of music education or there are not enough instruments, etc. Our direction is very focused however, and we want to help those who need the help most desperately. Many of the people we will help will be located through schools, etc.
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I need to know if Steve won the Grammy Award for his performance of “For The Love Of God” on the G3 CD….and the answer has got to be yes, because any other is unacceptable to this die-hard fan of the master…peace,
– JanThe award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance was given to The Chemical Brothers. Other nominees included Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Robben Ford. Steve won the Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1994 for “Sofa”, from Zappa’s Universe. In Steve’s words, “Oh well. Better luck next life”.
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Will Steve be coming to Australia on the third G3 tour?
– Mann FamilyAs far as we know, there are no plans yet for an Australian G3 tour. The most recent G3 Tour (2001) featured Steve, Jon Petrucci and Joe Satriani. You can check out photos here.
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For which movie did Steve record the song “Amazing Grace”? Any other singles on soundtracks? As a proud student of Vaiology, I thank you for the years of inspiration and beg you for more!– Cj“Amazing Grace” appears on the “DUDES” original motion picture soundtrack, which was released on MCA Records in the mid 80’s and is now out of print. The song also appears in the movie, albeit a very edited version. Other songs that appeared only on soundtracks include “The Reaper” and “The Reaper Rap” (Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey), “Get The Hell Out Of Here” (Encino Man), and “Now We Run” (PCU). Steve has compiled all his sondtrack music together in one release: The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1. This release was previously only available in the Secret Jewel Box from Light Without Heat, but is now available in Stores on the Favored Nations label.
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I’m building a studio. Can you tell me the name of the author of “The Audio Cyclopedia”? Thanks a lot.
– ArturoThe full title is actually “Handbook For Sound Engineers: The New Audio Encyclopedia” by Glen M. Ballou. It ‘s available from amazon.com for $115.
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Did you always believe in your musical abilities when you were younger?
– Kevin Bradwick, Wales
Steve replies:
“I always felt as though I had interesting ideas. I am very confident in my heart. I was just extremely insecure about bringing those ideas to the ears of other people. When I locked the door and recorded ‘Passion and Warfare’ I was extremely thrilled with what I was doing, I just thought the rest of the world would never get it. I believe that most all of us have great moments of inspiration at times. It just takes a lot of courage and dedication to make some of those ideas a reality sometimes, especially when it means you have to figure out how to record them and make a record. Sure would be easier to be a poet or something. Oh well, maybe in my next life.”
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Could you tell me a little about the Buzz Feiten Tuning system? Is this a mod that a mere mortal can perform on his/her own guitar? Thanks
– Kelly Schrock
Steve replies:
“Buzz Feiten is not a mere mortal so I wouldn’t suggest you try to do it on your guitar. He has spent 3 years perfecting his system. It really works too. I believe it works from the principal that the guitar is a screwed up instrument when it comes to the way the frets were traditionaly spaced in conjunction with the way it’s tuned. A crude, and I mean crude, explanation would be that he changes the scale length slightly and by re-intonating the guitar, not perfectly mind you, but by some formula he has determined works, the guitar is then tuned with a special tuner that is slightly unconventional in its readings. All this allows you to play around the neck while having the notes vibrate with each other in more of a “tuned” way. You should really ask him though. He wrote the secret sauce. I’m just a mere mortal… I think.”
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What advice does Steve have for a struggling guitar player who just has a dream and a lot of guts?
– Dan Thomas, Manitoba, Canada
Steve replies:
“Have confidence in yourself. Practice all the time, research and study the music you love. Play with as many people as you can. Get a good understanding of the music biz so you can get an idea of what your sweat is worth so you don’t get ripped off. Never pose in a picture, say anything into a microphone or write anything on paper that you don’t believe in. Always be supportive and compassionate to your fellow musician, they have dreams too. There isn’t a value that you can put on the loyalty of a supportive fan. Listen to what other people have to say before you dismiss them, but always act on your own instinct. Ask yourself if what your doing is spiritualy healthy or not. Never lie or cheat anyone in this biz because it really sucks and you will bring that stuff right back on yourself. Think of the time in the future when you may be 80 years old and ask yourself if you feel as though you created a body of work that you’re proud of and has some kind of social redeeming value because if all you do is surround yourself with negativity in your life and music, then you will become a self fullfilling prophecy and a miserable parasite on civilization. Love music, use suncreen and wear a condom. Father Oblivion has spoken.”
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What (if any) kind of tremsetter do you use on the seven string guitars? Thanks
– BlooddollSteve doesn’t use tremsetters on the 7-strings.
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I know you’re never gonna answer this question, but I have to ask never the less. I know Joe Satriani uses pitch axis theory. my question to you is: does Steve use ordinary modulation (things you’re taught in school), pitch axis theory or has he made up his own set of rules? It seems most likely to be number three.
– Jacob, Denmark
“I learned all the rules, then applied them in both conventional ways and unique ways. The pitch axis theory is common and simple to apply on the guitar if you have a basic sense of music theory. Conventional rock guitar players do not usually attempt to apply these theories to their music but with people like myself and Joe it’s very common. I like to use upper structure triads and hybrid chord structures in my composition. If I was to demonstrate you would hear it in most of my music.”
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I bought a Boss DS-1 distortion pedal because I love the way your distortion sounds on the G3 live album. I don’t think I’m doing it right though. I plugged my guitar into the ‘input’ of the pedal and then another cable from the ‘output’ of the pedal into the ‘input’ of my Hughes and Kettner Tube/50 head. But it sounds buzzy no matter where I position the knobs on the pedal or the head for that matter. Am I doing something wrong? Is there some piece of equipment that I need but am not aware of? I also have a Bad Horsie wah that I want to use. I’ll appreciate any help you can give me. Sincerely,
– Jake Terry
Steve replies:
“Jake, it sounds like your plugging everything in right. Check the battery in the distortion. With my set-up, when the distortion pedal is turned off the amp is a little dirty sounding. Kind of a chunky rhythm tone that I use as a basic sound for all the songs. If I back off the volume on the guitar the sound clears up enough to use it for cleaner songs. When I crank the volume on the guitar and hit the pedal it’s usually pretty distorted but smooth. The way I set the knobs on the DS-1 are tone control to about 9 o’clock, level at about 11 o’clock and the distortion to about 11 o’clock. If your amp is set very clean then crank the distortion on the pedal all the way up but smooth it out by bringing the tone way down, maybe to 7 or 8 o’clock. The basic sound is in the tone but most important is the way you hit the notes. The real tone is always in your head and fingers.” Other things you might want to check, if this doesn’t clear it up for you, are your cable and positioning. A bad cable could be the culprit for buzz, or try changing where you put your amp in case nearby power lines etc. are causing noise.
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In the beginning of the guitar duel in the movie “Crossroads”, Steve plays something that any Vai fan can’t miss! He plays the beginning of ‘Bad Horsie’. I know I’m not mistaken that the song is ‘Bad Horsie’, but I was wondering if it was ‘Bad Horsie’ then. “Crossroads” came out in 1986, and Alien Love Secrets came out in 1995. Did Steve write ‘Bad Horsie’ in ’86, or did the piece in the movie inspire him to write it in ’95?
– Dane Runyon
Steve replies:
“The song ‘Bad Horsie’ was actually writen around the riff from ‘Crossroads’. The script called for a guitar riff that sounded like a locomotive going by. I remember the director Walter Hll walked in and heard the riff and said, ‘Wow, how can anyone beat that, the duel is over before it began’ :).”
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Hello, I am Michael Pflügl from Germany, a great fan of Steve Vai. Where can I get the picture discs and the other stuff in Germany? The solo LPs and CDs I already have, but the picture discs and so on. Yours faithfully
– Michael PflüglThe picture discs (12″ vinyl records with artwork printed on the actual vinyl) are “Passion And Warfare”, “Down Deep Into The Pain” and “In My Dreams With You”. They can be tough to find these days, but check the better music collector magazines and do internet searches. Try ebay.com, I sometimes see them listed there (but be wary of spending too much!). Also, if you’re in Greasy Kid’s Stuff [1] and get the newsletter, you can advertise for free in the Passing Notes section and will very likely locate them that way.[1] Please note that the Fan Club Greasy Kid's Stuff and its newsletter no longer exist
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Don’t you think that a few jars of Steve’s Light Without Heat Honey would make a great giveaway prize for a future GKS contest or random member drawing type thing? Yours truly,
– Greg Rodgers, Loyal GKS member & Vai fanSteve has just harvested some honey which he is bottling now, and though most of this batch will go to friends & family, he will continue harvesting more honey (he has several full hives happening now, it’s getting scary up there) that we will be calling Fire Garden Honey. We’re not sure what we’re doing with it yet, but we’re pretty sure we’re going to auction it off at this site and the proceeds will go to the Make A Noise Foundation to help provide musical instruments and music education to kids who can’t afford those things, and GKS will surely snag a few bottles to give away in a Greasy Kid’s Stuff fan club contest of some kind. As long as you continue to be a “Loyal GKS member”(we like you!), you’ll get your chance. 🙂
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Why can we not hear you playing in the jam at the end of the “G3 Live In Concert” video (last three songs)? We want G3, not G2! Johnson and Satch are perfectly clear but we can’t make out a note of Vai. What the hell is going on here? Please oh please let there be a sane answer.
– Jimmy and Steve, DublinYou’re listening to it in mono. Joe is in the center, and Eric & Steve are panned hard left and hard right. If you’re not listening in stereo, it means you’ll hear either the left channel or the right channel but not both. Some people complain that they can’t hear Steve, others can’t hear Eric. You need to adjust your VCR & TV settings from mono to stereo, or upgrade to a stereo TV or VCR instead of mono. You’ll be surprised how much you’ve been missing.
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I really want to buy a copy of the “Bad Squad” CD but I’m not looking to spend 100 bucks on a wah pedal just to get it! Is there any other way I can get it? Maybe it’s available through GKS which I am working on making some bucks to subscribe to (being a poor 17-year old guitarist / Vai-idolizer is hard!).
– Matt BarrusThe “Bad Squad” CD is not a proper Steve Vai release, as many fans appear to believe. It is a promo CD for Morley, who in alliance with Guitar Center, are having a huge promotion for Morley’s Bad Horsie wah wah pedal. If you buy the pedal at a Guitar Center store or at their website, you should be eligible for the CD while supplies last (contact them for more info while placing your order). The CD features the track “Bad Squad” and a second track which is the naked tracks of the first, so you can jam along. Greasy Kid’s Stuff has been graciously given 5 of these discs to give away to subscribers in GKS’s Bad Horsie writing contest, but otherwise it is available only through Guitar Centers when you buy the pedal.
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I have got to be Steve’s biggest fan. Is it remotely possible that an unknown guitarist such as myself would ever have the “dream come true” chance to jam with Steve?
D. Ace McCloudYes. Steve’s Make A Noise Foundation, a nonprofit charity organization founded by Steve Vai & Rich Pike, hopes to do a jam show (no details yet, we’ll post them when we have them, but it will be a while) during which fans who donate musical instruments or other donations to the MANF can get a chance to jam with Steve onstage. There would be other celebrity guests at these jams as well. We hope to do one in Los Angeles to start, and who knows, maybe even a small tour of similar shows in other major cities. Nothing has been carved in stone yet though, so keep checking the Make A Noise Foundation section of vai.com for info. If you’d like to send a donation (monetary or otherwise) to the MANF, please send it to:MANFPO Box 360528Los Angeles CA90036-1092 USA.
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I had a vinyl record from an issue of Guitar Player that had Steve doing “Amazing Grace” on it. I don’t remember what year or issue, but I think it would have been in the mid 80’s. I love the song and sing it at church quite often, but the rendition Steve does on that record is really awsome. Is there some way to get a copy of it, or is it on one of Steve’s other records? I would be grateful for any help you could give me in locating that recording. Thanks,
– Brett MenkeThis recording appeared on the original motion picture soundtrack “Dudes”, and an edit is heard in the movie, which stars Jon Cryer and is worth getting. The soundtrack has long been out of print, but Steve has included this track on the recently released “The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1” CD.
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Hi there, my name is Shahriman Aziz, an I’m a Vai fan from Malaysia. I have a few questions I’d like to ask… Is Steve Vai going to visit Malaysia again sometime in the future? I read in the official homepage that “Sex and Religion” is banned in my country. Why? (Anyway, I have the CD…)
– Shahriman AzizWe played in Malaysia in January 1997 and LOVED it there. It’s a beautiful country and we can’t wait to play there again. Steve is expected to tour again this summer, and Malaysia is one of many places we hope to visit again. There are no tour dates or anything yet though, but when we have some they will be posted on this site. Regarding S&R being banned there, it’s news to us, but some countries have strict guidelines about objectionable content, and perhaps some of the references to human sexuality and also to religion might have been censored by officials there. It’s obviously not something we’re happy about, but those are the things you deal with when you live on a planet as diverse as ours.
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Hey Steve, did you know that there is a tribe in West Africa with the name Vai? Also, I was interviewing David Ocker over the internet for a research paper on Zappa’s instrumental music, and he mentioned that you had written some orchestral music but nothing ever came of it. I’d love to know if you’ve written any classical music, and I’d also be very grateful if you’d “verify my suspicions.”
Sincerely,
– Justin
Steve responds;
“That’s funny, there’s a tribe of wild Vais in my living room right now. Their names are Julian and Fire”
Regarding the orchestral music, Steve has written orchestral scores of several pieces both familiar and unheard, including “For The Love Of God”, “Call It Sleep”, “Little Green Men”, “Lotus Feet”, “Memories Of A Silent Rose” and others. Steve, backed by 2/3 of his Fire Garden touring band and a 65-piece orchestra led by Joel Thome, performed these arrangements for a live audience in Rochester, New York in September of 1996. The show was dubbed Soundcurrent, but was not recorded for release. Steve would very much like to do a tour like this, using different orchestras in each city, but that’s a HUGE undertaking and it takes a LOT of time, and Steve is simply too busy juggling everything else at this point. It’s something close to his heart though, so cross your fingers.
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Since I’ve seen the section of this site with all of Steve’s guitars, I figured I’d ask my question here. What is the best position in which to keep your guitar when it’s not being used? I have six guitars and regularly play two of them. It seems that the others are always out of tune. I keep them in their cases. Music stores hang them from the headstock. Is that the best way to keep the neck from bending? Thanks,
Marc
p.s. Who was the opening guitarist at the G3 show in NYC, Mike Kin…..?Hanging the guitar by the headstock will not hurt the guitar and is a good way to store it, but not necessarily better than any other way. Provided that there is no undue pressure on any part of the guitar and the humidity/temperature is okay, you should be fine. Steve keeps some guitars hanging, and some in cases stored either horizontally, vertically, sideways, inside out…. The humidity is probably the factor you want to worry about most, because that can play havoc with your neck especially, and that means tuning problems, intonation problems, and possibly even warping and serious damage. If the room is normal room temperature and not too humid, you should be okay. Avoid leaving guitars near windows where they’re exposed to direct sunlight, because that can warm up the guitar, and it will cool down at night — you want to keep the temperatures pretty stable. Heat or cold is usually okay but going back and forth between the two is bad. This might be part of the problem you’re having with keeping your other 4 guitars in tune. You should get it checked by someone who knows these things, in case you have some warpage. Maybe you just need it set up again or a simple adjustment. Take them to a professional and neglect them no longer! (The guitarist you speak of is none other Mike Keneally, whose band Beer For Dolphins opened the US shows in Nov-Dec 1996, and who also played in Steve’s band each night. For info on our boy wonder, check out his magnificently magnificent website at http://www.keneally.com)
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Was there ever a Vai Album released under the title “Light Without Heat”? Thanks,
Donna Webbon“Light Without Heat” was the original name for the VAI band (1993) and the “Sex & Religion” record. Both were originally going to be called “Light Without Heat”, but Steve has a couple of companies by that name already (Light Without Heat Merchandising and an equipment rental company) so it would have been a headache for accounting, file keeping, etc etc. The VAI name added the recognition factor to the band’s name so that made sense, and as the record progressed, a theme started to emerge and the “Sex & Religion” title became the right one for the project. Collectors take note: advertisements for “Light Without Heat”, the band and the record, did actually run in a few music magazines in early 1993 before things were changed.
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Hi Steve!! Some pictures on your website tell me that you were really enjoying the stage with Mr. Les Paul. Then did you play any Les Paul guitars? I am really interested in this live show, do you have any plan to release CD or video related to this live show ?
– Eiji KawauchiSteve does own one Les Paul, a black Standard pictured here. It was used briefly on the Whitesnake record and recently re-entered the studio again, so it might pop up on new recordings too. There is no official recording of the Les Paul show at House of Blues (unofficial video sightings have been reported).
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How can I get all of your live videos, because it is difficult to find here in Malaysia.
– Jeffry MosesThe only truly “live” video Steve has released yet is the “G3 Live In Concert” video, also featuring Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson. Steve has also released “Alien Love Secrets”, which is a collection of 7 performances shot on video and covering the entire record of the same name. Both can be ordered right here from vai.com’s Merchandise section.
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I am a big fan of SV, I am an Egyptian guitarist and I would like to send mail to Steve, is it possible?
– Ihab RadwanYou can send e-mail to Steve via our Contact Page. All mail is read, though we cannot guarantee that Steve will have time to answer your letter. You can send regular mail to Steve at:Vai.comPO Box 691862West Hollywood CA 90069USA
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Hello, I’m a big fan of Steve and I’m interested to purchase the Angelica Project CD. Unfortunately, here in Brazil it’s impossible to find it. I’ve looked for the web sites like Amazon and CDNow but nothing… Please, do you know where (on the web) can I buy this CD? Thank you very much.
Alexandre CoutoIt’s actually a Various Artists release called “Angelica”, produced by Clif Magness, and Steve plays on one track (Eric Johnson and Dweezil also appear on this disc, among many other incredible musicians). It is available from amazon.com.
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Can you tell me if the composition that Steve plays at the end of the “Alien Love Secrets” video has a name? I would be very interested in knowing what it is called. Thanks!
– Jason AllmanWe actually get this question a lot, especially since the ALS DVD was released. Truth is, Steve doesn’t remember what he named it — it’s a single take improvised over the credits.I’m interested in the “Alien Love Secrets” video but could you explain the differences between the two formats? Respectfully,
– Troy JohnsonBasically, there are two main video formats in the world of home video, NTSC and PAL. People living in North America and Japan use NTSC, while people in Europe, South America, Australia and some other countries use PAL. Unless your player can play both formats (many newer PAL VCRs will play NTSC, but not the other way around), you’ll want to make sure you order the right format. Just to be safe, call a local video store and ask them what format is standard in your region. Visit Merchandise to get a copy.
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My buddy and I noticed that on all of Steve’s discs the seventh track is always among that disc’s best performed, intricate, and amazing songs. These tracks are “Tender Surrender”, “Touching Tounges”, “Hand On Heart”, “Call It Sleep” and “For The Love of God”. On “Merry Axemas”, Steve’s track is # 7, is this a coincidence or does Steve have some reason for associating the #7 with such beautiful music?
– Debbie McElhinneyUh oh, I think they’re on to us…
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Did Steve use a Charvel or a Fender to record “Flex-Able”?
– Jason
“Fender.”
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Dear Steve, I just purchased “Flex-Able Leftovers,” and I love it. In terms of the “new” old material, I’m curious what was done when. Clearly, the vocals for “#$%^ Yourself” were recorded recently. Are any of the tracks in that song from the original recording? What’s the breakdown of new vs. old in the other unreleased tracks?
– J.D. (your #14,378 fan)
“The extra songs on Leftovers were done at various times. “Fuck Yourself” was written in 1980 but the recording was so poor that I re-recorded it and changed a few of the lines to make more sense with present-day Earth. “Massacre” was recorded recently too. It was an experiment with a piece of gear that I was trying out. “Natural Born Boy” was written some time ago and the track was recorded about 5 years ago but the guitar was done about a year ago. “San Sebastian”was written while I was in San Sebastian, Spain and recorded about 13 years ago “The X-Equilibrium Dance” was written and recorded at about the same time as the Leftovers stuff around 1982.”
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Hey Steve, I am Joni Visuri from Finland and I heard that you have a Jackson Soloist. I have a Soloist too and it is THE BEST GUITAR ever. Now I don’t understand why you are playing with Jems — I am not saying that it sucks but really, an all-access neck is not really a match for neck-thru or lo-pro Edge for original Floyd Rose.
(no name given)
“Well, I don’t know, Joni. I had three Soloists and the neck broke on every one. They just don’t feel half as nice to me as my Jem does. Understand that I played the Soloist when Ibanez was but a gleam in my eye. I bulit the Jem around my playing style so it fits very well. I’m sure the Jackson is still a nice guitar, it’s just a matter of preference.”
P.S If God had a song it would be Juice.
“That’s funny, I thought it was only good for snowboarders, what do I know.”
P.S P.S if you answer me i will buy all your records.
“Off you go now…$teve Vai”
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Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me if Steve is of Italian descent? If so, has shortened his last name cuz Vai isn’t an Italian last name. Please reply as soon as possible.
(no name given)
“Both of my parents are of Italian descent but were born in America.Vai is actually an Italian word. It’s the verb “to go”. Sometimes in South America or Italy people say to each other “Vai Vai Vai” & I end up syaing “What what what”?
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Answers #05:Why won’t you release a live video? You got us sobbing and blowing our noses here! I’ve read in GKS and in a letter to Mike Keneally that you are reluctant to release live material because you think that you make “too many mistakes” when you play live. Steve, from the heart, even if you drop your guitar on your little toe every five minutes, I’ll still buy your live video. In fact I’ll buy three. Your performance on the G3 video was so much fun, that I feel really sad that there are so little opportunities for me to see a live show. Please Steve, it would mean so much to all of us. Don’t leave us high-and-vai… May God be with you and your family,
– Mohammed Al-Haddadin
“Oh alright, I’ll do a live video…”
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In some photos of Steve there’s a white cat. Is it Steve’s cat?
Tim KaneThe cat you speak of actually belongs to photographer extraordinaire Neil Zlozower.
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Hello!!! I want to know if G3 Songbook will be made? Thanks …
KaduMade and available right now! Click here.
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I just started collecting guitar picks and I’m wondering how many Steve Vai guitar picks there are?
Ben KarasA bunch. All of them, or at least the vast majority of them, can be found on the guitar picks page.
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I really like “Fire Garden” and I’m wondering how to get the transcription of the album? Is any really published out there? I live in Indonesia and things happen kinda slow down here. And one more thing, why doesn’t Vai opens a site that gives lessons for people that really want to play guitar like him?
Thanx, bye
LukeYou’re another easy question with happy answers! Yay! The transcription book for “Fire Garden”, as well as many more Steve Vai transcription books, can be ordered from our Merchandise section (if you don’t want to order online, the mailing address is provided there as well.)
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How did Steve feel about playing with Chick Corea? How does he feel about this musicial genius in general?
– RalfMany of the records listed in Steve’s Discography have Steve’s memoirs as well, and it just so happens that there are notes about this performance (“Rumble”, from “The Songs of West Side Story”). You can check out either the main Discography or the specific inner page (with only the notes) for “The Songs of West Side Story”. You can order a copy from amazon.com.
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Are the bees at the start of “Bangkok” from Steve’s hive?
– DFSNope, that’s a sample. Steve started getting into bees, to the degree of actually having them around, after the “Fire Garden” tour was finished.
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Hi Steve, I read in your answer to a Malaysian fan that you would like to return there on your upcoming tour. Australia is quite close to Malaysia (well, compared to say, Brooklyn, anyway), so is there any chance that Australia could be included on this tour? I know we don’t have a huge population but I’m sure you have a lot of fans over here. Incidentally, a friend of mine swears you were out here in ’98 on a publicity tour. Is he pulling my leg?
– Mark Rogers(Sent in 1999)A tour for “The Ultra Zone” will start internationally in January 2000 (an American tour begins in October ’99), and we will be doing that whole general Australasian region as thoroughly as we can then. Tour dates, when available, can be found here. (To answer your other question, Steve did not do a promo tour or anything else down there in ’98, but we’ll be back soon.)
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I know you worked with Ozzy on the “Ozzmosis” album. Did you record anything with him, and if so, is it possible that any of the tracks will be released someday?
– (Vai_boy)Some tracks were recorded but only one of the songs Steve wrote with Ozzy, “My Little Man”, appeared on the record and all of the guitars were redone by Zakk Wylde. Tapes of Steve & Ozzy don’t exist outside the studio, and there are no plans to release any of it.
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This may seem weird, but back in 1988 you came to Toronto with DLR. I saw you play a Lado guitar with lightning graphics on it. As a Toronto kid, to own a Lado was a big deal. I know it has been a decade, but do you still own that guitar? Would you want to sell it? If not, what happened to it? Thanks,
– Jeff TiddSteve does still have this guitar, but it’s in storage in the vault. Though we get asked about five times a week, Steve doesn’t sell any of his guitars (with the exception of the occasional auction on ebay – the proceeds of which are donated to a charity of Steve’s choice.)
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Answers #06:Dear Steve, I noticed in your first 2 albums you gave a lot of credit to God. Being a Christian myself, I really admired that, but in the song “Fuck Yourself” you say “the Lord will be fucking….” Steve, I laughed so hard at that song but that line seriously offended me. At St. Andrews Hall in Detroit during “For the Love of God” you looked up said ‘thank you’, to God I presume… I just want you to know I think you’re the greatest guitarist ever to walk the earth, I just wish you would respect God a little more because He gave you the gift.
– Sirfrums
“Sorry, I did not mean to offend you. That particular line in the song is aimed at people who use religion as a means of personal and monetary gain.” The actual line reads “fuck yourself with organized religion, now that is some seriously sinnin’ business, if the Lord sees their pathetic crimes, He’ll be fuckin’ them ’til the end of time”. Fear not, however, if that doesn’t offend you there are a hundred other things in there that will. :)”
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Hi there Vai!
My name is Magnus Rubach Wendt, I’m a 17 years old guitar player from Norway… I play guitar all day long… but lately I’ve been getting a real pain in the wrist (fretting hand)… everybody tells me to rest from the guitar!!! Its horrible… I love playing… I want to play all the time!! Help me, please…
How can I play all day, without getting injurie in my wrists!!!
An answer would be more than great!
-Magnus
S – “Just playing is not necessarily going to make you a great musician. There are many things you can do to improve yourself while you let your hand rest. It’s difficult to rest when you want to play, I know, but you must because you can damage yourself.Develop your ears. Get some books on solfeggio and sight singing. Learn to hear music in your head while looking at it on paper. Sit and write melodies that you hear in your head. Practice much slower, hitting only one note every 30 seconds and make it sound great and listen to it ring out.Create tapes of chords that you can listen back to and name when you hear them, this is great ear training. Listen to inspirational music that you like. Study theory and imagine how you can apply it to the instrument. These are few things.s
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Will Fire Strings ever be released on CD or video?
– Jay
S- “Eventually everything I ever recorded will be released in one way or another.”
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Hi Steve I am 14 years old and have been playing the guitar for two years now. I was wondering what kind of things you were playing when you were around the age of 14?
One of your biggest fans,
Adam “axman” Wallace
S- “Hi Adam. When I was your age I played a whole lot everyday but I would break it up into different categories. Exercises, scales, chords, jamming to tapes, reading music and just sitting and improvising. All in all I would spend about 9-15 hours a day. I highly recommend playing to a drum machine or loops as this will help you get your groove together, play with as many different people you can as musical communication is tremendously important, and just love music all the time. Be supportive of other peoples musical contributions and struggles.”
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Hello from Finland!
I would like to know if Steve´s hearing has suffered after so many years in loud bands? I have many friends who have hearing loss and tinnitus. Does he use anything on stage to protect his hearing?
Yours sincerely
Aki Järvelä
S – “I have always protected my ears with ear plugs or cotton whenever I playon stage or in rehearsal. As a result they are still good. I get periodiccheck ups too. The only other thing I ever stick in my ear is my elbow.”
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I was wondering what Steve’s opinion is on all this stuff going on about [peer-to-peer filesharing], mp3’s, and free music over the internet.
– Mike Ricci
S – “I think that ripping tracks from the Internet is a blatant disregard for the intellectual property rights of the artists that create the art, most of whom live hand to mouth. Believe it or not, “file sharing” is bringing the music industry to an all time low and at the end of this we will see at least a 25% decline is sales. That will put a lot of Indies out of business, make the majors smaller and less effective in marketing, and discourage many musicians from making music as it will seem more and more hopeless to make a living in the business. So, buyer beware of what your doing when you rip from the net. I have never even once in my life downloaded a track from the net for free because I know how it effects the artists.”
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I just heard a killer version of Steve doing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”…what can you tell me about it?
We often get asked about this track, as well as a few others floating around on filesharing services out there called:
Steve Vai – “Beethoven’s 5th”
Yngwie Malmsteen/Steve Vai “Duet”
Satriani/Vai – “Formula 1”
S – “I don’t ever recall playing ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’, or ‘Beethoven’s 5th.’ I don’t ever recall jamming with Yngwie, and I have never heard of a track that Joe and I properly recorded called ‘Formula 1.’ I think it’s all rumors, mistakes or misnamed things.”
VAI.COM UPDATE:Thanks to the many fans who wrote in helping clear up this confusion. We have heard that “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” is actually performed by Chris Impellitteri, and that “Beethoven’s 5th” is performed by Nuno Bettenbourt (we’ve been unable to confirm this).The track “Formula 1” is apparently a mis-titled version of “Juice” that appeared in the video game “Formula 1”. A Satriani track also appeared in the game soundtrack – hence the confusion.
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Dear Steve,
If I am not mistaken you recorded with Dweezil many years ago on a cut called ‘Crunchy Water’. If I am correct, is that cut available anywhere?
Thanks-
Jeff Cole
S – “Crunchy water was the flip side of a track called “My Mother is a Space Cadet.” I wrote My Mother… with Dweezil but I did not play on it. That was Edward Van Halen that produced and played on it. I have no idea where you can find a copy. I don’t even have one.”
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Hey Steve, I’m big fan of yours. What was your rig in Flexable? Did u use a Carvin amp like those seen in the ‘crossroads’? When did u start using the JEM’s?
– Martin Philip Bengson
S – “For Crossroads I was using a Carvin X-100B amp along with a Charvel guitarthat turned into my Green meanie guitar. I was using an MXR distortion, CryBaby Wha Wha and a Roland SDE 3000 for delay.”
Steve designed and began using the Jem in 1987.
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Hi Steve,
On your fantastic album The 7th Song, (my lovely wife bought it for my Xmas), at the end of the 11th and final track, the track number does not change but the CD continues, and to my amazement ‘Warm Regards’ from Fire Garden starts (which is definitely not the 7th track from Fire Garden, its track 18). The track is played in full. Was this an intentional addition? Or was it a pleasant mistake? If it is a mistake, is it limited to a certain CD batch or are they all the same? Could my copy be rare? I truly hope so. Please reply – I would love to hear your response.
Thank you for the music.
Warmest Regards,
Robert Termer
S- “It was an intentionally hidden track, surprise!”
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Hi, I watched a program on TV the other day about one of the seven wonders of the world, which got me thinking, because they said something about an eye in a triangle/pyramid being on a note. I wasn’t really listening untill they talked about the triangle thing. I started listening because I saw the same triangle thing on Steve’s album ‘Passion and Warfare’. I didn’t realise ’til I came to find the email address – it’s also on the website. Unfortunately I didn’t catch what they said about it on the TV – but it’s something to do with ‘new order’ and alexandria. Could you tell me what this triangle symbol thing means? and why steve uses it?
thank you,
charlie .. big fan of steve
S – “If you research metaphysics you will find mystical meanings for pyramids and triangles, and the power of numerology and the number 7 being a prime focus. I had made many discoveries whilst I was seeking spiritual balance in my life. I believe there is cause and effect based in metaphysics, and the study of which can bring one closer to the roots of the human being. But l have also found that more than not they can be a big deterrent in the progress of spiritual evolution, and at times very dangerous. Numerology, mystics, fortune telling, etc., all have their place and their reality but at the core of the matter, is where the essence of it all really is, and everything else is just an obstacle in getting there. What I’m saying is, I wouldn’t worry about the pyramid and the numbers.”
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Is there going to be another Merry Axemas CD? The first two were simply too
damn stuning.
-Pedro Henrique
S – “Maybe sometime in the future but there are no plans at this time.”
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I notice on a lot of your album you mention using Eventide Harmonizers. Do you know where I can buy one and how much they cost? Also, is there any way I can buy a left-handed version of any of Ibanez’s Signature Steve Vai series guitars?
– Sherri DurhamCheck out www.eventide.com for more info on the Eventide Harmonizers.There (was) a lefthanded version of the Jem produced: the JEM555LWH. This is still available in some music stores – or check on ebay.
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Hi Steve,
I bought your last opus recorded during the live sessions and i was really happy to find ones you made with us on the 23rd of march 2000 in Bordeaux (it was not at the “Theatre Barbey” but at the “Krakatoa”). In the song “Being With You (in Paris)”, who composed the few lines in French? (really nice accent!). I hope you will have time to answer to me.
A french fan.
Charlier FabienSteve writes:
“Ooops, I don’t know how we put the wrong venue name but thanks for pointing it out. I will ask Mike to post it on the site. I composed the letter that was then read in French at the show. It was translated by John Pusztai who was also the one that recited it. It’s sticky sweet.”
John Pusztai (pictured here with Steve) tells the story of how it all came about:
“Here’s what happened on what was probably the most incredible day of my life so far: I’m a Vai fan. Actually that’s a bit of an understatement, but you get the picture. I also live in Paris, and after attending the local gig of the Ultra Zone Tour here on March 15th (2000), I thought there was no way I wasn’t gonna see that show again, so I went to Strasbourg. I got to the venue around 4pm that day (April 1st), and the doors were open. Talk about blind luck!
The band was doing the soundcheck. I sat down in the back, where some other people were hanging. Obviously it was amazing! At one point, they started to play that song Steve had just written, which sounded like a Parisian ballad. Then I heard Steve saying he needed a translator. I was sitting next to his tour manager, so I told him I could do it. And it worked!
So there I was up on stage! I thought Steve just wanted to talk with some french person, but actually, the song they were rehearsing was written for France: they were going to perform it that night, and record it in order to put it on a live album. Steve asked me to translate a poem he had written from English to French, and to recite it in the song. It was about a particular day he had spent in Paris with Pia, and what the feelings it had evoked in him. Too bad Phil (Bynoe) doesn’t speak French though, it would have made it sound like Barry White! (j/k ). I went to the dressing room to do the translation, and then we rehearsed it a couple times. Then the soundcheck came to an end. It was time for the band to relax before the show and to have dinner. I went to a nearby chinese restaurant with my friends but I couldn’t eat!
Eventually the show started. I spent most of it running around backstage almost shitting my pants, I was beyond nervous! Right after Voodoo Acid, it was time for me to hit the stage. Pure adrenaline! It went pretty well, although I think I was shaking a bit. It was very magical. God what a memory! Everyone in the crew was really cool to me. My deepest gratitude to you guys, especially to Steve for making this happen, for being my greatest inspiration (not only musical), and many other things!
Warm Regards – John Pusztai”
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Shows Istanbul and Sofia canceled.
Dear friends & fans,Unfortunately, recent heartbreaking events happened in Istanbul that forced us to take some measures for our shows in Istanbul and as a result of scheduling, Sofia. Both dates have been cancelled. We share our condolences with our fans and hope to see you in the very near future.
S
Shows Istanbul and Sofia canceled.
Passion & Warfare North American Dates
STEVE VAI ANNOUNCES PASSION AND WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR NORTH AMERICAN DATES
STEVE VAI·WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2016
LOS ANGELES — To commemorate the 25th anniversary of his landmark album, Passion and Warfare, Steve Vai is currently in Europe on the first leg of his very special world tour celebrating one of the greatest instrumental rock guitar recordings of all time.
This fall, Vai will bring his tour to North America starting on October 8, 2016 with a performance in Riverside, CA at the Fox Performing Arts Center. For the first time Vai will be performing the entire Passion and Warfare record from top to bottom, with some very special surprises in store. The first 20 North American Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour dates have been announced (see list of dates below). These 20 concerts represent the first half of the tour. The remaining half will be announced soon.
“The enjoyment that the band is having and the audience response to the shows we are playing in Europe has taken us a bit by surprise,” Vai said. “The collective support for the PAW 25th, Modern Primitive and this show is humbling. There is deep appreciation from us in having the opportunity to honor this record with this tour and we are smiling every moment of it.”
The tour will feature three unique premium Passion and Warfare VIP packages: the Front Row EVO Experience, the Meet & Greet EVO Experience, and the EVO Tour Package. With the Front Row and Meet & Greet EVO Experiences, fans will have an opportunity to sit with Steve in a Q&A session, attend soundcheck, and receive exclusive merchandise. A limited number of EVO Experience and EVO Tour Packages will be available for each show.
Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings recently released Vai’s Modern Primitive/Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition.Modern Primitive includes previously unreleased material that was either recorded or written after Vai’s first solo record Flex-Able and prior to the writing and recording of the music on Passion and Warfare. Fans will enjoy four bonus tracks on the 25th Anniversary version of Passion and Warfare, which was newly remastered from the original analog tapes.
“The music on Modern Primitive was written and recorded with virtually no expectations for its future,” Vai said. “As a result, there was an opening up to a powerful and personal creativity that allowed me to find the most stimulating music I could conjure.”
Corresponding with the album release and tour, TrueFire presents Steve Vai’s Alien Guitar Secrets:Passion & Warfare interactive video masterclass is now available at www.truefire.com. During this insightful masterclass, Vai shares ingenious methods to help guitarists unlock their own personal musical identities throughout as well as revealing overviews with select playing examples for each of the songs on his acclaimed Passion and Warfare album.
Vai will host his third Vai Academy guitar camp — Vai Academy 3.0 “Passion and Technique” — at the Asilomar Center (www.visitasilomar.com) in Carmel, California, Jan. 2-6, 2017 with special guests Al DiMeola, Zakk Wylde, Carlos Alomar and more. For more information, visit www.vaiacademy.com or e-mail: info@dreamcatcherevents.com.
“I can’t be more blown away by our lineup of special guests that will be joining us in January 2017 for our next Vai Academy,” Vai said. “The theme for this camp will be focusing on technique, and going deeper than technique to find a player’s individual and unique voice on the instrument." For more information on Steve Vai, the Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour, and current Vai happenings, visit www.vai.com.
Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour Dates
July 20 - Palma, Spain - Teatro Trui
July 21 - Barcelona, Spain - BARTS Club Paral.lel 62
July 23 - Lisbon, Portugal - Cultural Centre of Belem
July 24 - Vila, Portugal - Hard Club
July 28 - Budapest, Hungary - Park Budapest
July 30 - Tbilisi, Georgia - Tbilisi Open Air
August 1 - Moscow, Russia - Moscow Annual Arts Festival
October 8 - Riverside, CA - Fox Performing Arts Center
October 9 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues - Las Vegas
October 11 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues - San Diego
October 12 - Ventura, CA - Majestic Ventura Theatre
October 13 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
October 14 - Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
October 16 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
October 17 - Nanaimo, BC - The Port Theater
October 18 - Kelowna, BC - Kelowna Community Theatre
October 19 - Calgary, AB - Jack Singer Concert Hall
October 21 - Saskatoon, SK - O’Brian’s Event Centre
October 22 - Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre
October 23 - Burnsville, MN - The Ames Center at Burnsville Performing Arts Center
October 25 - Northfield, OH - Hard Rock Live
October 26 - Milwaukee, WI - The Pabst Theater
October 28 - Grand Rapids, MI - The Orbit Room
October 29 - North Tonawanda, NY - Riviera Theater
October 30 - Kitchener, ON - Centre in the Square
November 1 - London, ON - London Music Hall
November 2 - Ottawa, ON - Algonquin Commons Theatre
Additional North American tour dates to be announced soon
Passion & Warfare North American Dates
The Making Of Passion And Warfare
Here's an epic little video about the creation of one of the most iconic guitar albums ever created - Steve Vai's Passion & Warfare
The Making Of Passion And Warfare
Steve Vai’s Alien Guitar Secrets: Passion and Warfare
True to Vai form, this Passion and Warfare edition of Alien Guitar Secrets goes way beyond the call of educational and inspirational duty for any student of guitar, at any level of play.
In the first half of this interactive video masterclass, three-time GRAMMY Award winner Steve Vai shares priceless insight and ingenious methods to help you discover and unlock your personal musical identity -- the very same approaches he used to achieve his own mastery of the instrument and unparalleled success as a professional musician.
Topics and methods presented in the first half of the course include: 3-Step Manifestation, Deeper Than Technique, Develop Your Tone, Exercises Build Chops, Theory, Scales & Colors, Training Your Inner Ear, The Fragrance of Chords, Intonation, Bending Notes, Vibrato, Dynamics & Phrasing, The Dimension of Listening, and The Quality of Thought.
In the second half of the masterclass, Steve treats you to revealing overviews, with select playing examples, for each of the songs on his groundbreaking Passion and Warfare album -- highly regarded as one of the greatest instrumental rock guitar recordings of all-time.
Passion and Warfare song overviews include: "Liberty," "Erotic Nightmares," "The Animal," "Answers," "The Riddle," "Ballerina 12/24," "For The Love of God," "The Audience Is Listening," "I Would Love To," "Blue Powder," "Greasy Kid's Stuff," "Alien Water Kiss," "Sisters," and "Love Secrets." Steve also gives you a quick rundown of his guitar and gear in a Gear Talk segment.
The video masterclass (Windows, Mac, and iOS compatible) features 4+ hours of video lessons, tab/notation for select playing examples (for complete transcriptions and notation, pick up the Passion and Warfare Songbook published by Hal Leonard).
Steve also generously includes the Passion and Warfare Naked Tracks for all of the songs on the album (original tracks from the album minus the lead guitar track) along with 6 live video performances including "Liberty," "The Animal," "Answers," "For The Love of God," "The Audience Is Listening," and "Sisters."
“If you want to play something that you can't, you need to see and hear yourself doing it in your minds eye. It will start to happen.” - Steve Vai
G3 with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and The Aristocrats (Guthrie Govan, Marco Minnemann, Bryan Beller and Mike Keneally).
Here are a few pictures to enjoy..
G3 shows are underway…
Vai.com Webstore July 4th holiday sale
From July 1st to July 4th, the coupon code JULY4TH will give you a 20% discount on all items in our webstore. We currently carry T-shirts, Hoodies, CD's, Posters and songbooks.
Vai.com Webstore July 4th holiday sale
7/12 G3 show Offenbach venue update
Please note:
The G3 show on 12 July, in Offenbach Germany will be played at a different Venue: The Capitol Theatre.
7/12 G3 show Offenbach venue update
Modern Primitive and PAW 25th Ann now available!
Steve Vai's Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition, a 2-CD collection premiering previously unreleased music written or recorded by Vai from 1984-1990, in addition to the landmark album Passion and Warfare remastered from the original analog tapes--plus four bonus tracks--is available now!
Commemorating the 25th anniversary of Passion and Warfare, the special 2-CD edition of the album includes the first-ever release of Vai's Modern Primitive songs and recordings. Based on song sketches and works-in-progress penned or partially recorded by Vai following the January 1984 release of his debut album, Flex-Able, the music on Modern Primitive was recently (2016) completed by Vai for release as a full album disc.
Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition has been released as a 2-CD physical collection while each disc will be available as a separate title on all digital platforms. The physical collection is housed in a 4-panel soft-pack with a 20-page Modern Primitive booklet and a 24-panel Passion and Warfare poster fold.
Vai is currently on his worldwide Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour, performing the record from top to bottom for the first time ever in concert. Fall U.S. tour dates will be announced soon. For a complete list of tour dates, visit:http://www.vai.com/tourdates/
The the record on iTunes or Amazon now!
We are constantly looking to improve the show on all levels so your constructive critique is appreciated along with the things about the show you think worked well.
Many thanks,
s
Update from the tour….
Announcing Vai Academy V3.0 Featuring Special Guests Zakk Wylde, Al Di Meola, Carlos Alomar
Steve Vai proudly invites you to the third incarnation of Vai Academy, for 4 days and nights of non stop guitar, start to finish, January 2-6, 2017. Join us at the beautiful Asilomar Center, beautifully positioned in the oceanfront village of Carmel, California.
This year's Vai Academy will be 'Passion & Technique' where you'll spend 4 days and nights discovering the intricacy of the guitar while jamming the day away with Steve Vai, his band and special guests including Zakk Wylde, Al Di Meola, and Carlos Alomar.
Vai Academy V3.0 will feature hands on, interactive workshops with Steve and his special guests, small group jamming sessions and performances from the artists beginning at 10 AM and going late into the night.
Announcing Vai Academy V3.0 Featuring Special Guests Zakk Wylde, Al Di Meola, Carlos Alomar
Guitar World debuts “Lovely Elixir” from Modern Primitive
Legacy Recordings Celebrates The Groundbreaking Sounds Of
Guitarist/Composer Steve Vai With Release of
Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition
On Friday, June 24th2CD Collection Premieres Previously Unreleased Music—Written Or Recorded By Steve Vai (from 1984-1990)—In Addition To Passion and Warfare Bonus TracksGuitarworld.com Debuts Bonus Track “Lovely Elixir” This Morninghttp://www.guitarworld.com/artist-news/hear-steve-vais-lovely-elixir-passion-and-warfare-25th-anniversary-edition/29126Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour Coming This Year
Guitar World debuts “Lovely Elixir” from Modern Primitive
Release dates set for ‘Modern Primitive’ and ‘Passion And Warfare’
May 19, 2016 - Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Steve Vai's Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition, a celebratory 2CD collection of classic tracks and previously unreleased music, on Friday, June 24. It is available now for pre-orders: http://smarturl.it/Vai_MPPAW_AmazonSteve Vai and Legacy Recordings are commemorating the 25th anniversary of Passion and Warfare with a special 2CD edition of the album which includes the first-ever release of Vai's Modern Primitive songs and recordings. Based on song sketches and works-in-progress penned and recorded by Vai following the release of Flex-Able, his debut album, in January 1984, the music on Modern Primitive has been completed by Vai for release as a full album disc and the 2nd CD is the bonus remastering of the Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition.
"The music on Flex-Able is so vastly different from Passion and Warfare, one could wonder if the same guy actually made both records," Steve writes in his liner notes for the collection. "Modern Primitive is the missing link between these two records. It's sort of Cro-Magnon Vai."
Newly remastered from the original analog tapes, the Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition disc includes, as bonus tracks, four previously unreleased recordings from the Passion and Warfare sessions.
Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition is being released as a 2CD physical collection while each disc will be available as a sepárate title on all digital platforms.
The 2CD Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition will be housed in a 4-panel soft-pack with a 20-page Modern Primitive booklet and a 24-panel Passion and Warfare poster fold.
In addition to the first-time release of his "lost" Modern Primitive music, composer/producer and electric guitar virtuoso Steve Vai will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his landmark album, Passion and Warfare, with a world tour starting on May 28th featuring—for the first time ever in concert—full performances of his groundbreaking instrumental rock masterpiece in its entirety. "Performing this record from top to bottom (with some very special surprises in the works) is something I've always dreamed of doing," Vai said. "There are songs here I've never performed before, and I'm delighted that 25 years after its release, I feel as though my guitar chops are as much up to the task as ever before."
Often cited as one of the greatest and most influential instrumental rock guitar albums ever recorded, Vai's Passion and Warfare was originally released through Relativity/Epic Records in September 1990 and has been certified Gold by the RIAA. Inspired by a series of dreams Vai had experienced as a young man, Passion and Warfare has been described by the artist as "Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a party that Ben Hur threw for Mel Blanc." Recorded at The Mothership, Vai's home studio in the Hollywood Hills, Passion and Warfare includes the classic track, "For the Love of God," cited as one of the best solos of all time in a Guitar World magazine reader's poll.
Steve Vai
Modern Primitive / Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition
track listing
Modern Primitive
Bop!
Dark Matter
Mighty Messengers
The Lost Chord
Upanishads
Fast Note People
And We Are One
Never Forever
Lights Are On
No Pockets
Pink and Blows Over: Part 1
Pink and Blows Over: Part 2 (Mars Attack)
Pink and Blows Over: Part 3 (Jazzbo Paddle-foot)
Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition
Liberty
Erotic Nightmares
The Animal
Answers
The Riddle
Ballerina 12/24
For Love Of God
The Audience ls Listening
I Would Love To
Blue Powder
Greasy Kid's Stuff
Alien Water Kiss
Sisters
Love Secrets
Lovely Elixir (Bonus)
And We Are One (Solo #2) (Bonus)
As Above (Bonus)
So Below (Bonus)
About Steve Vai
Steve Vai, age 12, picked up the guitar in 1973 and started taking lessons from Joe Satriani (another future guitar hero) shortly after. He soaked up influences ranging from Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page to Jimi Hendrix and Brian May and by the end of the 1970s, was transcribing guitar parts for Frank Zappa. He became a full member of Zappa's band in 1980.
Rapidly becoming one of the most in-demand, versatile, eloquent and soulful sidemen in the business, Vai recorded with Alcatrazz, Whitesnake, David Lee Roth and Public Image Ltd.
He launched his solo career with the release of Flex-Able, a homemade indie album, in 1984. Since 1990, he has recorded and released eight studio albums, eight live albums, two EPs, 12 soundtracks, 20 compilation albums, seven videos and more. Vai has won three Grammy Awards and earned 15 Grammy Award nominations. He has appeared as a guest artist on more than 40 albums, playing with artists like Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Gregg Bissonnett and Joe Jackson, among others.
Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings signed Steve Vai to an historic multi-album agreement in February 2015.
Release dates set for ‘Modern Primitive’ and ‘Passion And Warfare’
Steve to play Guitare en Scene Festival 2016
Steve will appear on July 14th at the Guitare en Scene festival in Saint Julien en Genevois, France. This annual festival spans 5 days and has an amazing line up, such as Joe Satriani, Santana, Status Quo and Europe, amongst many others. Steve will play on Thursday.
Check the festival website for all artists and additional information.
This appearance is part of the Passion & Warfare 25th Anniversary tour. However, because this is a festival, there is no EVO upgrade available.
Get your tickets online here!
Steve to play Guitare en Scene Festival 2016
Generation Axe Stage Shots
Check out these cool shots, taken by Mike Mesker, at the Royal Oak Music Theatre, Michigan:
Generation Axe Stage Shots
EVO VIP Upgrades for the Passion and Warfare tour
We're happy to announce for most of the upcoming European Passion and Warfare tour dates, the EVO VIP package will be available.
This exclusive and very limited VIP upgrade includes:
A Q&A session with Steve
Personal Meet & Greet
A Passion & Warfare 25th Anniversary Tourbook
A DiMarzio Guitar Strap
A Passion & Warfare guitar pick
Early access to the venue
Personal Photograph with Steve
Autographed 8x10 photo
Official EVO Tour laminate
VIP Access to the pre-show soundcheck.
The upgrade package does not include a ticket to the show itself, these must be purchased separately.
Availability is limited. Available online here.
EVO VIP Upgrades for the Passion and Warfare tour
Vai to perform two shows at the Iridium next week
TWO SHOWS AT THE IRIDIUM ON MAY 11th TO BE TAPED FOR ACCLAIMED SERIES, “FRONT AND CENTER”
Tickets On Sale Thursday, May 5th At Noon ET
May 5, 2016 –Next Wednesday evening, May 11th, Steve Vai will perform two exclusive sets at The Iridium in New York City—the most intimate room Vai has headlined in years. The shows will take place at 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased here beginning today at Noon ET.
Both Vai performances are being filmed for a future episode of the critically acclaimed public television concert series “Front and Center,” scheduled to air in early 2017 during the seventh season of the show. This show also kicks off The Iridium's annual celebration of its legacy as "The Home of Les Paul." With more events featuring iconic performers to be announced, The Iridium will be honoring its most famous resident guitarist with special performances leading up to what would have been Les Paul's 101st birthday on June 9th.
Over the past several years, “Front and Center” has presented a mix of Grammy, Country Music Association, and American Music Award winners, rock icons, and multi-Platinum artists including Santana, Paul Rodgers, Cheap Trick, Steven Tyler, Keith Urban, Jack Johnson, Joe Jackson, John Hiatt, Lady Antebellum, Buddy Guy, Little Big Town, Cyndi Lauper, The Fray, for King & Country, Train, Trey Anastasio, and more.
Vai will be launching his Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour beginning at the World Guitar Festival in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, on May 28, 2016. Following that festival play and an extensive run in Europe that will include stops in Scotland, England, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Poland, France, Switzerland and many other countries, the tour will arrive in the United States in October. Additional concerts in America and abroad will be announced at a later date.
For more information on the “Front and Center” music series, please visit: www.frontandcenter.com and for select tickets to the “Front and Center” tapings at The Iridium, visit: www.theiridium.com.
Vai to perform two shows at the Iridium next week
Saturday Gear Po!n…. Orignal Evo Neck & Tool-less Jem
The Story Behind Evo's Broken Neck
"My name is Chris "Chrispy" Conrads, I was Stu Hamm's Bass tech 1994-1998 Oct 10 1996, Concord pavilion, San Francisco Ca. full production rehearsal day for the first G3 tour. We were setting up and getting everything together for the tour, Steve Vai's equipment had arrived from Australia, where during a show there Steve had thrown his guitar to his tech while standing on the cable. Needless to say the guitar stopped in mid air and nose dived, thus one of history's great guitars was damaged. Ibanez had provided a few new necks for Steve to try. All the guitar techs were set up in a corner in the back of the venue (they were still setting up staging, sound and lighting) and I watched as Nick removed the broken neck, stripped the hardware off it and tossed it into a trash can. I was shocked to think that the neck that had been Vai's "baby" for 4 albums and countless shows wasn't going to to be attempted to be repaired. I snatched the neck up and said to Steve " you want me to attempt a repair on this?" He said, "No, once the wood is broken It won't ring the same as a solid piece of wood" I said "are you sure?" he said "Yea, one of these new ones will be fine" I said, "This is a piece of guitar history, it can't just go in the trash" He laughed and said "Enjoy!" The next night was the first show of the tour, it was also the night I realised That Steve broke a guitar every night on that tour, I was hanging out at my station on the side of the stage when Steve started smashing the guitar at the end of his set, a pickup rolled across the floor and stopped when it hit my foot, I looked down and smiled as the light bulb went off in my head thinking to myself "If i can get a piece every day, I can build a broken guitar around the broken neck!" I scooped up the pickup and tossed it in my toolbox! And so the tour went on, a trem here, a pick-guard there, a headstock with machines and locknut, all played and broken by Vai! At the end of the tour I had everything but a body. Steve was playing a solo show at the House of Blues in Los Angeles. I went down and helped with set up (H.O.B. L.A. is not a great venue for the crew, rough load in and not much room on the stage) near the end of the show I went into the audience, and worked my way to the front of the stage, and when Steve broke the guitar, the body broke into three pieces I grabbed two of them as they came off, the third I watched slide under the drum riser where I went and retrieved it. After the show I got Steve to sign it but it was still sweaty and oily and the pen didn't write clearly, Steve said "Here, I will go over it again" reaching for the guitar, I said "Nah, that's perfect, the autograph was altered by your DNA" he laughed and thanked me for helping out with the show. i glued the body back together (the date of that show is written in the neck pocket) and put all the parts on it and tossed it in a case where it has been for the last decade. Notice how discolored the back of the neck is, Steve's blood, sweat and tears have been squeezed into the wood grain, it contains more of Steve's DNA than a dozen DNA models!"
[foogallery id="21662"]
The prototype for the tool-less tremolo system that Steve developed.
[foogallery id="21655"]
Saturday Gear Po!n…. Orignal Evo Neck & Tool-less Jem
STEVE VAI ANNOUNCES PASSION AND WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR
VAI WILL HOST THIRD VAI ACADEMY GUITAR CAMP IN CARMEL, CA, JAN. 2-6, 2017
LOS ANGELES — To commemorate the 25th anniversary of his landmark album, Passion and Warfare, Steve Vai has announced he will be embarking on a very special world tour celebrating the groundbreaking recording.
Passion and Warfare is highly regarded as one of the greatest instrumental rock guitar recordings of all time. For the first time Vai will be performing the entire Passion and Warfare record from top to bottom, with some very special surprises in store.
Vai will be launching his PAW Euro tour hot off the Generation Axe tour and will be performing at the World Guitar Festival in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, on May 28, 2016. This will mark the first date of the Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour. Following that festival play and an extensive run in Europe that will include stops in Scotland, England, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Poland, France, Switzerland and many other countries, the tour will arrive in the United States in October. Additional concerts in America and abroad will be announced at a later date.
"Performing this record from top to bottom (with some very special surprises in the works) is something I’ve always dreamed of doing,” Vai said. “There are songs here I’ve never performed before, and I’m delighted that 25 years after its release, I feel as though my guitar chops are as much up to the task as ever before."
The tour will feature a unique premium package: the Passion and Warfare EVO Experience, where among other things fans will have an opportunity to sit with Steve in an intimate Q&A session. A limited number of EVO Experience tickets will be available for each show.
In the next few weeks, there will be an official announcement regarding the release by Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings of Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Edition, a remastered version of the original recording featuring four bonus tracks, and a new companion album called Modern Primitive,which includes material that was either recorded or written after Vai’s first solo record Flex-Able and prior to the writing and recording of the music on Passion and Warfare. These tracks have not been previously released.
“Modern Primitive is by far my most adventurous recording to date, and I feel as though it’s my most telling release.”
Vai will also be performing select G3 dates with Joe Satriani and The Aristrocrats in Italy and Germany during the month of July.
Vai will host his third Vai Academy at the Asilomar Center (www.visitasilomar.com) in Carmel, California, Jan. 2-6, 2017. Special guests will be announced soon when the camp goes on sale. For more information, e-mail: info@dreamcatcherevents.com.
“I can’t be more blown away by our line up of special guests that will be joining us in January 2017 for our next Vai Academy,” Vai said. “The theme for this camp will be focusing on technique, and going deeper than technique to find a player’s individual and unique voice on the instrument."
Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour Dates
May 28 - Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec - World Guitar Festival
June 1 - Glasgow, Scotland - O2 ABC Glasgow
June 2 - London, England - London Palladium
June 3 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, England - O2 Academy Newcastle
June 5 - Manchester, England - O2 Ritz Manchester
June 6 - Brighton, England - The Dome
June 7 - Bristol, England - Academy
June 9 - Helsinki, Finland - The House of Culture
June 11 - Solvesborg, Sweden - Sweden Rock Festival
June 12 - Oslo, Norway - Rockefeller Music Hall
June 13 - Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser Medis, Ballroom
June 14 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Amager Bio
June 15 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Pusterviksbaren
June 17 - Leuven, Belgium - Het Depot
June 18 - Gutenstetten, Germany - Ibanez Guitar Festival
June 20 - Warsaw, Poland - Progresja
June 21 - Prague, Czech Republic - Lucerna Music Bar
June 23 - Vienna, Austria - Simm City
June 24 - Dornbirn, Austria - Conrad Sohm
June 26 - Paris, France - Le Trianon
June 27 - Solothurn, Switzerland - Kofmehl
June 28 - Schaffhausen, Switzerland - Kammgarn
June 29 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - den Atelier
June 30 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Les Docks
July 2 - Rome, Italy - Rock In Roma (G3 with Joe Satriani & The Aristocrats)
July 3 - Sogliano Al Rubicone, Italy (G3 with Joe Satriani & The Aristocrats)
July 4 - Ascoli Piceno, Itlay - Piazza del Popolo (G3 with Joe Satriani & The Aristocrats)
July 5 - Grugliasco, Italy - Gru Village (G3 with Joe Satriani & The Aristocrats)
July 6 - Gardone Riviera, Italy - Teatro del Vittoriale
July 7 - Udine, Italy - Castello di Udine
July 10 - Weert, Netherlands - Bospop Festival
July 11 - Munich, Germany - Circus Krone (G3 with Joe Satriani & The Aristocrats)
July 12 - Offenbach A. Main, Germany - Stadthalle (G3 with Joe Satriani & The Aristocrats)
July 13 - Bonn, Germany - Kunst!rasen (G3 with Joe Satriani & The Aristocrats)
July 16 - Cordoba, Spain - Anfiteatro Axerquia
July 17 - San Javier, Spain - Auditrio Parque Almansa
July 18 - Madrid, Spain - Jardines de la Complutense
July 19 - Valencia, Spain - Jardines de los Viveros
July 20 - Palma, Spain - Teatro Trui
July 21 - Barcelona, Spain - BARTS Club Paral.lel 62
July 23 - Lisbon, Portugal - Cultural Centre of Belem
July 24 - Vila, Portugal - Hard Club
July 28 - Budapest, Hungary - Park Budapest
July 30 - Tbilisi, Georgia - Tbilisi Open Air
STEVE VAI ANNOUNCES PASSION AND WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD TOUR
Generation Axe show Houston Canceled
We are sorry to report that tonights Generation Axe show in Houston has been canceled due to flooding in the area.
Copied below is the Live Nation announcement:
Revention Music Center at Bayou Place
GENERATION AXE
Monday, April 18, 2016
This event has been CANCELLED due to inclement weather.
Refunds are available at the original point of purchase.
Thank you for your understanding.
Check out this interview on Fox News with Steve and Nuno Bettencourt, where they discuss the Generation Axe tour.
Generation Axe: Fox News Interview
Diodak Ghost Ibanez Jem
Diodak Ghost Ibanez Jem
Generation Axe Featured in Guitar Player Magazine
Generation Axe is the cover story in Guitar Player Magazine for June 2016! The issue ships to subscribers this Friday, April 15th
Generation Axe Featured in Guitar Player Magazine
Steve’s Dubai Update
Hey Folks,
Steve here
I recently returned from Dubai where I spoke and played a bit at a YPO (Young Presidents Organisation) convention, and also gave an “Alien Guitar Secrets Master Class" at a local Hard Rock Cafe.
In all of the places I have visited over the years, perhaps Dubai surprised me the most. I had heard of Dubai’s attractions and opulence and was expecting more of the Vegas atmosphere I was told it is representative of, but what I found was a completely different cultural atmosphere than what I expected.
First, the place is very safe. There is virtually no crime. Men or Woman can walk alone at any time of the day or night and feel safe. It’s wonderfully clean on every street corner. There is no graffiti, homeless, or street pollution. There seems to be an ethical awareness built into the culture. The architecture is quite astounding and although I heard stories of the opulence being overdone, I didn’t find any of that “Vegas” that was attributed to it, but instead I found an appreciation for elegance and quality of life. Although some of it’s citizens ascribe to various religious dress and practices, there is a respectful tolerance for all faiths, but one is expected to honor certain ethical practicality.
In looking a little deeper into the fascinating infrastructure of this swiftly evolving city, I was lead to learn about their leader Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also known as Sheikh Mohammed. He is the ruler of Dubai as well as vice president and prime minister of the UAE.
As an American that is fatigued with USA politics, and virtually all world politics, I have no responsibility to pay allegiance to any world leader outside of the respect for protocol when visiting another culture. But when I learned of how this visionary man has been cultivating the expansion of Dubai since 2006, and feeling the deep and sincere respect, gratitude and even reverence that the people have for this benevolent leader, I was not only impressed, I was inspired.
I’m looking forward to returning there whenever there is an opportunity.
Here’s some photos, enjoy!
s.
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Steve’s Dubai Update
Generation Axe Rehearsals
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Generation Axe Rehearsals
Steve to play Bospop Festival in the Netherlands on July 10
Good news for our Dutch fans. Steve will be performing on Sunday July 10th at Bospop Festival in Weert, the Netherlands!
Get your tickets here! Want to see where Steve is performing besides Bospop? Check out our Tourdates page!
Steve to play Bospop Festival in the Netherlands on July 10
New Vai-Tal Gear item on Ebay
Our Vai-Tal Gear auction this month is an Api 312 500 series Mic Pre Amp.
Check out our ebay page for details. The pre-amp will go on Ebay shortly.
New Vai-Tal Gear item on Ebay
Steve to play Sweden Rock Festival 2016 in Solvesborgy
Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and The Aristocrats (featuring Guthrie Govan, Marco Minnemann & Bryan Beller) - for dates in July in Italy. Tickets for each will be available via the ticket outlet, Ticketone and are going on sale Februari 26 at 10 a.am local time.
Saturday July 2nd 2016
City - Rome, Italy
Venue - Rock In Roma / Moon Stage @ Ippodromo delle Capannelle
Sunday July 3rd 2016
City - Sogliano al Rubicone, Italy (province of Forlì-Cesena)
Venue - Piazza Matteotti
Monday July 4th 2016
City - Ascoli Piceno, Italy
Venue - Piazza del Popolo
G3 International 2016 dates
Generation Axe – A Night Of Guitars Tour
STEVE VAI, ZAKK WYLDE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN,
NUNO BETTENCOURT & TOSIN ABASI COME TOGETHER
FOR GENERATION AXE - A NIGHT OF GUITARS
TOUR BEGINS APRIL 5TH
TICKETS ON SALE FEBRUARY 19TH
February 16, 2016 – The term “supergroup” gets thrown around on a regular basis these days, however, a new tour featuring some of the greatest guitarists of all time is about to truly give the term a whole new meaning.
Introducing: Generation Axe, featuring Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt, and Tosin Abasi.
Beginning on April 5th in Seattle, Generation Axe - A Night Of Guitars is hitting the road for 26 performances in North America. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, February 19th.
"The Generation Axe show is a unique performance of five fiercely talented guitar players coming together to create a 6-string extravaganza that is sure to amaze and delight,” commented Steve Vai.
The Generation Axe fan experience will go way beyond simply gathering five guitar greats on one stage to jam. Each tour stop will include a variety of collaborations by the five players, including everyone performing together as one cohesive band with a rhythm section including Pete Griffin (Dweezil Zappa, Stanley Clarke, Edgar Winter) on bass and Nick Marinovich (Yngwie Malmsteen) on keys. Vai, Wylde, Malmsteen, Bettencourt and Abasi will perform songs from their various catalogs and join forces on some well-known songs (as well as probably a few unexpected, unearthed gems).
Making this rare tour experience even more special, Generation Axe VIP packages will be offered, giving fans access to these guitars masters and exclusive one-of-a-kind memorabilia. A front row package (including a meet & greet), a meet & greet package, and a VIP tour package will be available. For more information, visit www.generationaxe.com.
About the Generation Axe Members
While many artists fit easily into a single category, Steve Vai remains unclassifiable. Vai is a virtuoso guitarist, visionary composer, and consummate audio producer who sculpts musical sound with infinite creativity and technical mastery. He is one of the most in-demand, versatile, eloquent and soulful guitarists in the business. The GRAMMY Award-winner has sold over 15 million albums and toured the world as a solo artist, a member of G3, and with Frank Zappa, Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. Vai launched his successful solo career with the release of Flex-Able in 1984 and has written, produced, and engineered all of his solo albums. He has appeared as a guest artist on more than 40 albums and created music for blockbuster films, best-selling video games, national sports franchises, and corporate brand initiatives. Vai has earned honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music and Musicians Institute. For more info, visit: www.vai.com
GRAMMY Award-winner Zakk Wylde’s legendary career includes a lengthy tenure with Ozzy Osbourne in which Wylde co-wrote and recorded several albums, including the multi-platinum No More Tears, Osbourne’s largest selling solo album featuring the classic hit single, “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and the bulk of the double platinum 2002 set, Ozzmosis. With Osbourne, Wylde has played on countless world tours and television appearances, with his signature bullseye Les Paul in tow. Wylde has his mitts imprinted on Hollywood’s Rock Walk of Fame; guest-starred alongside Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston in the movie “Rockstar”; and even momentarily joined Axl, Slash and Duff in Guns N’ Roses. But nothing offers the pure expression of Zakk Wylde’s animalistic “id” like Black Label Society, the stomping, heavy, bluesy, recklessly unhinged hard-rock-metal quartet who are quick to rip up a solo as to dip into a piano-fueled anthemic ballad. For more info, visit: www.zakkwylde.com
When Yngwie J. Malmsteen hit the scene in the early 80s, he turned the entire guitar world upside down; never before was guitar playing like his ever heard. Drawing inspiration from his love for Baroque and Romantic classical music, Malmsteen employs classical violin techniques such as four and five octave arpeggios, pedal notes, and harmonic minor, diminished and Phrygian scales, flawlessly delivered at mind-boggling levels of speed and clarity. In doing so, he has singlehandedly created a brand new style of guitar playing and composing that is still derived from today. In addition to having written and produced 35+ neoclassical rock albums, Malmsteen composed and orchestrated the "Concerto Suite for Electric Guitar and Orchestra,” which he recorded with the prestigious Czech Philharmonic in Prague, conducted by Yoel Levy of Atlanta Symphony fame. Malmsteen subsequently performed the piece live with the the New Japan Philharmonic and the Taipei Symphony, among others. Malmsteen has received numerous Grammy nominations, hundreds of magazine covers, dozens of Reader's Poll and Composer of the Year Awards, a plaque on the Rock Walk of Fame, signature model guitars, amps, pickups, strings, picks, pedals, microphones, and more. TIME Magazine placed him as one of the top ten guitarists of all time. Some 35 years and 25 million+ album sales later, Yngwie shows no signs of slowing down, with his brand new record World on Fire due for release in April 2016. For more info, visit: www.yngwiemalmsteen.com
Guitar virtuoso, singer-songwriter, and record producer, Nuno Bettencourt rose to international prominence as a guitar player with the GRAMMY-nominated, Boston-area band EXTREME, one of the most successful rock acts of the early to mid 1990s selling over 10 million records worldwide. Musically, EXTREME is dominated by Bettencourt’s blistering guitar riffs, often with funky, syncopated timing, and incendiary, high-speed rock/metal solos. Bettencourt penned the acoustic ballad “More Than Words” that went to #1 on the Billboard charts and “Hole Hearted” that reached #4. He has released multiple solo albums as well as with bands he founded including Mourning Widows Population 1, Dramagods and Satellite Party. Bettencourt has written, produced and performed with many legendary artists including Rihanna, Steven Tyler, Paul McCartney, Janet Jackson and many others. For more info, visit: www.nunobettencourt.com
Oluwatosin Ayoyinka Olumide Abasi, better known as Tosin Abasi, is a Nigerian American guitarist known as the guitar player and founder of the instrumental progressive metal band, Animals as Leaders. Abasi’s compositions of intricate music have garnered critical acclaim in a few short years. Abasi is part of the breed of new contemporary players who are raising the bar on the concept of electric guitar virtuosity. His approach to the guitar stems from a passion for advanced techniques and harmony. Using 7-, 8-, and 9-string guitars have allowed Abasi to create a highly unique and individual sound. For more info, visit: www.facebook.com/animalsasleaders
Generation Axe - A Night Of Guitars is produced by Copeland International Arts and is booked by CAA.
April 6, 2016 - Vancouver, BC - Queen Elizabeth Theatre
April 8, 2016 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
April 9, 2016 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint
April 10, 2016 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay
April 11, 2016 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
April 13, 2016 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
April 15, 2016 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theatre
April 16, 2016 - Salina, KS - The Stiefel Theatre
April 17, 2016 - Dallas, TX - Bomb Factory
April 18, 2016 - Houston, TX - Revention Music Center
April 20, 2016 - Jacksonville, FL - Florida Theatre
April 21, 2016 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
April 23, 2016 - Wilmington, NC - Cape Fear Community College
April 24, 2016 - Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
April 25, 2016 - Cincinnati, OH - Taft Theatre
April 26, 2016 - Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
April 27, 2016 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
April 29, 2016 - Chicago, IL - Copernicus Center
May 1, 2016 - Madison, WI - Orpheum Theatre
May 2, 2016 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
May 4, 2016 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
May 5, 2016 - Upper Darby, PA - Tower Theater
May 6, 2016 - Westbury, NY - Theatre at Westbury
May 7, 2016 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
May 8, 2016 - Providence, RI - Providence Performing Arts Center
Generation Axe – A Night Of Guitars Tour
ROCK AND ROLL FANTASY CAMP 2016
ROCK AND ROLL FANTASY CAMP 2016
NAMM 2016 Passion & Warfare Universe
Just released at NAMM:
The Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Limited Edition UV77. Available in 3 color combinations: Blue/Pink, Orange/Yellow and Silver/Blue.
Specs:
Maple UV Neck
American Basswood Body
Jumbo Frets
Rosewood Fretboard
Disappearing Pyramid Inlay
Lo-Pro Edge 7 Bridge
DiMarzio Blaze pickups
Ultralite Trem Arm included
Hardshell case included
Certificate of Authenticity included.
NAMM 2016 Passion & Warfare Universe
New DiMarzio Pickup Covers
Besides the fabulous straps, DiMarzio is also introducing these new Vai pickup covers, The DiMarzio Velorum™ and DiMarzio Dark Matter™ pickups are based on the Gravity Storm™ neck and bridge pickup, with new laser cut and laser etched covers designed by Michael Mesker.
New DiMarzio Pickup Covers
New DiMarzio straps
We are pleased to announce Steve Vai has teamed up with DiMarzio for a Signature Strap Cliplock Series that will be launching this year!
The Universe strap art was designed by Mike Mesker, and the hieroglyph art was created by Steve Vai.
From Steve, "This approach to hieroglyphics is something that I started in 4th grade. I only have two rules when doing art: no thinking and no criticising the work. I found this to be tremendously liberating. It’s like automatic writing, and there is no such thing as a mistake.”
Stay tuned to DiMarzio's website and Facebook page for additional announcements and a release date!
New DiMarzio straps
Lemmy….
Lemmy was unique in the superlative sense of the word.
Everyone loved him. He was the heart of Rock and Roll the way we like it.
I ran into him at the Rainbow Bar and Grill once and said to him, "So when are you going to ask me to play a solo on a Motorhead record"?
He said, "I'll be at your house Wednesday at noon".
It only took a few hours to do the solos but the 2 of us just sat and talked for about 10 hours after that.
He consumed a hefty amount of alcohol and speed but never once stuttered, lilted or missed an opportunity for an inspired bit of wit.
He was sharp, alert and extraordinarily present at ALL times. I couldn't quite understand it.
The record I recorded on was "Inferno" and some days later Lemmy sent me an engraved lighter. How cool, ay?
The stories he told were fascinating and I got to know the remarkable person he was. I discovered why so many of us adore and revere him.
Lemmy marched to the beat of his own drums. His confidence in himself and his music was fierce and he was perhaps the most honest person I knew in this business. Because he was so in touch with himself, he allowed others to be themselves without judging them. He didn't placate or sugar-coat things but delivered to you the reflection of your own intentions, meaning if you're an asshole, you better be prepared to be verbally spanked with an inspired array of adjectives delivered with a firm, yet high quality calm. But if your morals were worth the salt, he was incredibly warm, considerate, generous and supportive.
He gave you his quality attention when you were talking with him and that's the best gift you can give to anyone. We loved him because he inspired in us our own desire to be as independent and dedicated to our work as he was. And he did it with an incredibly solid, rounded, and grounded sense of confidence, warmth and witt.
Not to mention he played his ass off in the tradition of hard, fast, no excuses rock and roll with a look, voice and bass sound unlike anything. He was a totally invested performer who's authenticity was epic. Even the way his microphone hung from above him will be historically recognizable. He was "the One… ALONE".
I wrote a song with him and Ozzy called "My Little Man” that appears on Ozzy’s "Ozzmosis" record. Lemmy wrote the lyrics. If you listen to the lyrics of that song you can glean an insight into the deep softness that was comfortably resting under the external persona. The song is deeply touching and when I met his son Paul, I realized how sincere those lyrics are.
I remember when my wife Pia met him and had an opportunity to "kiss the mole" on his cheek.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to perform for him at the Whisky for his 70th birthday party that took place Dec 2015 just a few weeks before he passed. I shared riffs with Bob Kulick and Lemmy's son Paul, who is really quite a good guitar player. After the show I went to see Lemmy where he sat in the balcony all night. He was shockingly thin and frail but still had that steady awareness of all that was going on in the world around him. I held his shaking hand, told him how nice it was to jam with his son, and then I kissed his hand and said "God bless you my brother, and thank you".
There are times when you know you will be saying goodbye to someone for the last time in this life, and though there was a sadness, with Lemmy it was a heartfelt salute and a momentary exchange of deep respect and joy in the knowing of each other.
He was the coolest and wherever his attention is right now, he still is.
Lemmy, you were extraordinary and we are grateful.
Steve Vai
The inscription reads…
From Lemmy to Steve Vai in Gratitude for his fine work on "Inferno" 2004
Lemmy….
Vai-tal Gear – Melcor GME-20 EQ’s – two days left!
Two more days before the end of this month's Ebay auction: twoMelcor GME-20 EQ’s.
Here's your chance to get your hands on some unique Steve Vai owned equipment, directly from his studio.
Each month we are putting up an item on Ebay. Check out the information page here.
You can see previously sold items on our archive page.
Vai-tal Gear – Melcor GME-20 EQ’s – two days left!
Happy Happy Merry Merry
Hey folks, Happiest of Holidays and beyond beyond to you all.
Below is a lovely and uplifting story I wanted to share with you.
Peace and love and good happiness stuff.
s
In a Mothers Womb
In a mother’s womb were two babies. One asked the other:
“Do you believe in life after delivery?” The other replied, “Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.”
“Nonsense” said the first. “There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be?”
The second said, “I don’t know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths. Maybe we will have other senses that we can’t understand now.”
The first replied, “That is absurd. Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically excluded.”
The second insisted, “Well I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here. Maybe we won’t need this physical cord anymore.”
The first replied, “Nonsense. And moreover if there is life, then why has no one ever come back from there? Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion. It takes us nowhere.”
“Well, I don’t know,” said the second, “but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take care of us.”
The first replied “Mother? You actually believe in Mother? That’s laughable. If Mother exists then where is She now?”
The second said, “She is all around us. We are surrounded by her. We are of Her. It is in Her that we live. Without Her this world would not and could not exist.”
Said the first: “Well I don’t see Her, so it is only logical that She doesn’t exist.”
To which the second replied, “Sometimes, when you’re in silence and you focus and you really listen, you can perceive Her presence, and you can hear Her loving voice, calling down from above.”
Happy Happy Merry Merry
Vai-tal Gear: Melcor GME-20 EQ on Ebay
Today the Ebay auction for the twoMelcor GME-20 EQ’s is up on Ebay and will run for the next 10 days.
Here's your chance to get your hands on some unique Steve Vai owned equipment, directly from his studio.
Bid on a private guitar lesson with Steve Vai at his studio in Los Angeles! Winner will also receive a guitar signed by Steve! The proceeds will go to The Fur & Feather Animal Sanctuary in Benefit of the Rock Against MS Foundation. Click the link below for more information and to place your bid. Good luck! http://bit.ly/SVPrivateLesson
Bid on a private guitar lesson with Steve Vai
Bo’s back!!
Great news everyone: Bo, Steve's mirrored JEM that went missing this past weekend, has been found left in the bushes at the gate on Steve's property. We do not have any more details on how it got there and will perhaps forever remain a mystery. The entire Vai camp is grateful for all the amazing outpouring of support we have seen regarding this issue over the last week.
Bo’s back!!
Steve’s Ibanez Jem “BO” Stolen
Steve Vai's guitar "Bo" was stolen earlier today. It's a mirror Ibanez JEM with blue LED's, a Sustainer system, and a red laser built into the headstock/neck. The forearm contour is also cracked/distressed a bit. If you hear something or think you've seen it, please contact us. Thanks.
. Bo's serial # F0006311 Here are some physical traits unique to Bo:
-Bo has blue LED fret dots and a red laser in the headstock tip. They are turned on by an on/off switch and powered by battery.
-Bo has deep scratches on the armrest area, and the mirrored surface shows wear.
-Bo is equipped with a Fernandes Sustainer FSK-401 system, with an extra sustainer control knob and sustainer control switches.
-The mirror pickguard has been cracked noticeably around the volume knob.
-The guitar is a LACS model with an Ibanez Lo Pro Edge tremolo- all production BRMR Jems had the Edge Pro tremolo.
-Bo's neck was broken in 2013 behind the nut, and was repaired by Ibanez. The neck is super thin with a "skunk stripe" walnut strip, while all production BRMR Jem necks were of a 5 piece design.
-The guitar has a piece of green Gaff tape on the side of the left arm rest with its name "Bo" written on it in marker.
-Bo has a prototype Ibanez UTA whammy bar made of aluminum.
-The pickups have black gaff tape on them to keep the strings from getting caught.
-Bo is equipped with an Ibanez Backstop device, located in the tremolo cavity of the guitar
Eddie Trunk Interview Podcast with Vai about T-Mac Benefit
STEVE VAI’S IBANEZ JEM77B RMR ‘T-MAC’ #48
In honor of this coming Saturday's Benefit for Tony MacAlpine Concert in Los Angeles, Steve has named, donated and signed a very special Ibanez JEM that will be auctioned on site. Click this link to read the story of "T-Mac" (#48), a beautiful instrument. Be sure to check out all the other fine instruments and items on the Tony MacAlpine Benefit Concert Website
A very limited number of tickets to the Tony MacAlpine Benefit Concert on Saturday, December 12 at The Wiltern Theater are available here:http://livemu.sc/1Ma3x6u
[foogallery id="21614"]
STEVE VAI’S IBANEZ JEM77B RMR ‘T-MAC’ #48
Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy Camp 2016
Immerse yourself in one of the greatest musical experiences you’ll ever participate in as Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp presents four of the greatest guitarists and a legendary drummer, headlining this camp, along with 15 incredible touring rock star counselors including bass players, guitar players, keyboard players, vocalists, etc...
Coming February 11-14, 2016 – PRESIDENTS DAY weekend/GRAMMY weekend, ROCK AND ROLL FANTASY CAMP presents TONY IOMMI, founding member and lead guitar player of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy winning hard rock band BLACK SABBATH, Tony Iommi is synonymous with heavy rock, his innovative, de-tuned, dark riffs are considered to be the blueprint for hundreds of bands that followed. Also appearing will be Warren Haynes, who is best known for his work as longtime guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule, as well as his associations with the surviving members of the Grateful Dead, including touring with Phil Lesh and Friends and The Dead. ZAKK WYLDE who is best known as the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, and founder of the band Black Label Society. He was also the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory, and as a solo artist he released Book of Shadows. And legendary guitar hero, GRAMMY AWARD winning artist STEVE VAI, who has sold over 15 million albums and has recorded and toured with Frank Zappa, Public Image Ltd., Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, and as a solo artist.
You will also get to meet surprise guest superstars who will be in town for The GRAMMY’s…Come celebrate with us and live out YOUR rock and roll fantasy!
Along with meeting and jamming with these incredible talents, you and your band will perform at the infamous WHISKY A GO GO on the legendary Sunset Strip in Hollywood CA.
Today the Ebay auction for the 1962-1963 Gretch Chet Atkins Tennessean has ended. For this month we are putting up two Melcor GME-20 EQ's. Check out the information page here. The auction will start later this month.
You can see previously sold items on our archive page.
Vai-tal Gear: Melcor GME-20 EQ
The exhibit…
Here's a small collage of pictures created by a friend of Steve of the exhibit opening:
The exhibit…
Steve’s Paintings
Hey Folks, Steve here. About 2 years ago I was sitting in my hotel room in China and just started doodling on a notepad. I really
enjoyed doing it and watching the pieces evolve. I’ve always loved art but never tried to create my own, (Perhaps my hands were always busy doing something else!). But while on the last tour I started to really enjoy drawing while on planes, hotels after a gig, backstage, on the bus, etc. When I got home I built a tiny art studio out of a spare area and continued to evolve the work using various mediums. I only had two rules when painting: no thinking and no criticizing the work. I found this to be tremendously liberating. It’s like automatic writing and there is no such thing as a mistake. It’s what it is. I showed my art to Ralph Rieckermann, (artist, composer, bass player for The Scorpions). He was planning an art exhibit at The Sofitel in Beverly Hills on November 24th, 2015 and invited me to show some of my work along with 3 other artists. I thought, sure, why not. 10 of my original pieces were on display along with signed prints. That was the very first time I showed any of my artwork, and also the first time I’m actually letting people know one of my guilty pleasures, enjoy! s
Check out the paintings and their descriptions on our special paintings page. You can get limited edition prints of these paintings through our webstore.
Ultimate Jam Night – Vai, Sheehan, Bissonette and Ralph Saenz
"Ultimate Jam Night" will celebrate the 30th anniversary of David Lee Roth's "Eat 'Em And Smile" album with a special performance by Steve Vai (guitar), Billy Sheehan (bass) and Gregg Bissonette (drums), along with guest vocalist Ralph Saenz (a.k.a. Michael Starr of STEEL PANTHER), this Wednesday, November 25 at Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood, California in a free show beginning at 8:30 p.m. The performance will mark the first time in 30 years that Vai, Sheehan and Bissonette have played together, and they — along with Saenz — will re-create some of the music from the 1986 LP and tour.
"Eat 'Em And Smile" was the first of two Roth albums to feature the duo of Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan on guitar and bass. Throughout the LP, the two would often sync complicated bass lines together with the lead guitar parts, as on tracks such as "Shyboy" and "Elephant Gun".
Vai, recognized as one of the world's greatest guitarists, continues with his own projects. Sheehan, a modern bass legend, is part of the highly successful bands THE WINERY DOGS and MR. BIG. Bissonette is playing with the RINGO STARR & HIS ALL-STARR BAND.
Now entering its 44th week, Ultimate Jam Night is a free weekly show held each Wednesday at Lucky Strike Live, located at the Hollywood/Highland center. Founded by Chuck Wright of QUIET RIOT, the show features up to 60 world-class musicians rotating in and out of various musical numbers.
THIS Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at Lucky Strike Live Hollywood/Highland in a free show beginning at 8:30 pm.!!
Ultimate Jam Night – Vai, Sheehan, Bissonette and Ralph Saenz
First Ebay Auction: A 1962/1963 Gretch Chet Atkins
First Ebay Auction: A 1962/1963 Gretch Chet Atkins
Steve Vai Art Exhibit
Hey Folks, Steve here.About 2 years ago I was sitting in my hotel room in China and just started doodling on a notepad. I really enjoyed doing it and watching the pieces evolve. I’ve always loved art but never tried to create my own, (Perhaps my hands were always busy doing something else!). But while on the last tour I started to really enjoy drawing while on planes, hotels after a gig, backstage, on the bus, etc.When I got home I built a tiny art studio out of a spare area and continued to evolve the work using various mediums. I only had two rules when painting: no thinking and no criticizing the work. I found this to be tremendously liberating. It’s like automatic writing and there is no such thing as a mistake. It’s what it is.
I showed my art to Ralph Rieckermann, (artist, composer, bass player for The Scorpions). He was planning an art exhibit at The Sofitel in Beverly Hills this November 24th, and invited me to show some of my work along with 3 other artists. I thought, sure, why not. So This Tuesday at The Sofitel in Beverly Hills there will be an art exhibit with 4 different artists works. 10 of my original pieces will be on display along with signed prints. This will be the very first time I’m showing any of my artwork, and also the first time I’m actually letting people know one of my guilty pleasures, and you're invited! s
Steve Vai Art Exhibit
Flash Mob VaiTune #9
"Flash Mob" is an epic guitar anthem created and recorded by Steve Vai & The Vai Academy Army. The track is the New Vai Tunes single available November 12th via all digital online music stores. All proceeds from the download will be donated to The Make A Noise Foundation.
The Vai Academy Army is made up of the 6-, 7- and 8-string guitar players who attended Vai’s guitar camp, Vai Academy — Song Evolution Camp, in 2014. Recorded as part of the camp held at the Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, New York, "Flash Mob" features a bounty of licks and guitar solos by 155 campers that Vai skillfully mixed into one track.
The song was captured in a room set up as a giant recording studio with each of the campers playing through little practice amps. The idea for the composition came to Vai after seeing a YouTube clip of a phenomenon known as a "Flash Mob," when a group of people plan a performance in a large public place to an unsuspecting crowd.
"I love this track, its melody and the sonority of all those teaming guitars is what 6-string dreams are made of, but perhaps the most endearing and charming thing about this track to me is the guitar solos," Vai said. "They were so much fun to record, and to see these musicians doing what they can do is always uplifting to me. This is what comes out of the mind and off of the fingers of the myriad guitar players who are in the midst of finding themselves on the instrument. The entire camp was a remarkable experience, and whenever I listen to this track it brings me right back to that collective environment and the dedicated and enthusiastic group of people who made up the campers and production team. I’m so glad we did this."
Vai launched Vai Academy — a unique, insightful, recurring guitar camp as part of a larger educational curriculum initiative — in 2014. Each installment of the camp incorporates a different theme, making each event an exclusive, stand-alone experience. To date, the GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist has hosted camps in 2014 (Vai Academy — Song Evolution Camp) in Saratoga Springs, New York, and 2015 (Vai Academy — All About The Guitar) in Aspen, Colorado. Details on the third Vai Academy will be announced soon here on www.vai.com and www.vaiacademy.com
Flash Mob VaiTune #9
Rock Royalty Join Forces For A Benefit Concert For Tony MacAlpine
Los Angeles, CA) Guitar legends Steve Vai, Zakk Wylde and John 5, along with drum powerhouse Mike Portnoy, bass icon Billy Sheehan and keyboard phenomenon Derek Sherinian are joining forces to play a benefit concert for guitar and keyboard virtuoso Tony MacAlpine, who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer.
The Benefit for Tony MacAlpine will take place at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on December 12, 2015, at 7:00pm, featuring performances from John 5 & The Creatures, Zakk Wylde with Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan and Derek Sherinian; Steve Vai and band, and culminating in an all-star jam with house band Portnoy, Sheehan, Sherinian featuring special guests. Eddie Trunk will serve as master of ceremonies for the night.
In addition to this extraordinary musical event, Steve Vai, John 5, Joe Bonamassa, Paul Gilbert and Joe Satriani have all graciously donated personal guitars to be auctioned during the event. Tony’s gear manufacturers Ibanez, Hughes & Kettner, EMG Pickups, Ernie Ball, Source Audio and Voodoo Labhave also generously donated equipment to be raffled.
Tony’s cancer diagnosis comes on the heels of his wife’s diagnosis with breast cancer in June, making the situation even more trying for Tony and his family.
“Tony is a dear friend, an absolutely sweet human being and one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever worked with,” says Mike Portnoy, “We are coming together to help raise money and awareness to help him fight his battle and come out on top!” Adds Steve Vai, “It’s a great privilege to take to the stage with my friends Zakk, John, Mike and Billy in support of our dear friend Tony. Tony has always been blessed with an exceptional talent and more so, he’s an exceptionally cool guy. It’s a great cause and will be a magical evening of guitar extravaganza.”
“Tony has been such an inspiration to me,” says John 5, “He is an incredible musician and an unbelievable talent. Please let’s all come together and beat this!”
“Tony is our brother. We look forward to making a historical night, and raising a lot of money to help our friend in need.” said Derek Sherinian.
Tony MacAlpine is widely known as a guitar virtuoso who is just as skilled on the keys. Edge of Insanity, his classic debut album, was recently ranked by Guitar World magazine as one of the Top Ten Shred Guitar Albums of all time. Aside from his solo work, Tony has also been part of several rock supergroups including Planet X with Derek Sherinian and Virgil Donati; PSMS(Portnoy/Sheehan/MacAlpine/Sherinian); as well as the Grammy nominated CAB with bassist Bunny Brunel and drummer Dennis Chambers. MacAlpine also spent seven years playing guitar and keys inSteve Vai‘s touring band The Breed. Tony’s most recent album Concrete Gardens was released in May. Tony toured the US in June to promote the album, but was forced to cancel tours of Asia, Australia and Europe when his health deteriorated.
Tickets are on sale Saturday November 7, at 10am PT through LiveNation.com, with all proceeds going to help Tony and his family. A GoFundMe campaign will be set up for fans who can’t make the show, but still want to contribute.
Doors will be at 7 pm with the show set to begin at 8 pm. For tickets, visit www.livenation.com
Rock Royalty Join Forces For A Benefit Concert For Tony MacAlpine
Available now: Limited edition large signed poster (40X27)
Check out this large (40 x 27 inch) poster. Each is signed by Steve. There is a limited quantity available so get yours quickly before they are all gone!
You can get them in our webstore!
Available now: Limited edition large signed poster (40X27)
Rock In Rio Brazil Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESTEVE VAI & CAMERATA FLORIANÓPOLIS, 60-PIECE BRAZILIAN ORCHESTRA, GIVE “MESMERIZING”PERFORMANCE AT ROCK IN RIO BRAZIL FOR 90,000“Steve Vai is the greatest rock guitarist of his generation…you can disagree…but you’d be completely and utterly wrong."- Vintage Guitar
LOS ANGELES (October 23, 2015) — Steve Vai and the 60-piece Brazilian orchestra, Camerata Florianópolis, rocked 90,000 attendees at Rock In Rio Brazil 2015 in Rio de Janeiro in a high-energy festival setting that Vai calls “a highlight career moment.”
The performance, which took place on September 25, included spirited takes on such Vai compositions as “Kill The Guy With The Ball,” “Velorum” “Lotus Feet,” and the finale “For the Love of God,” which you can view below along with another clip from the show.
Vai, who released the orchestral recording Sound Theories Vol. I & II in 2007, and garnered a GRAMMY Award nomination for his soaring and melodically stunning “Lotus Feet” from those performances, is no stranger to performing his own original compositions with orchestras around the world, but the Rock In Rio show marks the largest crowd he has performed with an orchestra at. Most recently he had performed with the Russian Philharmonic in Kaluga, Russia; the Szczecin Philharmonic Orchestra in Szczecin, Poland; The Evolution Tempo Orchestra from Romania; The Beijing Philharmonic in Beijing, China; the Colorado Symphony in Denver, Colorado; and The North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra in Holland during his 253-engagement The Story of Light World Tour, which took him to 52 countries.
Vai has always been drawn to composing and started studying composition at 10 years old. He is world-renowned as a master innovator in the evolution of rock guitar and is now becoming well known worldwide for his dynamic performances with orchestras and his complex compositions of orchestral works, all the while showcasing his virtuosic displays on guitar.
For Rock In Rio Brazil, Vai was joined by the versatile Camerata Florianópolis, under the direction of Maestro Jeferson Della Rocca, who also founded the group. In its 22nd concert season, the orchestra known for its symphonic work is considered among the most important performing groups in Brazil. In addition to the success achieved in several Brazilian states, the orchestra has achieved great recognition through tours of France, Spain, Germany and Italy.
“For me, performing in Rio de Janeiro at Rock in Rio 2015 with the Camerata Florianópolis was a career highlight,” Vai said. “Feeling the intensity of the orchestra that was holding me up, the night sky, the notes under my fingers and in my mind’s ear, and the aliveness of presence of the 90,000 people and their collective energy, all came together beyond my expectations. It was like standing tippy-toe at the top of Mt. Everest and sharing my secrets with the vastness.”
Camerata Florianópolis Maestro Jeferson Della Rocca added, “During the last song [‘For the Love of God’], the audience began to sing in chorus to the melody. It gave us chills from head to toe to see nearly 100,000 people. Steve looked at me, and I looked at him. It was amazing.”
Vai’s latest release, Stillness In Motion: Vai Live In L.A., is available now from Sony/Legacy in a two-DVD set and two-CD set. The DVD includes nearly four hours of bonus footage, edited by Vai himself, titled The Space Between The Notes,which entertainingly chronicles the epic three-year, 253-engagement The Story Of Light Tour.
You can keep up with Steve Vai on his website, Facebook and Twitter, and view more videos on his YouTube channel.
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What The Press Is Saying About Vai’s Rock In Rio Performance:
“(Vai) has shown that he is one of the world’s greatest wonders…the incredible musical interaction between the legendary guitarist and the Camerata Florianópolis, Santa Catarina orchestra led by maestro Jeferson Della Rocca, was the highlight of the presentation.” - Multi Show
“A historic night…September 25 will be in the memory of those who were at the Sunset Stage of Rock in Rio for the union of guitarist Steve Vai and Camerata Florianópolis…” - Diario Catarinense
“The partnership between the (renowned American guitarist and) musicians fit nicely, with the orchestra making a ‘bed’ — a complex and grandiose base — for the guitar to soar over, taking the leading role for itself.” - Rolling Stone
“An impressive show…(one of) the big highlights (of Rock In Rio)…” - GShow
“In the melodious and compelling ‘Whispering a Prayer,’ a violinist stands to duel with Steve Vai, and the most beautiful composition gets an upgrade to thrill. It is something to watch on your knees thanking the heavens by the grace achieved.” - Rock Em Geral
“(Vai) left the most introspective mood of the night, with the public more concerned with watching the acrobatic guitarist frills than headbanging…the crowd was mesmerized.” - UOL
“Fantastic…” - Le Petit Journal
“The contagious ‘Whispering A Prayer’ invited the crowd to travel mentally. In the middle of the song (Vai) used just the guitar to talk to the public, showing there is no sound variation that can not be made with his instrument.” - MSN
“A vibrant show…” - G1
“Steve Vai alongside the orchestra Camerata Florianópolis was one of the most interesting and daring acts of Rock in Rio. This was the first time the guitarist performed at the festival, and that surely will be stored for long in his memory and the public who attended the Sunset Stage.” - Rock On Board
See Performances by Steve Vai & Camerata Florianópolis at Rock In Rio Brazil:http://youtu.be/GUE9t9ircEohttp://youtu.be/EbCq41y2yb0
From Premier Guitar: "Tomorrow afternoon guitar hero Steve Vai will be taking over our page at 4pm EST / 1pm PST to take your questions about his latest live album, 'Stillness in Motion - Vai Live In L.A.,' his signature gear from Ibanez Guitars and Kiesel Guitars Carvin Guitars, and where he goes to get his #1 burrito. If you can't make it tomorrow, drop your question in this (PG's) thread."
Please note that the time has changed to 1 PM PST.
Premier Guitar Chat Tomorrow at 1 PM PST
Premier Guitar Q&A Session with Steve on August 27th
Steve will be participating in a live Q&A session on Premier Guitar next Thursday, August 27 at 12 noon PST! Links will be posted next week. In the meantime, here's a video of Steve and Premier Guitar touring The Harmony Hut Studio!
Premier Guitar Q&A Session with Steve on August 27th
Ask Steve anything on AMA Q&A session on Reddit tomorrow
Steve will be participating in a live AMA (Ask Me Anything) Q&A session on Reddit.com tomorrow at 4PM ET/1PM PT! - The live question link will be posted tomorrow on Steve's Facebook page. Feel free to ask Steve anything!
Ask Steve anything on AMA Q&A session on Reddit tomorrow
Steve to perform at Guitar Town
Steve will be playing at Guitar Town, Copper Mountain CO on August 9th.
Check out villageatcopper.com/guitartown for details!
"The Space Between The Notes" DVD footage features Steve Vai fans from all around the world throughout the fast-paced film that Steve (himself) created as an accompanying disc to "Stillness in Motion." If you attended one of Steve's performances on "The Story of Light World Tour" (2012-2014) tag yourself on Facebook here!
The Space Between Notes – Tag Yourself!
Leg 2 from The Space Between Notes
Here is the Leg 2 (Europe) from Steve's latest release, "Stillness in Motion" and the accompanying disc "The Space Between the Notes" here, in full resolution: https://youtu.be/yyWxbx2Tai8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyWxbx2Tai8&feature=youtu.be
Leg 2 from The Space Between Notes
Leg 1 from The Space Between the Notes
Just in case you missed it, here is the entire Leg 1 from "The Space Between the Notes" DVD in full resolution! Each Friday a new chapter will be published until all 9 legs are available through Steve's Official YouTube channel. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvnAEuAMpp4&feature=youtu.be
Leg 1 from The Space Between the Notes
Announcing Vai Academy Schedule & Special Guests
Steve Vai proudly invites you to the majestic mountains of Vail, Colorado for 4 days and nights of non stop guitar, start to finish. Join us from August 2-6, 2015 at the beautiful Arrabelle at Vail Square for the best in rock this summer! Visit our website vaiacademy.com to learn more!
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS ERIC JOHNSON, SONNY LANDRETH & MANY OTHERS
This year's Vai Academy will be 'All About The Guitar' where you'll spend 4 days and nights discovering the intricacy of the guitar while jamming the day away with Steve Vai, his band and special guests. Takashi Hosono (Ibanez), Sterling Ball (Ernie Ball), Paul Miles (PRS Guitars), Thomas Nordegg (Steve's guitar tech), Larry Dimarzio (DiMarzio), and Stig Mathisen (Musician's Institute) will all grace the stage. Covering topics such as guitar building, wood tones, melody, electronics and strings.
This is THE opportunity to get up close and person with three legends while attending instrument specific workshops, learning detailed guitar mechanics, and enjoying intimate performances from the masters. Musicians of all ages and levels are welcome.
But hurry! There are only a few spots left!
Announcing Vai Academy Schedule & Special Guests
Monsters of Rock Cruise
Talk about rocking the boat! The "Monsters of Rock Cruise" in 2016 features Steve Vai, Tesla, Queensryche, Helloween, Lynch Mob, Vixen, Uli Jon Roth, Gus G & a whole pack of wild monsters! Check out this link for more info & to book your space: http://monstersofrockcruise.com/
Monsters of Rock Cruise
My Roland SDE 3000’s
Hey folks,
In 1985 the Roland company came out with the finest digital delays I believe have ever been made, the SDE 3000. I was 24 at the time and saved to purchase two of them.
This was literally my full rig, with the exception of a few stomp boxes. I came out of the send in the back of the amp and went into the first SDE 3000 and used it mainly for delay. Then the output of that unit went into the input of the second SDE 3000 which I used mainly for stereo chorus. Then the stereo outputs that came out of SDE 3000 number 2 were sent to the return of each amp. This gave me a wide range of various delays and stereo chorusing.
I absolutely loved these units. No other delays seemed to be made with the care and attention to quality as these units. I used them ALL THE TIME. This was my rig through my band days after the release of Flex-Able, and all the way to Passion and Warfare. They were used on virtually every recording I've done up to The Story of Light (my last record). They were in my live guitar rig all through Alcatrazz, Roth and Whitesnake and beyond and can be heard on all those records.
Some months ago I had a meeting with Roland about some gear ideas and I met a gentlemen, Mr. Yoshihiro Ikegami. He is posing with me in the photo below.
I immediately took a liking to this soft spoken man and then half way through the meeting I was told that he was the inventor and builder of the original SDE 3000.
Well, you can imagine my surprise and delight to finally meet the man that created the gear that was my signature sound for all those years. It made me love the gear even more.
Just the other day I came across those two SDE’s that I purchased 30 years ago and they lit me up again. And then a thought crossed my mind. It was more of an inspiration.
I had another meeting with Roland scheduled for earlier this week and Mr. Ikegami came to my home. When he left I presented him with my original SDE 3000’s.
I just thought, how appropriate would it be for the guy who made these units, to own my original ones. It’s sort of a thank you for making them in the first place.
In this photo I’m presenting them to him.
And once again, Thanks Yoshi.
Steve Vai.
We dug trough our photo library and found a number of images that show these units in various settings.
This rack is from the Alcatrazz US en Japan tour:
Later on the units got built into a proper rack, along with a Lexicon PCM60 digital reverb, a 6-channel mixer and a Mutron Bi-Phase pedal.
This particular rack below was used during the 1988 David Lee Roth & 1990 Whitesnake world tours. From top to bottom, it includes a Furman PL-8 power conditioner, a Roland SDE-3000 digital delay, 2 Yamaha D1500 digital delays, Yamaha SPX90 multieffects, Ibanez SDR1000 digital reverb unit, Eventide H969 Harmonizer (changed to WOMANIZER as a joke), Eventide H3000S, a Lexicon PCM70 digital reverb, P/SSAC mixer, Drawmer Dual Gates noise reduction unit, an Alesis Data Disc, Eventide H3000, and a Bradshaw switching system.
Here you can see both units used in the Sex & Religion Tour rack. Much simpler than the racks Steve used with David Lee Roth and Whitesnake, this rig included an Eventide H4000 Harmonizer, a Digitech DHP-55 Harmonizer, the rackmount custom Rack Of Wham by Digitech, 2 SDE-3000 delays, and a Custom Audio preamp. The roll-out shelf (on the right) contains a BOSS DS-2 Turbo Overdrive pedal, a Mutron III autowah, and an MXR Phase 90 pedal.
Below is the Fire Garden and G3 1996 tour rack, It includes a Furman PL-8 power unit, an Eventide H3000S Ultra Harmonizer, 2 Roland SDE 3000 delays, a Digitech DHP-55 harmonizer, and the Digitech Rack Of Wham. The roll-out drawer in the bottom held a Sobbat Glow-Vibe churus unit, an MXR Phase 100 pedal, and a Digital Music Corp 8-channel switching systeml.
Below we have the rig as used during the 1999 Ultrazone tour. This very simple rack contains a Furman PL-8 power unit, an Eventide H4000 harmonizer, one of the Roland SDE-3000 units, a TC Electronic G-Force, a custom wireless unit, the Rack Of Wham and a CAE switcher.
And finally one of the units located in the Mothership Studio Rack. This picture was taken during the early stages of the recording sessions for Real Illusions: Reflections. .
My Roland SDE 3000’s
Les Paul 100th Anniversary
Steve will be performing at (the sold out) Les Paul 100th Anniversary Celebration tonight in New York City. The event will feature Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes, Steve Miller, Neal Schon, Johnny A, Lou Pallo and the Les Paul Trio and Count’s 77 with Ken Dashow as Host. If you're a lucky ticket holder, we'll see you tonight at The Hard Rock Cafe!
Les Paul 100th Anniversary
Canada Alien Guitar Secrets Dates
Good news for our Canadian fans: Steve is doing a short Alien Guitar Secrets Master Class tour early June throughout Canada. The dates are:
STEVE VAI // ALIEN GUITAR SECRETS MASTER CLASSES — CANADA
June 2, 2015 - Vancouver, BC - Vancouver Technical Secondary School
Steve talks about this summer's Vai Academy in this month's issue of Guitar World.
For more information on vai academy, visit www.vaiacademy.com
Guitar World Interview
Alien Guitar Secrets Brazil
Here is a little video message for all you Brazilian fans!
Alien Guitar Secrets Brazil
Alien Guitar Secrets Spain
Here is a little video message for all you Spanish fans!
Alien Guitar Secrets Spain
GuitarHD video, part 3
In part 3/3 of Steve Vai's & GuitarHD's discussion, they discuss the exciting classes that will be taught by Larry DiMarzio (DiMarzio) & Sterling Ball (Ernie Ball) at Vai Academy. In addition to the music masterclasses given by Steve Vai, Eric Johnson & Sonny Landreth- Official, musical instrument industry pioneers, Larry DiMarzio and Sterling Ball, will share the many important factors that translate into making a great guitar. Check out the video & head to www.GuitarHD.com & click on the Vai Academy slider for special pricing options (available until Thursday April 30th).
GuitarHD video, part 3
GuitarHD video, part 2
In this new video, Steve & GuitarHD discuss Vai Academy-- a 4 day, intensive retreat in Vail, Colorado that is (truly) "All About the Guitar!" - There will be masterclasses given by Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Sonny Landreth- Official & discussion workshops with industry pioneers, Larry DiMarzio and Sterling Ball. There will be jams at night, beautiful scenery to take in and delicious food! Check out the video & head to www.GuitarHD.com & click on the Vai Academy slider for special offers that are available until April 30th.
GuitarHD video, part 2
GuitarHD Video Interview
Steve spoke with GuitarHD in the Harmony Hut studio to talk about the new 2DVD/2CD release, "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." This is one of three videos we'll be sharing this week from their in-depth conversation about "Stillness in Motion" & Vai Academy. http://guitarhd.com/
"Stillness in Motion" is now available through Amazon, Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Hastings, Transworld & iTunes! bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
GuitarHD Video Interview
Vai Academy 2015
Vai Academy 2015 is "All About The Guitar!" The 4-day intensive camp features masterclasses from Steve Vai, Eric Johnson & Sonny Landreth with special industry veterans Larry DiMarzio and Sterling Ball to share their knowledge of the physical aspects of the guitar. Visit www.VaiAcademy.com to reserve your space! #VaiAcademy
Vai Academy 2015
Stillness in Motion Interview – Chris Huber
Chris Huber (drum tech extraordinaire, photographer and videographer) talks about his many adventures along "The Story of Light" World Tour. Chris is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. You'll see more of Chris, Steve, the whole band & crew in "The Space Between the Notes" DVD included in “Stillness in Motion - Vai Live in L.A." now available at http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
Stillness in Motion Interview – Chris Huber
Stillness in Motion – Interview Mike Gallun
This week Steve's monitor engineer, Mike Gallun, talks about his adventures on The Story of Light World Tour, arm wrestling Fire Vai and the new CD/DVD “Stillness in Motion - Vai Live in L.A." now available at http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
Stillness in Motion – Interview Mike Gallun
Alien Guitar Secret Masterclasses in Brazil
Steve will be doing 10 special Alien Guitar Secret Masterclasses in Brazil in June & July 2015. Tickets are on sale for the following dates and locations:
JUNE 20, 2015 – OPUS INSTITUTO MUSICAL / RECIFE
Teatro Boa Vista
Rua Dom Bosco, 551 - Boa Vista, Recife
Horário: 19.30
Informações: (55) 81.3034-0122
Link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Opus-Instituto-Musical/1416471311911034
JUNE 21, 2015 – IG&T / SÃO PAULO
Teatro Radio Mix Fm
Rua Vergueiro 1211 – São Paulo/SP
Horário: 19.30
Informações: (55) 11.5012-2777
Link: www.emt.com.br/noticias/?c=20766
JUNE 22, 2015 – IG&T / SÃO PAULO
Teatro Radio Mix Fm
Rua Vergueiro 1211 – São Paulo/SP
Horário: 19.30
Informações: (55) 11.5012-2777
Link: www.emt.com.br/noticias/?c=20766
JUNE 23, 2015 – ESCOLA DE MÚSICA RAFAEL BASTOS / FLORIANÓPOLIS
Teatro Ademir Rosa [CIC]
Av. Governador Irineu Bornhausen 5600, Florianópolis/SC
Início: 20h00
Informações: (55) 48.3025-3868
Link: www.emrb.com.br
JUNE 24, 2015 – INSTITUTO DE MÚSICA AIRTON MANN / CURITIBA
Teatro Positivo Pequeno Auditório
Rua Prof. Pedro Viriato Parigot de Souza,5300 - Campo Comprido, Curitiba – PR
Início:20h
Informações: (55) 41.3027-8179
Link: www.institutoairtonmann.com.br
JUNE 26, 2015 – GTR / BRASÍLIA
Auditório do Colégio La Salle Brasília
SGAS Quadra 906, conjunto E - Brasília, DF
Início:20h
Informações: (55) 61.3245-7140
Link: www.gtr.com.br
JUNE 27, 2015 – ESCOLA DE MÚSICA LUCIANO ALF / RIO DE JANEIRO
Auditório da Igreja Batista Nova Filadelfia
Estrada do Moinho,137 – Campo Grande – Rio de Janeiro -RJ
Início:19h
Informações: (55) 21.2412-0461
Link: www.escolademusicala.com.br
JUNE 28, 2015 – VAM INSTRUMENTOS MUSICAIS / VITORIA
Teatro Universitário da UFES
Av. Fernando Ferrari,514 Goiabeiras - Vitória - ES
Início:17h
Informações: (55) 27.3235-8400
Link: www.vitoriaaudioemusica.com.br
JUNE 30, 2015 – EM BUSINESS / BELO HORIZONTE
Cine Theatro Brasil Vallourec
Praça Sete - Rua dos Carijós, 258 - Centro, Belo Horizonte – MG
Início:20h
Informações: (55) 31.3063-7535
Link: www.compreingressos.com/teatros/477-Cine-Theatro-Brasil-Vallourec
JULY 1, 2015 – PRACATUM ESCOLA DE MÚSICA / SALVADOR
Candyall Guetho Square
Alameda benvento, 113 – Candeal, Salvador/BA
Início:20h
Informações: (55) 71.3276-4255
Link: www.pracatum.org.br
Alien Guitar Secrets is an unprecedented masterclass opportunity offered by Steve Vai to all music students and guitar enthusiasts. This three hour unique experience gives the attendee a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear Steve discuss music theory, guitar technique, the music business, and most importantly, methods to discover and unlock your personal musical identity. It also includes a question and answer session and the opportunity for a few attendees to jam or personally interact with Steve during the class.
Availability is VERY limited for each masterclass – so please be aware that these classes will sell quickly.
Alien Guitar Secret Masterclasses in Brazil
“The Story of Light”
Here is a video that Steve put together for the song “The Story of Light” from the “Stillness In Motion” DVD. This selection opens the “The Space Between the Notes” —a fascinating tour diary & video montage of life on the road with Steve and the band. From Steve, "This is the piece that took the most time and the one I’m most happy with.” -s
“The Story of Light”
Stillness in Motion DVD streaming & live chat
In celebration of the 2DVD/2CD release of "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." today, the entire concert portion of the DVD is streaming for the next 29 hours followed by a live Q&A webchat with Steve Vai tomorrow, Wednesday April 8th at 4 PM PST!!!
Visit bit.ly/SIMConcert to watch the show, order the DVD/CD & bookmark this page for the live webchat on Wednesday!
Wherever you are in the world when you watch this, we think you're going to be blown away with Steve & the band's absolutely explosive performance. If you have a favorite moment, you can tell Steve directly through the webchat tomorrow! #StillnessinMotion
Stillness in Motion DVD streaming & live chat
“Stilness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A.” 2CD/2DVD Release
This spectacular performance recorded October unveils an explosive 49th concert from Vai's monumental Story of Light World Tour, spanning 253 shows in 52 countries. The release marks Vai's return to Sony Music Entertainment and is the first of many releases after signing a multi-album deal with Legacy Records.
In addition to the full Club Nokia performance, the 2DVD configuration of Stillness In Motion includes a bonus disc premiering "The Space Between the Notes (Tour Mischief)," a revelatory video diary comprised of more than three and a half hours of footage, lensed around the world on-stage, off-stage and behind-the-scenes during Vai's epic Story of Light World Tour.
"To say that this tour was a powerful life experience would be like saying the sun is hot," writes Steve Vai in his personal liner notes penned for Stillness In Motion.
“Stilness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A.” 2CD/2DVD Release
GRAMMY Musuem event Monday
A very limited number of tickets are available for Steve's conversation event at The GRAMMY Museum on Monday evening (4/6) in Los Angeles. The topic of the discussion is "Great Guitars" and you won't want to miss this very special event. Ticket price is $20.
For more information and tickets, visit the GRAMMY museum website
GRAMMY Musuem event Monday
Weeping China Doll on Loudwire
Loudwire.com just posted "Weeping China Doll" --a blistering performance from Steve & the band from his upcoming DVD "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." - The 2DVD will be released next Monday (!!!) April 7th!!!! Be among the first to get it through this pre-order link: http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
Weeping China Doll on Loudwire
Fractal Giveaway
In celebration of Steve's upcoming 2DVD release, "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." Fractal Audio & Steve are giving one lucky fan Steve's actual Axe FX II, signed by Steve!!! Head over to the Fractal Audio page and leave a comment in their thread with why you'd like to win. The winner will be announced next week after the live webchat with Steve on Wednesday April 8th! #StillnessinMotion
Fractal Giveaway
Stillness in Motion Streaming
The concert portion of "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." will stream for 48 hours starting Monday 4/6 through a link we will be sharing later this week. The stream will be followed by an interactive Q&A webcam/livestream session with Steve on Wednesday, April 8th at 4 PM PST!
AXS TV will also air portions of the concert on Tuesday 4/7. Stay tuned for full details and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter (below) that gives you access to selections of "The Space Between the Notes," the accompanying DVD that will be released with Stillness in Motion on April 7th, 2015. http://go2w.in/vai
Stillness in Motion Streaming
Stillness in Motion Interview, Fire Vai
This week, Fire Vai, Steve's son & personal tour assistant on The Story of Light World Tour, talks about the the upcoming DVD “Stillness in Motion - Vai Live in L.A." now available for pre-order at http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
Stillness in Motion Interview, Fire Vai
Today’s video preview
In today's special video preview from "The Space Between the Notes," Steve and the band return to the US from tour and ...what happens next? Connect with us and watch today's video and all preview videos to date: http://go2w.in/vai
Today’s video preview
Guitar Player Magazine published “Building The Church” video
Guitar Player Magazine just published an exclusive video of Steve Vai & band performing "Building the Church" from the upcoming DVD "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." - The 2DVD and 2CD will be released April 7, 2015! Pre-order bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
Guitar Player Magazine published “Building The Church” video
VaiAcademy limited offer
Last week of this offer! When you sign up to attend Vai Academy during the month of March, you’ll receive a free BOSS DS-1 Distortion pedal, a TC Electronic Flashback Delay pedal and a Gator Cases powered Gator pedal board! Visit www.VaiAcademy.com to learn about Vai Academy, the intensive 4-day camp hosted by Steve Vai featuring Eric Johnson, Sonny Landreth, & members of the Steve Vai Band. It all takes place August 2-6 in Vail, Colorado. Can’t wait! #VaiAcademy
VaiAcademy limited offer
Latest DVD preview
Get a taste of what it's like to travel the world as a rock guitar legend in today's new video from Steve Vai's latest DVD release. Connect with us and watch the full video: http://go2w.in/vai
Latest DVD preview
Benefit concert for Cliff, with Satriani, Vai and Animals As Leaders
Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have announced a benefit concert in support of their good friend, music-industry veteran Cliff Cultreri.
The show, “A Benefit for Cliff III,” will take place 8 p.m. June 12 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. It will feature performances by Satriani, Vai and Animals As Leaders.
Satriani and Vai have hosted benefit shows for Cultreri in 2006 and 2011.
Reserved tickets start at $45 and are on sale now through ticketmaster.com. A limited number of VIP packages, including a meet-and-greet with Satriani and Vai, also are available. Doors open at 7 p.m.; showtime is 8 p.m
Benefit concert for Cliff, with Satriani, Vai and Animals As Leaders
Stillness in Motion Interview, Thomas Nordegg
This week, Thomas Nordegg, guitar tech extraordinaire and longtime behind-the-scenes magician to Mr. Vai, talks about the "Story of Light” World Tour and the upcoming DVD “Stillness in Motion - Vai Live in L.A. now available for pre-order at http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
Stillness in Motion Interview, Thomas Nordegg
DVD Preview videos
Have you signed up for Steve's special newsletter that gives you exclusive access to video selections from the upcoming DVD!? Today a portion of Leg #2 from "The Space Between the Notes" will be available at http://go2w.in/vai - If you missed Leg #1 yesterday, it is still available on the preview page after signup.
Head to http://go2w.in/vai to view the extended preview!
DVD Preview videos
Facebook chat
Exclusive content below & live chat with Steve today at 4 PM PST!!
A brand new newsletter was created for super fans to get early access to video selections from the accompanying DVD to Steve's April 7th live performance release, "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." The accompanying DVD, "The Space Between the Notes," offers exciting, behind-the-scenes footage from Steve's world tour: http://go2w.in/vai
To kickoff this special newsletter, Steve will be doing a short Q&A in this thread at 4 PM PST today! Simply type a question into the thread below and Steve will answer as many as he can before Pia calls him in for dinner.
Facebook chat
GuitarWorld.com premiere of “Gravity Storm”
Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of "Gravity Storm," a new live video taken from Steve Vai's new 2CD/2DVD, Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A.
The album and DVD, which will be released April 7 through Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings, were recorded October 12, 2012, at LA's Club Nokia. It was the 49th show from Vai's Story of Light World Tour.
Check it out here:
http://www.guitarworld.com/steve-vai-premieres-gravity-storm-video-stillness-motion-live-la-dvd-guitar-world
Pre-order "Stillness in Motion" here: http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
GuitarWorld.com premiere of “Gravity Storm”
Stillness in Motion Interview, Jeremy Colson
This week, master drummer & longtime member of Steve’s band, Jeremy Colson, talks about the "Story of Light” World Tour and the upcoming DVD “Stillness in Motion - Vai Live in L.A. now available for pre-order at http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
Stillness in Motion Interview, Jeremy Colson
Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclasses in Spain
Steve will be doing two special Alien Guitar Secret Masterclasses in Mallorca & Barcelona Spain in May. Tickets are on sale for the following dates and locations:
May 18, 2015 - Mallorca, Spain - Sala Es Gremi
May 25, 2015 - Barcelona, Spain - Teatro Barts
www.bit.ly/SpainAGS
Alien Guitar Secrets is an unprecedented masterclass opportunity offered by Steve Vai to all music students and guitar enthusiasts. This three hour unique experience gives the attendee a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear Steve discuss music theory, guitar technique, the music business, and most importantly, methods to discover and unlock your personal musical identity. It also includes a question and answer session and the opportunity for a few attendees to jam or personally interact with Steve during the class.
Availability is VERY limited for each masterclass – so please be aware that these classes will sell quickly.
Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclasses in Spain
Stillness in Motion Interview, Philip Bynoe
This week, bassist extraordinaire and longtime member of Steve’s band, Philip Bynoe, talks about the "Story of Light” World Tour and the upcoming DVD “Stillness in Motion - Vai Live in L.A. now available for pre-order at http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion - Who here has one of the Vai tattoos seen in the opening sequence of this video?
Stillness in Motion Interview, Philip Bynoe
And here it is…
Today I received the first pressing of “Stillness in Motion” that’s coming out on April 7. Steve Vai is one wildly happy guy! The bonus footage is called ‘The Space Between the Notes’ and is over 3 and a half hours. It’s sort of tour diary that has some footage from every city we visited. I’m very excited for you to enjoy this. The viewer gets to be with us in our trek around this amazing blue globe, and you can get a good snippet of what life on the road, or at least our road, is about. It was a monumental task that took 5-6 months of 10-15 hour days to edit together, but when I finished it and watched it I felt as though it was perhaps the best work I have done to date. Enjoy! s
And here it is…
Stillness in Motion Pre-order on iTunes
The pre-order for Steve's upcoming release, "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." is now available through iTunes along with the first sound snippet of "Velorum" (live) - https://itun.es/us/I-TY5 - The live double disc CD & double disc DVD, featuring exciting behind-the-scenes footage titled, "The Space Between the Notes" from The Story of Light World Tour, will be released April 7, 2015.
Over the next several weeks, members of the Steve Vai band (including Steve, himself) and crew will be sharing their experiences from The Story of Light Tour through exclusive interviews. This week we have longtime member of Steve’s band, guitarist Dave Weiner (official music page), at his studio to talk about the TSOL tour and the upcoming DVD “Stillness in Motion - Vai Live in L.A. now available for pre-order at http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion
Stillness in Motion, Interviews
Vai headlining Guitar Town Festival 9 August
Just announced! Steve will be headlining the "Electric Day" of the FREE Guitar Town Festival at Copper Mountain, Colorado on August 9, 2015, just days after Vai Academy wraps in neighboring town, Vail, Colorado!! Steve will be joined by Robben Ford Music, Sonny Landreth- Official, John Jorgenson and Mark Selby. Following Vai's performance, the 5 lords of mesmerizing guitar will perform in an All-Star Jam! The audience will also be treated to a special Q&A workshop that same morning (August 9). For more information, visit http://www.villageatcopper.com/guitarTown
Vai headlining Guitar Town Festival 9 August
Stillness in Motion Preview
Check out the first official trailer of Steve's upcoming double disc DVD "Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A." In addition to the full Club Nokia performance, the 2DVD configuration of Stillness In Motion includes a bonus disc premiering “The Space Between the Notes (Tour Mischief),” a revelatory video diary comprised of more than three and a half hours of footage, lensed around the world on-stage, off-stage and behind-the-scenes during Vai’s epic Story of Light World Tour. Pre-order: http://bit.ly/VaiStillnessinMotion - Available April 7, 2015!
Stillness in Motion Preview
“Stillness In Motion” DVD and CD Release for April 7, 2015
Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings have signed virtuoso guitarist/composer/pro- ducer Steve Vai to a new multi-album agreement which includes plans to issue two fresh Vai sets in 2015 beginning with the release of Stillness In Motion - Vai Live in L.A. on April 7, 2015.
Vai's first release under the new SONY/Legacy agreement will be Stillness In Motion - Vai Live in L.A., a spectacular performance recorded October 12, 2012 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. Available in 2CD and 2DVD configurations, Stillness In Motion revisits the 49th concert from Vai's monumental Story of Light World Tour.
Running from 2012 through 2014, The Story of Light World Tour totaled out at 253 engagements (including shows, master classes and concerts with various orchestras) in 52 countries.
In addition to the full Club Nokia performance, the 2DVD configuration of Stillness In Motion includes a bonus disc premiering "The Space Between the Notes (Tour Mischief)," a revelatory video diary comprised of more than three and a half hours of footage, lensed around the world on-stage, off-stage and behind-the-scenes during Vai's epic Story of Light World Tour.
"To say that this tour was a powerful life experience would be like saying the sun is hot," writes Steve Vai in his personal liner notes penned for Stillness In Motion.
Following Stillness In Motion, SONY/Legacy will release an album of new Steve Vai material, marking a significant next chapter in the musician's growing canon.
The new multi-album deal marks an SME homecoming for Vai, who set the gold and platinum standard for rock instrumental music across a series of albums released through Relativity and Epic Records from 1990's game-changing Passion and Warfare (his 2nd album and 1st major label release) through 2007's orchestral Sound Theories, Vol. I & II.
Vai will be hosting his second Vai Academy — the ultimate guitar experience — August 2-6, in beautiful Vail, Colorado, at The Arrabelle at Vail Square. With the theme All About The Guitar set for this year, attendees will spend four days and nights discovering the intricacies of the guitar while enjoying once-in-a-lifetime clinics, workshops and jams from the likes of Vai and his handpicked guest instructors, including special guests Eric Johnson and Sonny Landreth. Musi- cians of all ages and levels are welcome. For more information, visit: www.vaiacademy.com. Closing out the week of Vai Academy, Vai will headline Electric Day at Guitar Town on August 9 in Copper Mountain, Colorado, at The Village at Copper. The free annual festival will also in- clude performances that weekend by Eric Johnson, Robben Ford, Sonny Landreth, John Jorgen- son and Andy McKee, among others. For more information: www.villageatcopper.com/guitar- Town/About Steve Vai
Steve Vai, age 12, picked up the guitar in 1973 and started taking lessons from Joe Satriani (an- other future guitar hero) shortly after. He soaked up influences ranging from Jeff Beck and Jim- my Page to Jimi Hendrix and Brian May and by the end of the 1970s, was transcribing guitar parts for Frank Zappa. He became a full member of Zappa's band in 1980.
Rapidly becoming one of the most in-demand, versatile, eloquent and soulful sidemen in the business, Vai recorded with Alcatrazz, Whitesnake, David Lee Roth and Public Image Ltd.
He launched his solo career with the release of Flex-Able, a homemade indie album, in 1984. Since 1990, he has recorded and released eight studio albums, eight live albums, two EPs, 12 soundtracks, 20 compilation albums, seven videos and more. Steve Vai has earned 15 Grammy nominations and has won three Grammy Awards and appeared as a guest artist on more than 40 albums, playing with artists like Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Gregg Bissonnett and Joe Jack- son, among others.
Stillness In Motion - Vai Live in L.A.
Recorded Live at Club Nokia in Los Angeles on October 12, 2012 Produced by Steve Vai
2 CD EditionDisc 1
1. Intro/Racing the World
2. Velorum
3. Band Intros
4. Building the Church
5. Tender Surrender
6. Gravity Storm
7. Weeping China Doll
8. John the Revelator
9. The Moon and I
10. The Animal
11. Whispering a Prayer
Disc 2
1. The Audience Is Listening
2. Rescue Me or Bury Me
3. Sisters
4. Treasure Island
5. Salamanders In the Sun
6. Pusa Road
7. Frank
8. The Ultra Zone (CD Version)
9. Build Me a Song L.A.
10. For The Love of God
11. Taurus Bulba
2 DVD EditionDisc 1
1. Intro/Racing the World
2. Velorum
3. Band Intros
4. Building the Church
5. Tender Surrender
6. Gravity Storm
7. The Trillium’s Launch
8. Weeping China Doll
9. John the Revelator
10. The Moon and I
11. The Animal
12. Whispering a Prayer
13. The Audience Is Listening 14. Where Are We
15. Rescue Me or Bury Me
16. Sisters
17. Treasure Island
18. Beastly Rap
19. Salamanders In the Sun
20. Pusa Road
21. Earthquake Sky, Drum Solo 22. I’m Tired
23. The Ultra Zone
24. Frank
Disc 2
1. Build Me a Song L.A.
2. For the Love of God
3. Taurus Bulba
Story of Light Tour: The Space Between the Notes (Tour Mischief)
4. Leg 1 (Rehearsals/USA)
5. Leg 2 (Europe/Eastern Europe)
6. Leg 3 (Vegas/Netherlands/Russia/Ukraine/Europe)
7. Leg 4 (Australia/NZ/Indonesia/China/S. Korea/Japan/Taiwan/Thailand) 8. Leg 5 (Europe...again)
9. Leg 6 (USA...again)
10. Leg 7 (Mexico/South America/China)
11. Leg 8 (Vegas/Singapore/Malaysia/Israel/Europe/Russia/Ukraine) 12. Leg 9 (USA/St. Barths/Japan/France/Poland)
“Stillness In Motion” DVD and CD Release for April 7, 2015
All About Flo
Please enjoy our new feature about Steve's iconic Flo guitar, All About Flo:
All About Flo
Vaiacedemy 2015
Just announced! Vai Academy 2015 - All About the Guitar, the ultimate guitar experience music camp hosted by Steve Vai, will be held in Vail, Colorado August 2-6, 2015! The immersive 4-day experience features master classes by Steve, and very special guests Eric Johnson & Sonny Landreth! This is a hands-on education in all things guitar, featuring informative sessions, evening jams with the students/teachers, informal chats, food and friends. For complete information, to reserve your spot and read a personal message from Steve, visit www.VaiAcademy.com
Vaiacedemy 2015
Musicians Institue Conversation Series Part 2
Joining MI for a conversation, legendary guitar great, Steve Vai, discusses touring, what he looks for in bandmates, composing for orchestras and playing with Zappa back in the day.
Here is part 2!
Musicians Institue Conversation Series Part 2
Frost Blue Jem
Today we take a closer look to the Frost Blue Jem, which has been featured in many of Steve's recent promotional photos.
This prototype guitar was ordered by Steve along with the Sea Foam Green Jem in order to choose a potential production model for the Ibanez Premium Series. This color was not chosen, rather the Sea Foam Green Jem made it to production. The Premium Jem has most of the original Jem's features, but at a lower price point.
It's specs are:
Basswood body
Maple Neck with Maple Fretboard
Dimarzio Evolutions
Ibanez Edge tremolo
Perloid pickguard
Frost Blue Painjob
Stay tuned for our next installment in which we will showcase another very rare Jem.
[foogallery id="21436"]
Frost Blue Jem
Musicians Institue Conversation Series Part 1
Joining MI for a conversation, legendary guitar great, Steve Vai, discusses touring, what he looks for in bandmates, composing for orchestras and playing with Zappa back in the day.
Part 1.
Part 2 will be online next week.
Musicians Institue Conversation Series Part 1
Thomas (Samoht), the New & Updated Ultra Jem
Yesterday, Steve named his latest addition to his already massive guitar collection. The guitar, which is the natural evolution to the "Ultra Jem" which Steve used in the early 2000's, is probably the most technically advanced guitar ever created.
Steve named the guitar "Thomas", in honor of Thomas Nordegg, Steve's long time guitar technician and the creative brain behind this particular guitar.
The specs-list for this guitar is nothing short of mind-blowing:
The guitar is modeled to the exact specs of Steve's "Flo" with the following additions:
Steinberger Gearless Tuners
Wilkinson Jeff Beck Nut
Fernandes FSK-401 sustainer
Line 6 GR-30 Relay Wireless
Blue Led fret markers by Martin Sims UK.
Scalloped frets 20-24
Kill Switch
ATG Auto Tune for guitar Version 3.0
Dunlop Counter sunk straplocks
Linear Tremolo System by Don Ramsay
Ibanez Carbon Fiber Whammy Bar
No Monkey Grip, due to the needed real-estate for all on-board electronics.
Steve received the first iteration of this guitar on January 27th, 2014. It was named Thomas on January 13, 2015. A year later, the name changed to Samoht
[foogallery id="21410"]
Thomas (Samoht), the New & Updated Ultra Jem
Opening of the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony Hall
For the final "Story of Light" tour date, Steve was sought out to perform his original orchestral compositions at the Grand Opening of the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony Hall in Poland. It was truly a magical evening with the 72 piece orchestra and Steve showcasing a range of imaginative music, ranging from absolutely monstrous to perfectly subtle and delicate. Check out the video by Patrick Corell below and the setlist.
"SOUND THEORIES" SET LIST
Without Steve:
1. Frangelica Pt. I: 3:04
With Steve:
2. Racing the World: 3:45
3. The Murder: 7:56
4. Velorum: 6:11
5. Gentle Ways: 5:48
6. Answers: 5:44
7. Whispering Prayer: 8:00
8. The Attitude Song: 4:37
9. I'm Becoming: 2:20
10. Salamanders in the Sun: 5:05
11. The Crying Machine: 5:00
12. Lotus Feet: 8:45
13. Bangkok: 2:47
14. The Fire Garden Suite: 10:00
Encore
1. Liberty: 2:00
2. For the Love of God: 9:36
Opening of the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony Hall
The Musicians Institute in Hollywood will be hosting “A Night With Steve Vai” as part of its MI Conversation Series next Thursday 12/11 and we have 5 pairs of tickets to give away!!! Want to go? Leave a comment on the Vai.com forum sharing why you'd like to attend and what you hope to learn. Event is closed to the public. #VaiAtMI
Musicians Institute Conversation Series
Paul Revere Award for Graphic Excellence for Hal Leonard Books
Several of Steve’s manuscript folios have won the “Paul Revere Award for Graphic Excellence” — an award given by The Music Publishers Association to outstanding examples of graphic design from a publisher for their efforts in creating art for the music industry. This year, Steve & publisher Hal Leonard's manuscript for “The Story of Light” joins “Alive in An Ultra World”, “Flex-able Leftovers” and “The Ultra Zone.
You can get the books here:
Paul Revere Award for Graphic Excellence for Hal Leonard Books
Vai Signed BOSS DD-7 giveaway
Win a BOSS DD-7 Digital Delay autographed by Steve Vai and $1,000 in BOSS Gear!
ENTER the Big BOSS Giveaway via facebook!
Vai Signed BOSS DD-7 giveaway
Steve & Van Gogh
Van Gogh's "Two Poplars on a Road Through the Hills", currently on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Van Gogh to Kandinsky Exhibition.
Steve & Van Gogh
Steve & Pia on holiday in St. Barths
Steve & Pia on holiday in St. Barths
Steve in Japan
Steve in Japan
Steve and Uli John Roth at the Guitare En Scene Festival
Taken shortly before the Jam, which featured Uli John Roth, Steve Morse, Eric Sardinas and Steve Vai.
Steve and Uli John Roth at the Guitare En Scene Festival
MusiciansFriend & BOSS Webinar TODAY
Watch Steve Vai explain pedal order tips TODAY at noon PT!
Hey Folks, Steve Vai here, I just returned from the "Vai Academy Song Evolution Camp” and I have to say that it was an exceptional 4 days that blew apart any expectations I could have had for it. As I write this It’s the morning after and I’m gazing out of a little airplane window while flying above the clouds and basking in that exquisite satisfaction that can only be derived from the feeling of deep gratitude. To be able to actually spend some quality time with the same group of folks and get to feel their energy was in the immortal words of Thomas Nordegg, “beyond beyond”. In the future when I’m asked the question “what was one of the most memorable moments in your career?" (and when I’m doing press that question can come up 3 times a day), I now have a clear answer. It was the time I was able to spend 4 days with the same group of 155 guitar fans, jam with every one of them, write and record a song with them, hear their thoughts, share some insights, and get to be part of a collective event that was powerfully uplifting on so many levels. My sincere thanks also go out to my guitar brothers in arms Guthrie Govan, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Vernon Reid for so bountifully sharing their insight and special musical gifts with all who attended, and to all the exceptional and experienced teacher who contributed their time in bringing to the attendees vital info on creating, protecting, distributing and marketing their music. Keep checking vai.com for the release of the song we recorded at the camp. It turned out quite nice. And If you were there and you are reading this I can’t thank you enough for coming to this event and for bringing your enthusiasm and generous attention. I have a mental snapshot of everyone of you from your eyes inward and as your images run through my mind right now, that most profoundly fine vibration of gratitude rings sweeter. Til next time, Peace, Love and Good Happiness Stuff s
Vai Academy
Live broadcast Japan Only
Special announcement for Japan residents: Steve's performance at Billboard Live will be broadcast on FUJI TV's "NEXT" channel tonight at 7 PM (Tokyo time) and will also be available as a pay-per-view via the channel's website. You won't want to miss this special TV event!
Live broadcast Japan Only
Musicians Friend Webinar featuring Steve Vai
Steve will be doing a Musician's Friend live webinar -- PERFECT PEDAL ORDER -- as part of the Musician's Friend Webinar Series on July 16 at Noon PDT. The topic is: "How to order your pedals to get the sound you want."
Sign up for the webinar via the Musicians Friend website.
Musicians Friend Webinar featuring Steve Vai
Vai Academy 2014
Here are some pictures from the first few days of the Vai Academy. Photos by Jason Henke from Vector.
[foogallery id="21402"]
Vai Academy 2014
Update from the hive
Hey folks,Many of you know that I’m a hobby bee keeper. It’s a simple and very rewarding hobby. The bees do all the work! Whenever I am working with the bees it’s a closeness to nature that is rejuvenating and inspiring. Many of you may know about the rapid decline of honeybees but may not know of the potential impact it can have on our economy and quality of life. Below is an article my friend sent me that illustrates the concern the government is having on the mysterious rapid decline of honey bees. More and more people in California are taking up beekeeping as a hobby. As a matter of fact we have seen bee keeping supplies available in William Sonoma, a popular store that sells cookware and other household items. I would not necessarily consider myself an activist. I always felt that example is the best way to inspire and encourage people. But I would like to say that I have found a great thrill and joy in keeping bees and I highly recommend it as a hobby. They are unbelievably fascinating and beautiful little creatures. They are like flying diamonds that give a gift of liquid gold and who’s buzz resonates the soul. They are also vital to a particular quality of life we enjoy. They are extraordinary living creatures, just like you!s
Subject: Reuters: White House announces strategy to save the honeybees
White House announces strategy to save the honeybees
The rapid decline of honeybees and other pollinators poses a serious problem for US food production, say administration officials
By Ros Krasny
JUNE 20, 2014
WASHINGTON
The White House on Friday announced a federal strategy to reverse a rapid decline in the number of honey bees and other pollinators in the United States that poses a threat to billions of dollars in crops.
In recent years, bees have died at a rate the U.S. government says is economically unsustainable. Honey bees pollinate plants that produce about a quarter of the food consumed by Americans, including apples, lemons, broccoli, avocados and carrots.
Crops such as almonds, California's second most valuable agriculture commodity, are almost exclusively pollinated by honey bees.
"Honey bee pollination alone adds more than $15 billion in value to agricultural crops each year in the United States," the White House said in a statement.
The contribution of native wild pollinators such as bumble bees were valued at $9 billion in 2009.
In May, an annual report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the "Bee Informed Partnership," an industry group, estimated total losses of managed honey bee colonies at 23 percent over the winter of 2013-14, the latest in a series of annual declines.
Numbers of monarch butterflies, another pollinator, have slumped as well.
"The problem is serious, and poses a significant challenge that needs to be addressed to ensure the sustainability of our food production systems," the White House said.
The recent loss of honey bee colonies is thought to be caused by factors including a loss of natural forage and inadequate diets, mite infestations and diseases, loss of genetic diversity, and exposure to certain pesticides.
Bees have also been subject to a condition called colony collapse disorder (CCD) in which there is a rapid, unexpected and catastrophic loss of bees in a hive.
President Barack Obama directed federal agencies to use research, land management, education and public/private partnerships to advance honey bee and other pollinator health and habitats.
But the environmental group Friends of the Earth said the beekeeper in chief should have taken action against neonicotinoids, a class of pesticides chemically similar to nicotine that has been linked to bee deaths.
"The administration should prevent the release and use of these toxic pesticides until determined safe," said Friends of the Earth president Erich Pica.
The upscale grocery chain Whole Foods Markets in 2013 launched a campaign to support protection of bees. It distributed photographs of the denuded store shelves possible if bees were to disappear.
Under Obama's plan the Environmental Protection Agency and USDA will lead a multi-agency task force to develop a pollinator health strategy and action plan within six months.
As part of the plan, the USDA announced $8 million in funding for farmers and ranchers in five states who establish new habitats for honey bee populations.
The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign has declared June 16-22 "pollinator week" in the United States.
Obama's move, the group said, "is the result of a nearly 20-year campaign to increase awareness and all action for pollinators."
(Additional reporting by Carey Gillam in Kansas City; Editing by Richard Chang and David Gregorio)
Obama launches efforts to save honey bees
Update from the hive
Vai Academy Scholarship Winner
Congratulations to Brendon Skooter Sloan upon being selected to receive a scholarship to Vai Academy next week in NY! In response to our question, "what does music mean to you and what do you hope to learn at the very first Vai Academy?" Brendon offered the quotation below.
If you're interested in attending Vai Academy, there are an extremely limited number of seats left. Visit www.VaiAcademy.com to order tickets and reserve your place. See you there.
Vai Academy Scholarship Winner
Evo packages for Japan
There are limited EVO packages available for a few of the upcoming Japan shows.
Check out the tourdates page for details and ordering.
Evo packages for Japan
Vai Academy Giveaway
Want to attend Vai Academy next week... for free?! Leave us a comment on Steve's Official Facebook Page about "what music means to you and what you hope to learn at the very first Vai Academy" and one lucky commenter will be selected to attend the camp for free! Please note, this giveaway does not include travel expenses. Good luck!
Vai Academy Giveaway
Son of Alien Guitar Secrets, Part II
Remember to tune in today at 15:00 PDT (midnight Amsterdam time) via www.radio6.nl/live to hear the second part of "Son of Alien Guitar Secrets". This radio broadcast by Co de Kloet contains recordings of Steve's Master Class in Utrecht recently. And while you are listening, join us in the www.vai.com chatroom (via the forums).
Son of Alien Guitar Secrets, Part II
Steve’s comments for Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page was recently awarded an an honorary doctorate at Berklee College of Music. Steve was asked to write something to be read while Page received the honor.
Below you can see the video of the ceremony. Steve's message about Jimmy Page appears at 1 minute 58 seconds into the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2FKntLKEEY
Steve’s comments for Jimmy Page
Happy Birthday Steve!
Today is Steve's Birthday!!
Feel free to wish him a happy birthday in this special birthday thread on the forums. Steve loves to read your messages!
Happy Birthday Steve!
Steve Vai Masterclass radio broadcast today
Just a reminder to tune in today at www.radio6.nl/live at 10 PM Netherlands time (13:00 PDT) for the Co & Mijke Live show. At midnight (15:00 PDT), the first of two Steve Vai specials will be aired and streamed. Join us in the vai.com chatroom (via the forums).
Steve Vai Masterclass radio broadcast today
Steve Vai on Groundbreaking Tour
GUITAR VIRTUOSO STEVE VAI ROCKS RUSSIA & KIEV, UKRAINE ON GROUNDBREAKING TOUR DESPITE POLITICAL UNREST
“Music does not follow the rules of boundaries and borders. It flows with undiscriminating freedom into all open ears. It’s one of the things in the world that all people, regardless of where they are from or what they believe in, can enjoy if the music resonates with them. To survive as a species we will eventually need to understand the necessity for unity. Music can act as an elusive yet potent unifying inspiration.” -SteveVai
In the midst of social and economic turmoil, Steve Vai’s live performances this April in 11 cities throughout Russia and in Kiev, Ukraine, marked the most consecutive shows any guitar player has ever played before in Russia. Despite worldwide speculation of a new cold war, and numerous other artists canceling their shows, Vai focused on the music and pressed ahead with the tour, going the extra mile to bring his iconic guitar playing to his Russian and Ukrainian fans. Of the many international artists that had planned tours of the Ukraine, Vai’s concert in Kiev was the only international show to be performed as planned and not cancelled in the Ukraine over the course of the past month.
Once wrapped in Russia and the Ukraine, The Story of Light Tour2014 continued in Wroclaw, Poland; Helsinki, Finland; Bratislava, Slovakia; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Uden, The Netherlands. During the groundbreaking tour, Vai and his band played in front of thousands of fans in 10 different time zones. The tour covered over 28,000 kilometers in 31 days by plane, train, and car, including over 5,000 kilometers on the ground and over 3,000 kilometers on Trans Siberian Railways, 19 different flights (spending more than 100 hours at airports) and 21 different hotels. The international traveling party was made up of five United States citizens, one Austrian citizen, one Bosnia & Herzegovina citizen, and five Ukrainian citizens who were represented on the tour in Russia. In Wroclow, Poland, at the “Thanks Jim Festival” where 7,345 people simultaneously played their guitars, breaking the world record for the amount of people playing “Hey Joe” on guitar at the same time and the same place, Vai was there to take center stage.
(more…)
Steve Vai on Groundbreaking Tour
End of the Story of Light Tour
Hello dear ones.
To say that this last tour was a powerful life experience would be like saying the sun is hot. Since we kicked off the Story of Light tour, between shows, Master classes, orchestra concerts etc, in support of this record we have performed 226 engagements. That's a lot of notes.I made this tour exceptionally long because I wanted to spend a lot of time on stage with the band and use it as an opportunity to delve deeper into each note. The secret is in relaxing. Relaxing the inner body and the mind movement. This actually allows more control and the more relaxed and aware I became the more graceful the movements and the more inspired the flow of the music. The trick was to hold it as long as possible. As the tour went on my ability to enter that trance-like state of hyper awareness deepened. I also noticed that there is no end to how close you can get to the note. Towards the end of the tour I was starting to become aware of the totality of the experience in the moment of the performance. The totality included my connection with the notes, every sound the band was making along with their energy, the stage, the space in the entire room and every person in it. I noticed the only way to achieve this was by having no thoughts, just observing with every sense perception hyper alive. It was hard to hold this state as it's elusive nature vanished when any thought would arise. I'm looking very forward to the next tour to pick up where I left off here.I have to say that as a band we grew tighter and tighter too, not only musically but personally. That's almost 2 years of touring hard together and we came out of it closer than when we went in, not to mention we were laughing virtually 90% of the time.I was especially fortunate to have my son Fire on tour with me for a lot of it as an assistant. Actually his duties morphed into a tremendous crossover of responsibilities and he delivered like a champ. It was a life experience. We did everything together. Hung out, walked through dark streets in exotic locations, ate in little bistros and played together on "For the Love of God" when he would take to the sitar.It was also so nice to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. Some of you have been to many shows and it's always a treat to see you and feel your energy.As I'm writing this I'm on a plane to Moscow to perform in Kaluga Russia with the Moscow Symphony an evening of "Sound Theories" music, then it's off to Colorado where I will be playing a special concert entitled "From Stravinsky to Vai". I don't know how that happened but there it is. In regards to my music that night we will be performing orchestrations of "Racing the World, The Attitude Song, Frangelica parts 1&2, The Still Small Voice, Bangkok, the entire Fire Garden Suite and "For the Love of God". "The Still Small Voice" is my newest orchestra composition where I play one note for 17 minutes as the orchestra weaves myriad tapestries of sound around it.The next thing you will see on the horizon is the Vai Camp, Japan tour, Geneva festival, finishing of the CD and DVD of the show we filmed at the Nokia Theatre in LA and then when the smoke clears and I'm home in October I will clear the boards and start working on a record that I have been wanting to make for many years. Remember how I use to say that I don't feel that I have made a record that fully encompasses my potential on the guitar? Well, this one will. I've been challenging you all with records that have tremendous diversity on them. Well I'm ready for a totally instrumental, stripped down, guitar record.I'm frothing just thinking about it. Will keep you posted.much love to you all. S
Here are some final pictures and videos for you to enjoy :
[foogallery id="21385"]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iA2FbeO0H4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-que9wSCOlg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TMBw7iJNd4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPvYA8qvMas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUEBS6MRfDc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToximGGHlN0
End of the Story of Light Tour
Steve on The Steve Gorman SPORTS! Radio
If you missed Steve on "The Steve Gorman SPORTS!" radio show this afternoon, you can listen back here.
Steve on The Steve Gorman SPORTS! Radio
Steve on Steve Gorman SPORTS! Today
Steve will be live on the radio today with Black Crowes' drummer and sports radio personality, Steve Gorman at 1:15 Pacific Time for "Steve Gorman SPORTS!." To listen live, visit www.foxsportsradio.com and click "listen now" in the top left of the page.
Steve on Steve Gorman SPORTS! Today
Gravity Storm Filmed With Lipstick Camera
Check out this full take of Gravity Storm as filmed on a lipstick camera mounted on the headstock of Steve’s guitar.
Obviously the sound quality of the camera is not good but we wanted to offer the visual performance of this piece from a totally different perspective than usual and the lipstick camera audio is all we have. We believe you will ‘get the picture’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y_THFVvXKw&feature=youtu.be
Great photo from Brat of the band and Ukrainian crew. This was at the last full show on the Story of Light tour.
1. Jeremy Colson
2. Brat Vukovich
3. Fire Vai
4. Dave Weiner
5. Thomas Nordegg
6. Maksym Nabokov
7. Ievgen Pylypenko
8. Steve Vai
9. Denys Lev
10. Philip Bynoe
11. Dmytro Nuzhnyi
12. Erland Syvolapov
The Crew & Band at the last show.
Update From The Road: Poland and Siberia
Hey folks,We had the good fortune to have a stop on our tour in Wroclaw Poland. This city is a secret jewel. It’s historic architecture, lush botanical gardens and rich culture has made it one of my very look forward to cities when touring. This year we performed at the “Thanks Jimi” festival and I was able to take part in breaking the World Record for the most guitar players to play "Hey Joe”. Haaaa, What will they think of next. It was a blast and here are some vids and photos. That night we played at the festival along with Michael Angelo Batio, Uriah Heep (one of my favorite bands as a teenager) and Eric Burden and the Animals. There is a beautiful park across from the hotel that I was walking through and the folks there were all getting ready for the concert with their guitars.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q7vDiJBtt8
Hey Folks Every now and then, perhaps I would even say once in a blue moon, (and a blue moon is very rare) I come across a guitar talent that is truly stimulating to me. This young Italian guy Daniele Gottardo is one of those people. His technique is stunning but his choice of notes and the harmonic/melodic atmospheres he creates have unique qualities to them. For me his music has a way to scratch an itch that’s very hard to reach. s
On Facebook: DANIELE GOTTARDO
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/DanieleG
Danielle Gottardo
Photo’s from Sylmar, 1984
These are from around 1984 and were shot by Marco Llanos.This was when we were living in Sylmar and I was working out of my Stucco Blue Studio after the Zappa tours and before the Roth thing.During the Flex-Able period. Life seemed so simple. Almost as simple as it is now.
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Photo’s from Sylmar, 1984
Steve appears in “The Amazing You” movie
Steve appears in a new film called "The Amazing You"- a journey to personal success and fulfillment. The movie features some of the most inspiring leaders and visionaries of our world today; Steve, visionaries at NASA, Stanford, New York Times best selling author Peter Vesterbacka & leaders from successful companies all share insights on their journeys.
Check out the trailer below. The movie is produced and offered by Success Engineering Corporation and is available in its entirety at www.TheAmazingMovie.com
Steve appears in “The Amazing You” movie
GuitarMania.eu interview with Steve in Vienna
GuitarMania is an online fanzine for guitarists and bass players. The fanzine is based in Vienna, Austria, and focuses on national and international musicians of all genres. They recently filmed an interview with Steve while he was in Vienna. You can visit GuitarMania at www.guitarmania.eu and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/guitarmania
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcKO10tn9EY
GuitarMania.eu interview with Steve in Vienna
Update from the road: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur
Pictures by Ferdie ArQuero
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Update from the road: Singapore, Kuala Lumpur
Update from the road: Tel-Aviv, Berlin, Vienna, Warsaw
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Update from the road: Tel-Aviv, Berlin, Vienna, Warsaw
New Release Ocean Way Microphone Locker
The Ocean Way app, an indispensable tool that showcases a virtual microphone library with real world use-case scenarios, has just gotten a thorough update for iOS 7! The app was created by Allen Sides and Steve Vai and features microphones from the legendary Ocean Way and Record One recording studios (Sinatra, Green Day, Clapton etc). Want to know what a Neumann u87 sounds like on a guitar cab vs an SM57? This app showcases the intricacies for various mics to help you make a decision in the studio or at home. Visit this link to download the Ocean Way app or simply update your previously downloaded app on your iOS device's App Store.
The updates included:
- Redesigned the user interface for iOS 7
- Improved performance for a faster, smoother user experience
- Added support for an enhanced experience on 64-bit devices
New Release Ocean Way Microphone Locker
Greetings from Israel!
Greetings from Israel!
Vai Academy Free Ibanez Guitar Reminder
Just a reminder:
If you're thinking about attending Vai Academy, the incredible hands-on 4 day camp with Steve Vai, Guthrie Govan, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter & Vernon Reid June 23-27, here's a little extra perk: All attendees will get a free Ibanez guitar when they sign up for Vai Academy by March 31, 2014! Visit http://www.vaiacademy.com/ for full details. Thanks Ibanez Guitars!
Vai Academy Free Ibanez Guitar Reminder
Pics from the road…
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Pics from the road…
2014 Story of Light Tour Kick-off
Get ready Steve Vai fans in Singapore, Malaysia, Israel, Germany*, Austria*, Poland*, Russia, Ukraine, Finland, Slovakia & **Denver (yes Denver, Colorado) as Steve and his powerhouse band kick-off the eagerly anticipated Spring 2014 Story of Light Tour! Their first show is tonight in Singapore, feel free to wish them luck in this thread! Tickets and special EVO packages are available at http://www.vai.com/tourdates/ See you on the road!
(*Ibanez Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclass, **Denver, CO Steve appears with The Colorado Symphony for "Stravinsky to Vai" 2014).
http://youtu.be/35rqLEBR5hU
We are looking for beta testers to try out the new Vai360° App for Android as we near the official release. If you would like to be considered, please send an email to support@mativision.com with Subject: "Android Vai360" and please include the following information in the body of the email:
1. Your Android device make and model (eg. LG Nexus 5)
2. The Android version (eg. Android 4.4.2 -found in your phone settings under "About")
3. Your Google Play Store connected email (this will be used only to enable your account for testing and for communication with our developer team).
Thank you. For Apple iOS, the Vai360° app is currently available at http://www.smarturl.it/Vai360
Vai360 App Android Beta testers wanted
Vai360 App Android Poll
Stay tuned for the release of Vai360 App on Android!! Meanwhile be a part of this exciting release and share with us which Android device you use, by clicking here: http://facebook.mativision.com/vai_poll/
Vai360 App Android Poll
MIJKE & CO LIVE!
On January 1st the NTR, Dutch Public Radio & Televison station leading in Arts & Culture, launched a brand new radio show on Radio 6 Soul & Jazz with Co de Kloet. Together with presenter Mijke van Wijk, Co & a small but dedicated team make a daily show from 22.00-01.00 hrs called "MIJKE & CO LIVE!"
As this show is all about Great Live Music and having worked with Co before, the coverage of Steve Vai music as we know it in Holland will be safe in this new set-up!
For more info see www.facebook.com/mijkecolive
and please LIKE the page since they depend on the audience as well as the performers!
MIJKE & CO LIVE!
Vai360 App
Simply Enjoy It!!
Steve Vai brings you an interactive experience with the release of Vai360° (iOS) app released on February 18, 2014. Within the Vai360°, you can view three songs captured using Mativision® multi-camera 360° video technology from Vai’s recent show at the Hammersmith Apollo. You can direct the show by manipulating Mativision’s multi-camera iOS player, seamlessly choosing to watch from among six different cameras. You are able to rotate camera angles, use the device’s built-in gyroscope or simply switch to “auto pilot” choosing to enjoy the show without interaction. You may also virtually tour Vai’s studio, Harmony Hut, using the same technology as during the concert, guided by Vai himself. Vai360° App also includes continually updated photos of Vai’s guitars, picks and equipment news as well as biography, discography, photos and tour information.
Available on the Appstore: https://itunes.apple.com/app/vai-360/id781359646?mt=8
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Vai360 App
Vai Academy Song Evolution Camp
Announcing Vai Academy Song Evolution Camp June 23-27, 2014 in Saratoga Springs, NY. Join Steve for an intensive, hands-on 4-day songwriting, music and guitar workshop experience where attendees will write, record, publish a song with Vai. To add even more fire to the garden, guitar greats Guthrie Govan, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter & Vernon Reid will join Vai as they share music insight and acumen. The event, which will feature jams and live performances, is open to players of all instruments and skill levels. Visit VaiAcademy.com for registration and full details.
Vai Academy Song Evolution Camp
Steve Vai Faces
Steve got a big kick out of this and would like to encourage others to make their own "Steve Vai Faces” video if they think they have enough rubber in their cheeks.
Steve Vai Faces
Spring Gala Event 2014, China
About six months ago my dear friend Greg Bissonette hooked me up with a very famous Chinese pop artist who was interested in having me play on one of his tracks. His name is Chyi Chin. In China, he has been a very popular artist for many years. I get offers like this occasionally, and I'm not opposed to participating if I like the song and feel that I can properly contribute. I listened to Chyi's track, and I liked it. It's a beautiful orchestral track. His voice is kind and sweet and they let me do whatever I wanted so I layered about 15 guitars on it. I very much like the way the final mix came out.This year I was brought to China by Mavis Ma, a wonderful promoter there, and we performed in Shanghai and Beijing and the gigs were great. I had not been in China since 2005. I was told that I was the first American rock artist to play in Communist China back then. The Stones went there in 2004, but hey, they are not Yankee Doodles. We posted photos and videos of our stint there while on tour in 2013.BTV is a huge TV network in Beijing, China. Once a year they put on this gigantic Spring Festival Global Gala where performance artists from various countries around the world come together to perform. I guess we made a good impression on the music community there because not only was I invited to perform with Chyi Chin on the track that I recorded with him but they requested that I perform "For the Love of God" and "Answers” with their 40-piece orchestra. This show is broadcast to over 2 billion viewers around the world…eh, a drop in the bucket.I thought it would be great to do this and was honored they asked. The American artist they invited last year was Yanni. Hmmm, I guess they were interested in quite the contrast this year. You have to understand how strict China is when it comes to who they invite to perform. I was told by Mavis that they have never – like NEVER – in the history of China, had a rock artist perform on a TV, and I was told this was a first.Pia and I got the chance to spend close to a week in Beijing. It's an extraordinary city. Huge!!! We took a lot of time to go out and check things out.There was four days planned for this project. The first was rehearsal, the second was a stage rehearsal and run-through (this is where they filmed and recorded for the show), the third was a complete run-through with all the perfumers which took about three hours and there was an audience. The last day was a full performance with the filming and taping of the audience.It all went fantastic and will be aired in Feb. Stay tuned.S.
This will be premiered on BTV, Jan. 26th at 7:35 p.m., with a replay telecast on Feb. 1st at 7:35 p.m. China Standard Time
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Spring Gala Event 2014, China
Vai Limited Edition Guitar String Plaque
One of 6 Steve Vai Limited Edition Autographed Framed Plaques includes guitar picks, a live photograph, and six (6) guitar strings actually used by Steve during 2013 "Story of Light" World Tour.
Each plaque comes with a card individually signed by Steve Vai with the date & venue. Steve's guitar tech removed the strings after each show and returned them to the original strings envelope; the date of each show was also written on the envelope. Each envelope is attached to the back of the frame for further authenticity.
Available plaques:
Beijing, China
Shanghai, China
Tokyo, Japan
Auckland, New Zealand
Barcelona, Spain
Prague, Czech Republic
Retail Price: $499.99 each + shipping fees and applicable taxes. Get them directly from the vai.com webstore.
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Fresh off the heels of Steve's 199th show from "The Story of Light" tour, Steve Vai is in China to perform with an orchestra at the Spring Global Gala -- a huge celebration to bring in the Chinese New Year, featuring performers from all over the globe. The televised broadcast will be seen by 1,000,000,000 (that's 1 billion) people! Stay tuned for air times in other parts of the world.
Hey folks, although It's been quite sometime since I have given a hive update, we still have our darling little ladies buzzing around the property and collecting pollen and nectar.There was a spell there for about 4 years back in mid 2000 or so that we sent the hives away for a while because of some remodeling we were doing on the property but I know have one hive on the property and it will probably eventually build to 3 or so. That's where I'll keep it because it can be a lot of work come honey harvest season.
November 27, 2013
Kenny!
Hey folks. Steve here. As some of you know we have a portion of the show called "Build Me A Song" where I invite some folks up from the audience to help us build a song. It's always a hoot and on this particular night in Austin I had a young man, Kenny Finkelstine come up on the stage. He was an exceptional participant who wore a tremendous smile the whole show. Sometimes I drape my guitar around song participants and play it and Kenny was a great sport about it. Here's a fun shot he sent to the Vai concert review forums. S
Kenny!
EVO Cake
Check out this sweet Evo JEM presented to Steve in Dallas, Texas by 6-string cake-baker, Mike Cooper.
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EVO Cake
Eric Johnson jams with Steve at the Austin, TX show
Hey folks, We were thrilled and honored to have Eric Johnson visit our show in Austin. He came up and jammed during the show. It was so wonderful to feel Eric's beautiful energy on the stage again. Just hearing one note from his inspired fingers warms the heart. Thank you my friend. s
Eric Johnson jams with Steve at the Austin, TX show
Steve Vai interview with Grand Rapids, MI WZZM TV 13
Hey Folks, Meet the new addition to the Vai family. This tree was gifted to me by a donation made by my dear friend in Romania, Anca Lupes. See her letter below about it. I picture its roots wrapped in a little diaper, Weird ay? s
Hi Steve,
Please meet your tree:
As you may know, trees are only planted during spring and autumn. Your tree was planted on Saturday, October 26. It was named „The Romanian VAI Tree”.
It was planted along with 2000 other baby trees next to an oil refinery and it is part of a small forest that started to be grown in 2009 by an ecologist NGO called „More Green”.
The small forest which is more a green barrier that protects the city of Ploiesti (60km away from Bucharest) from the pollution of the oil refinery has now an area of 4 acres and counting.
The tree is now a baby red oak which is known to grow tall (up to 90ft) strong and live long (up to 500 years) so plenty of time to visit.
Have a great day!
A
My birthday gift from Romania.
Devin Townsend, “The Retinal Circus”
Hey Folks, One of my favorite artists in the world, Devin Townsend, has released an absolutely off-the-hook epic concert DVD masterpiece , "The Retinal Circus". The packaging alone is monumental.I was guest narrator on a video screen through the performance. What Devin accomplished here is truly mind blowing. Check it out: http://www.omerch.eu/shop/devintownsend/products.php?cat=2288S
Devin Townsend, “The Retinal Circus”
Life on the Road – Behind the Steve Vai ‘Story of Light’ Tour
Please enjoy Part 2 of "Life on the Road - Behind the Steve Vai 'Story of Light' Tour." Part I can be seen here: http://bit.ly/VaiTourPT1
http://youtu.be/rhuHnsKJ0II
Life on the Road – Behind the Steve Vai ‘Story of Light’ Tour
Pics from the road, September 2013
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Pics from the road, September 2013
In Mallorca…
I would have to say that the concert in Mallorca Spain was one of the highlights of the tour. That island has such a pulsing life to it. Where I played is a school, Es Gremi: Centre Musical and they named a street after me. It has no speed limit, ha!
In Mallorca…
Levante Interview (2013)
In these days we don’t have young and new guitarrists able to innovate like you, Zappa and Satriani did. Why is that?
S- I suspect there are very many innovative guitarists these days but you usually don’t hear about them. In any era there will always be people who are pushing the limits that have been previously set. Sometime it takes time.
But having said that, the kind of evolution that I like to see on the instrument has not happened in quite some time. But I expect that soon someone will come along and merge technique, with technology, fashion, contemporary attitudes and create a styel of playing that has all the elements, including rich melodic content, in one package.
I’m looking forward to that, but it’s not here now.
You've collaborated with many of the greatest rock stars. What would you say it has been your best experience?
S- There has been highlights in all of them. The experience you have is based on your own attitude.
Do you think that rock is in decline?
S- No, it’s just changing as all things do. It’s not the rock that we knew in the last generation or the rock that that generation knew in the previous generation. In every generation people who are stuck always feel as though the way they think things should be is dying.
Do you think the industry has killed the music?
S- No, I don’t think the music is dead, it’s just evolving. As a matter of fact when new young musician comes along he will have many more tools at his finger tips to create his own music, get it into the world and control it. It’s the best time in history for an independent artist to make a stand. There just are not a real lot of independent artists that have what it takes. There never really was but the ones that do will make themselves known. It’s inevitable.
The seventies were better than eighties, and let’s forget about the ninties and the two thousand as it seems that everything has invented. Where is the evolution?
S- The evolution is in the now and it’s happening as it did in the 70’s, 80’s etc. We always think that we have hit a wall but then someone ones along and reinvents things.
How is this new cd different from the others?
S- It’s as different as I am today than I was then.
As far as my guitar playing goes on this CD I focused a lot more on phrasing and dynamics. I worked on making the melodies sound as though they were speaking to you and that the harmonies and melodic colors were bright and rich.
I had to work very hard on reinventing various techniques but it’s very rewarding when you come up with something you never did before that sounds beautiful to you. That’s the pay off.
Do you believe that new generations are disoriented or does the audience settles for what is out there?
S- The connection I have to the new generation is seeing and listening to the music that my kids listen to. I have two sons. Right now they are 21 and 24 and they have excellent taste in music. Through the years they always had their finger on the pulse of new music, new genres etc. They listen to very different music. My one son, Fire who is now 21, like techno and he has introduced me to all sorts of techno, dub step, trip house, etc etc. and some of it totally blows me away.
My other son, Julian, is 24 and through the years he has been very interested in really heavy heavy music and has introduced me to some amazing progressive metal. It’s out there and it’s new to the new generation. I tried playing all my favorite stuff to my sons such as Led Zeppelin, Queen, Deep Purple, ELP, Hendrix, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, etc. They see the value in it buy they say to me… “Yeah, I get it Dad but it all sounds old”.
So you see, it’s easy to get stuck in what you think music is or should be. It’s an act of the ego.
It seems that these younger generations are only seeking quick success What is their contribution to rock today?
S- It’s been the same in every generation. Usually there is a new movement and that new movement involves a very few very inspired people who do not have a choice but to follow the dictates of their own unique genius. Then the masses hear this music and are moved by it because it’s different and it’s inspired. Then there is a movement within the music community to copy this style and that’s the people who are looking for quick success. They are trying to ride the coattails of someone else’s brilliance, and they do because then record companies go out and sign all the artists that sound like this new music. The thing that is missing in this music is the real inspiration at the core of it. Eventually the music becomes a parody of itself and the whole trend collapses. Then someone else comes along and the cycle continues.
You have been a very versatile guitarist.
What is what makes you different from other musicians? Do you think is that you believe that the guitar is an instrument meant to be reinvented?
S- I just move with an idea that is interesting to me. There’s no other real reason.
What are looking for now?
S- Nothing. I found it all.
Do you believe that the secret of Music is in the technic aspects of it?
S- I don’t believe there is a secret to music. I think that music is something that everyone can do and everyone should do. They just need to get over their fear of not being good enough, failing, or whatever thoughts get in their way. I believe that everyone can make music just like anyone can do art etc. The secret, if there is one, is to not allow yourself to be effected by judgment of your work.
But that is a virtually impossible feat for most people.
What keeps you surprising you in music?
S- A good idea that comes from I know not where.
How would you define this tour?
S- Exciting, intense, a very wonderful sharing experience and sort of like a camping trip to exotic cities all over the world.
Levante Interview (2013)
Jazz Voyeur Mallorca Interview
Entrevista Steve Vai- Diario Última Hora
Have you been before in Mallorca?
S- Yes, I played a rock festival some years ago.
Why do you choose our island to play?
S- I have been on tour in support of “The Story of Light” for over a year and have already done a run through Europe. But I feel the band and myself are in top form. The reviews from the tour are so overwhelmingly good, and I feel that I’m playing and performing better than ever so I wanted to do another sweep of the world and go to places that I have not been to or have not been to for a long time. At this point every show is an opportunity to get closer to the notes and closer to the audience.
How is going the tour of The Story of Light?
S- It’s perhaps my most favorite tour I have ever been on.
It’s going very well.
Are you happy with the results?
S- I’m grateful for all the people that come to the shows
Can you describe me how is The Story of Light?
S- The Story of Light is the second installment of songs in a quadrilogy I am working on. The first record was my last studio record and it's called "Real Illusions: Reflections". The new record is actually called "The Story of Light, Real Illusions: of A"...
In the last scene of the story the main character, Captain Drake Mason, presents a book that he wrote to the townspeople. The name of the book is "Under it All" and the first chapter is called, "The Story of Light". The Light that is referred to is the light of consciousness. The title just came to me.
The story does not unfold in the proper order through the first three records and at this time you can only get elements of the story by reading the liner notes and listening to the lyrics. The 4th and final installment will be the first three records with the songs in the proper order and many of the melody songs will have lyrics and vocals and there will be another CD of material that has narrative and glue music so those who are interested can follow the story in a cohesive, accessible linear experience.
Basically it’s the story of a man who came from what seems to be a normal town. The man undergoes an experience where he does something that causes him great guilt and pain and he eventually goes mad. He goes back to his town and is seen as an outcast. We see much of the story unravel through his eyes and he’s virtually insane.
A very inspired prophet of sorts comes to the town and builds this giant Church like structure. All the townspeople come to it.
The place is called “Under it All” and inside of it is a reflecting pond that the people from the town look into. When they look into the pond the first thing they see is their reflection. As they continue to look they start to see their identity and they realize that who they think they are was created by themselves through the way they saw various things that happened to them in their life.
The deeper they look the deeper they see into themselves. They start to see past lives and their own deeply ingrained thought patterns that are still stuck in their minds. Eventually they start to see underneath all the mind noise until they are able to perceive that who they really are at their core is pure consciousness without any identity and that there is only one great intelligence that expresses itself in the infinite forms that appear and dissolve in the physical and mental realms.
When Captain Drake looks into the pond… well, you’ll have to wait until I finish to know that. You don’t want me to spoil it now.
Do you prefer compose solo or with a band?
S- I like it all. It all comes from the same place.
What means for you the guitar?
S- Freedom, beauty, expression, and sometimes a little battling.
What things have helped you along your career?
S- Reading and studying esoteric and spiritual literature and spiritually inspiring people such as Eckhart Tolle, Abraham Hicks, Krishnamurti, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, etc. the support of my wife, my independent nature, all the great musicians and people I have worked with and learned from in the past, listening to killer music, and my ability to visualize. But I think the most important and vital thing that has helped me in my career is a unique idea now and then.
Which is your point of view about the industry of music right now? Do you still believe in the phyiscal format of the CD? Or you prefer the digital one?
S- I like the convenience of the digital format but I like the tactile nature of the physical format. I think that now, more than any other time in history, is the best time for an independent artist to make the music they want to and get it into the world. The most important tool for an artist is a good attitude.
The way we write, record, manufacture, duplicate and distribute, and listen to music has been changing and will continue to change. But the one thing that will never change is the need for people who can find the music in themselves.
You have played with legends of music like Frank Zappa. I suppose that helped you for know how was the world of music…How do you remember that period?
S- I was very young and impressionable and Frank was very confident and present in his work. I learned from Frank that if you have an exciting idea about something you just do it without any excuses or expecting someone else to do it for you.
Back in the 80’s the music scene was obviously different than it is now but the thing that has not changed is my passion for creating music and playing the guitar.
In the early 80’s while I was with Frank he was creating his own music but things like punk, new wave and disco were popular. I was not a part of those scenes very much at all. In the mid 80’s I was with bands like David Lee Roth and Whitesnake and the music scene changed a lot. It was basically labeled hair metal but was a great time in music history. We could wear anything we wanted, act crazy on stage with huge light shows, have big rock star back stage parties and play our asses off on our instruments on stage.
The 90’s were very different from that.
Do you feel like a legend after all that time selling albums and winning prices?
S- It’s always an honor to be recognized for your contribution and I am very grateful to have had all the wonderful success and world recognition that I have but I don’t use it to create an identity for myself.
There are people who do not have this kind of success but would like it, and many think that if they did have it they would feel complete and it would fulfill all their dreams and desires and make them happy. But if you talk to or look at most people who have achieved what the world considers success you may notice that they can still be unfulfilled, unhappy people who are still searching for something in their life to fulfill them .
Sometimes worldly success can make things much more difficult for a person too because it substantiates their egos and gives them a false sense of identity that will eventually collapse under its own weight. The ego can never be fulfilled. You will never sell enough records, make enough money, be on the cover of enough magazines or have enough sex to fulfill the desires of the ego. Or a person can become so famous that they cannot even walk in public without being followed or chased or having their life being an open book in the tabloids.
I believe all the happiness, contentment and fulfillment is already within a person at their core but just needs to be discovered. It can only come from within a person and a person will attract various situations into their individual lives that can eventually lead them to this discovery, but the events and situations are just the catalysts, they are not the end result. The end result is the realization that the fulfillment we are seeking cannot be found in the things in the world but are within us and we have always had everything we ever needed to discover the peace that is at the core of who we really are.
I don’t claim to fully embrace this peace or be an authority on these things but at times I have caught great glimpses of it and it opens up to me more and more everyday. Hmmm, perhaps it’s just age.
What is the feeling after win a Grammy? The price motivates you to still making music or you don’t really care about that?
S- It’s obviously very nice to win a Grammy but it’s OK if I didn’t. It’s not the reason why I or many other artists do their work and it does not necessarily add to our motivation. For some people not winning a Grammy can add to their motivation.
But for passionate artists the motivation to make music is something that is part of their compelling nature.
But as mentioned, it’s always an honor to be recognized for your contribution and I don’t take it for granted.
Which is the objective of Steve Vai in music?
S- To do my best to reproduce in the world my musical intuition and contribute something creative that gives some people a sense of enjoyment.
There are lots of good guitarists in the world, but only a few are still remembered. Are you gonna be one of these league?
S- No, Nobody will be remembered in time. Even the music of Mozart, Bach and the Beatles will be ethereal dust someday. But every person’s actions and contributions go into making up the changes that happen through time that contribute to what is the now, and there will always only be the now, so anything that I or anyone does is not for nothing.
Every action that takes place in the universe is part of the whole no matter how insignificant it may seem.
In time not even Christ or Buddah will be remembered but their message will remain the same through the eons as it was before they came along and in a nutshell message is that life is right now and being aware of and living in the now is where one will find liberation and eternity. It’s consciousness itself and we all have that and it all comes from the same place and is actually one, (tada!).
Lots of comments in Internet define you like a genius. How do you fight with fame? Have you ever got fear of something?
S- I used to think a lot about it, but I discovered that thinking too much is the problem. Fear is only a result of thinking. It doesn’t really exist. I’m lucky that I’m not so famous that I can’t live a normal life. My life is actually very pleasant and simple because it’s simple to me in my head. But there was a time in my life when I fought with almost everything. That only produces great suffering and fear.
In regards to being considered a genius, you would have to define what a genius is. My belief is that genius is the ability to identify with pure and unique inspiration and then manifest that inspiration into the physical world with a natural and confident awareness and graceful actions.
We all have the potential to display the genius within us and most of us do. I believe that everyone has something in their life that they do that is very natural and exciting to them. Something they see clearly without any obstacles. These could be very simple things, simple insights such as cooking, or organizing, or planning, or writing or playing music or art or any simple little thing that may not necessarily make a huge impact in the world but is still a unique contribution.
The thing that gets in the way of most people’s ability to manifest their own genius is their mind. A mind that is not in control can run-a-muck and obscure true inspiration with thoughts of insecurity, egotism, inferiority, pride, anger, greed, attachment, lust, etc. They all boil down to fear but under it all, residing beyond the noise of the mind, is where all our true inspiration comes from and it’s there in everyone but is just masked in different degrees in each individual. But it all comes from one source that expresses itself in an infinite amount of ways.
Some people are naturally connected with this pure inspiration and may not even feel that what they are doing is fresh, new and brilliant. It just flows from them effortlessly. You can only truly reach your own genius by being completely present and in the moment when the mind noise is quiet. Then there is an opening for inspiration to arise. Then it’s the job of the mind and the body to manifest these inspirations in the world and that’s why we have minds and bodies. Humanity is just in the process of evolving its awareness of this.
On a scale of 1-100 I would say that I touch my own genius perhaps 3% of the time. But I can do a lot with that 3% and it can certainly keep me busy.
Guillermo Esteban
Jazz Voyeur Mallorca Interview
Italia Q&A (2013)
1) What would you say about the particular sound of the new album?
S- The music is very diverse without being genre specific. It has some of my most tasteful guitar playing. I focused very much on phrasing and finding delicate ways of playing that I have never touched before. There are some very beautiful compositional intensities such as Velorum and “The Story of Light” and “Weeping China Doll” Where I used the 7 string to create mountains and walls of dense sound.
I took great care in the recording and mixing process and tested all the newest and oldest gear on the market in an attempt to get the best sound I could.
2) How would you describe The Story of Light in three words?
S- Very Steve Vai
3) According to me, one of the most beautiful tracks in The Story of Light is No More Amsterdam. How is the song connected to the concept of the album?
S- In the story there is a character who is a wrestles soul of sorts. He moves around a lot in life and is constantly trying to find himself. Although he sets out to achieve certain things and accomplishes them, they never make him happy for very long. At some point He looks deeply into a reflecting pond. He eventually sees the reflection of his guardian angel, his higher self or the voice that has been with him, guiding him his whole life. Through it he learns that wherever you may go in life you take who you are with you.
4) How did you get the idea of collaborating with the Evolution Tempo Orchestra?
S- I had always been interested n composing since I was a little boy and I started studying it when I was 9 years old. Through the years I have composed various orchestra pieces but never had much of a chance to have them performed.
In early 2000’s a friend of mine in Holland, Co De Kloet, put together a concert with “The Metropole Orkest”. It was a special Steve Vai festival where they played many of my compositions. They were recorded and release on my “Sound Theories Record and “Visual Sound Theories DVD”. They were very successful so other orchestra’s started approaching me.
The Evolution orchestra is the name that my team has given to any orchestra that I put together that specifically plays my orchestra music. In this case we had found a wonderful group of Romanian musicians that were eager to play this music. 2 years ago we did two concerts and they went very well so we decided to try some more concerts this year with the Romanian musicians.
As I write this I am flying home from the last show with the Evolution orchestra. It was quite breathtaking and I’m happy to say that I captured the last performance in Romania on video.
It was a gorgeous outdoor arena and in the middle of the concert the sky cracked open and it started to downpour. I have it all on film and will look to include it all.
4) How inspirational was Frank Zappa to you?
S- Frank was a cornerstone in y musical career and education.
The thing I learned most from Frank was that whenever he wanted to do something he just did it. He would get an exciting idea and he would just execute it without any excuses and without expecting anyone to do it for him. That had a huge impact on me. I worked for him for 6 years starting when I was 18 years old so I was very impressionable. I just figured that’s the way you do things. You get an idea and you just do it.
6) How do you feel about playing with your maestro Joe Satriani in G3?
S- It’s always a thrill and an honour to play with Joe either on G3 or just standing around and playing. He was my greatest mentor as a child ad through the years we have had a very special relationship. He has always been great. The thing I learned most from Joe was that whenever you put your fingers on the guitar you need to respect it and whatever comes out should sound like music.
7) Do you have any particular memories of playing and recording with DLR band?
S- Yes, many. My favorite memories are of climbing mountains with Dave. He was really into this and him and I would get up early on show days and he would hire a climbing guide and we would go to whatever a great local climbing mountain was and climb. It was not kids stuff. These were giant cliffs and we had harnesses and all the appropriate special equipment.
8) Last year an Italian label released the video for Whitesnake’s Live at Donington, have you ever seen it?
S- Oh yes, David Coverdale sent it to me. It was so great to see that show. I remember it fondly. We were such hot shit back then.
9) What do you think of Devin Townsend’s artistic development? Would you like to work with him again?
S- There’s few people in this business that I truly consider to be musical geniuses and he is one of them. He is inspired and tremendously talented with an unshakable vision. His music can be brutally intense or very tender but there is a golden melodic string that runs through it all. I believe he’s one of those artists that won’t truly be discovered until he’s dead because he’s way too talented for the average metal head to appreciate.
He is “The One, Alone”
10) You recorded and toured with so many artists! Are there any new talents you are focusing on now and who impress you in a positive way?
S- I find things I can enjoy in many of the new artists but I’m still waiting to be blown away.
11) What do you think about working in the movies, would you do it again?
S- Under an extraordinary condition I would do it again but I’m not looking for anything at this time. Acting in a movie is an art and although I really enjoy great actors, when I’m acting it feels fake and I’m uncomfortable making believe. Plus, it’s a lot of waiting around. I much prefer the stage.
12) You released some of your songs on the web – on Vai.com, iTunes and Amazon.com. What do you think about New Technology versus the traditional ways of recording?
S- I think that the way we record, produce, distribute and listen to music has been changing and will continue to change and I enjoy embracing each new technology as it appears. We are always looking for convenience and immediacy and technology is our best friend. I believe that it will eventually aid us in getting back to nature in a very organic wholesome way. But first we will have to virtually destroy ourselves and the planet with it.
13) I heard you are a beekeeper, what can you tell me about this particular hobby?
S- It’s really a wonderful, fascinating and simple hobby and I highly recommend it to anyone. It gives you an opportunity to be closer to nature. The bees are easy to take care of. You don’t really take care of them, they do it all themselves. You just help to keep them free of disease at times. You help them grow and produce tons of honey. The honey you take is surplus honey that the bees would normally not use.
14) How do you feel about playing in Italy, since you have Italian origins?
S- I always look forward to playing in Italy. Much of it has to do with the fact that my heritage is Italian and I grew up in a household that retained much of it’s Italian culture and heritage. So when I’m in Italy and hear the language, taste the food, meet the people, see the architecture etc. I oddly feel very much at home.
15) How about saying hello to the readers of Rock & Metal in My Blood?
S- Hey Reader of Rock and Metal in My Blood. You may be I my blood but I’m crawling up your ass.
Italia Q&A (2013)
The Voice, Perth Community Interview (2013)
The Voice, Perth community newspaper
- Some virtuoso musicians have so much technical ability they can lose the
audience in a flurry of notes, but you and Joe Satriani consistently
beguile and captivate your audience. What's the secret? Is melody king?
S- Thanks, not entirely sure what the “secret” is but the things that both Joe and I share are our deep passion for the guitar and the music that we hear in our heads. We are also very confident in what we do and never did it with fame or money as the driving factor. I know that sounds cliché but I believe it to be true as far as I can tell by searching myself.
- Jimmy Page's solo from Heartbreaker allegedly inspired you to pick up
the axe. Would you like to do a collaboration with him? Have you ever
jammed or met with him? It would be an amazing project.
S- I always wanted to play the guitar since I was 5 years old but when I 12 I heard that solo and that’s when my desire to play becamse stronger than my insecurities. Of course I would very much like to jam or do some kind of thing with Jimmy Page someday if the opportunity ever arose, but then again, so would millions of other people. When I was younger I often imagined what it would be like to just sit one on one with him and just play together anything that came out of our minds and fingers. I did meet him on several occasions and he was always the kind of person that I had hoped he would be. Kind, loose, funny and understanding of my stunned amazement.
- You played with Frank Zappa in your early 20s. What's your abiding
memory from playing with him and his band?
S- Always do what your inspiration guides you to do without making any excuses or expecting someone to do it for you.
- Fans still drool over your guitar duel at the end of Crossroads - it has
become iconic. Was it fun to do?
S- Yes, working with Ry Cooder was a life experience. He is tremendously creative and focuses. He moves quick, knows what he wants and it was so great to work with him. The acting part was OK too but it involved a lot of waiting around in-between very short takes. You just get going and the director yells cut. I have always enjoyed great actors but when I’m doing it myself I feel odd because it’s fake. I feel weird acting. I much prefer the stage. It’s real and nobody is yelling cut.
- What kind of music and setlist can audiences expect on your Australian
dates?
S- It’s a diverse dynamic show. I put the type of show together that I would like to see. First and foremost I want to be the best entertainer I can be because people are spending money and taking their time to come to a show so I want to give them the best thing I can. That involves presenting something that has a great degree of musicianship, unexpected moments, everything from intense and dense walls of sound to very intimate and delicate moments, we do an acoustic set and a very engaging section of the show where I invite some people on the stage to help build a song with us. I like to reach out to people and put the melodies right into their souls. It’s not about just wailing on the guitar for 2.5 hours, although I do some of that for sure. When people leave I want them to feel as though they are walking about 4 inches off the ground and that they saw something that they feel was unique that they will remember as a fulfilling experience and one that made them feel good. I feel that’s my job as an artist and also my responsibility.
The Voice, Perth Community Interview (2013)
New Yooxer Interview (2013)
STEVE VAI QUESTIONS
1) Which of your songs best portrays you?
S- The next one.
2) Who do you most like of the new music generation?
S- My two boys, Julian and Fire, and their generation of friends are pretty cool too.
3) Your most memorable concert?
S- In 5th grade I was in the choir and there was a Christmas concert where I was given the lead solo part to sing. I remember as if it was closer to me than my own breath because I was totally 100% in the moment when the beautiful melody came out of my pre-pubescent mouth and resplendently resonated within the auditorium.
4) The most incredible person you have met during your career?
S- My wife, Pia.
5) How would you describe what it was like to be a rock star in the 70 and 80s?
S- Actually my “rock stardom” started in the mid 80’s. It was sort of like an adventure novel written by Aristippus of Cyrene, edited by The Great Gatsby, published by Star magazine and read out loud by Helen Keller. The book would be entitled “The Abuse of Freedom”.
6) Can you tell us any stories from backstage at one of your concerts?
S- On the first night after the first show of my first big rock tour I did, I opened the door to my hotel room and looked out into the hall. It looked as though a full on porno circus was taking place. Total bedlam. Walking down the hall naked on her hands was a girl I saw in the 3rd row that night at the show. Walking naked along side of her was one of the notorious roadies from the crew. There was an enema hose inserted into the girls butt and at the other end of the hose was a funnel that the roadie held in one hand. With his other hand he was pouring a bottle of wine into the funnel and then raising the funnel above the girls waistline. I quietly closed the door and continued reading a book I was in the middle of at the time called “Autobiography of a Yogi”.
7) What do you think about groupies?
S- I think everyone is figuring out life in their own way, but I also think that sex is good for you.
8) Do you think real rock stars still exist? Who would you say was one?
S- The term “Rock Star” is starting to become a catch phrase and its meaning and application is morphing into something different than what it used to be. The term rock star is more or less becoming representative of a person who emanates a weighty mystique, has a deep confidence in the way they carry themselves and in the delivery of their words and actions, can instigate anything from a sense of inquisitive interest in an individual to complete hysteria, can be shrouded in controversy, has the ability to be deeply influential on a life level, can be painfully loved or bitterly despised and represents something awesome that their admirers can only dream of achieving but know is virtually unattainable.With this in mind one might say that Jesus Christ would have made a great present day rock star. And I have the perfect pair of sunglasses for him.
9) Do you still keep clothes and accessories from the last decades? Which?
S-, Yes, I keep the ones my wife made which is about 60% of what I wore in the 80’s and early 90’s.
10)How has your look changed over the years?
S- When I “look” at people and things these days I see more deeply into their energy field and emanating presents. In the past my “look” was usually just in the mirror.
11)How many guitars do you have? And how many CDs?
S- I have 264 guitars… now 263 as I just gave one away (in my mind) in between the spaces and am working on getting that number down to about 10. I have more CD’s than time left in my life to listen to them all and they are all on that list of “things that are going away fast”.
12)Out of all the awards and accolades you have won, which one means the most to you?
S- On Fathers day 2005 my son Julian made a little statue and gave it to me. Inscribed on its base is the words, “Worlds Greatest Dad”. That would be the award that means the most to me.
13)A classical music piece that you think has a rock soul?
S- “Le Sacre Du Printemps”.
14)Which song and piece of clothing do you think represents the essence of rock’n’roll?
S- It changes with the passing trends and fashions. I could mention a classic rock song and matching piece of trendy apparel like a stainless steal earring or something from the 80’s, which is what I think you may be looking for. But for me all clothing and music trends are relative and subject to change and the coolest thing today will dissolve into passé faux pas by later today.For me the most beautiful fashion is nakedness. Ha, imagine that. Wait a minute; let’s think about this.It’s nice to be creative with fashions but I might say that the ultimate fashion statement may arise if our civilization transcended separateness, inhabitation and reticence and that fashion statement (perhaps for practical reasons might first be confined to the runway) will be complete nakedness without any obstructions or distractions from adornments such as jewelry, makeup, odd ball trendy hair-doos, nail polish etc. Pure nakedness just like the day we were born, being presented by the person wearing it with great confidence, inhibition and grateful expressiveness for every precious aspect of their own matchless, one-of-a-kind body. I guess this has been represented in art through the centuries. In order to see and appreciate the profound beauty of the human body in its most natural state, one could assume that the state of mind of the perceiver would need to be in it’s most natural state, free from the obstruction of the adornments of opinions, hang-ups, judgments, desires or criticisms. Just a pure state of present awe for the phenomenon that is every inch of the human body in it’s myriad dimensions. But what a great runway presentation ay?Nakedness is the most unique look anyone can have because every body is distinctively different. You can’t steel someone else’s look and there’s no planning necessary in designing or making this “outfit” as the greatest designer already completed it and continues to evolve it. And it’s totally free, and you already have one!When a naked body is not immediately perceived as a sexual stimulus or something that should be hidden or ashamed of, then there can be an appreciation for the profound and sacred beauty in every body that hides beneath the cloths. It would be the glorification and deep respect of the exquisite magnificence that lies in the infinite diversity that the Universe provides, even if they were an obese American... ( I think).I’m not saying we should all be walking around naked, but perhaps there will come a time in the future that if conditions allowed, it wouldn’t be an issue to walk around naked. it would be a choice and It would be fine and beautiful. But do it today you can get arrested. The human body will always be more amazing, fascinating and incomprehensible than any piece of fashion ware. The soundtrack to this “fashion statement” could be the still silence that underlines any sounds in its foreground. But heck, that’s already there now too whether we have the ears to hear it or not.So… At least “Take Your Cloths off When You Dance”. (FZ)
15)You have lived through the eras of vinyl, cassettes, CDs and now music sharing via the internet. How has music changed with the web?
S- Technology inexorably marches in the direction of the desire for immediacy and convenience and the web has made it possible for music lovers to get music almost immediately. At any given time in the history of technology we usually feel as though we have arrived at the final and best solution, but history proves that there is always an evolution and the digital age is no exception. There is a technology that is brewing right now that is totally off the radar of our conventional awareness, but it is virtually guaranteed that someone, or a group of people, will come along and come up with a unique idea, then confidently move forward in creating that idea.That person may not have even been born yet, who knows? But the materialization of this idea will once again revolutionize the way we live. And the direction this new way (or technology) will assert itself will be with tools that will allow us to live a cleaner, more qualitative and conscious life. For this to happen we will inevitably have to develop a deepening of our appreciation and connection with nature. And at some point after that there will be another evolution in technology and perhaps that evolution will be the complete absence of technology. Wouldn’t that be nice?And this is one of the infinite ways the Universe expands itself, by inspiring us and giving us the tools to bring into physical reality these inspirations. In reality, we are not really doing it at all as individuals but as one evolving thing that can be called consciousness itself.Maybe that person is reading this right now and being inspired. If so, hurry up because I would love to see what you come up with before I die. Here’s some food for thought, It’s totally possible for the elimination of the need for electricity in “light” of a cleaner power source that has no by product or side effect but can be created seamlessly out of thin air. If you believe that’s possible (and truthfully anything is) then you will create it.
16)Do you buy online? If so, what?
S- Yes, all the time. I buy books, gifts, music etc. But I also still very much enjoy visiting retail stores and shopping. These days when I’m online I’m mostly doing interviews like this one. Many thanksS
New Yooxer Interview (2013)
Canberra Times Q&A 2013
Q&A for The Canberra Times newspaper, Canberra
1. The Real Illusions trilogy: why have you decided to take a three-stage approach in creating this body of work?
S- It’s actually a Quadriology and will eventually be in 4 stages. The first stage was “Real Illusions” The Second stage is “The Story of Light” and the third will come at some time in the future (perhaps) and then my plan is to bring them all together at the end, put all the songs in the proper order, add narrative, additional music and vocals and release as a linear, comprehensive story. I like to think in long term goals and the “Real illusions” Quadrilogy is an opportunity for me to stretch out and evolve a story.
2. There was a decent gap of a few years between Reflections and The Story of Light – was it a deliberate decision not to release the albums in quick succession, despite their sequential nature? Do you expect the third part will also take the same length of time to come to fruition?
S- I suspect the 3rd part will take a while before I release it. I will be doing various projects between. Right now I’m on tour with a 50 piece orchestra through Russia, Poland, Spain, Italy and Romania. It’s a powerful show and my next record release will be the music from this tour.
3. Is there an over-arching storyline throughout the three albums? If so, do you have an idea of how this narrative will conclude – or will that be resolved organically during the third album’s creation?
S- I have a complete picture in mind for the entire story including how it will end. Of course there may be some changes here and there but the overall message and conceptual arcs are in place. I am enjoying the process tremendously.
4. There is a recurring theme of light – why is this the case?
S- Yes, there is a recurring theme of light but the kind of light I’m usually referring to is not the light created by illuminating things such as the sun or electricity etc. I’m referring to the light of consciousness.
5. Speaking of light: the PRISM intelligence program that was recently unveiled by whistleblower Edward Snowden potentially carries implications for personal liberties in the USA. As an American, how does the revelation of this program make you feel?
S- I’m sure you’ll find different people have different takes on this. Frankly, for me, I’m not concerned. I already expect that everything we do in regards to phone calls, e-mails, web browsing etc. is probably totally traceable by the government and even every move we make in public by satellites and for some people that must seem very invasive, and I understand this. And some people may feel that they are OK with it because it can help keep them safe from a potential terrorist attack and other quality of life threatening situations. What matters is who is behind this and what is their intentions and that you may never find out. I’m not concerned with being tracked as mentioned above because true freedom does not have much to do with the kind of things that are track-able. The one real freedom that we all have that nobody can take away or monitor is the freedom to choose to think whatever thoughts we want. And our thoughts are the things that shape our reality. To be paranoid over PRISM will only create situations in your life that warrant being paranoid.
6. You’re held in the highest esteem as a guitarist – are there are any guitarists that have emerged recently who have impressed you?
S- I see a lot of great players. As a matter of fact, for the most part, I see everyone as being fascinating. In the past when I would look at another guitar player the first thing that would kick in was my critical brain muscle. I would rate them to others, including myself, in their touch, tone, technique, feel etc. and give them an identity in my mind. I would listen and critique with the same ears that listens to Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, etc. But there is another side of me that sees anyone play a guitar (or any instrument, or do anything for that matter) and no matter how good they are, which is totally subjective anyway, I find great enjoyment in watching them. I deeply enjoy seeing them creating in any form and oddly enough, seeing them struggle to create is more charming and touching than seeing effortlessness. With this perspective I see all the creative things that people do as an expression of the one consciousness that underlines and animates all life and it’s myriad expressions. I see it as the way the Universe expands itself through us and in such there is no better or worse or good or bad, it is all just beautiful. With this perspective you can even say that one can see God at work in all others and all things. These days this perspective is the predominant one by about 70% and rising. Which is nice because it’s an infinitely more enjoyable perspective as you can imagine.
7. Any messages to your fans in Australia before you fly out here?
S- I’m looking forward to expanding the Universe with you in Ausi.
Canberra Times Q&A 2013
Scene Magazine Q&A
Q&A for Scene Magazine, Brisbane
What was the defining moment that made you want to learn guitar?
S- I was 5 years old and this kid that was perhaps 8 came to school with an electric guitar and was strumming and playing it. I was stunned, had an epiphany and immediately fell madly in love with the instrument. But I was shy and never thought I would be any good and was perhaps afraid of being criticized or didn’t think I was good enough to even play. But then one day when I was around 12 years old I heard Led Zeppelin II, and that was it.
You were also given guitar lessons at the age of 12 by Joe Satriani. What's the most significant piece of information you learned from him?
S- I was given many guitar lessons by Joe on and off for 3 years. There was a tremendous amount of info and technique I learned from Joe. Joe was always great, even when he was 15. But perhaps the thing about Joe that left the biggest impression on me was that everything Joe played, even if it was just a scale or finger exorcise, sounded like music. It was like every note was sacred.
What's your favourite mode or scale to play in regards to getting the most colours out of your music?
S- I’m very attracted to the Lydian Mode. It’s sort of like being on top of a very high mountain with the deepest bluest sky in your eyes and the intoxicating elixir of pure air dipped in the fragrance of vibrant aliveness. Or is that just the aftershave I was wearing???
Are there things you're still learning as a musician?
S- I don’t think we ever stop learning whether it looks that way or not. How could we? We are never the same people from one moment to the next. I’m constantly inspired to write and play music. It’s quite a life blessing.
You've also shared the stage and recorded with the likes of Frank Zappa to David Lee Roth. Who's your favourite artist you've collaborated with?
S- There are things that I’ve learned and enjoyed from every artist I ever worked with but my favorite collaboration was when I was 8 years old and in a band with my younger sister Lillian. It was just her and myself and I played the bongos and she actually played a little guitar with one string on it but we banged on anything that made noise and deeply loved every minute of it. We would write songs one right after the other and just play and sing. It was total freedom without any worries or cares. We didn’t have to think about what was going to come out of us, it just came out and we shared that creative energy with each other unquestionably and unconditionally. We never fought, and were not concerned if our songs were good enough, how we were going to get them recorded, how we were going to get a record deal, if they would make enough money for us to live on, if our music was going to be accepted and if people were going to like us or not, etc. Yup, that was my favorite band.
What's the craziest thing you've ever witnessed while on tour?
S- On the first night after the first show of my first big rock tour I did, I opened the door to my hotel room and looked out into the hall. It looked as though a full on porno circus was taking place. Total bedlam. Walking down the hall naked on her hands was a girl I saw in the 3rd row that night at the show. Walking naked along side of her was one of the notorious roadies from the crew. There was an enema hose inserted into the girls butt and at the other end of the hose was a funnel that the roadie held in one hand. With his other hand he was pouring a bottle of wine into the funnel and then raising the funnel above the girls waistline. I quietly closed the door and continued reading a book I was in the middle of at the time called “Autobiography of a Yogi”.
Do you ever make embarrassing slip-ups onstage?
S- Yup.
Tell me about the concept behind your latest record, 'The Story Of Light'.
S-This is the Story of Light
In all things are all things,
and all things are only one thing.
And this one thing is complete within itself and outside of itself is just more of itself. Devoid of time and space, it was still and content and in it, the DNA of the entire creation lay dormant, and it moved with a thought
and that thought was desire. The desire to unfold itself and intensify itself
by expressing its own infinite greatness.
And it breathed out into the void of nothingness And the realms of the mind were created.
In these realms the three worlds were born,
the causal, the astral and the physical.
The tool that the infinite uses to express itself in the finite
is the law of cause and effect.
This law reacts with desire and all things come into being. And all creatures of these realms
contain this self and are itself.
And all are one with this desire
to expand their own awareness through this law until finally, its own refined awareness returns to itself
in its greater glory.
And this glory is the one, itself .And that self is pure love, and this love is divine light.
How do you manage to get a story across when your albums are largely instrumental?
S- I use the liner notes in the album.
If you could pass on one piece of advice to other budding virtuosos, what would you say?
S- If you’re interested in being a virtuoso it’s easy, just practice all the time and don’t think of anything else, but enjoy the process because going through it is all the fun.
THANK YOU
Scene Magazine Q&A
Interview for Italian Press 2013
First of all thank you very much for agreeing this interview…
S- Piacere e mio.
You’re on a very strict schedule this summer, divided by the Steve Vai & Evolution Tempo Orchestra tour, Master Classes and The Story of Light Tour 2013… where is your effort towards from here?
S- After the Evolution orchestra tour I kick off a rock band tour of Australia and New Zealand, from there I go to Jakarta, Shanghei China, Beigjing China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Bangkok. Then I’m home for two weeks editing and mixing the filming of the final Evolution Orchestra show from Bucharest, Then on 8/31 I kick off a rock band tour of Europe that is the continuation of “The Story of Light” tour. We start in Belfast on Aug 31st and end in Reykjavik Iceland on Nov 11th. Then directly to the USA for shows from 10/6 to 11/23, then directly to South America and Mexico. Then home on Dec 21st for X-mas. Then out again in January 2014- March with the rock band performing in Africa, India, Dubai, Tel-Aviv, and Russia. Then I’m going to sleep for a while.
Is there any chance we’ll get to see you in Rome again any time soon?
S- The shows I have scheduled for Italy are October 20131 – Firenze, Italy 2 – Modena, Italy 3 – Brescia, Italy
After that it will be a while before I come back to Italy because I’ll have played it more than Leonard Divinci has inventions.
How does it feel to have the edge over almost each other musician? Do you ever feel the responsibility of being an icon?
S- I don’t usually think in terms of superiority. Most artists are very passionate about the work they do and it’s personal to them and a personal expression. There’s no superiority in that. I am tremendously grateful to be able to have the opportunity to create the music I make and that there is an audience for it. The only responsibility I feel is to do my best to use the gifts that were given to me to me. Everyone contributes to humanity in some kind of way and I don’t believe the Universe measures each persons worth by the same standards that humans measure each other. Artists have various kinds of gifts of inspiration and insight and they work to bring those things into the world for the enjoyment of those who resonate with that artist. One of the most beautiful and magnificent things that the Universe offers is diversity.
Once Andy Timmons wrote on FB “I love being the eternal student. Learning = Happy!!!”
Do you feel you’re an eternal student too? If so, what are you learning at the moment?
S- Yes, I believe we are all the eternal student and also the eternal teachers because whatever we do has some kind of effect in the world, even if it seems very insignificant. From one moment to the next we are different people, never quite the same, and the only thing we ever really have is this very moment as that’s all there is. But there’s a lot going on at this moment.
How is your composing process? Are you chaotic, accurate or something in between when writing music?
S- It varies. I try not to put up any parameters. Inspiration can come in many ways and you just have to be ready to see it and capture it and turn it into something. For me the best way I like to compose is to first sit and clear my head by meditating a bit on being still and silent and stopping my mind from thinking. When you can slow down and even eliminate the thinking process there is a pure awareness that can arise and that awareness is the only place where true inspiration comes from. So I may start to put forth feelings of my desire for a unique idea, and then give the space that is needed for the inspiration of the idea to come. I believe this is the way everyone does it to some extent. When the inspiration comes we are in a state of pure focus. There is no time, space, or thoughts of the future or past. It’s just present moment inspiration. That’s when something new, fresh and unique can come. Otherwise we are using our intellects and mind to create things that are for the most part, calculations and intellectualizations of already existing ideas.
How have you decided you would be a guitarist in the first place? Would you describe the path you’ve walked through to be as good as you are?
S- The first time I remember seeing someone play the guitar I was 4 years old and a little boy, who was perhaps 7. Was playing an electric guitar at my school. I had an epiphany and immediately fell madly in love with the guitar. But I didn’t decide to actually start playing the guitar until I was 12 and I heard Led Zeppelin. I believe the path we all walk through is the one and only perfect path that we can walk through. My feeling is that everything is perfect and all the events that come into our life, even the tiny seemingly insignificant ones, are all orchestrated by the Universe to bring us what we need at any given present moment to learn and grow and eventually bring us to a point where we turn our attention into ourselves to discover that who and what we really are is pure consciousness. So even though from our extremely limited point of view right now, everything is actually perfect. I also believe that there is about 10% of the people in the world that understand this but perhaps only .5% that actually know it as experiential. This makes sense to me on an intellectual level and I get glimpses of the experiential part of it but I do not claim to be in that .5% of people.
Cats, birds, lions, horses… and also aliens, human voices, child's screams… it seems like your music is much driven by onomatopoeia… does it come from a solid education in classical music or is it a kind of a natural inclination?
S- All the sounds, notes etc. are just what I hear in my head at the moment I’m putting it together. It’s fun and creative.
Is there any room for improvisation while you’re on stage?
S- Yes, I would say that probably 20-30% or so of the show is improv moments.
What was your first impression while listening to Mike Keneally covering your songs on a piano? May we attend a 'Piano Reductions vol.2'?
S- I knew he would do a great job but when I heard his interpretations I was amazed and touched. When an artist creates their work there is usually little moments that are true little expressions of their unique voice and sometimes those little moments may remain a secret with the artist. For instance, there are little moments in my songs that seem exquisite to me but I always feel that perhaps they are not perceived as being so special by anyone else, but when I heard Mike doing my songs on the piano, it seemed as though he was able to hone directly in on those little moments that are so special to me and exaggerate them and give them a special space with his fingers and imagination. He is truly an inspired and brilliant artist and I feel very lucky that he did that record.
Internet is giving exposure to a huge amount of high skilled guitar players… do you think musicians are more or less creative comparing to the past? Eventually, do you find a disproportion between the technical skills and creativity?
S- I really don’t know but as far as my perception, it seems that artists, guitar players, etc. are equally inspired these days and maybe even more than the past but the tools they are using are different. On a pure technical level I see guitar players who can play in ways that were completely off the radar of what we thought was possible when I was a young man. It’s very exciting to see this evolution. There is always a disproportion of technical skills and pure creativity. Technical skills are easier to identify with and acquire than pure inspiration. Attaining technical skills is an intellectual process but attaining inspirational skills has more to do with coming into contact with our spiritual nature. But you need them both in order to create in the world. Any kind of imbalance can make the final product not have it’s full potential of being effective. I’ve always worked at finding that balance and sometimes I go more in one direction than the other but my best stuff, for me at least, is usually when I can strike that perfect balance of intense inspiration coupled with effortless and pure technique. It’s all good.But it’s important to point out that one side of the fence is not better than the other. Whatever you create will attract a particular type of audience. If you are purely a technical player then you will attract an audience that is stimulated by technical mastery and if you are purely an emotional player then you will attract an audience that is usually very sensitive to the emotional expression in art. But there is no wrong way to do it. Whatever you do is right because you did it and it’s part of the expression of who you are at that particular moment. Most people feel music needs to be purely emotional and then it’s good. Well, that may not be the case for everyone and since music is art it’s subjective to the person who is creating or experiencing it and you will never get everyone on the planet to agree that there is one form of music that is superior. I know people who don’t like the Beatles.
Is there any change, according to you, that the global economic crisis we’re dealing with may cause, interestingly, a creative side effect on making music?
S- The global economics of the planet comes in expansion and contractions just like everything else in the universe. The way we breath, the beating of our hearts, the birth and death of the physical appearance of consciousness, the night and day, a thought or idea, an action etc. This process is how the Universe expands itself and becomes aware of itself and then returns to itself in order to continue to grow. If you look through the pages of history you will see that the evolution of economics is based on the same principal. From World War 1 came a particular type of evolution of freedom. Same thing with WW2. Wherever there is ego and repression there will eventually be conflict and out of that conflict will eventually come some kind of growth of consciousness and freedom. It doesn’t come over night but is happening at all times in the Now. I’m not a political expert but it seems to me that when the USA entered into the Vietnamese war there was a pride that was instilled in the American people to go to war. Wars are raged by selfish people who are trapped in their ego, and when the reality of the loss and senselessness of that war started to sink into the American people, there was a rebellion in the USA from the people who wanted peace and quality of life. This resulted in a new kind of evolution of consciousness. You could see it in the “Hippie Movement”. This shift in the consciousness of people eventually shows itself in the economy, art, technical advancements and myriad forms. A similar thing happened after the Bush Administration. When Clinton left office the USA was in a financial surplus of trillions of dollars. It seems to me and perhaps a lot of other people, and remember I’m not an expert, the actions of the Bush administration, going to war for no real good reason, plunged the United States into a tremendous deficit of trillions of dollars. This had a ripple effect around the world and caused a world wide economic depression. Many historians predicted that the 3rd world war world be fought with atomic weapons but in reality it’s more of an economic world war. But from this, in the USA, there is now arising a new kind of awareness of the importance of the quality of life. And this is also taking place around the world. It was reflected when the USA elected Obama for president and also his easily won re-election. I see this new awareness in my children. They think differently than we did. They see a different kind of connectedness to the world. They have the internet at their fingertips and that has changes everything. So Economics, along with art, science, politics etc. needs to expand and contract. It’s the way of the Universe but we are constantly in a growth cycle even though it may not look like it at times. And all of this shows itself in the way we express ourselves in the arts.
Each musician find it very hard to deal with the music business nowadays… do you think talented artists can still find their place in it (or those days when music was the focus are gone for good)?
S- I think that now, more than any other time in history, is the best time for an independent artist to find their way in the industry. But it’s all based on the attitude and perspective of the artist. No great artist or scientist or sports figure etc. has ever made great contributions by expecting someone else to do it for them or by having a bad attitude. For me the music business has always been a great industry filled with creative people and amazing opportunity. For most of my career the people who have surrounding me have shown their best side. Different things in the music business will always be the focus. Every now and then an artist comes along and has an original unique and beautiful idea that can create a whole genre or trend. And now there are more tools at an artist’s hand to create, cultivate and mature their careers. The way to communicate with other musicians around the world, the way to find and be inspired by some of the new things people are doing, the way they can collaborate, the way they can record and market their music etc. it’s all easier now then what it used to be. But it will always be impossible for those artists who have a bad attitude about it.
Have you ever thought about writing a book about music, handling it as an art form, like many famous painters did? (Kandinsky, Dalì, Klee, Mondrian and Rothko… just to name a few)
S- Yes, but it’s not the right time now.
Is there any artist you really appreciate, aside from music, and why?
S- There are many. I have been studying Eckhart Tolle a lot. He’s not necessarily an artist but his words are of the most inspiring to me.
They say there’s always a great woman behind a great man… how much is your wife involved in your music and career?
S- I am very fortunate to have had a woman like Pia in my life since I was 18 years old. She is much smarter, wiser, cultured and clever than me. She is a clear and wonderful critic of my work and has always been supportive.
Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans that I didn’t ask?
S- Italians make for one of the best audiences!
I’d really like to thank you so much for taking the time out to answer our questions…
S- Grazie.
Interview for Italian Press 2013
BMA Magazine, Australia, Interview
BMA Magazine, Canberra, Australia: Steve Vai interview questions, by Chris Downton
It's only been just over a year since you last toured as part of the G3 line-up. Is Australia a place that you particularly enjoy touring / visiting?
S- I always get excited to tour in Australia. There is a very different atmosphere there than the rest of the world. I’ve said this in the press many times before but the Australians are the nicest people in the world. They are… charming really. There is a social gravity that permeates any culture and the Australian one is light and airy.
You've described your latest album 'The Story Of Light' as a multi-layered, non-linear concept album; is it daunting trying to work out how to present something like that live?
S- Not at all. At this point they are more or less colourful songs that can be performed by the band. On each tour it’s natural to play 5-6 songs from whatever new record is being promoted.
How does 'The Story Of Light' relate to its predecessor 'Real Illusions – Reflections’; is it a continuation of the conceptual arc, or something more complex?
S- In many respects the approach to the song writing, the flow of the music’s intentions and the recording procedure are similar for both records. The songs are built around conceptual ideas from within the story so this can offer a different slant to the creative process. But yes, “The Story Of Light” is more or less an additional instalment of songs that will eventually be amalgamated into the final presentation of the full story of “Real Illusions”.
Is there a track on the new album that you can single out as a particular favourite? If so, why?
S- Eh, it changes. Sometimes I find myself craving “No More Amsterdam” because of Aimee Mann’s wonderful lyrics and voice, Sometimes I want the dirty perversion of “Gravity Storm” and at times I’m drawn to listen to “The Story of Lgiht” When I feel like being washed over by an ocean of blissful melody drenched in harmonic distortion. But if I want to cry I’ll listen to “Weeping China Doll” or “Mullach A’Tsi”.
Throughout your back catalogue of music, you've traversed a huge range of different musical styles. Is there a genre of music you haven't had a chance to work in yet that you would like to?
S- Actually, I don’t really see myself as visiting many different styles. I’ve dabbled in some but nothing to close to the authenticity of a genre such as blues, Jazz, classical, etc. My blues is from Venus, my Jazz is from Hell, and my Classical is from my own view on true inspiration. The closest thing I authentically come to is rock and metal but theirs always a perverse twist to it. And there is no definite style I would like to explore in an authentic sense. Just steal a little here and there from whatever sounds inspiring.
Throughout your career, you've also worked with an intimidatingly huge list of well-known artists, but do you have your own wishlist of people you'd love to collaborate with, if you ever got the chance?
S- Yes, Seth McFarland, Eckhart Tolle, Tom Shadyac, Chris Cunningham, Woody Allen, Professor Aydogan Ozcan, Amit Goswami, Byron Katie.
What can Canberra audiences expect from your upcoming show here – will you be gearing the set around 'The Story Of Light'? Also...who's coming along with you on tour?
S- This is the first time I’ve done a full Vai show in Ausi in quite some time. When I put a show together I try to bring in elements that I would like to see in a show. First and foremost I want to be the best entertainer I can be because people are taking their time, spending their money to come and see the band. I like to offer in the shows a great deal of musicianship, almost exaggerated dynamics from fiercely dense complex music to exquisitely subtle and intimate moments, some comic relief etc. I want the audience to leave feeling great, uplifted somehow, perhaps feeling that they really engaged in something fulfilling. I have Dave Weiner on Guitar, Phillip Bynoe on Bass. Jeremy Colson on Drums and Michael Arrom on keyboards.
On a completely different subject, I understand that you're an avid beekeeper in your spare time; how did you first get interested in that? As a scientist who works in that area, a lot of pretty scary things have been happening with bees recently...
S- It started when my wife, our two children and myself moved into a 2 acre property in Los Angeles that was virtually vacant for 10 years. She wanted to plant gardens and I wanted to plant fruit trees and I did some research and discovered that honey bees are the best pollinators and keeping them is very easy. It’s a wonderful hobby and is becoming more and more popular in the USA. In California you can buy bee keeping supplies at one of our local grocery shops. It’s a great way to contribute to the environment as you can propigate the hives and help the bees to grow. And heck, they make honey!
Thanks for your time,
Chris Downton
BMA Magazine, Australia, Interview
Dominion Post, Wellington, New Zealand Interview
Dominion Post, Wellington, New Zealand
What first attracted you to playing guitar?
S- The moment I first saw someone playing it I was 5 years old and they were perhaps 8. The way it looked and hung on the body, the sound that came out of it when it was hit hard or soft were some of the things that enraptured me but mostly I immediately was instinctively aware of the infinite nature of the instrument.
What are your strongest memories of forming the band Rayge while you were still at school?
S- How absolutely cool it was to be in a rock band in high school. It was my favorite band I was every in. We did everything together. There was a sense of brotherhood like none other. When you are in high school you go through life experiences for the first time. Usually it’s the time you start feeling independence from your parents, first intimate relationships and perhaps heart breaks. , Maybe the first time experimenting with alcohol and drugs, first time driving a car, etc. But being in a band and having that camaraderie and going through that stuff together was glorious.
What is your strongest memory of first meeting Joe Satriani?
S- I was 12 and he was 15 and he had a face and a head full of very thick hair and with that and his big blue eyes, and being an older kid who could play the hell out of the guitar, he was scary.
How significant has Joe been for you as a musician?
S- Joe Satriani has been the most significant musical person in my life.
Did Berklee College open you to more music?
S- That’s what it did more than anything else. I virtually lived in the music library which was the place that I first heard all of the Beatles music, All of Stravinski, Zappa, Maynerd Fergeson, etc. etc.
What were your first impressions Frank Zappa when he recruited you for his band when you were 18?
S- I started to transcribe for him when I was around 18 and joined the band when I was 20. The thing I noticed mostly about Frank was that he was always present. In anything that he did, be it talking to you, writing music, going from one place to another, his full attention was in it.
Did Frank's approach to music influence you?
S- In some ways yes. When Frank had an idea that was exciting to him he just did it without any excuses, without expecting someone else to do it for him and without compromising his artistic vision. I worked for him for 6 years at a very impressionable age so I just figured that’s how you do it.
How did you go about building your first recording studio?
S- With the money I saved from giving guitar lessons and working with Frank I purchased a house in Sylmar California that had a big work shed in the backyard. We were surrounded by residential area and farms. I purchased what I needed to convert the building into a studio and scraped together whatever gear I could find. I rented the rooms of the house out so the mortgage could be paid and I could just build the studio. It took 5 months and when I was done I recorded “Flex-Able”.
What was it like playing in Whitesnake?
S- It was great to be a “rock star” in the 80’s. David Coverdale was a wonderful guy to work with as was all the guys in the band. I enjoyed recording with them and touring because I like their music but I knew eventually I was going to move on and do the music that was in my head.
Looking back on Passion and Warfare today, what were the highlights for you in making that album?
S- I was finally once again working on music that was truly compelling to me and when I got an idea for something I did not have to answer to anyone, I just did it. The amazing thing to me was how some ideas translated into music even more powerfully than I expected they would. That’s the biggest pay off.
I've always wanted to ask this: how did you get your guitar to sound like a horse on Bad Horsie from Alien Love Secrets?
S- You bend the bar down, strike a harmonic on the second fret of the G string, raise the bar and flex the wha wha, then dip the bar back down while vibrating the note with your finger so hard that your teeth rattle and your balls drop.
Do you think there's still new territories to be discovered in what the guitar can achieve, both in recording and in composition?
S- The evolution of the guitar, as the evolution of any art or anything on the planet, or anything in our solar system, or galaxy etc. etc. is the way the Universe infinitely expands itself and until the Universe reaches it’s cosmic goal and returns to itself, there will probably always be someone who will take the guitar into a different direction. So my perspective on your question is a big YES.
How often do you get young guitarists citing you as an influence and an inspiration?
S- Usually at my concerts when they are waiting at the back door for a pic and a signature. It’s very charming and touching.
What the best thing about having a line of signature guitars?
S- The best thing about having a signature series guitar besides having a guitar that is perfectly fitted to your every desire, is the royalties.
For your shows in New Zealand, what are we likely to get?
S- This is the first time I’ve done a full Vai show in NZ in quite some time. When I put a show together I try to bring in elements that I would like to see in a show. First and foremost I want to be the best entertainer I can be because people are taking their time, spending their money to come and see the band. I like to offer in the shows a great deal of musicianship, almost exaggerated dynamics from fiercely dense complex music to exquisitely subtle and intimate moments, some comic relief etc. I want the audience to leave feeling great, uplifted somehow, perhaps feeling that they really engaged in something fulfilling. I have Dave Weiner on Guitar, Phillip Bynoe on Bass. Jeremy Colson on Drums and Michael Arrom on keyboards.
Do you ever have guitar-free days?
S- Only when things don’t go as planned. Tom Cardy |Arts Editor
The Dominion Post - A division of Fairfax Media New Zealand Ltd
Dominion Post, Wellington, New Zealand Interview
SF Media, Australia Interview
Steve Vai interview questions for SF Media, Australia
http://sfmedia.com.au
I want to start by talking about your latest album, ‘The Story Of Light’. This is your first release since your 2005 album, ‘Real Illusions: Reflections’. Did it take the seven years to write and record this album or was it a concentrated effort over a specific period of time?
S- Thanks for the interview. After I released "Real Illusions Reflections" I did a year long solo tour, after that I also did several tours with Dweezil Zappa (ZPZ), Did many "Alien Guitar Secrets Master Class tours" (Russia, Italy, Europe, Isreal and America), many side projects where I contributed parts etc. I then composed 2 hours of orchestra music for the Holland Metropole Orkest. We recorded 5 shows and I released a live double CD "Sound Theories" and a live DVD of the event, "Visual Sound Theories". This took 2 years. Then I put a band together with two violin players, (The String Theories band) and did a tour and released a live DVD "Where the Wild Things Are" that went gold and platinum and also two live records to go with it. Then I did two Experience Hendrix tours. Then I composed a symphony for guitar, rock band and orchestra for the North Netherlands Symphony. The piece is called "Expanding the Universe". Composing a symphony of 40 minutes or more can take 8 months of 12 hour undisturbed days. This project took a whole year to compose, orchestrate, create the parts and score, rehearse the orchestra and do the performances. I recorded this project but have yet to release it. It went very well and I was once again commissioned to write another symphony for the NNO that I called "The Middle of Everywhere". This took 6 solid months plus rehearsal performance and recording. There were some wonderful G3 tours in there too. Then in January of 2011 I started working on "The Story of Light" and it was released in August 2012. So I've been pretty busy.
When you reflect back on this album, is there anything you would change in hindsight?
S- hmmm, I don’t believe so.
You’ve been writing and recording for many years now. Can you tell me how you keep the creativity in your music after all these years?
S- First I remind myself that us humans have an infinite well of creativity within all of us and that true creativity comes from the same place for all of us but expresses itself in a myriad ways through each individual. Then I try to shut my mind up and let the inspiration comes. Sometimes it comes in little snippets or in huge chunks of completed ideas in what seems like a millisecond. Then I feel it’s my responsibility to do my best to bring into the physical world these inspirations.
Do you think your music has changed at all over the years, or the way you approach songwriting? If so, how?
S- It seems to me that whenever we create anything it’s sort of like a little snap shot of who we were at that time. The process of going through various life experiences can change your perspective on life. Every second that passes we are different people than who we were and that can be expressed in what we do so yes, I think my music has changed over the years because I have changed. I’ve also seen myself open up much more to some of the influential things around me that I just never saw before.
Your music has also been featured in many movies and video games. Is that something you’re consciously aware of when you’re writing or are they bonuses to your songwriting?
S- If I get a request for a song for a particular game or etc. and I think I have something that will work and if the use of the song resonates with me then I’ll license it. So it’s just a bonus.
As well as your solo career, you’ve performed with many high profile bands. Can you share some of the highlights?
S- They all had highlights. Learning the music and performing with the great Frank Zappa, Being a rock star in the 80’s playing In Dave Roth’s band, touring with Whitesnake, The Pil Record I did with John Lydon was a highlight. It’s all your perspective. What most people think are highlights are really just un-satiated fantasies. For me the highlight of being a musician always was, still is and probably always will be in being struck with a creative idea that becomes so compelling that it consumes you, then the process of bringing that inspiration into the world, then sitting back and listening to it, or performing it on the stage.
Anything in your musical career that you look back on and wish you could change?
S- There are things that I look back at that I think I would do very differently but one of the ways life works is that those things usually come up again and you get an opportunity to do them differently. But then you discover other things you would have done differently and so they usually come up again, etc. etc. The bottom line is there is only one decision we can ever make at any given time because it's predicated on our past decisions. Anything we do is the only thing we were capable of doing at the time and the later perspective of the action is the opportunity to change into a more conscious person. I believe that’s the way it works for all of us and the planet in general.
You’re heading out to Australia to tour. Can you tell me what audiences can expect to hear?
S- We will be performing 6 or so tracks from the new record, a smattering of the favorites and a handful of older stuff that has either never been performed or has not been performed in a long time. We also have a very engaging section of the sow where I I invite audience members to come up on stage to help write a new song on the spot and then the band does a jam around this. This has proven to be a real hoot!!!
Are there some songs in your catalogue that audiences expect to hear every time you tour? If so, which ones?
S- I think most of them (the guitar players) like to hear songs such as Whispering a Prayer, For the Love of God, The Crying Machine, Building the Church.
What do you look forward to when you’re touring?
S- Virtually everything, but perhaps most is the same thing most artists will tell you, being on stage, being inspired and in the moment, and sharing that with and audience that just wants to escape for a while and feel good.
What do you have planned for the rest of 2013?
S- I spent the first 5 months composing new music for an orchestra and performed it in Holland in May. The piece is called “The Still Small Voice”. I hold one note on the guitar for 17 mintues whiel the orchestra weaves in and out of it. Right now I am on tour with the Evolution Orchestra and we are playing the music from my Sound Theories record plus the complete Fire Garden Suite, Velorum, Whispering a Prayer and Racing the World. My Australia tour kicks off 8 months of additional touring with the Rock band. I get home at Christmas and start to mix the orchestra music for my next release. Then I will sit down to make my most quintessential guitar record. And it’s called…. Well, I guess that’s a secret for now.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
S-Thanks for the support and obey your parents and use a condom.
Thanks for taking the time to do this interview.
SF Media, Australia Interview
May The Rock Be With You (Australia) Interview
Steve Vai interview, for ‘May the Rock be with You’ website, Australia
Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us today, Steve.
S- No worries, Thank you.
Now, you’re heading back to Australia for your own headline shows, your first in a while here, are you pumped to be able to come back and share your music with us again in your own shows?
S- Very much so! I have been to Ausi with Dweezil and G3 etc. but nothing is more exciting to me as my own full show. I very much enjoy doing G3 but my solo shows have a different energy.
You were of course here for the G3 shows last year, how did you enjoy that run with Joe Satriani and Steve Lukather?
S- I believe I have to say it was one of my very favourite G3 tours. Steve, Joe and I laughed hard most of the time. It was a great vibe, beautiful timing and weather and a top knotch crew and band, all the things that makes a musicians life on the road grand. I’ve changed a lot over the years and appreciate touring more now than ever.
With over thirty years now in the business and eight solo albums, how do you create your set these days? Is it something that is ever changing?
S- When touring I’m usually in support of a new record so there is 6-7 new tracks in the set list, some usual suspects that the fans expect, and a handful of tracks from the catalogue that have either not been played for a while or have never been played. I like to let each musician shine a bit in their own light and I like to have a bit of an acoustic set and at least one part of the set that is a bit outlandish. This time I came up with something absurd. At one point in the show I invite a few audience members up to build a song for the band to jam on. It’s been working out amazingly well and some pretty funny things have happened.
How do you approach a G3 show compared to your own shows? Is there a different ‘ritual’ for lack of a better word in your preparation?
S- My set for a G3 show is usually around 45 minutes and the solo show can run up to, and sometimes over 2.5 hours. The songs I choose for the G3 are usually very straight forward guitar instrumentals and the solo show does that but adds more dense material and some vocal songs. Plus, I change my cloths like 4 times during my solo shows!
You’ve had a bevy of musicians play in your band over the years, but the guys in your band presently you’ve had for a while now, what is it about this line up that works to bring your songs to life?
S- They are solid, dependable, big eared, uniquely talented musicians and I feel fortunate to have them in the band. Besides being all that the first thing I look for in a musician is their attitude and road worthiness. Once you get out there on tour there is no secrets at sea and you want to be with guys that know how to have a good time. A bad apple can ruin the experience for everyone.
‘The Story Of Light’ is your first album in seven years, has this given you the bug again and can we expect to hear more material from you sooner rather than later?
S- Yes, for sure. When I look back and realize all the side projects I did and how I spent time on other things, even though I enjoyed doing those things, nothing is as rewarding to me as doing my own music. In that period I did release a double live orchestra record and DVD, a live DVD and CD and some Vai-Tunes, but I’m eager to start my next record now. And I did. I’m on tour right now with a 50 piece orchestra and we are playing tracks that will be recorded and released as my next record. It’s a wild ride.
Also the second part of the trilogy, is there a chance we’ll have to wait another seven years for the conclusion of the story?
S- Perhaps longer. It’s a life project.
You have been around Australia more times than I think half the people that live here have, but do you have a stand out memory of a visit that you can share with us?
S- Whenever I’m in Australia my favourite place to visit is Rottnest Island off the coast of Perth. It seems as though I’m there once every 18 months and we are kicking our tour off in Perth so if I have the time I’m going to try and get there this July. Once I was there and rented a bike and rode about 45 minutes to a remote little beach. It was early in the day and I had a show that night and the last shuttle boat back to Perth left at 4pm. It was just gorgeous and the sun was screaming. I found a quiet little beach and there was no one around so I took off all my cloths and laid on my stomach in the sun. I fell asleep there. Not a good thing I tell you. I woke up when I felt something sniffing around and licking my ass. It was a cute little Quokka. I thought all this very amusing until I realized that it was 3:45 and the last boat was leaving in 15 minutes and it was a 45 minute bike ride and to top all that off, my ass was completely sun burned and bright bright red!As you can imagine, I freaked out, threw my shorts on and ran to my bike and rode as fast and as hard as I could. The problem was that my ass was so sunburned that I could not sit on the seat of the bike without feeling like someone had ripped my skin off. I literally made it to the boat and jumped on it with my bike as it was pulling away from the doc. Needless to say, that night at the gig my dancing around was a little… stiff. But thanks to the little Quokka for the wake up call.
I have to mention this as it’s always stuck with me, I met you at an in store in Melbourne back in 1997 and you were running a little late, but when you arrived you said that you weren’t leaving until you’d met everyone and because of that your show started late that night. I guess I wanted to say thank you and ask about your interactions with fans, where as many would’ve left regardless of time, why was that important for you to do that?
S- I’m still fascinated over the idea that people want to take photos with me and have my autograph. Not fascinated in the way that my ego is gratified but just… I don’t know, in wonder.. and deep gratitude.I always felt that if you’re an artist then you have a responsibility to use your talent to bring your gift to those in society that actually find some value in it. This is why the diversity of music is so important as there is something for everyone. So if I say I’m going to be someplace and meet people for autographs or whatever, and then they take the time to go there and wait, and wait and wait, then it’s my responsibility to make sure that none of them waited for nothing. That would be worse than trying to make a 45 minute bike trip in 15 minutes with a sunburned ass.
On fans, tell us a bit about the EVO package that you offer to your diehard fans…
S- Besides the swag you can get, and I recommend checking out Vai.com for that because I forget what it all is, I really enjoy talking with the fans. I have to talk to press a lot and most of the times the press just get’s the press release and asks you the same questions for 20 years… I mean 30 years in some cases. But the fans have an emotional investment in the music and in you as the artist so their questions are genuine and sincere and some of them know things about me that I have forgotten. So it’s really a beautiful exchange and I usually sit and talk with them for an hour. I have to reminded to end it like three times because I hate leaving anyone with a question that was not answered. That would be worse then… never mind.
Over the years obviously technology changes, so what do you feel you’re able to do now that you may not have been able to do thirty years ago?
S- Edit tracks individually is the biggest thing.
I always wanted to ask about the original floral Ibanez JEM guitars which I never was able to afford when they were around, but I heard that you were actually buying those up at one stage when you could find them, is that true? And if so, what was it about that guitar that warranted that?
S- I could never find anyone to sell one to me and I only have one. I don’t know why but for some reason they seem to be the best sounding Jems to me. Perhaps it has something to do with the fabric and how it effects the resonation of the wood.
So would you say there is one of your songs from your catalogue that you feel encompasses Steve Vai as a whole?
S- I like to think of every note in every song as a hologram. In a hologram every part of it contains the information of the whole. Some scientists are starting to believe that the universe is actually reflective of that concept. It’s the microcosm in the macrocosm. But spiritually enlightened people are totally aware that this is the case with everything. There is only one consciousness and it exists in everything. So the answer to your question is yes and no. But then again, reality is based on paradoxes.
Lastly, what does the remainder of 2013 have in store for Steve Vai?
S- I am on tour right now with a 50 piece orchestra called the “Evolution Orchestra”. I started in Holland in May with the NNO performing a new piece called “The Still Small Voice” where I hold a note on the guitar for 17 minutes while the orchestra weaves in and out of it. The we performed the whole “Fire Garden Suite”. Then I kicked off with this orchestra in Russia, travelling to Siberia, Ukraine, off to Poland tomorrow then Italy, Spain and Romania. Then I pick up with the Rock band in Ausi and NZ, then Jakarta, Shanghai, Beijing, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Bangkok, then to Europe, then the USA, South America, Mexico and then it’s Christmas. Then in Jan-March I’m looking at Africa, India, Dubai, Tel Aviv and perhaps Russia with the Rock band. Then I’m going to go to sleep… on a beach somewhere… naked… with little Quokkas gently tonguing my ass.
Thanks for your time, Steve. See you soon and May the Rock be with You.
May The Rock Be With You (Australia) Interview
Sunday Star Times, New Zealand Interview
Sunday Star Times, New Zealand
The Sunday Star Times ‘Soundtrack of my life’ feature.
Could we ask Steve to write about his favourite album(s) or piece(s) of music and why?
The following is a recent example as a guide.
Sean Moore, drums/ trumpet with Welsh rock band, Manic Street Preachers:
“Like a lot of kids growing up in the Welsh valleys, I guess my first exposure to music was leafing through my dad’s records, looking for interesting bits. In my case, I found The Beatles’ Abbey Road, Glen Miller Band, and Gustav Holst’s The Planets. I was about eight, I guess. I had a next door neighbour who introduced me to 70’s rock music. He loved Black Sabbath, and had a guillotine in his room! He also introduced me to Queen, and the first first 45 I ever bought, aged nine, was We Will Rock You. But growing up in the valleys in the late 70’s, most people loved either heavy rock or disco, so the four of us were desperate to find things that were in-between those, with a point of difference. We tried to find music everyone else didn’t like, and that meant The Fall and the Velvet Underground, to be obtuse, as much as anything. Then of course, you had punk and post-punk, The Clash and so on, but really, I feel like Manic Street Preachers was as influenced by books and films and art as by music. The books we were reading, the films we watched, paintings we loved, the poetry of fellow Welshmen like Dylan Thomas, the revolutionary politics inspired by Thatcherism- these things bled into our songs, alongside that holy trinity of young Welshmen everywhere: alienation, boredom and despair.”
Manic Street Preachers play their first ever New Zealand gig at Auckland’s Vector Arena on Tuesday, July 2. Tickets via Ticketmaster…SV: The house I grew up in was a traditional type New York Long Island Italian American home. My parents listened to polka music and comedy records. So, at the age of 9 I had to play the accordion. They also had the original sound track to “West Side Story”. That really got my interest. It had attitude, a story, love interests, gangs and historical orchestration and melody. But then my older sister came home with Led Zeppelin II and my life took a huge turn. I listened to that record religiously and also started to save my money to buy top 20 45rpm singles at a department store up the street. Then My brother came home with “Sly and The Family Stones Greatest Hits”. Another huge millstone. But then my friend, John Sergio, who lived a few houses away turned me onto Queen, Jethro Tull, Deep Purple Uriah Heep, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Yes etc. and I discovered Circus and Raves magazine. Through all this Kiss, Bowie and Alice Cooper also held an awesome presence in my life. The great thing about music is you can discover an old or new artist at anytime that can change the quality of your whole life. Then the world opened up even further when my friend played me Frank Zappa. Tears of Joy filled my eyes. Then in college I got really into Al DiMeola, Mahavishnu, some jazz, Carlos, Jeff Beck, etc. There were things I really liked and things I didn’t care for as a kid such as Bob Dylan, the Beatles, The Rolling Stones but obviously later on in my life I grew to appreciate these artists, especially the Beatles. I never gave classical music a real chance because it always seemed too predictable and nice sounding, then I discovered contemporary classical music and Stravinsky absolutely kicked my ass, and still does. Then from there is was Luciano Berio, Giorgy Ligeti, Varese, Mahler, Ravel, then ethnic music, gypsy, Bulgarian, etc. But perhaps my favorite discovery was the music of Tom Waits when I was in my early 40’s. Imagine that. A totally new lease on a music life in your 40’s. Here was an artist that to me embodies the epitome of true artistry. He can capture atmospheres and allow you to live in them and feel them for a while. His vocal approach is different in virtually every song he sings and however he sings he is totally committed to the lyric without any excuses. When he performs he is absolutely present and in the moment of every single syllable and movement of his body. I have never seen or heard anything like it. For me It’s a treat to be alive and experience it. No other artist has ever made me cry so hard, tears of… can’t really explain what those tears are. I can only assume they are of gratitude. And the discoveries continue. Can’t wait to see what’s up next, but unfortunately I still don’t like polka music.
Sunday Star Times, New Zealand Interview
The AU Review (Australia) Interview
Steve Vai INTERVIEW
For ‘The AU Review’ website, Australia
Thanks for your time Steve – I understand you’re currently on tour, how is everything going?
S- Yes, I’m on tour with the Evolution Orchestra. It’s a 50 piece orchestra and a rock band and we are performing pieces from my Sound Theories CD which is basically a hand full of tracks from my catalogue that I orchestrated. It’s sounds quite powerful and feels amazing to play with such a force behind me. On the Orchestra tour I visited Holland, Russia, Siberia, Belarus, Kiev, Poland Spain and Italy.
It won’t be long before you’re in Australia for a run of dates – music fans love you over this way, how are you looking forward to coming over and sharing the sets you’ve been taking all over the place to our crowds?
S- I always get excited to tour in Australia. There is a very different atmosphere there than the rest of the world. I’ve said this in the press many times before but the Australians are the nicest people in the world. They are… charming really. There is a social gravity that permeates any culture and the Australian one is light and airy.
I’ve visited Australia a lot in the last 4-5 years with either ZPZ, Alien Guitar Secrets Master Class, G3. Etc but I have not been there doing a full Vai show in a while. This is the thing I enjoy doing the most and feel I am the best at. I’m very eager for the Ausi’s to see this show.
With Story of Light being released last year, can you tell me about to what extent the record has been featured in the live shows, how it’s been received and how the songs you’ve showcased have been adapted for the live stage, if any?
S-Surprisingly enough the record charted in most countries around the world and the reviews from the shows are almost embarrassingly good, ha. Check em outhttp://reviews.ticketmaster.com/7171/736378/steve-vai-reviews/reviews.htmS- We do around 6-7 tracks from the new record and they are rolling off our fingers wonderfully. In the beginning of he tour I had Beverly McClellan out with us and she would do “John The Revelator” . It took the house down but unfortunately she will not be joining us on the Ausi run.
The album has been described as a bit of a ‘rock opera’ in structure – when thinking about the album in terms of being part of a larger ‘story’, how much did this affect the way the music was written and arranged?
S- I believe that an inspiration for a piece of of music, art, etc. can be triggered by many different things ad for me when I have a story for a song, or a character that a piece of music is based on, it can aid in the imagination department. The Real Illusions quadrillogy offers a lot of food for imaginary thoughts and song constructions. For instance, there is a track on the record called “Gravity Storm”. I actually had the title before I wrote the track. It’s about a place where the gravity can change and objects can become either heavier or lighter depending on the type of storm it is. In this particular scenario there is a very heavy gravity storm that takes place. Items become so heavy that if a person did not retreat to a special gravity equalization shelter they could crush under their own weight. So I needed to write a song that depicts this idea. If you listen to the track “Gravity Storm” you can see how I did this with the guitar part.
As a music fan, were you exposed to the sort of exploration of music and use of sound that you’re making yourself, when you were learning your way through the industry and growing up? Who would you cite as influences, in terms of the creative direction you’ve taken over the past few years?
S- For the most part my 3 music life mentors have been Joe Satriani, he was my teacher from ages of around 12- 15 or so. He continues to be a constant source of inspiration on many levels. Then there was Frank Zappa. From him I learned that if you get an exciting idea just do it. I also learned the importance of understanding the music business and being independent and not desperate. Then there was David Lee Roth where I learned performance, how to communicate to a large crowd, and how to be intenselyy serious, but not too serious, about what you do.
When you’re in Australia in July, you’ll be performing with your full band; for people who may not have seen you with this group of musicians previously, can you tell us about how you all came together and how they amplify and add to the atmosphere you hope your music generates in a live arena?
S- In the band I have Dave Weiner on Guitar. He has been with me for close to 13 years. He is as solid as the day is long. Philip Bynoe on bass, Philip has also been with me on and off for around 14 years. He has amazing ears and a stunning degree of perfect pitch. Jeremy Colson on Drums, Jeremy has been with me for the last 11 years. He hears me when I play and knows how to communicate. He has impeccable time and can hit as hard as a wrecking ball.
These guys are respectful and professional but more than anything they are great guys that love to tour and we have a wonderful time together. It’s like a family.
Then there is the alternating 4 band slot that is usually filled with an odd instrument or keyboardist. Last tour I had Deborah Henson Conant on electric harp and that added a nice dimension to the sound. Before that I had Anne Marie Callhoun and Alex DePue on violin. That was the String Theories band. This time through Ausie I have this young wonderkid keyboard player named Michael Arrom. He’s 18 years old and a stunning player.
You’re widely known and revered for your phenomenal guitar skills – when on the road for the last 12 months or so of touring, had you added any new equipment or pieces to your rig/set up to get that specific sound achieved on the latest record or the stuff you may be working on now? How much of a perfectionist are you when it comes to prepping your music to be performed night after night for extensive pieces of time on the road?
S- My gear has not changed for a while. I’m still using the Fractal Axe FX and Carvin Legacy amps. They really suit me. Every now and then I plug in a funky new stomp box and may use it for a while. There is a very cool innovation in the new Digi Tech Whammy pedal. There is a button you can hit with your foot that changes the pitch on the fly. I used it in “Weeping china Doll”. It allows for a unique effect and that’s what I look for in a piece of gear.
In preparing songs for a tour I usually learn the original parts and will slightly vary them over time. If I like the solo I will keep that too but most of the time I’ll just go off into lala land if elements permit.
The AU Review (Australia) Interview
Metal Forge, Australia Interview
3 June 2013 – Steve Vai Interview Questions, for Metal Forge website, Australia
You’re regarded by many as one of the all time masters of guitar. I’m sure there were (and still are) countless hours of practise and rehearsal, but at an early age, learning from the legendary Joe Satriani, did guitar seem to come naturally or did you really have to work hard to develop your talent to the point where it matched your desire to play?
S-Thank you, Music came very natural and easy to me. I seemed to instinctively understand it at a very early age. I could see music and understood the infrastructure of the building blocks but the guitar did not come so easy. I was not natural at it and had to work very hard, harder than most people I believe. Bu I truly enjoyed the process because there was nothing more rewarding than thinking of something that I could not do, then working on it, then all of sudden you can do it. Then you keep doing it over and over and it becomes natural and starts to sound like music. That’s an amazing pay off. I was addicted to the feeling that gave me so putting in many hours on the guitar was a sheer joy. I was not really good at much of anything else. In school I failed English and Social Studies, as they just didn’t make common sense to me. Spelling English makes not much sense because it’s not necessarily a phonetic language like Italian. And all the rules and regulations were just a waste of time to know. Obviously when I got older I took an interest and got y writing together a bit. But History was phenomenally mind boggling to me. The study of war seemed useless and I could not retain dates for things that meant nothing to me. I felt there was too much of an emphasis on the past and not enough on the present or future. But I seemed to completely understand and embrace, and extrapolate on the language of music instantly. Too bad that’s not considered something to be acknowledged and cultivated in the contemporary school curriculum of the United States.
What drove you then to dedicate yourself to mastering the guitar and what drives you now to continue to create?
S- The same thing all along and that’s coming up with an exciting musical idea then setting out to make it real in the world. It makes everyday like Christmas.
Do you still feel like you are learning and if so, in what way?
S- I believe that we are all learning in vast ways every moment of every day. We are never really the same people one moment after the next. Every experience we have is a learning one whether we see it that way or not. For me the leaps and bounds have been in the emerging awareness of my own spiritual core and the fact that my spiritual core is the same as is everyone’s and that the most important thing you can do in life is embrace this very moment.
It stands to reason that Joe was a major influence on your early years, but who else did you regard as being your heroes at the time and how did they influence your early style?
S- Our influences can come from places that you would least expect and not within our line of work at all, and they can have the most profound impact on us. But I’ll stick with the musical ones. I was a teenager in the 70’s and was heavily into the progressive Rock scene and rock scene with bands like Led Zep, Queen, Jethro Tull, ELP, Deep Purple, Hendrix Then I discovered Frank Zappa and contemporary classical music. That was a life changer. At one point I discovered and ventured into fusion and Jazz.In all the great guitar players I have been inspired by I would never feel comfortable playing their riffs. I always felt like… why, they do it so much better and hey, they are doing it already. I was always on the look out for my own unique voice on the instrument and if there was any clear message I got from my heroes it was just that. Find your own voice. It’s undeniably there you just have to have the courage to trust it. When people ask me how did I come up with my style the answer is, It’s the only thing I thought about my whole life.
What trends, equipment or styles have come and gone in guitar over the last 30 to 40 years which stick in your mind as being either particularly good or bad, and have they stood the test of time?
S- For me I look for the good in all the various styles that come and go and elements of all can stand the test of time. The blues and rock guitar attitude is still prevelant and is at the core of what I do, maybe not traditionally but in a morphed sort of way. The use of the whammy bar was big when Hendrix starting abusing it and that kind of stuck but these days the 7 string and tuning down is a focal point in the new metal guitar scene. Actually it’s not even new anymore. Technology will continue to evolve and the way that we create, distribute, purchase and listen to music has changed tremendously over the past decades and will continue to change. The one thing that won’t change is the need for the creative element behind the music and that’s the musician.
As well as you’re distinguished solo band career, you’ve played with some legendary performers and acts including Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, the G3 project and Whitesnake. What are your personal highlights in a career which has included so many accolades?
S- As you can imagine there are many things I could site as “career highlights” that I think you may be referring to such as winning Grammys, playing my first sold out show at Madison Square Garden, reading complimentary things in the press from my heroes, having my first platinum solo album, etc. etc. All of these things, and many more, are truly fine and I am extraordinarily grateful for them and never take them for granted, but I would have to say the thing that is a career highlight for me, always was, is now and always will be, is when a unique and exciting musical idea arises in me and I bring it into the world with the tools at my disposal and it turns out better than I could have expected. I feel as though I’m fulfilling some kind of life obligation and using the gifts that the Universe provides to do something that perhaps a small handful of people find fulfilling to experience.In some ways I feel we are all capable of doing this within our own natural gifts, and so many of us do but they may not be perceived in the world as “great achievements”. They are still as valid as any other achievement because I don’t believe the Universe measures success the same way the human mind does.
Given that you are regarded by so many as a master of the guitar, what are your thoughts on not being recognised by some in the media; for example not being included in Rolling Stone’s list of the best 100 guitar players of all time in 2011, particularly given that some of the inclusions and rankings in this list would raise some eyebrows?
S- There was a time when something like the Rolling Stones list would have disturbed me, (and it did but that was before the one that came out in 2011) but I came to the realization that those kind of thoughts and feelings are all ego based and can only induce suffering and stress. When you create an identity for yourself that is based on your egoic mind, life is nothing but stress and suffering because you can never be famous enough, rich enough, good looking enough etc. etc. to satiate the ego. Liberation is letting go of the need to find yourself in things of the world and understanding that all you need is the appreciation of life in this very moment. When that transition starts to happen, all that other stuff dissolves and there is peace. I am not claiming to be egoless but more and more everyday I get closer to this reality and this changes the quality of your whole life. It’s still nice to be recognized for your contributions but these are just lists that somebody makes based on their or some others likes or dislikes and for me to allow that to dictate my happiness really doesn’t make sense. I don’t make my identity dependant on a list. And when I’m not recognized then it really doesn’t matter. Things in the world have an importance but ultimately nothing is really that important.
You’ve said that your last 2 studio albums are intended to form the first 2 instalments of a Real Illusions trilogy, which will form a concept trio of albums. Can you explain a little about the concept and theme, the inspiration behind the concept and how the 3 albums will tie together when they are complete?
S- The Story of Light is the second installments of songs in a quadrilogy I am working on. The first record was my last studio record and it's called "Real Illusions: Reflections". The new record is actually called "The Story of Light, Real Illusions: of A". In the last scene of the story the main character, Captain Drake Mason, presents a book that he wrote to the towns people. The name of the book is "Under it All" and the first chapter is called, "The Story of Light". The Light that is referred to is the light of consciousness. The title just came to me. The story does not unfold in the proper order and at this time you can only get elements of the story by reading the liner notes and listening to the lyrics. The 4th and final installment will be the first three records with the songs in the proper order and many of the melody songs will have lyrics and vocals and there will be another CD of material that has narrative and glue music so those who are interested can follow the story in a cohesive, accessible linear experience.
Can you tell us how the writing process for these albums has progressed? Have you been writing on your own or has there been a lot of collaboration on the material?
S- I usually don’t collaborate although on “The Story of Light” I really enjoyed working with Aimee Mann on “No ore Amsterdam”. The writing process is not much different than anything I have done in the past in that I do not setup any parameters on where when or how I will choose inspiration. It can come in any form and I just need to be there to capture it. But having said that, this particular series of records has a theme and in such there are pieces of music that I know would work better for this. Not everything I write would work here.
Have you started writing material for the third chapter of the trilogy and when can fans hope for a release?
S- Yes, there are sketches of songs, some tracks recorded and the story is virtually complete but I’m allowing it to constantly be in flux until it’s captured and put together. I don’t suspect my next few releases will be for the third instalment. I’m going to let it cook for a while.
Your current band has been receiving high praise as musicians in their own right. How did you conduct the audition process for each of these parts and how have you felt the band has aided in your recent live performances?
S- The core band, Phillip Bynoe, Dave Weiner, Jeremy Colson have been with me for over 12 years. The 4th slot varies and is according to what I’m interested in at the time. There was the Breed that had Billy Sheehan and Tony Macalpine which was a fierce band of shredders. Then I had the Sting Theory band with the 2 violins and my last band had an electric harp in it. This tiem I’m going out with a young wiz kid, Michael Arrom on keyboards. He’s 18 years old. If I audition people I usually give them something to learn. They come in and I see how well they learned it. Then I show them something on the spot and see how well they pick up things by ear. Then I may give them a piece of music to read. But the most important performance aspect of what they do is how they gel in the band, how they can groove and listen to the others and contributing in creating an energy that is vital and sound like music. But most of all they need to be cool people who are road worthy.
It’s been just over a year since your last visit to Australia. As well as material from the new album, what can Australian fans expect from your upcoming tour?
S-We have a few fun surprises. I like to bring a lot of dimension to the show. There are times where the music can be wild, dense and heavy, or extremely intimate and subtle. We have an acoustic set that is very nice and a very entertaining part of the show where I invite some audience members up on stage to write a song for the band to jam on. This has worked out exceptionally well and some very funny things have happened.
Any last words for fans before we see you soon?
S- Obey your parents and use a condom.
Metal Forge, Australia Interview
Tone Deaf Website Interview (Australia)
Tone Deaf website, Australia
Hi Steve, what an honour to be able to converse with one of today’s true guitar heroes. When you were a young adult who would have loved to be able to talk about music with?
S-Thanks, When I was a young adult, 20-21 years old, I was working with Frank Zappa and talking with him a lot about music. He was the one I always hoped to talk about music with and there I was working for him.
You’re back in Australia this July with a 6-stop national tour with the added option for fans called the EVO Experience. As a performer, what do you enjoy the most about meeting your fans?
S- I very much enjoy the “EVO Experience”. The folks who participate get a bag of swag, I can’t remember all the contents but you can check it out on vai.com, also they are invited to sound check but the thing I enjoy the most is during the afternoon before the show I sit in an intimate setting with them and just answer questions and share thoughts. I do a lot of press at times and sometimes the writers know about you but much of the time they just get the press release and ask you the same questions for 20 years, sometimes 30 years, but the fans have an emotional investment in the music and in you so their questions are sincere and genuine. I feel at ease discussing more personal and intimate things with them during the EVO experience. Sometimes they seem to know more about me than I can remember, ha. The discussion is scheduled to last only around 30 minutes but I usually go an hour or so and then need to be dragged out because I don’t like leaving if there are people that have un-discussed questions.
The package includes the opportunity for fans to sit in on the sound check. What is the most important thing to achieve at a sound check, especially with fans sitting in?
S- The first thing that usually happens at a sound check happens while I am not there. The band comes in and they all check their gear and make sure everything is working. Then we have this policy that when I come in everything is all set (for the most part) and I pick up my guitar and just start to play. I don’t know what I’m going to play but the band just follows. All this is recorded so you can imagine how many little snippets and sound check jams I have. The first two legs of the Story of Light tour we did 99 shows and something was recorded during most sound checks. Sometimes what we play is very inspired and sometimes it’s crap but hey, it’s there. The fans get to see this happen. Then I do a normal sound check where we run a few songs for the sound guy and tweak our monitors etc.
You regularly join the line-up for G3 alongside your old guitar teacher Joe Satriani, what is the main thing you love about G3 that keeps bringing you back to play again?
S- The celebration of the electric rock guitar is at the core of G3 and I always enjoy that. You can imagine how inspiring it is to play alongside such amazing talents. You are pushed to find the deepest voice you have on the instrument because you are surrounded by musical giants. They just bring it out of you. It’s always a good atmosphere on those tours too. Joe is really quit a goof sometimes. Very inspired sense of humour and a total stimulation to be around.
Speaking of Satriani, do you still consider him a teacher? And are there any lessons or tips from that era that still stick with you today?
S- Yes, Joe and I have a very special relationship. I was 12 or 13 years old when I started lessons with him and he was around 15 and he was great even back then. When you’re 12 a 15 year old that can play Led Zeppelin is like a God. Joe was a mentor and in many ways still is. He lives a relatively simple life, he loves what he does, He keeps doing it and evolving etc. The thing that sticks with me most about my lessons with Joe when I was a kid is that whenever you play the guitar whatever comes out should sound like music, even if it’s noise.
Last year you released The Story Of Light which is part two of an unconventional concept album. Do you have plans to release the final album soon or will fans have to endure another long wait? What can we expect from the final instalment?
S- The Story of Light is the second installments of songs in a quadrilogy I am working on. The first record was my last studio record and it's called "Real Illusions: Reflections". The new record is actually called "The Story of Light, Real Illusions: of A". In the last scene of the story the main character, Captain Drake Mason, presents a book that he wrote to the towns people. The name of the book is "Under it All" and the first chapter is called, "The Story of Light". The Light that is referred to is the light of consciousness. The title just came to me. The story does not unfold in the proper order and at this time you can only get elements of the story by reading the liner notes and listening to the lyrics. The 4th and final installment will be the first three records with the songs in the proper order and many of the melody songs will have lyrics and vocals and there will be another CD of material that has narrative and glue music so those who are interested can follow the story in a cohesive, accessible linear experience.I don’t believe my next few records will be part of the quadrilogy. I want to let it cook for a while. It’s a life long project.
In the first minute of “Erotic Nightmares” it sounds like you must have grown an extra few fingers to play all of the notes. How do you hit that many within the time frame?
S- By first imagining that I can and then focusing on it.
You have recorded your own vocals on a small number of songs over the years, would you ever record a full lyrical album? Can we expect more vocal tracks following on from the style of “John The Revelator” in future albums?
S- I couldn’t say that I would record something like John the Revelator again. That takes a special person to sing such as Beverly McClellan who sang it on the record. But through the years I have written many simple vocal songs that I believe suit my voice very nicely and I would hope to one day make a record of just these types of songs. They are kind of sweet tracks, along the lines of some of my past tracks like “Underground Garden, Brother, I’m Your Secrets, No More Amsterdam, etc.
You always have comedic elements in your albums such as “Little Pieces Of Seaweed” and “Fuck Yourself”. Where do you get the inspiration to add comedy to your music?
S- It’s just there. When I was a kid in school I was the class clown sort of. Always found total silliness a hoot. Some of my records don’t have any comedy in them but some have those moments. There no specific inspiration. If I think something is funny and fits I include it.
You’ve been known to take part in meditation frequently, is this something you believe aids your performance ability?
S- Meditation is one of the best ways to find inner peace and balance in your outer life. It has an effect on everything you do. There are many methods of meditating and if someone was interested I would recommend finding a good teacher. The David Lynch foundation promotes Transcendental Meditation. I highly recommend checking out his site and seeing first hand the testimonials and benefits of that kind of meditation. More and more people are understanding the deep value in taking control of their minds because most of us do not have control of it. It controls us and until a shift is made out of the egoic thinking stage, all bets on awakening to our own consciousness are off.
You have spoken a little about your hobby of bee-keeping, is that something you still partake in?
S- Yes, I still have a few hives. It’s really quit a simple and rewarding hobby and more and more common folks are taking to it in the USA. You can even buy bee supplies at some of our local supermarkets. Bees are vital to our delicate ecology and being a bee keeper helps them to propagate and grow. And they really are fascinating beautiful little creatures.
You co-designed the Ibanez JEM with the signature handle on the side of the guitar body. What was the inspiration to build a guitar with a built in handle?
S- I new there were many aspects of the Jem that were unique at the time I designed it and that many of it’s elements would be incorporated into the evolution of the electric guitar design but I knew that nobody would ever be so bold as to start making guitars with handles in them like that. Plus, I wanted to be agle to grab the guitar and swing it around without it slipping.
Again, what an absolute honour to be able to converse with a legend of the art. Thank you for your time and most of all for your music.
S- You are very kind, thank you.
Jayden Wilson
Tone Deaf Website Interview (Australia)
Steve Vai Interview 2013
STEVE VAI QUESTIONS
1) Which of your songs best portrays you?
S- The next one.
2) Who do you most like of the new music generation?
S- My two boys, Julian and Fire, and their generation of friends are pretty cool too.
3) Your most memorable concert?
S- In 5th grade I was in the choir and there was a Christmas concert where I was given the lead solo part to sing. I remember as if it was closer to me than my own breath because I was totally 100% in the moment when the beautiful melody came out of my pre-pubescent mouth and resplendently resonated within the auditorium.
4) The most incredible person you have met during your career?
S- My wife, Pia.
5) How would you describe what it was like to be a rock star in the 70 and 80s?
S- Actually my “rock stardom” started in the mid 80’s. It was sort of like an adventure novel written by Aristippus of Cyrene, edited by The Great Gatsby, published by Star magazine and read out loud by Helen Keller. The book would be entitled “The Abuse of Freedom”.
6) Can you tell us any stories from backstage at one of your concerts?
S- On the first night after the first show of my first big rock tour I did, I opened the door to my hotel room and looked out into the hall. It looked as though a full on porno circus was taking place. Total bedlam. Walking down the hall naked on her hands was a girl I saw in the 3rd row that night at the show. Walking naked along side of her was one of the notorious roadies from the crew. There was an enema hose inserted into the girls butt and at the other end of the hose was a funnel that the roadie held in one hand. With his other hand he was pouring a bottle of wine into the funnel and then raising the funnel above the girls waistline. I quietly closed the door and continued reading a book I was in the middle of at the time called “Autobiography of a Yogi”.
7) What do you think about groupies?
S- I think everyone is figuring out life in their own way, but I also think that sex is good for you.
8) Do you think real rock stars still exist? Who would you say was one?
S- The term “Rock Star” is starting to become a catch phrase and its meaning and application is morphing into something different than what it used to be. The term rock star is more or less becoming representative of a person who emanates a weighty mystique, has a deep confidence in the way they carry themselves and in the delivery of their words and actions, can instigate anything from a sense of inquisitive interest in an individual to complete hysteria, can be shrouded in controversy, has the ability to be deeply influential on a life level, can be painfully loved or bitterly despised and represents something awesome that their admirers can only dream of achieving but know is virtually unattainable.With this in mind one might say that Jesus Christ would have made a great present day rock star. And I have the perfect pair of sunglasses for him.
9) Do you still keep clothes and accessories from the last decades? Which?
S-, Yes, I keep the ones my wife made which is about 60% of what I wore in the 80’s and early 90’s.
10)How has your look changed over the years?
S- When I “look” at people and things these days I see more deeply into their energy field and emanating presents. In the past my “look” was usually just in the mirror.
11)How many guitars do you have? And how many CDs?
S- I have 164 guitars… now 163 as I just gave one away (in my mind) in between the spaces and am working on getting that number down to about 10. I have more CD’s than time left in my life to listen to them all and they are all on that list of “things that are going away fast”.
12)Out of all the awards and accolades you have won, which one means the most to you?
S- On Fathers day 2005 my son Julian made a little statue and gave it to me. Inscribed on its base is the words, “Worlds Greatest Dad”. That would be the award that means the most to me.
13)A classical music piece that you think has a rock soul?
S- “Le Sacre Du Printemps”.
14)Which song and piece of clothing do you think represents the essence of rock’n’roll?
S- It changes with the passing trends and fashions. I could mention a classic rock song and matching piece of trendy apparel like a stainless steal earring or something from the 80’s, which is what I think you may be looking for. But for me all clothing and music trends are relative and subject to change and the coolest thing today will dissolve into passé faux pas by later today.For me the most beautiful fashion is nakedness. Ha, imagine that. Wait a minute; let’s think about this.It’s nice to be creative with fashions but I might say that the ultimate fashion statement may arise if our civilization transcended separateness, inhabitation and reticence and that fashion statement (perhaps for practical reasons might first be confined to the runway) will be complete nakedness without any obstructions or distractions from adornments such as jewelry, makeup, odd ball trendy hair-doos, nail polish etc. Pure nakedness just like the day we were born, being presented by the person wearing it with great confidence, inhibition and grateful expressiveness for every precious aspect of their own matchless, one-of-a-kind body. I guess this has been represented in art through the centuries. In order to see and appreciate the profound beauty of the human body in its most natural state, one could assume that the state of mind of the perceiver would need to be in it’s most natural state, free from the obstruction of the adornments of opinions, hang-ups, judgments, desires or criticisms. Just a pure state of present awe for the phenomenon that is every inch of the human body in it’s myriad dimensions. But what a great runway presentation ay?Nakedness is the most unique look anyone can have because every body is distinctively different. You can’t steel someone else’s look and there’s no planning necessary in designing or making this “outfit” as the greatest designer already completed it and continues to evolve it. And it’s totally free, and you already have one!When a naked body is not immediately perceived as a sexual stimulus or something that should be hidden or ashamed of, then there can be an appreciation for the profound and sacred beauty in every body that hides beneath the cloths. It would be the glorification and deep respect of the exquisite magnificence that lies in the infinite diversity that the Universe provides, even if they were an obese American... ( I think).I’m not saying we should all be walking around naked, but perhaps there will come a time in the future that if conditions allowed, it wouldn’t be an issue to walk around naked. it would be a choice and It would be fine and beautiful. But do it today you can get arrested. The human body will always be more amazing, fascinating and incomprehensible than any piece of fashion ware. The soundtrack to this “fashion statement” could be the still silence that underlines any sounds in its foreground. But heck, that’s already there now too whether we have the ears to hear it or not.So… At least “Take Your Cloths off When You Dance”. (FZ)
15)You have lived through the eras of vinyl, cassettes, CDs and now music sharing via the internet. How has music changed with the web?
S- Technology inexorably marches in the direction of the desire for immediacy and convenience and the web has made it possible for music lovers to get music almost immediately. At any given time in the history of technology we usually feel as though we have arrived at the final and best solution, but history proves that there is always an evolution and the digital age is no exception. There is a technology that is brewing right now that is totally off the radar of our conventional awareness, but it is virtually guaranteed that someone, or a group of people, will come along and come up with a unique idea, then confidently move forward in creating that idea.That person may not have even been born yet, who knows? But the materialization of this idea will once again revolutionize the way we live. And the direction this new way (or technology) will assert itself will be with tools that will allow us to live a cleaner, more qualitative and conscious life. For this to happen we will inevitably have to develop a deepening of our appreciation and connection with nature. And at some point after that there will be another evolution in technology and perhaps that evolution will be the complete absence of technology. Wouldn’t that be nice?And this is one of the infinite ways the Universe expands itself, by inspiring us and giving us the tools to bring into physical reality these inspirations. In reality, we are not really doing it at all as individuals but as one evolving thing that can be called consciousness itself.Maybe that person is reading this right now and being inspired. If so, hurry up because I would love to see what you come up with before I die. Here’s some food for thought, It’s totally possible for the elimination of the need for electricity in “light” of a cleaner power source that has no by product or side effect but can be created seamlessly out of thin air. If you believe that’s possible (and truthfully anything is) then you will create it.
16)Do you buy online? If so, what?
S- Yes, all the time. I buy books, gifts, music etc. But I also still very much enjoy visiting retail stores and shopping. These days when I’m online I’m mostly doing interviews like this one. Many thanksS
Steve Vai Interview 2013
South America Tour Announced
GUITAR ALCHEMIST STEVE VAI
BRINGS “STORY OF LIGHT 2013 TOUR”
TO MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICA
“The Story of Light…finds [Vai] continuing to push the envelope as a composer, arranger and, most of all, as a guitarist who continues to raise the bar for himself and others.” – Gibson.com
Nashville, TN – September 25, 2013: After an overwhelming enthusiastic response to his 97 shows performed over the last year on his “Story of Light 2013 Tour,” virtuoso guitarist and visionary composer Steve Vai will bring the tour to Mexico and South America. Fan reviews of the shows have been phenomenal and can be read here at ticketmaster.com.
“Steve Vai playing the guitar live: it went beyond just a guy with a guitar, it was more than just some amazing musicians working well together to do their job. Well it could have been Muhammad Ali (in his prime) in the ring. It was David Copperfield. It was Norman Mailer or it was a visit - briefly down to earth - from a guitar god. But it was special. It was truly moving. It was inspiring. And just a little frightening (in an awe-struck way) to see someone that effortlessly good, that impossibly cool. Vai is Zen. Guitar master” is what Stuff.co.nz has said about Vai.
The tour is in support The Story Of Light, his critically acclaimed solo album that was released on Favored Nations Entertainment, the label Vai founded in 1999.
Vai will kick off this solo run November 26 in Mexico City with additional shows in Guadalajara, Bogata, Santiago and Rio de Janeiro. The Mexico and South American shows are in addition to a full slate of U.S. and Canadian tour dates planned for Oct. 16 – Nov. 23 (a full list of dates is below; visit Vai’s website for ticket information.)
The “Story of Light 2013 Tour” features a unique premium package – the Evo Experience – which includes an intimate, up to 1 hour Q&A session with Steve, access to sound check, an exclusive EVO Experience laminate and other Vai merchandise items. EVO Experience premium tickets will be available for purchase through Vai's website, www.Vai.com. A limited number of EVO Experience tickets are available for each show.
The Story of Light is Vai’s first studio record in seven years and described by AOL’s Noisecreep as “A brilliant record, fully-loaded with all of the soaring, tasteful playing that defines Vai’s work.” The album’s sprawling and expressive 12-song set continues a conceptual and cosmic narrative arc begun on the artist’s acclaimed album Real Illusions: Reflections (2005.) The storyline follows the journey of a man driven mad by grief, intertwining tragedy, revelation, enlightenment, and redemption. Throughout, three-time GRAMMY® Award-winner Vai’s lead guitar is as lyrically resonant as it is technically masterful, his licks and solos bending sounds and listeners’ minds in equal measure.
STEVE VAI MEXICO AND SOUTH AMERICAN “STORY OF LIGHT 2013 TOUR” DATES:
11/26/13 Mexico City, Mexico Metropolitan Theatre
11/28/13 Guadalajara, Mexico Diana Theatre
12/1/13 Caracas, Venezuela Anfiteatro Sambil
12/3/13 Bogota, Columbia Royal Center
12/5/13 Santiago, Chile Teeatro Caupolican
12/7/13 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Circo Voador
12/8/13 Sao Paulo, Brazil CrediCard
12/9/13 Belo Horizonte, Brazil Chevrolet Hall
12/10/13 Brasilia, Brazil Teatro Villa Lobos
12/12/13 Buenos Aires, Argentina Grand Rex
STEVE VAI U.S. & CANADA “STORY OF LIGHT 2013 TOUR” DATES:
10/16/13 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst
10/17/13 San Diego, CA House of Blues
10/18/13 Ventura, CA Ventura Theatre
10/19/13 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
10/20/13 Chandler, AZ Wild Horse Pass – Ovations Showroom
10/22/13 Tucson, AZ Rialto
10/23/13 Flagstaff, AZ Orpheum Theatre
10/24/13 Santa Fe, NM The Lensic
10/26/13 Tyler, TX Click’s
10/27/13 Kansas City, KS Harrah’s Voodoo Lounge
10/29/13 Columbia, MO Blue Note
10/30/13 Springfield, MO Gillioz Theatre
10/31/ 13 Council Bluffs, IA Horseshoe Whiskey Road House
11/1/13 Des Moines, IA Hoyt Sherman
11/2/13 Bloomington, IL The Castle Theater
11/3/13 Joliet, IL Mojoes
11/5/13 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
11/6/13 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room
11/7/13 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection
11/8/13 Rama, ON Casino Rama
11/9/13 Cincinnati, OH Bogart’s
11/10/13 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre
11/12/13 Chattanooga, TN Track 29
11/13/13 Birmingham, AL WorkPlay Theatre
11/14/13 Mobile, AL Soul Kitchen
11/15/13 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
11/16/13 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre
11/17/13 Little Rock, AR Juanita’s
11/19/13 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom
11/20/13 San Antonio, TX Backstage Live
11/21/13 Austin, TX Paramount Theatre
11/22/13 Dallas, TX House of Blues
11/23/13 Houston, TX House of Blues
For more information on the tour or new album visit: www.vai.com
South America Tour Announced
Spain
Spain
Sam Ash “Best of Shred” Contest deadline extended
Sam Ash has extended the deadline for Best In Shred another week. The new deadline is September 22nd.
The Sam Ash “Best of Shred” Contest encourages you to upload the best 15 seconds of your original guitar playing to your Instagram account with the hashtag #SamAshVai and including usernames @SamAshMusic & @SteveVaiHimself. Visit this link for the official rules and participating locations/cities.
Sam Ash “Best of Shred” Contest deadline extended
‘Life on the Road – Behind the Steve Vai “Story of Light Tour” (Pt I)
Please enjoy this special video 'Life on the Road - Behind the Steve Vai "Story of Light Tour" (Pt I) by Chris Huber.
‘Life on the Road – Behind the Steve Vai “Story of Light Tour” (Pt I)
Pics from the road..
Here are some pictures from Jakarta and Bangkok (Pictures by Ferdie ArQuero):
Pics from the road..
Photo’s from Antwerp
Decisions, decisions.....
Photo’s from Antwerp
UK Photo’s
UK Photo’s
Sam Ash “Best of Shred” Contest
We have some BIG news guitar fans! Sam Ash is hosting an incredible opportunity to open for Steve during one of his US shows! The Sam Ash "Best of Shred" Contest encourages you to upload the best 15 seconds of your original guitar playing to your Instagram account with the hashtag #SamAshVai and including usernames @SamAshMusic & @SteveVaiHimself. Visit this link for the official rules and participating locations/cities.
Sam Ash “Best of Shred” Contest
Facebook Chat Tuesday 8/20
Steve will be chatting live on Facebook, Tuesday 8/20 at 2PM PST
( That's 5 PM EDT. For EU, it's 9 PM UTC, Australia 6:30 AM ACST. For your local time, use this converter )
Facebook Chat Tuesday 8/20
Japan Reviews
Here are some translated reviews of the Japanese shows.
They are pretty 'amazingly'.
Steve Vai's live was shocking for me.I was surprised that there is a man who plays guitar joyfully like that inthe world.I went to Steve Vai's concert. The audience was really psychedabout his music than I expected.It was an entertainment show ratherthan a live concert. It could be a greatfilm if they recorded. It was so goodto see his show. It was worthwhile togo.I enjoyed a lot his facial expressions with the music. It was not only a great music live but also a wonderful entertainment show. And I was moved to tears when I met Steve aftershow.He was so kind.Steve Vai's show was awesome＼＼\٩( 'ω' )و //／／ He is so cool. He is the greatest oneas an entertainer.It was awesome! Most of his showwas instrumental music without singing. I cried at his guitar soloafter long time. I've never seensuch a guitar player who plays affectionately so much.His concert is within best 5 in my life.Steve Vai is God. He played precisely,besides talked to the audience with a good humor. (ﾟ ω ﾟ)Thank you, Steve! I was moved by his amazing guitar techniques, great ideas fascinate the audience and attitude entertain people. However huge sound almost broke my ears. A wonderful show!!STEVE VAIー(≧▽≦)I had so much fun(≧▽≦)Steve Vai is awesome!＼(^o^)／(more…)
Japan Reviews
AXS TV Preview “Gravity Storm”
Here's a sneak peak of what you'll see from Vai & the band on August 25th as they take you on an electrifying ride through "The Story of Light" set! The program airs August 25th at 8PM ET, only on AXS TV.
AXS TV Preview “Gravity Storm”
AXS TV to air “The Story of Light”
GUITAR ALCHEMIST STEVE VAI’S
“THE STORY OF LIGHT LIVE”
PREMIERE’S ON AXS TV
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2013
“The Story of Light…finds [Vai] continuing to push the envelope as a composer, arranger and, most of all, as a guitarist who continues to raise the bar for himself and others.” – Gibson.com
Nashville, TN – Aug 14, 2013: Virtuoso guitarist and visionary composer Steve Vai presents “The Story Of Light Live,” a full-on spectacle of a concert performed live in Los Angeles. AXS TV will premiere the performance on Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 8:00 pm ET with an encore showing on Monday, August 26, 2013 at 12:10 am ET. The three-time Grammy® Award winner Vai, will take the audience on an instrumental journey playing songs from his critically acclaimed latest solo record The Story of Light, which Gibson.com declares“finds him continuing to push the envelope as a composer, arranger and, most of all, as a guitarist who continues to raise the bar for himself and others.” The record was released on Favored Nations Entertainment, the label Vai founded in 1999.
After an overwhelming enthusiastic response to his over 90 shows performed last year on his “Story of Light 2013 Tour,” Vai continues to tour both in Europe and the US. Fan reviews of the shows have been phenomenal and can be read here at ticketmaster.com.
Vai will kick off a US solo run October 16 in Santa Cruz, CA. The Story of Light 2013 Tour will take him throughout the country, with shows in San Diego, Las Vegas, Birmingham, Austin and Houston. (Full List of Dates are below; visit Vai’s website for ticket information.)
The Story of Light 2013 tour will feature a unique premium package -- the Evo Experience – which includes a an in-depth, intimate question and answer session that lasts at least an hour, Q&A session with Vai, access to sound check, an exclusive EVO Experience laminate and other Vai merchandise items. EVO Experience premium tickets will be available for purchase through Vai's website, www.Vai.com. A limited number of EVO Experience tickets are available for each show.
The Story of Light is Vai’s first studio record in seven years and described by AOL’s Noisecreep as “A brilliant record, fully-loaded with all of the soaring, tasteful playing that defines Vai’s work.” The album’s sprawling and expressive 12-song set continues a conceptual and cosmic narrative arc begun on the artist’s acclaimed album Real Illusions: Reflections (2005.) The storyline follows the journey of a man driven mad by grief, intertwining tragedy, revelation, enlightenment, and redemption. Throughout, Vai’s lead guitar is as lyrically resonant as it is technically masterful, his licks and solos bending sounds and listeners’ minds in equal measure.
CURRENT TOUR DATES:
Wed, Oct 16 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst
Thurs, Oct 17 San Diego, CA House of Blues
Fri, Oct 18 Ventura, CA Ventura Theater
Sat, Oct 19 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
Sun, Oct 20 Chandler, AZ Wild Horse Pass Casino
Tues, Oct 22 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre
Wed, Oct 23 Flagstaff, AZ Orpheum Theater
Thurs, Oct 24 Santa Fe, NM The Lensic
Sat, Oct 26 Tyler, TX Click’s Live
Sun, Oct 27 Kansas City, MO Harrah’s Voodoo Lounge
Tues, Oct 29 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
Wed, Oct 30 Springfield, MO Gillioz Theatre
Thurs, Oct 31 Council Bluffs, IA Horseshoe Whiskey Road House
Fri, Nov 1 Des Moines, IA Hoyt Sherman
Sat, Nov 2 Bloomington, IL The Castle Theater
Sun, Nov 3 Joilet, IL Mojoes
Tues, Nov 5 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
Wed, Nov 6 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room
Thurs, Nov 7 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection
Fri, Nov 8 Rama, ON Casino Rama *
Sat, Nov 9 Cincinnati, OH Bogart’s
Sun, Nov 10 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre
Tues, Nov 12 Chattanooga, TN Track 29
Wed, Nov 13 Birmingham, AL Workplay Theatre
Thurs, Nov 14 Mobile, AL Soul Kitchen
Fri, Nov 15 New Orleans, LA House of Blues
Sat, Nov 16 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre
Sun, Nov 17 Little Rock, AR Juanita’s
Tues, Nov 19 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom
Wed, Nov 20 San Antonio, TX Backstage Live
Fri, Nov 21 Dallas, TX House of Blues
Sat, Nov 23 Houston, TX House of Blues
*EVO experience not available on this date
For more information on the tour or new album visit: www.vai.com
ABOUT AXS TV
Launched in July 2012 under the vision and stewardship of entrepreneur Mark Cuban, AXS TV is the premier destination for live events, and as-they-are-happening trends in the worlds of pop culture, music and entertainment. AXS TV Concerts is the premier source on television for 100% live music. From multi-day festivals to stadium tours to club acts, AXS TV delivers an unparalleled shared experience for fans of all genres. Leveraging the network’s vast capacity, artists expand their reach to live behind-the-scenes moments, live fan Q&As, social media engagement and more unique opportunities specifically for the AXS TV audience. The network partners include Mark Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CBS. For more information, go to www.axs.tv.
AXS TV to air “The Story of Light”
Photos from Bangkok
Photos from Bangkok
Pictures from Tapei
Pictures from Tapei
Steve Supports StarJam Charity
Steve supports Starjam, a charity based in Auckland, New Zealand that gives children with special needs the chance to feel like superstars as they sing, dance and perform together on stage. They are currently doing some fundraising to keep their doors open & they've posted a "Save Starjam" video along with a donation link on this website.
Steve Supports StarJam Charity
A Little Tokyo Magic..
A Little Tokyo Magic..
Update from Shanghai
Hey folks. Well, we finally made it to Shanghai, China. My first time to visit this amazing city. I have more photos of some past gigs and future to come but need to find time to sort. We are having a ball!s
Click for larger version:
Update from Shanghai
Pictures from Perth
A few shots from Perth:
[foogallery id="20929"]
Pictures from Perth
Steve Vai on Tom Waits – musicradar.com
Musicradar.com published an interview with Steve, discussing Tom Waits.
Read the interview here:
http://bit.ly/12SFhjN
Steve Vai on Tom Waits – musicradar.com
Steve Vai on the upcoming Australia & New Zealand tour
Steve talks about "The Story of Light" tour, coming to Australia and New Zealand in less than a week! To purchase tickets and special EVO Experience passes, visit www.vai.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTXxSo602Vs&feature=youtu.be
Steve Vai on the upcoming Australia & New Zealand tour
The Story of Light Tour continues…
Hey folks, I just finished up the Evo Orchestra run and will shortly be writing a recap. When I set out on "The Story of Light " Tour, my goal was to play over 200 shows around the world in support of this record. Well the first 98 shows were so stellar and the reviews so inspiring that I'm happy to announce another 100 shows, 35 of them in the USA. These are all territories we did not visit yet and Dave, Jeremy, Phillip and I are just chompin' at the bit to get out there and blow up the bridge!!!. See you at the show. S.
Please note:
For the coming legs of the Story of Light tour, you can get your tickets and EVO packages through the vai.com frontpage. We are adding dates as they come available, so check back often!
The first time my mother met Joe he had come by when I wasn't home. When I got home my mother said, "This black thing with chains came to the door asking for you?!!!” I knew it was Joe.
Joe was a great driver. Joe always stopped whatever he was doing (drinking) to drive me home so my father wouldn't kill me. He'd be drunk but his driving was always impeccable.
We drove around a lot. SO MUCH FUN JUST DRIVING AROUND.
Joe would drop me off around the corner from my house when we were on his bike. My father hated motorcycles. It was funny! I'd walk in and my father would sometimes ask "Were you on a motorcycle? I heard a motorcycle!!" I'd tell him it was a Volkswagen. Pop never figured out how the different engines sounded, but I can still tell em apart to date!
Us in the Impala doing doughnuts in parking lots after it snowed. Joe taught me how to turn into a spin out on snow in a parking lot. Inviting kids to bumper hitch while driving down the main drag of Carle Place - sent one kid head first into a snow bank. HA
Drinking outside during the winter when we were underage, Joe would only wear one glove - on his beer-holding hand.
The layers of tee shirt, cut-off denim jacket, then black leather jacket. Joe had the quintessential biker look. BLACK BOOTS.
Joe actually tried to teach me how to drink beer in the bus parking lot at Rushmore. He was inspiring. I had trouble with the bubbles but wanted to drink with him very much.
Joe doing a beer shooter at the Beverage Barn then kind of barfing with beer foam coming out his nose. HA
Singing with Joe - lots of Zappa.
Going to Joe's house where his sweet mom would always make us the best coffee (instant, I think, with cream) and feed us great her great cooking.
Joe so drunk and falling down that some guys wedged him between two telephone poles outside the Carvel ice cream store where I worked.
Joe and I riding on the 74 police special he bought from Roger, in the middle of winter. Me wearing my mother's old beaver coat and old, round sunglasses. Joe in biker layers of denim and leather. Wish I had a picture of that...
Meeting up at Steve's. Singing notes under Steve's direction to help him with what he was composing. Going out, sans Steve, to party till like 4 am, then back to Steve's where he'd still be playing guitar.
Ran out of gas far from home; kinda lost, like 2 am, in a creepy place, I think in front of a cemetery. Joe and Cheech went off to get gas and came back for Steve and I in a cop car. The cop was not happy to have us but agreed to drive us over to a gas station. I was scared shitless, sitting in the front seat. Joe's in the back seat and in a very innocent voice he says something like " Wow, I've never been in the back seat of a cop car before!" SO HILARIOUS. I remember the excruciation of sitting next to the cop trying not to laugh and get more trouble!
Left my denim jacket in Joe's car one night. He returned it to me with a drawing he had made all over the back. I was kinda pissed. I still have that jacket:
Driving around, setting up, standing around at Rayge concerts with Joe. ROCK PUB (PIT). Battle of the Bands! Some weird bar at Roosevelt Field - BEEF(Y) BARN! I drank too much and ended up puking in the parking lot outside the Beefy Barn while Joe held my hair.
Sitting on amps outside bars after shows, guarding the band's gear, waiting for Joe to show up with the van.
One time Joe completely took apart Wally Williams' Volkswagen "Thing" in the parking lot of CPHS while the rest of us were in class. Joe was so smart but did not like going to school.
Joe riding by the front of CPHS, standing on top of his bike doing the iron cross.
Joe was kind of everywhere in Carle Place. I could always see him. HE STUCK OUT in a glorious way. Plus, since he didn't like to go to high school much, he always seemed to be nearby waiting for us to get out.
Joe driving up in his car. Driving up on his bike, giving it a little pop of gas to make the engine growl before switching it off. So stylish and well performed - BIKER STYLE.
Joe always seemed to be around. Easy to find. Easy to see:
- Joe driving up smiling
- Joe in front of O’Hara’s smoking and holding a beer
- Joe patrolling inside and outside of bars and parties.
I SAW HIM EVERYWHERE. I could find Joe 24/7. It was cool and fortunate. I think too, he was always looking for me...
Drinking Long Island Ice Teas (first and last time) with Joe at the restaurant Marion worked at, then going to another bar somewhere on the South shore for more. So drunk. Came back to my house (parents weren't around?), had bad sloppy sex and in the process broke my bed!
Joe talking about making guitars with such love. I remember the sparkle in his eyes, the joy in his voice, as he explained in detail how he'd set up a tank and was doing an old Florentine technique to make the marbleized paint look on guitars.
So proud when Joe sent me his JEM Guitars catalogue. So proud of his talent. Hope I still have that catalogue. Can't find it. Shit.
Joe was so proud and in endless love with his daughter, Melissa. I think his relationship with Melissa's mom was not working out, but he never said anything bad about her. JUST focused on how he loved Melissa.
So proud was Joe of Steve. He would just glow talking about Steve.
Joe did good Zippo tricks. He gave me a Zippo. I still have it.
Joe chain smoked beautifully. Like a poet gangster.
Going to Jack-in-the-Box at four in the morning, all of us with our jackets on inside out and backwards to disturb the cashier, getting and eating a million "dogmeat" tacos.
Getting great hot semolina bread from the bakery next to O'Hara's at four in the morning, stuffing loaves with sticks of butter, eating mass quantities. So fun and tasty to put on top of beer.
Joe reporting on going to jail: "It was cool - I knew so many people there!"
Joe smiling, admitting he'd lost most of his teeth to speed and fist fights.
Joe standing around so serious, so proud, watching Steve play in Rayge.
Rayge playing a CPHS dance. Drank quarts of Colt 45 in the bushes outside. Came in to Rayge playing BAD COMPANY. Me so thrilled to see my friends being a badass rock and roll BAND! Joe patrolling the scene, so proud! The fireworks went wrong and nearly blew us all up.
Joe talking about Melissa with so much love.
Joe biting a shot glass on a bet at the ROCK PUB.
Fights. Drunken fights. Me standing on top of the cigarette machine at the Rock Pub watching all below me in a big fist fight! Joe in the middle of it all.
So many fuzzy high nights following Rayge around. Joe serious about sound and lights. DRINKING SMOKING I remember the honor of being the DRINK supplier from the BAR to the BAND at the BEEFY BARN. Such power! Standing next to Joe while he adjusted the soundboard. WE RULED the bar! The world was so funny.
Battle of the Bands. Who was Rayge battling? WE ALWAYS WON as far as we were concerned.
Joe & Co. doing drunken kick line dancing to Born to be Wild. We were ROCKERS. Very anti-Disco - NO dancing - except when Born to be Wild came on. Then everybody would cut loose and go insane. THAT song was our Pledge of Allegiance.
Sitting in diners after the bars closed, eating breakfast before going home.
Joe took a lot of shit for being fat. Joe was always so kind, supportive loving towards everybody. And he never fought back when they put him down. Made me sad.
JOE HAD BEAUTIFUL EYES & BEAUTIFUL HAIR and such style - I always loved the way he looked.
His eyes sparkled and laughed a lot. His hair was mostly kept in a long black, then grey, then white braid. I occasionally braided his hair. It was beautiful.
We all developed a collective sense of humor laced with inside jokes, phrases, code that we cultivated, curated and enjoyed a lot. My sense of humor was honed talking with Joe and Steve and Cheech. ALL such smart, curious, inventive, imaginative guys. They'd almost compete to be funny. WHAT a pleasure. What great good fortune to hang out with my best friends.
I always wished I was a guy. All the females would hang out together, go together to parties and bars, where they would hook up with the guy groups. I would show up all the time with Joe/Steve/Cheech. They never seemed to notice or care that I was a weirdo girl who didn't have much rapport with the other females. They didn’t hold my gender against me. Made me feel special to not just be T&A to those guys.
Joe and Steve and Cheech excitedly discussing some kind of guitar trick or figuring out how to play other people's guitar licks.
We were misfits but we got away with it. I think greater CP let us be for a few reasons:
- JOE was hilarious FUN
- STEVE was a great rock guitarist
- CHEECH was stealthy and a clever troubleshooter.
Mostly though: ROGER VAI would kill anyone who touched us and ALL KNEW IT.
Steve driving an ice cream truck, Joe in the jump seat shouting "Wheelie Time!" as we bounced around the backyard of some rich chick's house on the North shore at a CRAZY PARTY.
We were all such happy derelicts.
My father told me one day there was a kind of impromptu parade going down the street (maybe 4th of July...). Joe was in a convertible surrounded by gnarly bikers, drinking and smoking and the usual rowdy shit. Joe apparently saw my father, stopped everything and greeted him very politely in the middle of all the mayhem. Thrilled and impressed the hell out of my dad.
Many warm, comfortable time sitting in Steve's den or bedroom. Steve with a guitar, Joe, me, Cheech and occasionally others. Talking serious, joking serious. Steve playing, us somehow very much participating with Steve's playing.
Joe's phrasing and intonations were beautiful and fun to listen to. He had a way of coloring in what he was saying by how he said it.
Lines he said come back to suddenly, out of nowhere - things he said decades ago! Too many, too deep in there to remember off the top, but I hereby commit writing them down when they show up going forward.
Joe respected the people he felt were above him with sincerity. He seemed always proud to be us and he was kind to those who fell below us in the crazy hierarchy of our teenage years. HE LOOKED SO MEAN BIKER but he was SO KIND and EMPATHIC towards all. I so admired his generosity of spirit.
One time I had a dream at around 16 years old. I was driving along the water when I was the silhouette of Joe on his bike at the end of a dock. I stopped, got out of the car and walked down the dock. There was Joe. He was really old, long white braid, kinda skeleton head. I was TERRIFIED. I asked him, "Joe what the fuck happened to you?!!" He replied, "It's like this Vic, you get old, you get ugly, then you die". With that, he revved the motor then drove straight off the dock.
I woke up with a START! I never forgot. HE WAS RIGHT and eventually, when his braid was white, it would remind me of that dream...
I always felt safe with Joe, no matter what kind of crazy shit we got into. HE WAS SO LOYAL. I felt sure he would protect me. DIE for me. I learned loyalty from Joe and Steve's relationship. I'm not sure if I have ever know more loyalty, allegiance, alliance than we had between us in those days...
Joe went to visit his parents in FLA and ended up staying there and taking care of them until they died. He did it with empathy and good humor. He easily adapted to FLA, found old friends and new ones to party with - I was amazed.
He described pretty horrible care giving situations without fear, rancor or complaint. WE WOULD END UP LAUGHING no matter what was going on.
When his parents died, Joe just stayed there. FLA seemed to suit him. He/We talked about him moving to California a bunch of times but it never happened...
He would call me up and tell me of all his ups and downs and the saga of his DRINKIN SMOKIN GETTING IN TROUBLE lifestyle. Once he told me he landed in jail and was amazed at how many of his friends were there too!
Joe came to visit me in San Pablo in around 2005. It was the last time I saw him. We drank and smoked. I took him to the local biker bar. He was immediately one of them. I left to walk my dog, came back to get him. HE WAS DRUNK and with all his friends as if they had always been together.
Joe sat in my kitchen and cooked while I went to work. He made the BEST eggplant parm I have ever had. He taught me to make an oregano chicken dish. HE WAS AN EXCELLENT COOK!
Also on that visit Joe did a thing I haven't mentioned so far which is get super DRUNK and OBNOXIOUS! He had the capacity to get relentlessly OBNOXIOUS when drunk sometimes. This time he got my BIG PIT BULL dog upset enough I became afraid. He was falling down (literally) drunk and my dog was starting to get defensive of me cuz of the way Joe was acting. I ended up locking myself and the dog in my room. NOT A GOOD MEMORY...
One time I was mad a Joe (likely for for being drunk and obnoxious to me) and turned down the opportunity to go with him to see LED ZEPPELIN at Madison Square Gardens. Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!
Joe always remembered my birthday. I think his was December 5th, but I was never any good at birthdays. One time Joe borrowed his uncle's (?) limo, picked me up and drove me around town for my birthday. He played chauffer while I sat in the back acting rich and famous. I felt so special and important. It was a wonderful present
I thought Harleys were cool but poorly built unreliable motorcycles. Joe explained to me it wasn't the bikes, it was the dumbass guys who took them apart all winter to "fix" them that fucked them up and made HDs unreliable. HA
It bugged me out how self-destructive Joe could be. He would hurt himself and it would piss me off. At times it seemed like the world was shitty to him and he would take it out on himself. I now notice I did/do the same thing, albeit less with liquor and more with cheese.
I think we connected as misfits. All of us: Joe, Steve, Cheech and me. WE FIT TOGETHER VERY WELL and it steeled me against the pain of being different.
I liked to draw but my father always told me I sucked at it, which made me feel horrible. In my twenties, I did a series of flower/moon drawings and gave them all away. I gave one to Joe. He told me several times how he thought it was beautiful and he would keep it forever. THAT MADE ME SO HAPPY.
We all liked being smart and derelict. Joe liked being derelict more than the rest of us...
I felt loved by Joe. He showed a lot of love easily. Generous with his heart.
RIP, Doe.
STEVE VAI’S THIRD VAI ACADEMY GUITAR CAMP TO TAKE PLACE JANUARY 2-6, 2017 IN CARMEL, CA
PASSION & WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION 180 GRAM VINYL NOW AVAILABLE
NORTH AMERICAN PASSION & WARFARE 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR CONTINUES
LOS ANGELES — Steve Vai’s third annual Vai Academy Guitar Camp — Vai Academy 3.0: “Passion and Technique” — will be taking place in Carmel, CA at the Asilomar Conference Grounds from January 2-6, 2017. Along with a star-studded lineup of special guests including Al Di Meola, Zakk Wylde, Carlos Alomar and others, Vai will stage the event for players and music lovers of all ages, levels, interests, and tastes. The four-day gathering offers once-in-a-lifetime activities such as jamming with Steve Vai and his band, as well as activities and workshops for master players, beginners, and enthusiastic fans alike. For more information, including a variety of registration options, visit 
Photos sent in by J.T. Davis (Oklahoma City 1999 show)
My name is Uwe Weinert from Germany. I would like to tell you today about a meeting I had with Steve after a concert here in Dusseldorf on 04/04/2000. After the show, I have waited 2.5 hours to get this German license plate signed. It is a German tractor license pate from the small town VAIHINGENa. This town has the prefix towncode VAI. I showed him this plate and he said to me: “It´s amazing”. Then he signed it and gave it back to me. He reached into his jacket, took a camera out and made a photo of me with the license plate in my hand. Than, he gave the camera to his roadie, came beside me and the roadie made a photo of Steve and me. Then Steve told me that he will put this photo on his website! It was 2:30 am and very dark, so I think you can see from the license plate only the reflection of the flash. Out of this reason, I send you a scan of this plate and hope you can use it when you put this on his website.
Peace and love and good happiness stuff,
Uwe
DEAR STEVE!
hey hey! what up!?
check this, this is me and my uncle… trying to play your music.. ahem… haha, we need 4 hands to play your stuff, what i’m saying: YOU’RE THE BEST, warm regards from holland!
thanks for the inspiration and…
warm regards
MEMROX
You are my inspiration in my art. Look what you have done to me… hehe… this I made for your next album, okay?
With Regard,
MANTRA
Hello, Steve!!!
Here is my picture that was taken in Orvieto (Italy) on 26-03-00. This day was seriously one of the greatest day of my life. I’d like to thank you for that amazing clinic.
I want also thank you for making such great music that inspires me each and every time I pick up my guitar. You are the Master, the only one!!!!
Thanks a million Steve.
Angelo Gramaccioni
Steve,
It’s a bit dated now, but I finally scanned my Polaroid of us from the Winter 1996 NAMM show. I think I was the only person there with a stinking Polaroid camera. The upside was that I didn’t have to wait to see if the picture would come out. You might remember, I doubt it, but you might. I was the guy with the Polaroid. One of the people helping you there asked to get a picture of you and her with my camera. You were very nice and signed 4 or 5 photos for me to take back for my friends as well. You were very friendly, and had to lean over the counter quite a ways, and grab me and pull me in to get the shot. I remember thinking “WOW Steve Vai is practically hugging me”. Another cool note is that the shirt you have on must be one of your favorites, because it’s on the G3 CD too. I got that CD and told my friends HEY I TOUCHED THAT SHIRT!! Your music does nothing but inspire me. There is a part in “Ultra Zone” when you’re getting all quiet, and playing the small licks in the middle. Then you just grab it and go, the part almost sounds like your fucking your guitar (edit for content if you must here) and not in a nice way :-). Unlike in “Bad Horsie” when it sounds like your doing it nice and slow. Anyway, that’s a rather sick line of thought, but it’s what I picture in that part of the song. I’m a member of that camp that thinks you and Joe Satriani should get together for an album. He was the reason I picked the guitar up in the first place because of “Day at the Beach”. Eddie Van Halen made me keep playing after I realized how hard that stuff is. You, however, put me in total awe. I had Passion & Warfare before I ever started playing. That was mostly because “The Audience is Listening” was a cool song, that anyone could dig. I was also into Zappa. After I discovered the guitar, that album was my favorite. I used to sit in the dark and listen to “For Love of God” and try to see and feel the music. “Sisters” was the first one off of that album I was able to play and make it recognizable. I’ve babbled on enough. I hope to see this pic and letter on your site!
Warm Regards,
Stacey Lee
Hi Steve,
Firstly I’d like to thank you for the wonderful show you & your band put on in Wolverhampton, England on the 12th March. It’s the third time I’ve seen you through the years and your genius astounds me. Also thank you for spending time with myself and my girlfriend, she is now a confirmed fan. I’ve been telling her how good you are for years but I guess she needed to experience you with her own eyes and ears. I still can’t believe that I finally got to meet you. I’ve met most of my heroes over the years as I’m an autograph collector/dealer and its very rare that when I meet a celeb that I get a real high now, in fact most are a disappointment. Well, my head has been in the clouds for the last week – you’re a true gentleman and an example to us all, may you have health and happiness for many long years. Please come back to the UK SOON!!!
I’ve attached a couple of photo that I had taken with you.
Regards,
John Hodges
So, here’s my story from the recent Australian Vai tour. I’ll try to keep it brief because I could go on for ages. Basically, being a huge Vai fan, and probably an even bigger Keneally fan, I wanted to make the most of the recent Australian tour. I knew that just one show wasn’t going to be enough for me and so, I decided I’d be a bit crazy and go to all 5 Australian shows (a bit excessive, I know, but it’s not every day that they come to town and I got a package deal which kept the price down a bit). I had 3 months of holidays from university over the summer so I spent this time working my butt off packing shelves at a supermarket to save up the money for the airfares and accomodations. It was definitely worth it! (even though I was totally broke when I returned home).
The first show was in Melbourne. I got to the venue pretty early (as I did for all the gigs) so I could get a spot right up at the front. I was glad I did because while waiting outside for the Melbourne show, Steve came walking down the street (guitar in hand) and invited us earlybirds in to see the soundcheck. I don’t really need to say how fantastic the show was that night (and every other night). Next stop was Sydney (where I’m from) and I got to meet Steve in the morning at a record store signing. I got him to sign two pretty rare items for me — the original “Flex-Able Leftovers” EP (second cover) and my Loch Ness Green Jem777 guitar. I told him I was going to all of the shows, although I’m not too sure if he believed me (which is understandable). I had a MK “Sluggo!” shirt on and we both agreed what a great album that is (cool!). I got to meet Mike before the show that night and he signed all of his CDs for me and was ultra cool. The show in Sydney that night was pretty wild.
Next stop was Brisbane, and then Adelaide where I went to see Mike’s little acoustic concert at a music shop (thanks Jamie). This was the first time I’d ever heard Keneally material live and in person and it was an amazing thrill. Mike was real cool and appreciate of my “commitment” but I still couldn’t help feeling like some sort of crazy stalker or something (“The Wreckage Was Large” comes to mind). Oh well, Mike didn’t seem to care. After the Vai show the next night I got to meet the rest of the band and they were all really nice too.
The next night in Perth I went to Mike’s second acoustic show (thanks Gary). There was a bigger turnout and it was great. Mike answered a bunch of questions and played some Keneally classics. The final Vai show in Perth rocked. The aftershow shindig was pretty relaxed and we got in. Once again, everybody was really nice. We eventually pushed our way through the throng of people crowding Steve and said I’d been to all of the shows. I’m not sure if Steve recognized me or not (Steve obviously sees a lot of faces), but I did have my “Sluggo!” shirt on again. I guess he must have believed me because the next thing I knew, he was taking off his chain necklace and handing it to me! I was shocked and I couldn’t believe he was serious. I mean, how cool is that?! I thanked him repeatedly, got a photo, and that was it. I said bye to Mike, and thus ended one of the most exciting and incredible weeks of my life!
So, to Mike Keneally, Dave, Philip & Mike — thanks for the great shows and for being so cool. And to Steve, thank you so much for your unbelievable generosity and wonderful music.
So there you have it. Feel free to include this in the “Your Letters & Photos” section of the website, that is, if you can take the time to type it up. I would have sent it by e-mail instead of in the post, but I don’t have a scanner for the photos.
Thanks, and all the best —
Jimmy Lardner-Brown
Well, I just wanted to tell anybody who reads this that Greasy Kid’s Stuff is really cool!!! I really love it, keep up the good work,
Alejandro Salas
Hi there!
Just had the best day of my life on the 10th of March. I went to see Steve in Manchester. I met Steve and he signed some stuff for me. He then asked me to come in and watch the soundcheck… WOW… What a day I had. I spent just over two hours against the stage, taking over 200 photos of him up close & personal. He also played 2 brand new songs, one of which he said represented the United Kingdom. You really are a true gent, Steve, and a genius on all levels. A big thank you to you and your band for all of your kindness and hospitality when you were so busy.
Forever Happy,
Paul
Take a look at these excellent pics of Vai playing at the “London Astoria” on the 9/3/00. I took these photos myself. I’m not feeling big-headed but would’nt you say they came out superb? I’m realy suprised because I’m not a camera expert and I’m only 17.
Please feel welcome to publish these on the “Vai Site” for all to see!
All in all the concert was excellent because I got right to the front. But even better than getting to the front was when Steve handed out the body of his guitar to the audience. I was the only person to touch his whammy bar and make some really cool guitar noises…LIVE!!!
Yours faithfully,
Raymond Reilly
UK
Hi Steve,
The JEM’s neck is so large that I had to customize my young sister’s arms to make her able to use it as good as you…
Continue to offer our ears such wonderful poetry, and be always the same…
Few notes from France,
Matthieu Saqué
Hi, Nicholas from Singapore here. It’s a bit late but here are some pics from Steve’s concert here on February 4 1997. Superb show and I’m glad I waited for it. I queued up from 6.00pm to 10.00pm before I got in and it was worth every effort.
Thank you Steve for the great music.
Happy birthday Steve! Best wishes and peace and love and good happiness stuff to you and your beloved family from your German fan(atic) Katrin Vollmann (yes, a female fan). Thank you for being in Germany April 3rd 2000 in Nürnberg/Forum. It was the best concert I’ve ever seen in my whole live! When I’m an old Grandma and I’ll forget my own name I’ll remember THIS. Please visit Germany again soon. See you,
Katrin
Hi Steve!!
This photo is from your clinic in Orvieto (Italy). I was really happy to met the man who wrote so many songs that I love. I mean…they remind to me a lot of things in my life. I went to the “VOX” disco in Nonantola during your soundcheck. I talked with the big guys…you know…the guards in the disco, and they let me enter the “VOX” at 14:00 and I saw all your soundcheck. It was great and I couldn’t believe that you were so near from my house (I live10 minutes from “VOX”). Be prepared because in few years I will be a great guitar player!! Maybe better than you! ^_^
It has been nice to meet you,
Nikola (Italy)
hi rich & steve,
just a quick note and a couple of pics to say thanks for the guitar package auctioned off on 
STEVE,
Thanks for an amazing show you guys put on in OKC,OK! I just wanted to tell you that I really appreciate the time you took to talk, sign autographs, and be socialable with me. I was hammered by the show you put on for the Ultra Zone tour! My all time favorite tunes are Little Alligator and Bad Horsie, those two always gets my attention. I picked up the Alien Love Secrets DVD and it is awesome! I love the story how you were an Indian getting chased by the train. Tender Surrender is always a pleasure to hear. I was wondering if you are ever going to release a live record with all of the current material? A live record and a DVD of that show would be the ultimate! Please consider it. I remember you were on the Fire Garden tour. Your bus caught on fire and you had a lot of personal items destroyed, at the show in OKC you pulled a DAT recorder out and recorded us. Will we ever hear a live record with that “trash dat” recording? I do hope so! Well thanks again for your tireless quest to get to the next level!
A devoted fan
always Brandon Barnett
I had the privilege to meet Mr.Vai at “Harmony House” last year on Sunday, August 14th, in Detroit, the morning before his show at St. Andrews Hall, (AWESOME SHOW). Mr Vai did 3 songs at Harmony House (UNBELIEVABLE)… then signed autographs… I waited 2 hours to meet Steve & had him sign 2 discs & my “Ibanez acoustic”… THANKS STEVE!!
I had my 4 year old daughter, Victoria with me & she saw that Mr. Vai was signing “Daddy’s” stuff and asked me… “Daddy….can you ask Steve Vai to write on my hand???”… Sooooooo… I did…And to my surprise… Not only did he sign my daughter’s hand… BUT… He asked her…”Do you know how to write your name???”
She said “Yes”… and then he asked her to sign “HIS” hand…Well needless to say she was thrilled & gladly printed her name on Steve’s hand….WHAT A GREAT GUY!! I didn’t have my camera, and was bummed out, BUT, one of the sweet, sweet ladies that was with Steve took 2 pictures of Steve & my daughter and mailed them to me( BIG THANKS!!)… My daughter begged me to take her to the concert, later that night, but she’s only 4 & I just wasn’t too sure about taking her to a concert…
But, she never washed her hand… Steve`s name eventually had to wear off… And she looks at the pictures almost daily on my PC… So, I’d like to thank you Mr.Vai for making a little 4-year-old’s day (and her Daddy’s)… You are truly one of “The Great Ones”…
Peace To You & Yours,
David & Tori
HELLO VAI.COM
I send you again a new artwork for your great website!
Thank you,
Rodolphe Wery from France
Hello Everyone at Vai.com,
The attached graphic is the result of listening to a recently acquired “Flex-Able” CD. I hadn’t heard the songs, other than in my head, for over 9 years. While listening to “Call It Sleep” I cranked up my graphics suite and just let my imagination go wild, following themes and trying new stuff. My initial offering was quite simple and it quickly grew into what you see as I went from “Flex-Able” to several of Steve’s bluesy songs from later albums. If anyone on your end thinks my graphic is worth the bandwidth I would be honored to see my creation on Vai.com. Steve’s music is an enhancement to my life and I thank him for that.
Regards,
Jonathan Shroyer
Hi,
I attended a great concert on 10th March when Steve Vai and Band came to Manchester… although I am disabled and in an electric wheelchair, nothing was going to deter me and my little lad Aaron from making it to the show.
It was great, the only problem is that there is only one photo posted yet that I recognize from that night…. My son Aaron is on it with his new Steve Vai plectrum given to him by Philip Bynoe, front row, little lad with white t-shirt holding his pic on the “throwing the guitar” photo) so I would like to offer 2 photos from the night which we hope that you will use on the website….
The [second] photo is Steve meeting and signing an autograph for my son (albeit that someone stood behind my son blocking him from shot…good closeup of Steve though.. and the [1st] photo was taken when Steve was right above us on stage, and my son Aaron is the one with the Vai Ultra Zone Cap…..
So if you are feeling in a generous spirit and would like to make Aaron’s and my day then please feel free to post the photos on your great website….
Thanks a lot and all the best…
Mike & Aaron Hodkinson
Hi Steve!
…do you remember the night after the show in Milano (29 march 2000)?…you was “simply” GREAT!!!
I send you the pic when meet you with my friend Gianclaudio (JOHN!)… I play gtr (but not like you…sigh!) with a group called LEGATURA… we’re looking for a label…. Now we are on www.vitaminic.it with 2 songs in mp3!
hope to see you soon (magari in Italia…vieni presto!)… saluti in famiglia e ai ragazzi della band… .from ZAK! 
Ciruelo Cabral created this petropicto (painted stone). The beauty of Vai’s face,
the stone nature and Ciruelo’s hands all in one. In the private collection of a GKS Member.
Your friend Jon Diaz in Barcelona
(vai.com note: Ciruelo later went on to create the cover images for both The 7th Song, and The Elusive Light and Sound.)
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
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
Here are two photos of Steve during a seminar in Rome, in June 1991.
Giuseppe Centi
Special thanks to Steve Vai, my inspiration, without whom this guitar would just be just another mass of wood and tangled wires. This one’s for you, Steve. If you behave yourself, someday I’ll let you play it. 😉
Kirk A Slossar, Jemfest ’99 Organizer
Hi!
I was trying to send to you a picture I took of Steve on a Music Messe in Frankfurt in 1996.
Take care!
Yuri
To Steve,
I’m Yuko Kiriyama, a Japanese girl. I looked at your home page, & am sending my photo. I bought your new CD “Flex-Able Leftovers”. I’m playing the guitar, and I respect you. I’m looking foward to your next concert in Japan. Good luck your music life!!
Your fan,
Yuko
Steve, my name is Agustin R De La Gala and I hope you enjoy my artwork (2 pics above).
Thanks Steve, your friend & fan forever.
These 5 photos (above) are from 24 November 1995 in THE OPERA THEATRE – ARGENTINE and March 1997.
PABLO SEBASTIAN FREGEIRO GIL
Hello All! My name is David LoVecchio and as you might guess I love Steve Vai’s music. I’m from Concord, MA in case anyone wants to know and I thought I might throw this Photoshop piece I did your way.
Enjoy and take care. Hugs and kisses,
David LoVecchio
All begins Nov.16-1995 at 17:40 (Curitiba – Brazil – at the AeroAnta ShowHouse). Me (Rony), Luca and Mirian meeting with Sergio Buss (Lucas´s old Friend since the Musician’s Institute days). I’ve been a fan for a long time ago, but after almost 5 hours before the concert with this guy, man… Steve is really the best guitarist and composer flying through the Universe. You can feel his energy and soul jumping under the stage each time he plays….it was wonderfully amazing…. I just hope someday Steve come back to Brazil to share his feelings with all of us again…God keep walking beside him. The best ever song for me: “For the Love of God”. Here is a beautiful picture of us (Luca, Miriam, Steve, Me).
One of the best moments in my life. Bye…
Here are some pics of Steve on the ’97 G3 tour. I’m not sure where this is, but the guy’s a moose! I saw G3 at Jones Beach in New York on June 20, 1997, and it was by far the best show I have ever seen. I hope you enjoy these pics as much as I enjoyed watching Vai perform!
Thanks, Scott
Photomontage submitted by Ricardo Bello (various other photographers).
Hi there all…
just a little bit of computer artwork that i created…
erm..just to explain things a little…
the blurred out universe head belongs to a friend of mine…and when this friend saw the picture (which i designed for graphical purposes) he analysed it in a way that i hadn’t seen it…
going clockwise from the top….
t
he triangle is the door.
the fire on the right, which merges into coloured stars, shows how out of the most negative emotions can come the most beautiful results.
the blurred guitar shows that music is bigger than the instrument (which is why its called an…ahem…instrument).
the ying yang sign…i just like that (heh) but i also believe that balance is everything.
“we’re still animals” is a quote from passion & warfare, it indicates that some things will never change about his fans.
my friend saw the bubbles as how high playing the guitar makes him feel.
and the number 7 is my spiritual number and one i hear steve treasures as well…
the hard to see musical notes shows how understated things can be beautiful…to look between the lines…
evo, his fave geetar, i think, has a star behind it as well as the word “passion” between the bottom horn and the neck, which is where the high notes and vai’s fingers go a lot…
it is turned to the left as if he would be playing left handed because even if he was forced to, his passion would still come thru. (he also played with his left hand when he was playing with dave lee roth, i think).
the wooden block has my initials “np” carved in it and its wooden looking because sex and religion is my fave album…
and lastly, vai, the audience is listening means that he and his fans are the center of everything.
i think i’m too wordy a person..heh
ok…that’s it!
xxoo
Noelle Pereira
Singapore
I attached my work… I was thinking about modifying that work because the guitar isn’t looking good. But I’m sending it anyway. Hope to see it in your homepage soon.
Bye.
Vai’s great fan,
Arnold W. Shim
Vai, for you, Fabiana Zimerman Yuko
Hello!
This is (in my humble opinion) the best picture ever taken from Steve. I took this one in Rotterdam during the G3 tour (May 23, 1997).
Greetings… Harold Kip
Hi there,
I have some wonderful pictures from Steve’s recent trip to the Motor City on Sept 11, 1999! Here the first of many. I’ll send you more when I can.
Thanks,
Adam Baker 😉
I first found out about the in-store appearances when I was home sick from work. I decided right then and there that I would not miss the Detroit appearance no matter what! (Detroit is only an hour away). Well, when I got to work the next day and went to write the date on my planner, I noticed that I would be out of town on that Saturday in Chicago!!! I was absolutely crushed! But there was nothing I could do to change either date… so I decided that I would make the trip to Chicago a day early and see Steve there. My Friday started at 2:30 am. We arrived in Chicago EXACTLY at noon!
The show was spectacular! Steve is the most emotional player I have ever heard, and just listening certainly doesn’t do him justice. He poured his heart out to us for the three song set. I can’t imagine how drained he must be after such a show!
The highlight of the trip was, of course, meeting Steve after the set. I had a whole list of things planned to say but when I got to the front of the line, I was so starstruck I couldn’t speak! Steve was kind enough to make sure that everyone who wanted autographs that day left satisfied, despite his feeling under the weather. Steve, I hope you’re reading this, because I would really like to thank you. You give so much to us through your music and your generous spirit. I hope you know how talented you really are.
Sincerely,
Amanda J. Pennington
“Porcupine”
hey mr. steve (and i say mr. not only out of my great respect and admiration for you as a man but mostly as an arteeeest… mmmm)… as long as we be on the subject… here is another piece that is a direct result of “The Riddle”. I listened to it over ond over until the colors came together. that album you did… damn… it’s the best thing since Jeff Beck’s “Blow by Blow” and “Wired”… it is a part of my daily musical ritual… right along with Jimi and Mozart and Bach… how is it that you shred so well and yet so it with so much delicacy?? Beautiful bro… so very beautiful.these pieces i e-mailed to you are my humble gift to you… hope you like ’em… say hi to joe. be well
rene simons
Steve and Co.,
Well, a few my co-workers(who are also musicans) & I went up to Boston last night to see Steve’s “Ultra Zone” promo at Tower Records. It was killer! Steve ripped and we snapped some pretty good pics of him in mid-stroke! Awesome!! There is also a pic of Steve & I.
An inspiring experience to say the least! When I got home I practiced my guitar for a solid three hours.
Thanks Steve and best of luck with the “Ultra Zone” tour! I will look forward to the tour coming through the Boston area!
Sincerely,
Paul LaParle
PS – One more… there was this half-naked old man riding around on a scooter where the line was outside of Tower Records… too *$#&’n funny! So I snapped a pic of him as well…”Scooter-Dude!”
Here’s a pic of me and my son Brendan when we met Steve in Detroit on September 11th. It’s amazing to me the way his music is spanning generations. All morning prior to meeting Steve, my son was bouncing off the walls singing “Ya Yo Gakk!”
When we finally got in to see Steve, we were planted in front of one of the speakers, I tried to cover my son’s ears, but he said he couldn’t see Steve “By” (he has a hard time saying Vai!)
We finally got to meet Steve, and he signed my Universe and my son’s Les Paul Pee Wee. We were going to have the picture taken, and Steve grabbed ahold of Brendan and set him right on his lap! Too cool! I waited a long time for this moment, and all I could spit out was “great show, I can’t wait for you to come back!” (picture me as the kid in “A Christmas Story” saying to Santa that I wanted a football instead of the Red Rider BB Gun!)
Anyhow, Steve’s performance was amazing, and I can’t wait for the show in Detroit!
Thanks,
Kirk Slossar
Jemfest
Dearest Mr. Vai:
I hope this letter reaches you and the people who love you. I am one of those people who love you, and I don’t mean that I’m a fan, I respect your music, or that I think you are cute. That is all true, but that’s not what I mean when I say that. Let me TRY to explain…
When I was a teenager (yuck!) I had no positive adult mentors anywhere in the vicinity of my lonely soul. And just as God intended, your music found it’s way to me. Your guitar playing reached right into my heart and made it beat differently, happily. So I read everything that I could find about you. I quickly learned that there was a reason why you made me feel so good. It was because you were put on this planet to help people, among other great things.
I had always believed in God and all that stuff, but I hadn’t found the right place for God in my heart. You taught me everything I ever felt I needed to know about spirituality. All of what you said made so much sense to me. You changed the way I perceive EVERYTHING and I find positive things and incredible joy everywhere I go. I would not have that if it weren’t for you. You took me to my destiny, Steve. I will be eternally in your debt for that and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I had the honor (huge understatement) of meeting you on 11/18/99 for the first time (and I loved it so much I went to your show on the 21st and met your band!). I thought I was going to be so awestruck that I would pass out! 🙂 But you have a calming effect about you. I suppose that makes sense. I finally got to tell you how much you have meant to me for the past 11 years. Thank you for giving me the chance to do that. You are so kind to your fans. What a huge heart you have! And what a huge fan you will have in me until the end of time and beyond!
With the deepest kind of love,
Leslie Monaghen
Rhode Island
Guillermo Vazquez Lopez
Rodolphe Wery created this cool animated gif!
Steve & Company,
The show, as expected was great… I managed to squirm my way up to the front of the stage with my digital camera. Included are a couple of color, B&W and a few that I used a couple of the funky settings to get some different effects for the pix. I was so close, that several times I grabbed one of Steves’ extra guitar picks right off of his guitar. Several times (while playing) Steve gave that me that look and shook his index finger as if to say, “now, now, now… you’ve already got some, leave some for the others”. Total laughs!
What’s cool about the Vai camp… is that they are genuinely nice. Hanging out after the show, taking pix with the fans (there is one of Philip and myself), signing autographs, etc. Having selected fans (who won a radio contest) jam on stage with Steve and the band (the guy in New Haven was pretty good). There are not many camps that embrace their supporters in such a way, so thanks again!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Paul LaParle
Hello,
Here is a piece I started to work on while listening to “The Ultra Zone”. I always wondered where Steve got his guitars, and now that I see his new space suit and remember the little green men, I think I’ve figured it out. I’m no artist, but I do like music! Tell Steve I said, “Thanks”.
Later,
Larry Nicholson
Somehow, when the celestial bodies are aligned just right, and you’re tapped into the collective consciousness, and you’re mojo is really workin’, you find your dreams may come true. Mine did at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta on 11/30/99 when I found myself cutting heads with my all-time favorite guitar hero. It just doesn’t get any better than that! Thanks go to Steve and Guitar Center for holding the contest. Is any other rock star quite as cool? I think not!
-Eric Sands
www.ericsands.com
> Hi, my name is Alberto Palomo, and I am part of the Greasy Kid’s Stuff fan club. This photo was obtained in the Radio Station WFM when Steve was going to his hotel, and I stopped the car and said please one more photo. And Steve smiled and stopped the car for us.
Thank You, Steve, for giving to the world the best of you!!!
Your disciple,
Alberto Palomo
>Hey there! Just calling in from the UK… Man, the G3 tour rocked… well, come back to the UK soon, from all the guitar lovers here!!
Thanks
Craig Phillips
>How are you? I’m sending a Steve cartoon and a picture of him that I took in Brazil when he came here. I hope you enjoy it.. 🙂
Peace,
Ricardo Bello
>Hi Steve, My name is Jeremy Krull, I am 12 years old and have been playing guitar for 6 years. I use Ibanez Guitars. I am attending the national guitar summer workshop at which Mike Keneally is supposed to be teaching this year! I have family in CA, so next time I’m there, I’ll look for your house. Steve, you are the most amazing thing in music since the invention of the guitar.
P.S. I’ve met and jammed with Jon Finn and Les Paul!
Jeremy Krull
>Here is photo of my band…Liquid Numb. Steve is the inspiration for the guitar player, Scott Sill.
BubaMeat
>Well, here I am!
My name is Maria Paola, I’m 22 and I study philosophy in Bologna and I really love Steve’s music and visions and his positive energy. I hope Steve will not see my photo (that’s a big lie, but I’m shy in some way or I am something else I couldn’t say, because I gotta keep it clean…) and I hope also that he will never want to listen to me playin’ his “Bangkok” or “The Crying Machine” with my soprano sax (another lie).
About the photo: It shows 3 different dimensions through mirrors, left to right; PAST (when I was not yet born), PRESENT (where I am now, even if I don’t realize why…), and FUTURE (what I will be, maybe, and if my face does not appear in the future it’s because I’m not strong enough to face my future…but I’m still growing and I will use my inner strength to find the answer, one of these days…)
Are you still there?
>This is just a collage of some guitar magazine scans and other pictures of Vai. I think it looks pretty cool with the soft edges and stuff… doesn’t really fit the theme of the artwork that made it on the site but it would be cool to be on there anyway! It’s actually what I use for my wallpaper, it’s 1024×768 and not bright and not cluttered with any words, so it works perfectly!
Matt
>This is some artwork I did in school. The pictures (one above & two below) are from a scanner and then Adobe Photoshop. I also added a picture that I took at G3 here in San Antonio.
Satch69
>Here is a picture I did for Steve. I hope you like it. I had many variations of it, but this is the final of it. I am 21 years old, and play the guitar. I live in Turkey Istanbul, I wish that Steve will come here someday. I currently attend a guitar course, but we need some support for music education. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks,
Okan
Dear Steve,
If I am not mistaken you recorded with Dweezil many years ago on a cut called ‘Crunchy Water’. If I am correct, is that cut available anywhere?
Thanks-
Jeff Cole
John Pusztai (pictured here with Steve) tells the story of how it all came about:
“Here’s what happened on what was probably the most incredible day of my life so far: I’m a Vai fan. Actually that’s a bit of an understatement, but you get the picture. I also live in Paris, and after attending the local gig of the Ultra Zone Tour here on March 15th (2000), I thought there was no way I wasn’t gonna see that show again, so I went to Strasbourg. I got to the venue around 4pm that day (April 1st), and the doors were open. Talk about blind luck!
The band was doing the soundcheck. I sat down in the back, where some other people were hanging. Obviously it was amazing! At one point, they started to play that song Steve had just written, which sounded like a Parisian ballad. Then I heard Steve saying he needed a translator. I was sitting next to his tour manager, so I told him I could do it. And it worked!
So there I was up on stage! I thought Steve just wanted to talk with some french person, but actually, the song they were rehearsing was written for France: they were going to perform it that night, and record it in order to put it on a live album. Steve asked me to translate a poem he had written from English to French, and to recite it in the song. It was about a particular day he had spent in Paris with Pia, and what the feelings it had evoked in him. Too bad Phil (Bynoe) doesn’t speak French though, it would have made it sound like Barry White! (j/k ). I went to the dressing room to do the translation, and then we rehearsed it a couple times. Then the soundcheck came to an end. It was time for the band to relax before the show and to have dinner. I went to a nearby chinese restaurant with my friends but I couldn’t eat!
Eventually the show started. I spent most of it running around backstage almost shitting my pants, I was beyond nervous! Right after Voodoo Acid, it was time for me to hit the stage. Pure adrenaline! It went pretty well, although I think I was shaking a bit. It was very magical. God what a memory! Everyone in the crew was really cool to me. My deepest gratitude to you guys, especially to Steve for making this happen, for being my greatest inspiration (not only musical), and many other things!
Warm Regards – John Pusztai”
Just released at NAMM:
The Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Limited Edition UV77. Available in 3 color combinations: Blue/Pink, Orange/Yellow and Silver/Blue.
Specs:
[foogallery id="21614"]
Sony Music Entertainment and Legacy Recordings have signed virtuoso guitarist/composer/pro- ducer Steve Vai to a new multi-album agreement which includes plans to issue two fresh Vai sets in 2015 beginning with the release of Stillness In Motion - Vai Live in L.A. on April 7, 2015.
Vai's first release under the new SONY/Legacy agreement will be Stillness In Motion - Vai Live in L.A., a spectacular performance recorded October 12, 2012 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. Available in 2CD and 2DVD configurations, Stillness In Motion revisits the 49th concert from Vai's monumental Story of Light World Tour.
Running from 2012 through 2014, The Story of Light World Tour totaled out at 253 engagements (including shows, master classes and concerts with various orchestras) in 52 countries.
In addition to the full Club Nokia performance, the 2DVD configuration of Stillness In Motion includes a bonus disc premiering "The Space Between the Notes (Tour Mischief)," a revelatory video diary comprised of more than three and a half hours of footage, lensed around the world on-stage, off-stage and behind-the-scenes during Vai's epic Story of Light World Tour.
"To say that this tour was a powerful life experience would be like saying the sun is hot," writes Steve Vai in his personal liner notes penned for Stillness In Motion.
Following Stillness In Motion, SONY/Legacy will release an album of new Steve Vai material, marking a significant next chapter in the musician's growing canon.
The new multi-album deal marks an SME homecoming for Vai, who set the gold and platinum standard for rock instrumental music across a series of albums released through Relativity and Epic Records from 1990's game-changing Passion and Warfare (his 2nd album and 1st major label release) through 2007's orchestral Sound Theories, Vol. I & II.
Vai will be hosting his second Vai Academy — the ultimate guitar experience — August 2-6, in beautiful Vail, Colorado, at The Arrabelle at Vail Square. With the theme All About The Guitar set for this year, attendees will spend four days and nights discovering the intricacies of the guitar while enjoying once-in-a-lifetime clinics, workshops and jams from the likes of Vai and his handpicked guest instructors, including special guests Eric Johnson and Sonny Landreth. Musi- cians of all ages and levels are welcome. For more information, visit: 
As you may know, trees are only planted during spring and autumn. Your tree was planted on Saturday, October 26. It was named „The Romanian VAI Tree”.
It was planted along with 2000 other baby trees next to an oil refinery and it is part of a small forest that started to be grown in 2009 by an ecologist NGO called „More Green”.
The small forest which is more a green barrier that protects the city of Ploiesti (60km away from Bucharest) from the pollution of the oil refinery has now an area of 4 acres and counting.
