Conference napalm::heavy_metal

    
    	I found this article with Steve Vai in the October (yes,
    	I said October...the benefits of being a subscriber, I guess!)
                                                                      
    	Anyways...I'm going to put in some interesting (at least to   
    	me) paragraphs and if anyone wants me to put the entire       
    	article in, just say the word...
    
    	I really admire a musician who can actually have an intellectual
    	conversation with the media without cussing everytime it seems
    	fitting and for someone who feels so strongly about his music.
                                  
	Forgive the spelling if it's wrong.  I typed it in without
    	looking at the screen...
    
       	Copied without permission from Metal Edge magazine..
    
    
    Steve is using a different amplifier for each song to get a variety
    of sounds, but what makes these recordings really different -- in
    fact, revolutionary -- is the 7-string guitar he's playing.  "It
    has a low B-string on it and for heavy stuff you can't beat it.
    It's got a punch to it that won't give up.  It sounds like a thousand
    pound violin.  A very heavy guitar."  Designed by Steve and made
    by Ibanez, it's similar in construction to the JEM axes Steve used
    previously...
    
    ...To Steve, "The guitar is one of the most expressive instruments.
     Every little nuance of approach will give you a different sound.
     It has a soothing quality to me -- it satisfies my soul.  There's
    something about the guitar that I need.  If I didn't play for awhile
    I'd start to feel very empty and guilty.  I'd feel a yearning to
    hear the vibrations of the strings.  I need to hear the energy of
    a power chord."...
    
    	Articulate though he is, Steve belives he's "horrible at expressing
    myself in words.  "I feel more comfortable expressing myself musically
    than verbally." ...
    
    	...Having worked with a variety of volatile frontmen, Steve
    has become "very good at working with people and adjusting to their
    persnalities.  I can make myself comfortable with whoever I'm with,
    as long as the music is something I'm happy playing." ...
    
    	..."As of right now, I'm a member of Whitesnake.  I don't know
    about permantnly because you never know what's going to happen.
    But I have faith in the future, in fate, and in whatever happens
    will be the right thing." ...
    
    	(talking about his next solo project)..."I don't know if it's
    going to have great commercial appeal, but that's not what I'm going
    for.  I have that with Whitesnake.  I think some of the greatest
    music comes when you're not worried about singles.  there's no
    pressure.  You play what's in your heart."...
    
    	..."One of the best things I did was join Roth when I did and
    leave him when I did," says Steve, adding that he left on good terms
    with Dave and musicians he'd previously worked with like Frank Zappa
    and Graham Bonnet.
    

    
    	I got "Flex-able" last night on cassette ... and if it wasn't
    	for the second side being good, I was gonna find out who rec-
    	ommended it to me and string him/her up.
    
    	8^)
    
    	I stuck the tape into the deck on the way home last night,
    	and then took it out in a hurry - thinking I'd bought a Frank
    	Zappa tape with a Steve Vai label on it.  Yuck!!
    
    	Then I got to the other side, and "The Attitude Song" and
    	"Time to Sleep" came on ... and they were good.
    
    	Basically - someone in here is a VERY lucky person.  8^)
    
    							GTI

    
    
    	Did I tell you to get that Shawn??
    
    	I think I told you not to and made you a tape with the attitude
    	 song on it.
    
    	M	
    	 B

    
    	RE: Mike
    
    		Actually, I think it was Pete (or Buck) that told
    		me I should get it.  Where is he??
    
    		8^)
    
    							GTI
    

    Well,
    
    I may have recommended it...but with an obvious warning...I've ALWAYS
    said this is NOT the sappy/pappy DLR stuff...this was done at Steve's
    home 8TK studio...right after he had left Zappa, so there is a HEAVY
    Zappa influence here...some of the songs, like _Little Green Men_ are
    definitly out to lunch.  It is a good tape compositionally, and is,
    IMHO, the *real* Vai...not this _Just Like Paradise_ stuff. 

	Reprinted (just for you gh) (8 without permission from Metal
	Edge (april 90).

	G: Steve, the album sounds incredible and your guitar work
	   is amazing.
	S: Thanks.  I worked three months on the guitars on the 
	   record.  I went in cold...
	   ...On "Cheap An' Nasty" the end part of the solo was so
	   out there but I fought for it and it turned out really
	   great.  "Slow Poke Music", there's some guitar calisthenics
	   on it, and a really retarded solo.


	G: Were you wary about joining Whitesnake? 
	S: ...Alot of people think I left Dave to join Whitesnake, which
	   wasn't the case...I had some experiences in the past that made
	   me vary wary of getting involved with another mega-lead 
	   singer.  Your David Lee Rothsk, your Coverdales, your Jaggers,
	   they're a special type of brew.  It takes alot of energy to
  	   work with them. ...I've heard alot of rumors about David 
	   [Coverdale] but never once has he ever said or done anything
	   that made me question his integrity.  He has a vision and 
	   he stays with it.

	G:  Have you remained on good terms with DLR?
	S:  Yes.  We had a nice long talk and we decided to remain friends.
	    He understands totally.  Dave is a unique person, a living
	    legend, and it was a big honor to work with him.  All the 
	    people who wear his clothes, do his moves, dye their hair
	    to emulate him, they have no clue what Roth is really about.

	G: Does it bother you when they wimp out guitar solos on the
	   radio?
	S: It's disappointing to me that the world at large isn't ready
	   for massive sounding guitars.  But I kind of like Top 40.
	   I can't think of a band that I don't like.

	G:  Are you aware of the power you have over the audience?
	S:  Yeah.  i'm still trying to cultivate it.  It's something 
	    I've become conscious of.  You gotta be careful how you
	    use it.  You don't take advantage of it.  It's dangerous
	    when you get too many guys trying to exert power, that's
	    when you see the egos.

	G:  Since finishing "Slip of the Tongue", you've been working
	    on your own project.
	S:  Yes, I'm 100% involved right now with  my solo album.  I've
	    been in here six days a week.  I've never worked so hard in
	    my life.   I'm doing every single solitary thing myself.
	    I had a drummer and a bass player and keyboard player do a 
	    couple of things but I'm doing some bass, keys and all the
	    guitars.  There's a lot you can learn from doing it all
	    yourself, and there's a certain freedom you can have.  

	G:  What's the title?
	S:  Passion and Warfare.

	Tigga~~~ (for those who want copies of the entire article,
	let me know)

	

	
		

    BTW, did you see the video for "Fool for Your Lovin"??
    
    What a poser!!!!  He's so funny.  I haven't seen anyone pose that much
    in a long time...well...alright not for a week.  :-)
    
    Lost just a little respect for the Vaister.  I thought he was above
    posing.  Oops.
    
    Steve

    
    
    	Posing???  I hardly remember even SEEING him in the video,
    	nevermind POSING.
    
    	Tigga~~~ who says Vai can pose for me ANYTIME (^;
    

    
    
    	Heh heh heh...."Just Like Paradise"  ....I DID check him
    	out!!  Ooh la la!!
    
    	Tigga~~~ sorry 'bout that...couldn't help but remember
    		 that one little bit of the vid.  (8
    
                 

  re:  
    	was that with the heart shaped guitar he was swinging around
    his back, etc?  i forget.
    

    
    
    	Yup!  drooldrooldrooldrool.  (^;  (^;
    
    	Tigga~~~

    
    Eh, I don't remember *his* name being mentioned in those polls you were
    reading to me!!!  Haha
    
    ;^)
    
    Flip

    nah, just sean.  who's jeanne?  perhaps we're related?  :)
    
    decided today (after listening to attitude song) that vai and satriani
    should team up for a dueling guitar solo album...
    

    
    
    	Time out!  If I had known that putting those bits of article
    	was going to stir up a "posing" battle, I wouldn't have 
    	put it in.  Can we forget the "poseur" junk and concentrate
    	on his playing ability??
    
    	Tigga~~~ who thinks he's very good!
    
        RE: Flip
    
    	...Jani Lane!  HA!
    	

    Vai has got to be one of my heros.  I loved seeing him live, and
    didn't miss a move he made.  RE: Posing ?  So what ?  Anybody who
    can move like that, AND play like that at the same time has got
    his rubber duckies in a row.  Right Tigg~~ ?
                                            
    jc
    

From Vai's interview...I would say that the break up of VH wasn't
DLR's fault.  Vai's description of Roth seems to match other descriptions
of Roth I have heard concerning the breakup of VH.  I think that
Eddie was the EGO crazed person for this one....No one understands
DLR.  I can relate to that....


Bill

        
    	RE: JC
        
    	Right!!  (8 ...and he's cute, too.  (^; (^;  From the few
    	interviews that I've read about Vai, he is a very intelligent,
    	modest, realistic person.  I respect someone who can keep
    	everything in perspective while being so well known.
        
    	I don't know a whole lot about who's the better guitar player
    	and who's not, but I like Vai's playing and don't really care
    	if he's a "poser" or not.
        
    	Tigga~~~ hanging up a poster of him right now!  (^;
        
    
    	

    Yeah Vai poses.  But he has the chops to back it up.  What I dislike
    most is empty posing.  You know, posing without the chops behind it.
    
    Vai actually does those wild poses, running around like a madman,
    jumping around in concert (at least he did with DLR) *and* never misses
    a beat.  He plays his parts to perfection and it's amazing to watch.
    
    Gh
    
    Ps, thanks for posting that interview, Kim.  You know how much I love
    Steve Vais playing.
    

    Vai has THE COOLEST "funny-sounds" ever produced IMHO...
    
    jc

    
    
    	Maybe I shouldn't say this here for fear Brian will 
    	bring up his cat remarks again, but on the new 
    	Whitesnake album, Vai is supposed to have reproduced
    	some cat sounds for one of the songs....
    
    	Tigga~~~

    
    	The solo from "Hot Dog and a Shake" is incredible ... when
    	Steve started wailin' at The Civic Center, I was playin'
    	the air guitar right along with him.
    
    							GTI
    

    
    	RE TIgga...
    
    	Actually...Vai and Sarzo both do..... Sarzo has his bass string
    tuned way way way low....you can hear it rattle...
    
    BK
    

Sure....


CHANGE THE TITLE ON ME!!!!


My previous note the title was DLR / Stevie Vai......

:-)

Bill

    
    	I just played "Eat 'Em and Smile", and have 1 thing to say:
    
    	Stevie WAAAAAAIIIIIIILS!!
    
    	Elephant Gun
    	Shy Boy
    	Bump and Grind
    
    							GTI
    

    
    	Part #2 of his 'poster' is in the new Guitar World this month.
    Can't be long 'till the solo album appears...i'm waitin'...
    
    
    							Les
    

    
         Steve Vai is easily the most impressive guitarist live I've
    
    seen.  IMO of course.  I've also seen Eddy, Joe Perry, Vivian,
    
    George Lynch and several others.
    
    SabFan
    

    re: .32
    
    
   >      Steve Vai is easily the most impressive guitarist live I've
   >  seen.
    
    I agree totally!!
    
    I've seen tons of great guitars too, but only a couple have really
    blown my socks totally off.  The only one that comes close is Alan
    Holdsworth.  I'd say that FWIW, I'd rate Vai a little more impressive
    because of how much he moves around while playing that incredible
    stuff.  I think he's probably a little more flexable too. 
    
    I've seen Van Halen, Lynch, Hammett and others as well.  I enjoyed them
    all!
    
    glh

    
    	RE: Greg
    
    	Vai is a little more "Flex-able", eh?
    
    	Good pun.
    
    	8^)
    
    							GTI
    

    Yah, yeah.  I thought of that...
    
    glh

    
    
       Anyone want to enter all stuff Vai has done from past to present?
    
    SabFan
    

    
    	Frank Zappa stuff
    
    	Flex-able
    
    	Eat 'Em and Smile (DLR)
    	Skyscraper (DLR)
    
    	Slip of the Tongue (Whitesnake)
    
    	Crossroads movie soundtrack (part of it, the "duel" at the end)
    
    							GTI
    

    
    	Vai was supposed to release a follow up to flex-able containing
    mainly guitar solo oriented stuff (attitude song).  it was going
    to be called reflex--- something or other.  he never did though.
    :(
    
    sean

    Here is the Vai Discography...edited, and chronologically arranged:
    	
    o Latter Frank Zappa albums 
    	
    o Flex-able (Solo Vai)
       
    o Flex-able Leftovers (Addl. Solo Vai)
        
    o Disturbing the Peace (Alcatrazz)
	
    o Crossroads movie soundtrack 
    
    o Eat 'Em and Smile (DLR)
    	
    o Skyscraper (DLR)
    
    o Slip of the Tongue (Whitesnake)

    
    	did Vai also work with Joe Satriani on his album?  i remember
    his name being mentioned in it.  maybe Vai was just an "influence"
    of Satriani...
    
    sean

    
    	Satriani gave him a "thank you", I think that's it.
    
    	I believe Steve returned the favor on "Skyscraper".
    
    							GTI
    

And one not mentioned so far is "Blue Powder", a single that was recorded to 
demonstrate the versatility of Carvin amps. I got mine as a plastic insert 45
to Guitar Player years ago.

alan

    If you're going to count those little one off flexy disks, he also did
    a solo version of Amazing Grace that one in one of the Guitar Player
    mags as an ad for some vendor.  Ibanez, I think, but I'm not positive.
    
    glh

    
        
         Appreciate the Discography.  A friend of mine has a green Ibanez
    
    that is some kind of limited edition that Steve Vai signed.  Supposedly
    
    only 50 were made?  Anyone know what I'm talking about?
    
    SabFan 2 days 4 hours 3 minutes
    

    yeah!  isn't that the guitar on the cover of flex-able???  i heard
    something on those lines.  that guitar is worth something i bet!
    
    sean

    There were 1000 of the Limited Edition Green Ibanez JEM 777 model
    guitars made.  They are signed and numbered.

    
         The only differance between those and the "Shocking Pink and/or
    Desert Sun Yellow" Jems are the fact that they are green, and they
    have Steve's autograph and a number on the back. Same guitar, twice
    the price!!!. I played #62 a few years ago and it was a great guitar,
    but I think I would just go with the SP color and save some cabbage. (^8)
    						 
    
                                                       Digitally yours,			
                                                                       R.C.
    

    
    
         That's the one Buck.  He has Jem 777 on his license plate.
    
    SabFan who even gently plucked the strings on it!
    

    
    	For the discography:
    
    	PIL  
    		'Generic'  ( Album,Compact Disc, etc  )    
    			      Vai did some/most guitar work
    
    	EPIDEMICS       
    	       Self-Titled    Vai did all guitar work                 
    
    	
    	He also did some work on an album called (I believe) "Western
    Vacation".  He did the guitar work on the first track (with an odd
    alias).

    RE: .43
                
|    	did Vai also work with Joe Satriani on his album?  i remember
|    his name being mentioned in it.  maybe Vai was just an "influence"
|    of Satriani...
                
                In actuality,  I  read  in  a metal mag (Feb 1990
                issue of Guitar World) that Satch instructed Vai.
                I  don't have the  issue  here  with  me,  but  I
                remember that part distinctly !
                
                METALord"�

    I also heard that but on the radio right before Surfin With The
    Alein became popular I heard him intrudced as the man who taught
    Steve Vai what he knows,
    
    Tony
    

    
    	He taught Vai and Hammmet...
    
    BK
    

    I got my hands on Steve Vai's FLEX-ABLE album....!
    Pritty good but STRANGE!
    HAs he done any other albums....!
    
    
    				SRi
    

    He also did a "Flex-able Leftovers" solo album as well.  I've never
    heard it (but would like to have a copy).  It's very hard to find.  The
    "Flex-able" album is pretty easy to find these days, and it used to be
    reasonably common in the "import" bins when it first came out, but I've
    never seen the "Leftovers" album.
    
    Anyone know where I can get a copy?
    
    Greg

I've just heard a promo release of Steve's latest solo LP on the radio. First
thing I can say is that is more *listenable* than "flexable".

One of the song is very jazz-rock oriented. Another one sounds a lot like DLR.
It's strange because all songs are introduced by a woman's voice or a kid's 
voice (supposed to be young Steve). 
I've also heard a ballad song which is good. It has a 1mn long instrumental
introduction which is very good/strange.

One last thing is that Steve's sound is very recognizable (from other guitar 
gurus).


I did not get the LP name yet. But I'll put it as soon as the DJ mention it.

Cheers,

Didier

BTW

I modified the base note so that it contains the "Bands" keyword. IMO it was
missing.

Cheers,

Didier 

    	Just heard a little of the new Vai album.. the name escapes
    me also.  It's  "something and something" 8^)  Personally, I really
    liked the variety in Flex-able, even though some of the songs were
    really annoying.  
    	From what I heard this album sounds good.  Is it out in stores
    yet?
    
    sean

    Passion and Warfare is the new Vai album...NOT the new Yngwir album as
    stated in the Yngwie note!
    
    

    
    VAI is on the cover of GUITAR PLAYER and has an interview 
        with him.       He talks about each song and gives 
        transcription to one of them........... YIKES!!!!!!!!
    
       
    P.S.   Awsome white 7 string!   Oh yah and they're giving 
           away a 7 string but don't bother,   IT'S MINE!!!!!
    
                                                    mArK
    

    In GFTPM, George Lynch mentions that he and ESP were working on a 7
    string (still are) before Vai came out with his.  The difference with
    Lynch is that he's adding his on the high end instead of the bass.
    
    He said it was either add a string or make a 32 fret guitar ;-)
    
    Mike

    Sure, add a higher string and go with 32 frets and only dogs (not
    blonde bimbos in Metallica t-shirts) will be able to hear the chops !
    
    Scary

    
    I also read that Lynch 7 stringer is going to have a pickup that 
    slides into different positions.
    
    J-Dot

Someone made a bass that did that awhile back.  I rememeber reading about it 
in some guitar rag.

I thought it was a good idea at the time, but I think it actually flopped.

gh

    Imagine how small your fingers would have to be to play on the 32nd
    fret!
    
    Re: sliding pickup
    
    Yeah I remember that part.  Supposedly the magnets are adjustable, and
    can even be moved while playing for added effects.  Probably create
    some interesting tones.
    
    Mike
    

    >Imagine how small your fingers would have to be to play on the 32nd
    >fret!
    
    Not really...would be easy if you scalloped the neck!
    
    Hamer offers a custom made 44 fretter...goes to a super high B or
    something! (I forget exactly)  I think a guitar like that would be 
    cool!
    
    Ronnie LeTekro has a 1/4 stepper guitar...wanna talk about SMALL frets!

    
    Washburn make a 36 fret guitar. I tried it but as I have large 
    fingers I *could not* fret a clear note at the 3rd octave on the 
    high E!!
    
    Having said that, I have difficulty sounding a clear note on any
    of the pigging strings 8^).
    
    Cheers,
    -Tony

I'm with Tony, I have enough trouble getting good clear sounds off 24 
fret guitars.  36 is pretty out there. 

gh (who will probably change his mind next week, but...that's *next* week)

;^)

    
    Yeah, I'm gonna take up table tennis or something!!

Stuart Hamm plays Bass on Steve's Album.

Didier

>Stuart Hamm plays Bass on Steve's Album.
 
    	WHAT?????  That's GREAT news!  I wonder if he did the album
    because of his connection with Satriani?
    
    sean   

    
    From what I understood, Vai and Hamm went to Berklee together, and
    knew each other there...
    
    J-Dot

Is this album out yet?

I asked four different record stores and they didn't have it and didn't 
know when they'd get it.

Greg (bummin)

    It was released (supposedly) in April.
    
    Mike

>    From what I understood, Vai and Hamm went to Berklee together, and
>    knew each other there...
 
    	Ok, that makes sense because Jonathan Mover, Satriani's drummer,
    went to Berklee also.  Now I see the connection.  thanks.
    
    sean

    I was in a Ear Straining class with Jonathan Mover, and we used to make
    fun of the teacher together (she used to describe syncopation with the
    words "Beat on, BEAT OFF").  Now he's playing with Satch and I'm here
    at DEC writing about it!
    
     

    Hang in there Buck, you'll make it some day!
    
    Mike_who's_heard_good_things_about_your_playing_and_can't_wait_to_hear
    
    GUITARnotes Tape - Volume 1

              A friend of mine's sister used to used to go out with a
    member of Frank Zappa's band years ago.  It was Steve Vai, but at the
    time, I wasn't into them, and didn't know who he was.  Then last year
    My mother told me that my friend Nicky's sister was getting married to
    the guitarist in David Lee Roth's band.  Well I couldn't believe my
    ears!  
    
         The got married around Oct. of '88, and live in California
    somewhere. (Burbank I think).  Her name is Pia Miaocco, and she is
    mentioned in the liner notes of one of DLR's albums.  She's also 
    in the credits on "Flexable", and she is the one who says "Just go for
    it" on one of the songs on that album.  Second song on first side I
    think.  
    
          BTW if anyone remembers the movie "Hardbodies" she is the bass
    player for the band in that movie, as she was one of the original
    members of Vixen.
    
          I admire Steve Vai a lot.  He is an awesome player!!!  Now maybe
    I'll get to meet him someday!
    
    
    Ken
    
    (- M�t�ll�K�n -) 

I picked up Steve Vais new album yesterday (after having to convince the 
manager of the record store that it was really released...).

I have to say that I LOVE this thing!  It's sure not to leave the tape
deck for a long time!

There is some really intense, emotional music on this album.

It's all instrumental music, but there are some spoken parts in it too. 

Greg

    
    Well, I'm looking at the CD as we speak, having just picked it up.
    hope its as good as you guys say it is !

    
      I picked up the tape at lunch...first side is great!
    
                            R.B.

       I'm suprised this topic hasn't picked up since the P&W has been out for
    a while. I picked it up last Thursday and haven't put it down since. I
    think it's one of the best tapes that I have and I do have a lot. My
    favorite songs are Liberty and The Audience is Listening.
    
    Later, 
    
    JF

    re .85
    
    I like the second side better.  More heavier I guess IMO.
    
    � Ken �
    

       
    re: Passion and Warefare
                                  
    Its got two or three tracks on it, but the rest Tauntum Fodder.
                                                                   
    I wonder how many people are actually listening to it because 
    they *like* it, and I wonder how many are listening to it because 
    they think its 'cool' to be listening to 'Steve Vais new album'.
                                                                    
    There's a difference.                                           

    RE.88
    I hear that Tony. I've been saying that for a while now.
    
    /Motorbreath...first it was Joe Satriani...

re: Tony

What the heck is "Tauntum Fodder"?  (because of the context, I presume that 
it means you didn't like the rest of the songs, but...)

>    I wonder how many people are actually listening to it because 
>    they *like* it, and I wonder how many are listening to it because 
>    they think its 'cool' to be listening to 'Steve Vais new album'.

Judging from what I've seen, not that many people are listening to it period.
I for one am listening to it because I like it.  It's got a lot of interesting
ideas and twists.  I also liked "Flexable" and the Zappa stuff I've heard too,
so it's probably clear that I have warped tastes.

I have to admit, it's far from mainstream.  I bet a lot of people that bought
it were disappointed.  Personally, I'd kind of hoped for another rippin' tune
similar to "The Attitude Song", but there wasn't really one.  

gh
 

    GUITAR notes also has a lot of discussion about the new release.

    Do you who have heard P+W note a big difference on the tunes where
    Vai uses the 7-string? I read in GPFTPM it's used on some tracks.
    The old Jem is still used on tunes for which the instrument he wrote
    them on is the Jem.

    
>> What the heck is "Tauntum Fodder"?  (because of the context, I presume that 
>> it means you didn't like the rest of the songs, but...)
   
   Did you never see 'The Empire Strikes Back ?' Tauntum Fodder is stuff
   that those big cuddly Tauntums eat 8^) 
                                           
    I like some tracks on the album like 'Animals','Erotic Nightmares',
    'The Audiance is Listening' and 'Greasy Kids Stuff', but songs like
    'Liberty' and 'Love Secrets' just bore me!
                                              
    Cheers,
    -Tony

    
    I borrowed the album off a friend last week, and so far I've listened
    to the first 3 songs on side one and lost interest.
    
    The only thing good about the album is the cover.
    
    FLip

re: Tony

Ah!  I knew I'd heard that somewhere before!

re: Toenail

I can't hear the difference between the 6 and 7 string guitars myself.

gh (Tauntum fodder)

    This CD is better through headphones late at night in a dark room. 
    There's some busy work going on if you really pay attention.  I never
    cared much for Zappa, but Vai's work from DLR on has been great -
    that's why I get into his music ... not vogue at all ...
    
    Sisters (I think ...) is a cool tune.  Some sound like DLR, some sound
    like old Beck, but all of 'em have a Vai signature sound to them, IMO.
    
    Scary ... (it's gonna be loud ...)

    
    	I was in a used record-CD store in Boston the other day,
    	and I found a copy of Flexable on CD.  The cover said that
    	it contained 4 cuts that weren't previously released.  Is
    	this the Flexable-Leftovers release, or is it something
    	else?  
    
    
    Steve

    
    	Well, I bought "Passion and Warfare" the other day ... and I
    	hate it, but I'm going to listen to it over and over because
    	it's Steve Vai's new album.
    
    	[Yeah, right!]
    
    	Seriously, I don't like all of it.  Too slow for my tastes.
    	But some of it is good ... "Erotic Nightmares" and "The Aud-
    	ience Is Listening" are definitely 2 of my favorites.
    
    	I'll have to listen to it a couple times more.
    
    							GTI
    

    i know an album is good igf I hate it at first.
    

    
  >    	Well, I bought "Passion and Warfare" the other day ... and I
  >  	hate it, but I'm going to listen to it over and over because
  >  	it's Steve Vai's new album.
    
 
  Oops, maybe I should have read this first before I went out and bought it.
  But, like you I thought, 'Steve Vai, must be good'.  I found it difficult
  to nail down exactly what he is getting at on this album, it's a bit of
  a melange of different techniques.  Now I am not one to slag somebody for
  experimenting, but I do like a certain amount of consistency on one
  album.  Especially as CDs cost over $17.00 dollars here in Belgium.

  Still, like you I will give it a few more listens to work out if I like
  it or not.


GAZ
      

    
    	RE: Gaz
    
    	I guess you missed the sarcasm in my reply.  A comment was
    	made earlier that people were listening to it and telling
    	people about it "just because it was Steve Vai's new album".
    
    	I thought that was a ridiculous statement.
    
    	And after another listen, I noticed that he even burns on
    	the ballads.  He's one of the best around right now.
    
    							GTI
    

    RE: GTI

	  Sorry, I guess you are right.  I have been listening to it
	  in my car, you need to listen to something like that when
	  you are dodging Belgians, and am starting to take a shine 
	  to it for originality.

	  Don't know the names of the tracks because I recorded it (shh)
	  from my CD for use in the car and didn't take a list of the 
	  titles.  Tracks 2 and 8 strike me as the wickedest.  Track
	  10 is a bit too slow and the last track totally confuses me.
	  Some other tracks are a bit Marillionish, though this could
	  be due to my breathing in the toxic air of Brussels, and one
	  track was very old hat Zappa.

	  I guess that I am starting to like it overall, but it is 
	  uphill work.

    GAZ

    
    	RE: Gaz
    
    	Track 2 is "Erotic Nightmares" [notice p_n].
    
    	Track 8 is "The Audience Is Listening".
    
    	Both of them are great.
    
    							GTI
    

    Vai talks about dreams he has had, where he dosen't have a body but
    wants to spread cheeze wizz on multiple people, everything around him.
    

    
    	From RIP Magazine copied without permission
    
    	"STEVE VAI:  Passion and Warfare" *** (out of four)
    	
    
    	Guitar music has made a huge resurgence in the past several
    	years.  Rock is once again ruled by the six-string masters, 
    	one of the finest being STeve Vai.  Zappa, Alcatrazz, David
    	Lee Roth and now Whitesnake have all benefitted from Mr. 
    	Vai's technical brilliance and witty style.  Out now is his solo
    	instrumental "Passion and Warfare" album.  Like many of today's
    	great soloists (including Steve's former teacher, Satch), Vai's
    	voiceless tunes are more than excuses for solos.  Of course,
    	balls-out, hell-for-leather leads are liberally sprinkled 
    	throughout "Passion", but a strong sense of song prevails.
    	Many of this album's pieces, like "The Animal," would work 
    	great on a dance floor; it's doubtful that anyone would even
    	notice that there are no vocals.  Yup, his playing is that
    	good.  While some of hte songs sound as if they are written
    	with Shirley MacLaine and others of her ilk in mind, they
    	are still cool, even though a little mellow and (dirty word)
    	progressive.  For good yucks, check out "The Audience is
    	Listening," where Vai's naughty little guitar backtalks
    	his teacher.
    
    	Although most of the tunes on this album are of the
    	thump-groove variety, there are a few weirder moments.  We
    	shan't spoil all the surprises; you'll probably just want to
    	buy this yourself and find out on your own.  Let's just say
    	that although there is no singing, per se, human sounds are
    	in evidence.  If you like anything that Vai has done before,
    	it's a sure bet that "Passion and Warfare" will get your 
    	motor running.  It's pure Vai with no conflicting egos or
    	testosterone OD lyrics to clutter the goods.
    					- Jeff Moses
    	

    
    
    	RE: SUTHERLAND
    
    	I hope you're referring to the review I posted and not to
    	the little debate that was going on in here about the album.
    	
    	I put the review in for those who haven't bought the album
    	yet and who wanted to hear what was good/bad about it.
    
    	tigga~~~~

I saw Steve Vai's new video ("The Audience is Listening") on MTV last
night and have to say that I don't like it at all.  I love the song,
but who needs a video that follows it exactly?

Lame-o...

gh

    Is this the video where the kid comes into class and makes a
    disturbance?
     That reminds me when I was in Junior High school and made the mistake
    of doing my Tiny Tim imitation. 
     The teachers made me do a tour of the home rooms, that was funny.
    Try getting dates after that!
    
    Any way, I thought the Vai would be doing something a little more
    outside. ( THAT'S WHY HE'S ON MTV, TOE! ) >OKOK 
    
    Funny when the brat hits the Presense Knob when he wants to crank .
    
    
    Or maybe it's another vid, all those guitarist sound alike to me...

>    Is this the video where the kid comes into class and makes a
>    disturbance?

That's the one.

>    Any way, I thought the Vai would be doing something a little more
>    outside. ( THAT'S WHY HE'S ON MTV, TOE! ) >OKOK 

Yeah me too.  I also thought he'd actually appear in his own video (for 
more then about 5 seconds).
    
gh

    I thought the viedo was pretty good actually.  Now instead of just
    listenting to the voices and imagining what's going on ("Vai get
    off my desk"  etc.) you can see it happening!
    
    The instant I first heard the song off the album, I thought it sounded
    kind of reminiscient of "Hot For Teacher"  and judging by the video,
    it was!
    
    � Ken �
    

    I also like how Steve uses his wha-wha pedal to make his guitar sound
    like the teacher talking on Charlie Brown!

    woe, gotta check that out. Are you sure that's how it was done, have
    you been able to do it? This guy is into a lot of weird recordings and
    effects!

    Yeah, when he was hosting HBB, he did the "cat" sounds from "Kitten's
    Got Claws", and mentioned that he didn't have his wah-wah, but he STILL
    pulled it off pretty good.  Also, I saw him with DLR and he and Dave
    had a "conversation", Dave talking, Steve using the wah-wah.  I swear,
    you could almost make out the words to the letter !  This guy's a
    talent !
    
    Scary ...

    >I thought the viedo was pretty good actually.  Now instead of just
    >listenting to the voices and imagining what's going on ("Vai get
    >off my desk"  etc.) you can see it happening!
    
    I like the song, but don't care for the video.  My imagination is MUCH
    better then anything they stuck in there.
    
    ;^)
    
    gh

    
    It looks like Steve Vai will be quitting Whitesnake after they have
    completed their European tour.  Apparently he will be picking up
    on his solo career and - don't hold your breath, but - he will be
    touring in October to promote his latest album.
    
    Did you know that Passion and Warfare is now the highest charting
    rock instrumental album in the USA - it supersedes Jeff Beck's Wired.
    
    Cheers, Flip

    >Did you know that Passion and Warfare is now the highest charting
    >rock instrumental album in the USA - it supersedes Jeff Beck's Wired.
    
    WHat about Stariani's "Surfing...", which I believe charted out at like
    #11 on the charts?
    
    B.

Even higher than any of Satch's releases?

I guess Vai's stint with DLR did wonders for his popularity.

Mike

  So this will be the last chance to see the full Whitesnake lineup in Europe.

  By the way they are playing with Aerosmith and Poison at Utrecht in Holland
  in August.  Does anyone have any other tour dates for Europe.

  Maybe this should be somewhere else??


GAZ

    I bought "Passion & Warfare" last weekend and I have to say this CD is
    very good. I wasn't impressed by his playing on "Slip of the Tongue".
    But I like this solo album which include tricky playing(especially 
    arming) and clear guitor sounds.
    
    Kaz.

I mentioned this in GUITAR, but thought it should be posted here also. The
latest issue of Musician has a cover story on Steve Vai. I *highly* 
recommend this to anyone who likes Vai and is interested in his work and
his perspective on things. He's very open and honest about a lot of things,
including his time in Whitesnake and David Lee Roth (and Zappa).

Great reading!!!

(Also in this issue is John McLaughlin and Yngwie Malmsteen having lunch 
together - this article is *too* funny!)

alan

    
    I also posted this in Guitar...
    
    I met Vai at The Monsters of Rock at Castle Donnington, and he was a
    great guy.
    
    He was the only band member of the whole show who came out of the band
    tent, and went to meet the guests. Great guy.
    
    BUT... he played like sh*t with Whitesnake!! Sure, the guy has chops
    for days, but some of his solo's where so naff !! He screwed up a few
    times and the only time I've ever seen a guitar played so selfindulgant 
    was the last time I saw Malmsteen 
    
    I can honestly say, Vandenberg put on a better performance than Vai.
    
    IMO.

    
    Classic case of technicality versus content?
    
    SoHong

    Yup,
    
    Vandenberg has certainly gone up in my estimations.

    I bought the latest "Musician" so I could read the Vai interview.  I
    can't believe he played "Eruption" with his teeth on the DLR tours!  Is
    that true?  I wish I could play it with my hands! ;-)
    
    The interview was also quite revealing about his spiritual status.  I
    now understand some of his comments on "Passion & Warfare".  In this
    respect, I was severely disappointed!!!
    
    Mike

    re: Playing Eruption with his teeth
    
    I don't remember him doing that at the show I saw.  He was however,
    absolutely amazing on the guitar the entire show.  He played several of
    the other old VH songs and added a lot to them while still maintaining
    the flavor of the original very well.
    
    Needless to say, I was totally impressed with his playing.  I spend the
    whole show with the binocs finely focused on the guy and he was really
    ON that night.
    
    As far as his spiritual status, I guess that's between him and God...
    
    gh

    so what IS his 'spiritual status'??? Why were you disappointed?
    Does he worship cows and horses or something?
    
    8^)/Motorbreath...curious as to why it bother anyone

    
    
    A friend of mine told me he was a satanist.
    
    F.

    
    	A Santanist?!  I doubt that unless he hides it.  All the
    	articles I've read don't lean toward that at all.
    
    	I'll post the article that was in The Beat back in July
    	when Whitesnake was due to play Great Woods.  Maybe that'll
    	give some hindsight.
    
    	tigga~~~

    
    But did you read them backwards?  8^)
    

    
    
    I heard he was too, but then again I heard the same thing about
    George Lynch, seriously.  I think it's all crap.  But, if they
    are I really don't care as long as they don't display it publicly.
    
    - Kim

    
    
    	RE: . 130
    
    	Aha!!  that's what I did wrong!! (8
    
    	I don't have the time to post the article but there is one
    	question Beat asks if he's read any books or stories that
    	relate to what he's getting at on Passion and Warfare.
    
    	He said, "There was a period in my life when I started to read
    	alot of books on metaphysics, to read books on the occult.
    	some of it was for me and some of it wasn't.  What I got out of
    	it brought  me to certain  understandings that are a portion
    	of what I am today.  Whether you go for this type of thing or
    	not, it's a very colorful experience."
    
    	Take it whichever way you will...
    
    	tigga~~

    FWIW, the article in "Musician" pointed out his interest in metaphysics
    also.  He also mentioned 'hanging out at the Bodhi Tree, a metaphysical
    bookstore on Melrose Ave.' (Melrose is THE place for wierdos in LA! ;-))
    
    Anyway, he's your basic New Ager.  Its true his spiritual status is
    between him and God, but with the New Age movement, it is more like
    "between him and gods".  New Age beliefs are diametrically opposed to
    Christianity.
    
    Mike

    I had the occasion to listen "Passion.." and I like it (thanx GAZ).
    As I also listen actually Return to Forever's "Romantic warrior" (Chick
    Corea/keyboards, Al Dimeola/guitars, Stanley Clark/bass, oops I forgot
    who's on drums but he's also a great one) I find there is also some
    Dimeola influence in Vai's playing. But they are all excellent.
    
    Sorin

    After wearing out my friend's copy of "Passion & Warfare", I have to
    admit that I still have mixed feelings about this release.  I think Vai
    needs to learn how to put more emotion in his music.  Right now, I
    think he's so technical musically, that he almost sounds mechanical. 
    There are songs on hear though where he shines, and even shows some
    emotion.  "For the Love of God" and "I Would Love To" are definitely 2
    of them.  Especially after reading how he prepared himself for
    recording "For the Love of God"!  He needs to do this more!
    
    Mike

    Woah Mike, did you and I listen to the same album??
    
    I thought "Passion & Warfare" was incredibly emotional, every track! 
    To me it's totally intense and just seeths with emotion.
    
    gh

>    Woah Mike, did you and I listen to the same album??
    
    Yup.
    
>    I thought "Passion & Warfare" was incredibly emotional, every track! 
>    To me it's totally intense and just seeths with emotion.
    
    Every track?  C'mon man, you're killing me ;-)  I might add "Sisters"
    to the 2 I mentioned previously, and "Liberty" has an outside chance.
    
    "Erotic Nightmares", "Audience is Listening", "Animal", "Greasy Kid's
    Stuff" are just rock 'n' roll songs.  "Love Secrets" borders on noise, 
    to me.
    
    Rock 'n' roll songs don't always come across to me as being full of
    emotion.  Sure there might be some aggression in there, but anyone can
    do that so it doesn't count ;-)
    
    I can't listen to the tape more than twice thru, just sounds to
    mechanical to me.  I still say his teacher is a lot better.  Satch can
    play with feeling and, to me, that makes him much better.  I can listen
    to his stuff all day and not get tired of it.
    
    Mike

    I still disagree, I didn't think anything on there sounded mechanical. 
    
    I get a little tired of "The Audience Is Listening" because of the
    novelty aspect though.  The music is cool, but the annoying teacher was
    only funny the first few times through.
    
    FWIW, I felt emotions in many of the songs that you felt were just rock
    & roll tunes, and not just aggession.
    
    gh

>    FWIW, I felt emotions in many of the songs that you felt were just rock
>    & roll tunes, and not just aggession.
    
    care to give any examples?  
    
    That cover has got to go too!  It conjures up more emotions than SOME
    of the songs.
    
    Mike

>    care to give any examples?  
    
    I haven't listened to it in quite awhile, but I do remember that most
    of the songs had some sort of an emotional feel to them.  I guess if I
    were to dig it out (and find some way to play it :-( ) I could give
    examples, but there's other stuff that I haven't even gotten a chance
    to hear yet that's higher on my play list right now.
    
    gh

    
    Mike I agree with you on this one, but I think you really need to 
    define "emotion".  Like you said, aggression can be considered emotion
    (p*ssed off, excited, etc).
    
    Some people are more moved by this emotion than that of blues.  Some
    by the emotion set forth by a good classical.  Some by jazz.  Some by
    blah, blah, blah.  This is what makes the world go around, you know?
    
    Personally, I prefer the blues over all, and Satch over Vai...
    
    SESOB

    Can emotion be defined?  
    
    All I know is that some songs can really make you 'feel it'.  And
    others don't even come close.
    
    Mike

    
    Well, not to start a rathole or anything...  But some songs that
    make me 'feel it' is not necessarily emotional to another listener.
    
    I tend to listen to classical music that's got dramatic feel.
    Blues; sadness.  Jazz and hip-hop; funky or happy.  Metal; for it's
    intenseness and energy.  Country music; I get p*ssed when I HAVETO 
    listen to this 8*).  And to me, rock and roll is a mutt.  I listen 
    to rock for any or all reasons, and feel.
    
    Does this make sense?  If it does, then I guess emotions can be
    defined???
    
    SESOB

>    Well, not to start a rathole or anything...  But some songs that
    
    Sure J!  That's not what you told me on the phone! ;-)
    
>    intenseness and energy.  Country music; I get p*ssed when I HAVETO 
>    listen to this 8*).  And to me, rock and roll is a mutt.  I listen 
>    to rock for any or all reasons, and feel.
    
    Who in their right mind can listen to country music?  As for the rest
    of music, I can't live without it.  I'm ALWAYS listening to something.
    All the different styles I listen to, bring out different emotions.
    
    >Does this make sense?  If it does, then I guess emotions can be
>    defined???
    
    Yes!  It means our emotions are dictated by style ;-)
    
    Mike

    
    <Sure J!  That's not what you told me on the phone! ;-)
 
    Troublemaker!  ;^)   
    
    <All the different styles I listen to, bring out different emotions.
    
    My point, exactly.  But I do have preference of style I listen to most, 
    and I'm sure everyone else does, too.
    
    <Yes!  It means our emotions are dictated by style ;-)
    
    No, I think if you're married, it's dictated by your wife!
    8*)
    
    SESOB

    
    Passion and Warfare is so over produced, how can there be ny emotion
    left in it?
    
    Granted, it was very personal to Steve when he set out to record it,
    but emotion or feel shouldn't be overdubbed, doubled or have an
    Eventide Harmoniser added to it to try and 'tart' it up.
    
    If a player feels they have a very personal or emotional piece, and
    feel they have to drown it in technology, they should go and look up
    the definitions of these words in a dictionary.
    
    Just my two quids worth.

>    No, I think if you're married, it's dictated by your wife!     8*)
    
    J., there are no dictators in my house ;-)
    
    RE: -1
    
    Tony, I agree!
    
    Mike

    This discussion has prompted me to dig out my copy of Passion & Warfare
    to listen to it some more.  Perhaps I'll post comments later, but on
    initial listen, I would have to say that I still hold to my previous
    statements about this having a lot of very emotional music on it.
    
    However I did find that I'll need to listen and concentrate on it some
    to get back in tune with it enough for some of the emotional reactions
    to happen again.  Some are more subtle then others...
    
    Anyone else notice that if you start breathing along with the deep
    breaths at the start of "For The Love Of God" that the musical phrases
    Vai is playing continue to follow that breathing pattern for a long
    time.  As it builds, the phrasing gets faster and faster until you're
    almost hyperventelating, then he brings you back to normal.  It's cool!
    
    re: .145
    
>    <Yes!  It means our emotions are dictated by style ;-)
>    No, I think if you're married, it's dictated by your wife!
    
    No, that's one of the *few* things that they *can't* dictate. 
    
    gh

>    Anyone else notice that if you start breathing along with the deep
>    breaths at the start of "For The Love Of God" that the musical phrases
>    Vai is playing continue to follow that breathing pattern for a long
>    time.  As it builds, the phrasing gets faster and faster until you're
>    almost hyperventelating, then he brings you back to normal.  It's cool!
    
    Yeah, makes your eyes red just thinking about it ;-)
    
    I think the above song is the most emotional on the album!  I love that
    song!
    
    Mike

    There's a Vai vs. Satch rathole goin' down on USENET.  I thought this
    was an interesting reply.
    
Article 2383 of rec.music.makers:
From: [email protected] (Keith Erskine)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers
Subject: Re: Re: Vai? Satch? Vaughan? Flame?
Date: 12 Dec 90 17:25:04 GMT

I don't know how Victor ever reached the conclusion that Steve Vai
plays more melodically than Joe Satriani, and especially that there
are "no perceptible melodies" on JS's albums.  I find these statements
almost comical.  I have really liked Joe Satriani since the first
time I heard him, exactly for the reason that he plays melodically.
I think Satriani's music can best be summarized as a rock band
with the vocalist replaced by Joe's guitar.  His choice of notes, 
fingering technique, and use of whammy bar, tone, and volume pedal 
create wonderfully lyrical guitar lines.  I feel that Vai, on the other 
hand, is still obsessed with showing off guitar technique and doing bizarre 
things, to the detriment of the musicality of his albums.  Sure, there is a 
place for both of these styles, but Satriani appeals to a much wider audience
than Vai because his music is good, not just because his guitar technique
is good.  I think developing good technique is vital for being able
to fluently express whatever musical ideas come into my head.  It is
not for the sake of always playing killer chops in every solo.  

Victor states that he likes complex music, which might help explains his 
preference of Vai over Satriani.  Vai's music is definitely more complex.
I think Satriani has purposefully kept his music in the vein of
straight forward, simple rock and roll in an effort to reach a wide
audience.  Some may not like this approach, but personally I've begun
to appreciate simplicity in music as a virtue.
I've played guitar for over 18 years, and just in the past
few years I've reached the conclusion that reaching entire 
audiences with simple yet musically effective guitar melodies 
and solos is more meaningful to me than merely trying to impress other 
guitar players in the audience with flashy technique and the dreaded 
"too many notes" syndrome.  Sure, the ability to intersperse a lightning 
fast riff to heighten the intensity of a solo is crucial, but relying 
purely on hot licks to play a solo instead of melodic content, 
thematic development, and dynamic variations doesn't turn me on any more.

BTW, I really like both Vai's and Satriani's guitar playing.  I just
find Satriani's music more enjoyable.  I do realize Vai is a very
good musician, I just think he emphasizes technique too much.

BTW#2, didn't Vai take lessons from Satriani ???!!!

Keith Erskine

    I taped a programme last night with an interview with Frank Zappa.The
    conversation eventually lead to Steve Vai,it also showed Steve playing
    guitar on stage with FZ,it was totally amazing to see,both playing and
    just for interest.Steve was about 18-19 years old at the time a had a 
    very young face and really short hair but the playing was intense!
    
    
    
                                                Staynz

    What did Zappa have to say about him?
    
    gh

    he talked how Steve had sent a tape to him playing a FZ song on
    accoustic and playing it faster than the original but FZ heard that
    Steve was too young,so he waited until Steve was old,flew him out to
    where he was and got him to audition.He said that he was impressed by
    his maturity of playing at such an early age.He mentioned something
    else but I can remember just now.
    
    
                                   Staynz

    He said he plays with the emotion of a dead animal! ;-)

    nope that wasn't what he said but its funny though!
    
    
    
                                                       Staynz

    What show was this on?

    re: .154
    
    Get real!

    I am real!  RU4REAL?
    
    I can count on one hand the songs he displays emotion on.  He needs
    more lessons from Joe.

    
    >I can count on one hand the songs he displays emotion on.
    
    
    	You must have ALOT of fingers on that hand!!  8^)
    
    
    >He needs more lessons from Joe.
    
    
    	Joe?  Joe Strummer?
    
    							GTI

    
    
    	RE: Fozzie
    
    	Joe Satriani.. (;
    
    	
    	Steve Vai plays with no emotion?!  Eesh... I'm not even
    	a guitar whiz and I can hear it...
    
    	tigg~~~~

    
    	Ummm, who's Fozzie?
    
    	[And I KNEW who Joe was ... I donned my "blonde intellect" mask
    	today.  8^)]
    
    							GTI
    

    I was just about to ask that myself, Sperny!

    I've always said "For the Love of God" is one of the most emotion
    packed songs I've heard from *anyone*.  Since we know he can do it,
    we're left disappointed *most* of the time.

    You keep using this "we" word when discussing this and from the
    discussion, it's obvious that you're not referring to many of us in
    here!
    
    I personally feel that Steve Vai expresses more emotion, and more
    *different* emotions, in his playing then any other guitar player I can
    think of.  I can hear strong emotions in some things, more subtle in
    others.  I don't see a reason for blasting him as unemotional because
    he plays something that makes you think of grinning rather then
    something that makes you want to cry every time.  I consider "Passion &
    Warfare" to be one of the most emotional albums of all time.  
    
    I believe that with his previous work he was limited to some degree by
    the context.  I doubt that Satriani could have injected much genuine
    emotion into something so blatantly phoney as Whitesnake!  All they
    sing about are mushed out love/sex songs, it's all so contrived.
    
    Yeah, Joe Satriani does a good job of expressing emotion in his playing
    too, but I think his work concentrates on a very small subset of moods. 
    Same goes for Eric Johnson and many of the other players I've heard of
    this type.
    
    gh

>    You keep using this "we" word when discussing this and from the
>    discussion, it's obvious that you're not referring to many of us in
>    here!
    
    Not that it matters, but there are some that agree with me offline, as 
    well as many guitarists I know locally.
    
>    others.  I don't see a reason for blasting him as unemotional because
>    he plays something that makes you think of grinning rather then
>    something that makes you want to cry every time.  I consider "Passion &
>    Warfare" to be one of the most emotional albums of all time.  
    
    Well I said emotional, not crying.  I know as well as you that crying is 
    only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to emotions.
    
    Mike

>    Not that it matters, but there are some that agree with me offline, as 
>    well as many guitarists I know locally.
    
    I only know what *I* feel when I hear his music.  I'd be the last
    person to try and force you to feel something you don't! 

>    Well I said emotional, not crying.  I know as well as you that crying is 
>    only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to emotions.
 
    Right, however it seems that sadness is also one of the easiest
    emotions to express musically and many people do that and do it well. 
    There are a lot of different ways of expressing it.  My point was that
    I feel many of them are inarticulate in other areas where Steve Vai
    isn't (at least to me).
    
    I obviously couldn't know for sure, but I think Steve would be happy to
    know that his music at least affected ONE person on an emotional level. 
    I can't listen to his "Passion & Warfare" album without going through a
    gamut of emotional feelings.  However one thing that a lot of people
    (NOT accusing anyone of anything here, ok?) miss is that this isn't
    background music.  I can put on Steve Morse or Eric Johnson and it's
    fine for having something pleasant in the background while you're
    really doing something else, whereas Vai's music demands more
    attention.
    
    gh

       No.......Greg, You not the only one that feels this way!!
    
         I feel that Steve Vai *IS* one of the "emotional" players of our 
    day.
                       Frizkid
    

    wooah!  I'd be scared to have a poseur agree with me ;-)

    
    
    
                         1             "69"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
       MHO  Steve Vai is the most emotional player I have ever heard !!!!!!
    
                                                                 Marko

    Just a bit of information to those that read 141.42! If you go out to
    buy the "Crossroads" sound track to hear Vai, better listen hard
    because he doesn't play on it. Go and rent the movie if you want to
    hear him. I suggest you do that too, it great playing. I also suggest
    picking up the sound track if you like GOOD blues.
    
                 BLEEDING FINGERS
    

    For Vai maniacs,
    
     He has started a new band called "Light with no heat" with Terry
    Bozzio.  He still searching for a (ohmygosh) a SINGER!
    
    Plus:Vai and Pia had a baby boy and fackin' named it FIRE!?!
        Fire Vai....Following in Frank Zappa's footsteps again there Steve?
    
             Frizkid
    

    
    	re: Friz
    
    	No worse than Eddy and Valerie Van Halen naming their
    	son Wolfgang!  =)
    
    

    Too many drugs!!

    
    re: .172
    
    I think that's a VERY cool name! Wolfgang Van Halen. I'm jealous! 8-)

    
    	Then of course we have the Willis's....Rumer and Scout!
    
    	eesh.  poor kids.
    

They should have named it Oy

Oy Vai!

Hahahahaha  I'm too funny sometimes.

    or if they have a girl, they can name her Val

Via and Bozzio !  how cool !!!

jc

    Hey, maybe Terry Bozzio could get his sister to sing for 'em ... anyone
    remember "Missing Persons" ... she was too much female to be in 1 body.
    
    Jerry

I remember Dale.  What a BABE !

I saw her live and she had a nifty costume made from a pair of clear 
plastic salad bowls.  I was bummed.  :)

jc (Once Upon a Missing Persons Fan)

>     He has started a new band called "Light with no heat" with Terry
>    Bozzio.  He still searching for a (ohmygosh) a SINGER!
    
    Man, Vai with Terry Bozzio?  Incredible combination, TB totally
    ROOLZ!!!
            
    gh

    >Man, Vai with Terry Bozzio?  Incredible combination, TB totally
    >ROOLZ!!!
     
    
    AGREED...finally, Vai in a ROOLIN band.  TB fackin roolz the universe!
    I hope they get a hot hot hot bassist to round it out.  
    

    Wouldn't surprise me if he nabbed Stu Hamm for this project...
    
    gh

    I thought I heard something about the Pretenders in the report but
    I don't think any of those guys could keep up.
    
                Frizkid
    

    I saw Terry Bozzio play in Jeff Beck's band and he was brilliant.I
    hope they get a exceptional singer/lyricist as Vai on his own is not
    as good as Vai in a band situation
    
    
                                                Staynz

    But dude, Stu already played on Vai's Passion & Warfare, and MANY other
    albums including his own.  He's toured on his own, with Satch, with
    someone else too (can't remember who right off hand).
    
    He's a hired gun, everyone knows it.
    
    ...and you're not *even* tempting me with the "better guitarist" snip.
    ;^)
    
    gh

    Vai is a hired gun himself - in a BIG way...
    
    jc (Who is suprised he ain't doin' the Poison gig ! :)

    comparing what he has done in other peoples bands to his solo stuff,he
    would be better to stay in someone elses' band.His own stuff is good
    but his stuff with DLR is better.I haven't heard much of the Whitesnake
    stuff but its better too.
    
                                                 Staynz

    I think the Whitesnake stuff blew.  He seemed out of place, and they
    mixed him way in the background anyway.  I love his solo stuff!  Of
    course the DLR material rooled!
    
    gh

    His DLR stuff is great, Whitesnake is fair, but P & W is a work of art !
    I didn't care too much for "Flexable" though ... never heard any of his
    Zappa stuff.
    
    Jerry

    my .02
    
    LOVED his Zappa work (brilliant!!).  Like his Flexible and early DLR
    stuff a whole lot, too.  Didn't like the 2nd DLR lp.  Hated the Whitesnake 
    stuff...didn't like P&W too much.

    Passion and Warfare has its moments,the Whitesnake stuff was ok,the DLR
    stuff was amazing.I loved both albums especially the first but I've
    only heard one song from the Zappa period,it was very Vai-esque.
    
    
    
                                                Staynz

    P&W is definitive Stevie Vai and sets a new standard for all
    guitarists.  Whether you embrace his style or not , it is
    ground-breaking to say the least.  Flexible pales in comparison and if
    you are a good listner you will notice some licks of that album on P&W.
    
    Listen to that album as you would listen to Dvorzak.  It is that
    profound....
    
    -SCW-

    Did anyone see the Guitar Legends Concert from Expo 92 in Seville.
    Brian May from Queen acted as MC for the night. The two guitarists who
    stood out were Satriani and Vai. Both got individual slots lasting
    about 15 mins. I had always rated Satriani ahead of Vai but after
    seeing this I think Vai has gone way up in my estimation. He played
    'For the Love of God' for the first time before a live audience.
    This has to be one of the best guitar instrumentals I have ever heard.
    People have talked in this conference about emotion and technical
    ability and who plays with more emotion Satch or Vai. Before this
    concert I would have said Satch (just based on listening to albums).
    After seeing this performance I have no doubt whatsoever that Vai
    can match or surpass Satch in either department. 
    What a concert. Brian May looked shellshocked after seeing Vai. 'So
    thats how you play that thing'
    TOC
    
     
    old Brian May standing there scratching his head.

    Brian_May  :== "Old guard"
    Vai, SAtch :== "New guard"
    
    That was a great show (in parts).  
    
    
    Jerry

    It was a great series of concerts, the Blues one being the best IMO.
    
    As for Vai Vs Sat., they are both brilliant but the solos sets they did
    went on tooooooo long and were tedious. Now Paul Rodgers was class :)
    
    Mark

    You don't have to settle for anything pal ... 8^)
    
    Good point you raised - everyone can have opinions, but there's no way
    to have a contest.  Too many variables ... too many guitar players.
    
    
    Jerry

    I suppose you are right..besides who would be the judge of such an
    event?  Jimmy Page? NOT
    
    I agree though, that Vai's album is by far the most cutting edge CD you
    can find out there right now.  Some of that sampling stuff he does in
    the studio is wild.  As far as tone goes, he is writing a whole new
    book.
    
    P&W is a bit too sophisticated for a lot of listeners to enjoy casually
    I think.  When I listen to that album I really concentrate on the music
    as opposed to letting it stay in the background.  I recently turned on
    a buddy of mine to a Satriani tape and he went nuts.  Wait till he
    hears P&W!!!
    
    -SCW-

    I think you should play the solos on Vai's next lp!!

    Ditto ...

    O.k. guys....Let's not take this out of context. 8)   Vai is one of
    the greatest. My favorite solo is him and Billy Sheehan dueling in
    Elephant Gun from Eat em' and Smile.
    
      One thing about Brian May being "shell-shocked":
     Brian May forte is in his songwriting not his soloing which IMHO will
    get you father in the music biz. Any dime store guitar hood can solo
    like a fiend but it takes talant and alot of dedication to write a
    damn good song.  Plus Brian May had Mercury....Vai could only hope
    to find a singer/songwriter/piano player HALF that talanted.
    
            Frizkid
    

    >  One thing about Brian May being "shell-shocked":
    >
    > Brian May forte is in his songwriting not his soloing which IMHO will
    >get you father in the music biz. 
    
    You're showing your age again, Friz!!  I think Alan will back me up on
    this...
    
    Brian May became known in the rock world for his unqiue improvisational
    style.  His single and harmonized guitar lines are a signature to the
    Queen sound.  A unqiue combination of 'odd' equipment (a handmade
    guitar, a sixth pence for a plectrum, old VOX amps), great technique
    and control, and a unquie vibrato and phrasing, and his tonal
    experiments with the wha-wha and phase switching lead Brian's lead
    guitar playing to be one of rocks most distinctive voices!!   
    
    His early work on Brighton Rock set the stage for many of today's
    modern players, and still stands on it's own today as a great solo
    piece!  Aside from his solos, May often opted for single note,
    guide-tone lines behind the rhythm of Mercury's piano playing, and
    usually only took the role of "rhythm guitar" in abscence of the
    piano parts (sometimes, not even that...see Another One Bites the Dust
    or Get Down, Make Love for examples).  May is the ensemble player
    personified!!!

    Buck...I think you're showing your age again.
    
        I won't argue on any of what you said. I agree but I was commenting 
    on the other guy implying that Brian May was "Shellshocked" meaning he was
    baffled or mystified by Vai's playing. Which is probably not the
    case...THAT'S what I was trying to say.
    
     FWIW-I STILL think Brian May was better at songwriting than soloing.
    
               Frizkid
    

    well,I think(there's a novelty)that they are both very unique and both
    incredible players.I admire both for their individuality and their
    tasteful playing.
    
                                             Staynz

    By saying that Brian May looked "shell-shocked" after seeing Steve Vai
    in action I did not in any way shape or form imply that Brian May could
    not play, did not have talent, was not an innovator etc etc. This was 
    after all a guitar legends concert. My comment was meant to be a
    compliment to Vai and it still stands.
    
    Toc 

    For my �p:
    
    I never used to rate Vai, then I saw him with DLR at Donington '88,
    after that set I had changed my mind. Anyone goto that and remember Vai
    getting his guitar to play 'DONINGTON'?, and I think he was the best
    soloist on the Guitar Legends Show, that one new song he did was great.
    
    Mark
    
    

    I was at Donnington that year...!It was most excellant,except for the
    fact there was 107 000 people there,or so they said!Didn't you see me?I
    was down the front!
    
    
                                              Staynz %^)	

     Steve Vai is a space age guitarist. He has everythings nomatter what. 
     
      King of strings.
    
     KL

    FWIW-I think Steve Vai is in a class by himself and cannot be touched
    by any mortal too. 8)  When I saw him with David Lee Roth I was
    spellbound!!! Blue Powder just reaks of emotion for those of you who
    think he's not an emotion player.  Not that it's a competition but 
    with my "WHAT I LIKE" ears on I would go with Vai over Satch.
    
              Frizkid
    

    In "The Audience is Listening", I think Stevie describes himself best: 
    
    I am the passion...and the warfare...
    I will never stop...
    always:
    ....CONSTANT
    ....ACCURATE
    ....AND INTENSE!!!!"
    
-SCW-
    
    

    -1
    
    Vai should loose all that Zen stuff.  It's not becoming...
    8^)

    Exactly...
    

    That's why he sooooo great!
    
               Frizkid
    

    No...He's great because he worships Jimi Hendrix. 8)
    
           Frizkid
    

    He sounds nothing like Hendrix!  The only similarity is that they're
    both very innovative guitarists.
    
    gh

>    He sounds nothing like Hendrix!  The only similarity is that they're
>    both very innovative guitarists.
 
	Who said he sounded like him?


							-Seth

    Housedude:I agree he sounds NOTHING like Hendrix *BUT* it's a well
    known fact (for those of us that aren't under a rock) 8)
    that he adores Hendrix's style and playing.
    
     Plus, I was joking. Go back and look at the smiley....
    
             Frizkid
    

    
    Hendrix was ahead of his time, but that's about it. Personally, I think
    his playing inhales! Especially considering Segovia was around at the
    time.
    
    /prc

     Hendrix was innovative with the electric guitar and made way for 
    experimentantion.   Segovia was an excellent but hardly did anything
    in the way of the way rock player play today. ***IMHO***
    
               Frizkid
    

    Really, I don't see how you could compare Segovia to Hendrix?!  
    Apples to oranges.

    
    Technical ability.

    Oh Pete, please don't get on your techincal ability soapbox.  Surely,
    Segovia played difficult classical guitar pieces using the std
    classical guitar posture.  Jimi played R&B/Blues, and he played that
    style very well.  Andres did not play in any style other than the
    classical medium.  Jimi played with a pick, Andres with his hands, Jimi
    thru 5 Marshall stacks, Andres acoutically, Jimi was into coaxing
    different sounds from his guitar, Andres was not.
    
    So, the useless vail of 'technical ability' aside, there is no room for
    comparison.
    
    
    I mean, It would be like comparing Michael Fiske to Luciano Pavoratti!
    
    NOT!

    
    Yes Buck, whatever you say.

Didn't Sergovia have classical training though???

    Hendrix is the founding father of what Vai is doing with his axe...
    But on top of that Stevie is into some HEAVY theory.  Stuff that they
    just weren't doing back then.  Nobody thought to apply the modality
    that Joe and Stevie use all the time with the crunching and hissing
    of a Hendrix.  Heck, half of the 'established' classical guitarists
    at the time were probably likening Hendrix to Satan.
    
    But Vai is pushing the envelope today, just like Hendrix was back then.
    Only now, technique and accuracy counts.  And well it should.
    
    There is a marraige at work here; breaking new ground in terms of tonality,
    and searing accuracy coupled with innovative theory.
    
    That is what set Stevie (and even Joe, he is the guy who taught Vai, ya
    know) have turned my head so fiercely that I stiil get a cramp in my
    neck when I listen to the solo section in "The audience is listening".
    
    -SCW-

    This has probably been said, and again is probably of no interest to
    anyone, but on the Guitar legends program Vai said that Jimi was the
    biggest influence on his playing and it was cos of him that he
    started...well he said something like that anyway :)
    
    
    Mark
    

    
    >I mean, It would be like comparing Michael Fiske to Luciano Pavoratti!
    
    
    	[BTW, that's Kiske, I believe.]
    
    	Actually, they're a pretty good pair to compare:
    
    	1)  They both "play" the same instrument [vocals]
    	2)  They both have very good range
    	3)  They both like little boys
    
    							GTI

    
    	Oh, I was kidding about "liking little boys" ...
    
    
    	... Michael Kiske doesn't like little boys.
    
    							GTI

    >	Oh, I was kidding about "liking little boys" ...
    >
    >	... Michael Kiske doesn't like little boys.
    
    Yeah, he likes hairy men!
    
    
    Well, the same amount of comparisons available from Kiske to Pavoratti
    is the same for Segovia to Hendrix.  While they both play the same
    instrument, the similarities end there.  Different genre, different
    approaches, etc.  Basically, Hendrix could not do what Segovia did and
    vice versa, so what is the basis for any comparisons?

    
    You can compare them. Although they play different styles, it is
    easy to compare their technical ability, their contributions to
    guitar playing, etc...

    >You can compare them. Although they play different styles, it is
    >easy to compare their technical ability, 
                                               
    How?  Segovia played one style, and Hendrix played another.  How 
    can comparisons be made when their abilities were channeled in
    differect directions.  
    
    >their contributions to guitar playing, etc...
    
    Segovia was a great classical guitar player, and influenced a whole
    slew of aspiring classical guitar players.  Hendrix was a great
    "rock" player (put in quotes for obvious reasons), and influenced
    a ton of rock guitarist (Yngwie Malmsteen included!).
    
    Now, if Hendrix had tried his hand at playing classical pieces, or
    if Segovia had tried his hand at whammy bar techniques, I guess there
    would be a basis for comparisons on ability, but...

    Yeah, ya just can't compare the two guys.  For one thing, I seriously
    doubt Jimi would take the time to learn sheet music for the stuff
    classical guitarists play.  I mean he was too busy experimenting with
    feedback and acid.
    
    But ironically both of them influence Stevie in thier own way (Jimi a
    little more directly).  Stevie plays with the same commitment to proper
    technique (clean 16th and 32nd note runs, good attack, clear tone) that
    classical musicians do.
    
    On the other hand, he also is trying to break into new sounds and
    techniques, not unlike Jimi.  And in that sense, he does experiment a
    lot.
    
    So, the only way I would compare the two, is in the context of shaping
    our guitar Gods of today. :)
    
    -SCW-

re: a while back
    
>    Plus:Vai and Pia had a baby boy and fackin' named it FIRE!?!
>        Fire Vai....Following in Frank Zappa's footsteps again there Steve?
    
    Ha! funny you say that!  My mom, who is a close long-time friend of
    Steve Vai's mother-in-law, called me over the weekend and told me that.
    She said her friend wasn't happy about Steve & Pia's choice of names!
    
    Ken
    
    

    I heard that Stevie is putting a band together...
    
    Anybody know 'bout this?
    
    -Stephen
    

    He might be putting a band together but he's not as good as Joe. 8)
    
    Seriously though...He already wrote almost all of the music for the
    "Bad 4 Good" album. Ya might wanna check that out????
    
            Friz
    

    
    Bozzio on drums, I forget who's playing bass, they are in the process
    of searching for a singer.
    
    Bob

    Sounds good already !
    
    Scary (noting for the LAST day !)

    Oh TOO cool!!!  Terry Bozzio totally roolz!!!
    
    gh

    Too bad Bissonette and Sheehan have got other gigs...I'd like to see
    Stevie with one of those guys again...Man o Man...Eat 'em and Smile...
    
    Stevie on the axe...Sheehan on the bass...and Bissonette on drums.
    Fack that was a KILLER trio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Tell me about this Bozzio dude...
    
    -Stephen
    
    I hope they get some one who can sing 'stead of just shouting in key...

    
    	I have "Eat 'Em and Smile" in the car right now ... I've been
    	listening to it for the last couple days.  Stevie cranks, and
    	Billy can keep up OK.  8^)
    
    	[I wish I could get my car to go as fast as Stevie's fingers
    	on "Shy Boy"!!]
    
    							GTI
    

>    Tell me about this Bozzio dude...
    
    Terry Bozzio, absolutely amazing drummer.  I've never seen the likes of
    him before.  He toured with Jeff Beck his last tour, they didn't even
    need a bass player with him there. 
    
    gh

    RE: -2
    COOL!!!
    I had Eat 'em and Smile when it first came out, then I lent it out and
    never got it back.  I went and picked it up a couple of weeks ago (they
    didn't have the CD so I bought the tape 3(......). I've been listening
    to it a lot myself...My favorite song on the album is "Looking for
    Trouble".  The kind of funky groove Stevie lays down makes me shiver.
    And the solo just sings...Stevie has the coolest tone.
    
    RE: -1
    Hey...what CD should I go pick up...does Bozzio have a solo album??
    
    -Stephen 

    > Terry Bozzio, absolutely amazing drummer.  I've never seen the likes of
    > him before.  He toured with Jeff Beck his last tour, they didn't even
    > need a bass player with him there.
    
    Bozzio blew me away on that tour (along with Stevie Ray Vaughan who
    shared the bill with Beck).
    
    But I think the credit for not needing a bass player goes to Tony Hymas
    the keyboard player who covered both the keyboard parts and the bass. I
    have a real appreciation for how hard it is to do that as well as Tony
    did because my band is essentially a trio of a guitarist/bassist, a
    keyboard/guitar player (me) and a drummer so I often have to cover the
    bass on keys.
    
    BTW, I absolutely agree about Vai and "Eat Em and Smile".  Vai is
    amazing on that album.  His best work IMHO.
                                                

    
    	Was Terry Bozzio on Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" album?  I believe
    	so, but I'm not sure because I don't have it.
    
    							GTI

>    But I think the credit for not needing a bass player goes to Tony Hymas
>    the keyboard player who covered both the keyboard parts and the bass.
    
    Sure, Tony Hymas is a great player, but what I remember from the show I
    saw was the busy drum parts basically filling in the bass space.  In
    whatever case, it was definately an amazing display of musicianship
    from all concerned.
    
    I don't know of any recordings which really show off Terry's talant. 
    I know he played with Missing Persons in the early 80's, but I don't
    recall the drum parts being so absolutely amazing in those days.  I'd
    be interested in hearing more of his work though.
    
    Greg

    I have this recollection that Terri Bozzio also played with Frank Zappa
    but I'm not sure which albums.  I would think it was in the time-frame
    of "Tinseltown Rebellion".
    
    re: .-?
    
    Yes, Bozzio did play on "Guitar Shop" but you know - as great as the
    drums were on that album, you can't compare to watching him play that
    stuff live.
    
    That was a great show.

>    Yes, Bozzio did play on "Guitar Shop" but you know - as great as the
>    drums were on that album, you can't compare to watching him play that
>    stuff live.
    
    I couldn't agree more.  I've never had my jaw drop on the ground from
    watching a drummer before.  He completely blew me away!
    
    Jeff Beck's been a favorite of mine for many years, yet I found myself
    watching Terry Bozzio a LOT more during that show!  Wish I could have
    seen two or three of the shows on that tour they were so good.
    
    Greg

>    I couldn't agree more.  I've never had my jaw drop on the ground from
>    watching a drummer before.  He completely blew me away!
    
>    Jeff Beck's been a favorite of mine for many years, yet I found myself
>    watching Terry Bozzio a LOT more during that show!  Wish I could have
>    seen two or three of the shows on that tour they were so good.
    
    I could've said the exact same thing.
    
    At clubs and stuff, I usually watch the drummer.  Partly because I find
    it helps me with my own drum machine programming, but also because they
    just tend to be more interesting to watch.
    
    But if it's a name band with a guitar player like Beck, I usually watch
    the "star".  But I just found my eyes drawn to Terry.   I mean, not
    only was his playing great, but I guess there's also a talent to 
    playing drums in a big arena and still being "part of the show" and
    Terry definitly had that talent.
    
    It also help that my seat was high up, pretty much right above him.

    I know, it's kinda of a strange phenom...
    I remember going to see Chick Corea (sp?).  I'm a big jazz
    fan...'specially modern fusiony stuff.  Jonathon Mover was the drummer.
    
    My eyes were glued to him the whole show.  In a way, I admire the art
    of percussion more than any other medium...
    

    
    
    -1.   Did you say Jonathon Mover was playing with Chick Corea??????
    
    
          John is a friend of mine, I haven't talked to him for a while
          but he would have told me this...........
    
    
                                                               Mark...

    Yep, sure did...in Seattle at Parkers about 2 years ago...
    
    A friend of mine who is a drummer and sells percussion here in Seattle
    is the one who got me tickets...
    
    He went specifically to see Jonathon...
    
    -Stephen
    

    
    
     Cool, I will have to question him on that.....
    
     But where was Dave Whekel ????    
    
     YOur from Seattle huh, I have a friend that moved out there to work in
     a digital recording studio, and a cousin that plays in a band out
     there..   I'll find out what's the name of his band to see if you
    heard of them.......
    
    
                                                  Mark...

    The emotionless wonder has a new record coming out in March.

>    The emotionless wonder has a new record coming out in March.
    
    Geez, does Joe Satriani have another album done already?  The Extremist
    hasn't even been out for a year yet!
    
    gh

    Speaking of which, Greg, who's poster is on your office wall?

    The only poster on my office wall is of Grimm the dog from the Mother
    Goose & Grimm comic strip.  He's standing in front of a STACK with a
    guitar and the logo emblazoned on it says "CRANK IT UP!"
    
    gh

    No way, you had another poster on your west wall back at CXN-1.

    I can hardly remember CXN1...isn't that the building where MCI is?
    
    gh

    Greg, don't you mean'The Excrementist"  ? 8^)

    Waaaaahahhahaha!!!
    
    gh

    C'mon Greg, 'fess up.  Everyone that ever visited you at CXN knew you
    had a Satch poster in your office.

>    C'mon Greg, 'fess up.  Everyone that ever visited you at CXN knew you
>    had a Satch poster in your office.
    
    Is that who that was?  A couple of people said it looked like me, so I
    hung it up there.
    
    gh

    Why would I put a picture of you up in my office?

    Get that picture of me OFF yer wall, Mikey!

    I did after that last move.  Now it's the one that comes with the FIABD
    tab book.

    ....oh yuk....you guys have pictures of men in your offices?....../k

    only one of Satriani and that beautiful chrome Ibanez guitar. 
    Bikini-clad bimbos are verboten in most office areas.

    I have pictures of coasters in my office -- whatz that mean?

    .....i charge 75.00 and hour for psychoanalysis....make an
    appointment if you really want to know what it means........./k

    ....hmmmmm....can I schedule an appt for your 0.02 sidewalk
    psychoanalysis instead??

    ok baby...you name the sidewalk...............;').........../k

    How about the one rigt in front of Mr. C.'s music??  That way,
    we might be lucky enough to talk with him if he comes out...

    Talk to who?  Larry?

    Greg, have you ever felt the cold hands of death??
    
    
    
    You know, the wet willy??

    No, but if I see that dude in my yard, I'm punchin him out!!!

    
    
     Greg, you know you don't look like Satch, EVERYBODY knows your a clone
    of Joey Ramone! 8^)
    
                          mike
    

>     Greg, you know you don't look like Satch, EVERYBODY knows your a clone
>    of Joey Ramone! 8^)
    
    Brrr!  He's one UGLY dude!  At least I have EYES!
    
    gh

    
    
     Well, its either that or Jim Morrison. 8^)
    
                                                  mike
    

    So he's choice is between *ugly* or *dead*?!? :))
                                                     Rat

    No, I'd be "dead" if they said I looked like Keith Richards... 
    
>      -< He's better lookin' than that! :) >-
    
    ..but not by much.
    
    gh

    Getting back to Steve Vai, has anyone heard anything (other than what's
    in the add in Guitar World) about Vai's new album. I think it said the
    title was going to be "Light Without Heat"?
    
    
                                  DKT
    

    No Mike, he was askin about VAI, not SATCH!

    Glh is right.  Vai at least plays MUSIC -- Satch is too busy with his
    'Chorused Aural Excited whammy-barred hamonics' to have even this
    slightest HINT of emotion...

    Sure like "Alien Water Kiss" is unaurally-excited *MUSIC*

    ZZZzz.....

    The world's greatest emotionless guitar player releases "Light Without
    Heat" tomorrow.

    snarf

    
    Emotionless?????????????       Not!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
    
    
                              300
    

    
    There was an interesting program on UK TV recently with Vai and Zappa
    doing a live gig.
    
    -Tony (fwiw)

    yeh, Vai was 18! but I cant take too much of Zappa, too much pseudo-
    rock jazzy piss taking, BUT totally original crap most of it. I quite
    like  hot
    rats, & dental floss & yellow snow,  oops 
    
    ooh yey VAI, cor, I'd like to exercise his whammy bar AND he's a 
    fine guitar player..

    Definatley not the sort of program to watch whilst sober!
    
    -Tony

    I caught part of his new album last night on telly.It was a song called
    "deep down into the pain" or something like that.The verses were kinda
    ok,the sound was very Vai but the thing that blew me away was the
    chorus....absolutely wild.I would buy this single for the chorus alone.
    
    
    						ian

    
    	I saw it yesterday in the used CD bin at Nuggets.
    
    	Somebody wasted no time in buying it and then selling it.
    
    
    							GTI
    

    It's the best 50 minutes of emotionless drivel and guitar gymnastics
    you'll waste your money on anywhere!

    the singer looks like a Cenobite from the Hell Raiser movies!Cool image
    
    
    							ian

    
    
     Also heard this morning on the radio that Steve Vai will be on the
    Tonight Show this evening. I forget the band line up that they said
    he has, but do remember that Terry Bozzio will be on drums. FYI
    
                                                                  m
    

    
    
    Geeezzz,
                What kind of band is this going to be?????
    
    
                An emotionless guitarist....
            
                An emotionless drummer.....
    
                He problibly has Stu on bass to complete it huh......
    
    

    
    
     Well I've never heard the word emotion used to describe a drummer
    before! I think Bozzio's a great drummer. Very clean and has a great
    style. Have you heard his work on Becks Guitar Shop? Check it out.
    
                                                              mike
    

    
    
    Mike,
          in all kidding aside there was alot of pun intended in note .310
          due to the emotionless attack on poor stevie in earlier replies..
    
          I am very much a fan of Bozzio back from Missing Persons, Frank
          Zappa, and saw him play with Jeff Beck on tour...
    
          I believe a drummer, well not so much express emotions throu drums
          but can definitely accent an emotion..
    
    
          Example:  Take out Dave Wheckl of Chick Corea and put in Rikki
                    Rockket, you will not get the same feeling from the
                    music.....   
    
    
    
       Mark_who_thinks_Steve_Terri_and_Stu_would_be_legendary_!_!_J_M_O 

    
     
     I kinda figured that with your smiley in the title. I'm not a big
    Vai fan at all but I do like TB drumming alot. I saw a film of him
    drumming with Stevie Ray doing Voodoo Child.....Awesome to say the
    least. Yeah, with all the busting on Steve Vai I didn't think I'd
    get alot of response from entering the note. But if any fans were
    reading they might enjoy the Tonight Show appearance.
    
                                                            m

    
    
    Thanx for the info, I can set the VCR for it!!!!!!!
    
    
    
                                               Mark...

    
    take out weckl and put in rikki and you wont get much of anything! 
    like he could even remotely follow corea's stuff!!!  :')
    
    

    
    
    
    RIKKI'S AWESOME!!!!! 
    
    
    
    
    
    bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahah...

    the bass player is a guy called TC Hammond(I think)I saw him playing
    bass with Miami Steve Van Zandt in Edinburgh and the guy is excellant.
    He's mainly a session player and has also worked with Whitney Huston.

    I just watched this.
    
    I wasn't impressed.   I liked Vai's previous stuff a lot.  Mainly for
    the guitar playing.  They had him turned down so low I could hardly
    hear him.  Either that or it was his intention to be so inaudible. 
    Either way, he didn't show off much in the way of "guitar great" so I
    guess it didn't matter.  As far as emotionless playing goes, I think he
    showed a lot of emotion in his playing on his other stuff, but
    "emotionless wonder" sure fit him tonight!  I hope the rest of the
    album sounds better.  Didn't somebody buy it in here?  Shawn?
    
    I didn't like the singing that much either.  He should stick to
    instrumentals!
    
    
    
    
    

    Former noter Jerry (Scary) White bought it.  He told me it was a
    complete waste of money and that he was *very* disappointed.
    
    gh

    I warned you folks!  Stick with Satch, he's miles above the rest.

I kind of liked the song, but the solo was nothing special.

Tim

    I still haven't heard the new album, but a friend called up yesterday
    askin if I wanted to go see his show in Denver on Oct. 3 and I decided
    to give it a shot.  He got us tickets today.
    
    gh

    I absolutely love this new album!

    Caught Vai at the Paramount Theater in Denver last night.  Here's my
    one word review of the concert:
    
    Wow!
    
    
    
    Ok, perhaps I should elaborate a little more.
    
    The opening band were locals Jag Panzer (and we all thought that band
    had been dead years ago...).  I'm not sure how many of the original
    members there were, but they still had the name.  They *should* have
    *told* the crowd who they were 'cause they weren't on the bill and I
    heard a lot of people around me keep asking who they were.  I also
    heard a lot of people around me saying they sucked.  I didn't think
    they sucked (per se), but I really didn't care for their show much
    either.  The sound definitely sucked, there was one of the two guitar
    players that I never heard over a whisper in volume.  The singer was
    obnoxious, I think he was the main reason nobody liked 'em.  I thought
    all their songs sounded alike, none of them caught my ear.  Lot's of
    "death and destruction" lyrics and juvinile stuff like that.  They were
    tight, but sounded too much like Iron Maiden.  There's really not much
    market for that sound anymore either.  A *lot* of people went to the
    lobby while they played, and they got very little response from the
    remaining crowd...  I felt sorry for 'em.
    
    Vai did a mixture of material from "Passion and Warfare" and "Sex and
    Religion" with his new band, about half and half from each album, I'd
    estimate.  As expected, his playing was nothing short of amazing.  The
    man's command of the instrument is staggering to watch.  He wasn't as
    active on stage as he was the last time I saw him (with David Lee Roth
    on the Skyscraper tour), but the stage was much smaller and most of the
    music didn't really lend itself to that sort of posing.  The only song
    that he did that wasn't from either of those two albums was "The
    Attitude Song", which the band played with three guitars during the
    single encore.
    
    I hadn't heard any of the material from his new album before and didn't
    really know what to expect.  From some of the comments I'd seen, I was
    kind of prepared for the worst, but it turned out that I was pleasantly
    surprised and enjoyed that material too.  The band consisted of a
    drummer, a keyboard player, a bass player, a singer and Vai.
    
    His singer is about a psychopath, both in terms of looks and
    performance.  Had a short mohawk, but otherwise reminded me of a short
    version of the singer from Midnight Oil.  Struck a lot of interesting
    poses...  Seemed to have taken a lot of his stage moves from the Henry
    Rollins school of performance.  He was very intense, and a lot of the
    people there (including the two guys I went with) didn't care for him
    much.  He had a good voice and did everything from a nice melodic vocal
    line to total all out screaming (often in the same song!).  He also
    used his voice for a lot of sound effects, not just as a medium to
    convey lyrics.  I thought he was interesting and added a lot to the
    songs.  He played guitar on many of the instrumental numbers, and would
    play a lot of the harmony lines with Vai (seemed like a decent player).
    
    The keyboard player was mostly confined to hiding behind his stuff on
    the very side of the stage, but did finally come out to play guitar on
    the last number of the encore, "The Attitude Song", so there were three
    guitars for that piece.  The original version had a bunch of overdubs
    on it and it sounded great with all three of them playing on it.
    
    All in all, a very intense and impressive show, I enjoyed it a lot.
    
    Greg
    

    Oh, you wanted something negative?  Umm...well..his hair looked really
    ratty...

    was he using a rack or did he switch to pedals like he claimed he would
    in the new Roland User's rag?

    As I thought I said in the big review note (in here, not in the one in
    Heavy_Metal, they were a little different), I saw no rack present on
    stage, just two half stacks and the fact that he kept stepping on
    stuff.  His range of steps seemed wider then most midi controllers, so
    I think there was more stuff down there then just a controller.
    
    Side note, when he toured with DLR, he didn't do *any* patch changes
    himself, there was nothing on his side of the stage at all.  He had two
    BIG racks of equipment and a couple of cabs firing across the stage,
    but someone else was controlling it.  He was clearly doing it himself
    at this recent show.
    
    Greg

>                                 -< No racks >-

    re: me
    
>    As I thought I said in the big review note (in here, not in the one in
>    Heavy_Metal, they were a little different), 
    
    Guess I should keep a closer tab on what conference I'm noting in when
    making replies like this...  (;^))
    
    re: Mike
    
    Check my review in GUITAR, it has more info on what he was playing
    through and his guitar sound (for the tech-heads, like us, over there).
    
    Basically, the synopsis was that all I saw on the stage was two half
    stacks, both with custom 4x12 cabs, one with a Marshall head (didn't
    notice what model) and the other a Bogner.  There was something he kept
    steppin on on the floor in front of him, but there was basically a wall
    of floor monitors in front of it, so I couldn't see.  His sound was
    very straight ahead.  I only heard a hint of the harmonizer a couple of
    times (small sections of songs) and a touch of delay, also only a
    couple of times.  The singer used a lot more effects on his voice then
    Vai did on his guitar.
    
>    -< what a stud! >-
    
    If ever there was a guitarist with studly chops, it'd be Vai.
    
    Gh
                          

    re: Mike
    
>                    -< he could be so much better >-
>   Vai is disappointing to me.  
    
    What could he do that you think would be better?  
    
    Greg

    Mike- I have no idea how you can call him 'unemotional'!  I have never
    heard such an emotionally intense musician.  I was completely awe
    struck at his concert.  In fact since I wasn't really into him before I
    hadn't heard 'For The Love of God' before.....man, I cannot (adequetly) 
    describe how I felt when I heard that live!!! That was truly the most
    beautiful song I've ever heard.....it was a very spiritual (no not in a
    religious sense) sound and impact!!!
    
    Since that concert I've been getting into his old stuff and am just
    amazed and really moved by his playing AND lyrics!!!
    
    Rat 

    Nat, actually the song you mentioned is one of my favorites by him.  As
    for disappointing, I think he could be much more musical and, thus more
    enjoyable.  There's a lot of "filler" material on P&W that I don't
    consider musical at all.  Some of those songs are top-notch, a lot of
    it isn't.

    Well Mike I'm glad we could agree on at least that song.  I'm sorry
    that you don't find him that 'emotional' cuz he really evokes alot of
    intense emotions from me! :^)

    C'mon, he can read the bathroom wall as good as the rest of us!

    reach out and taunt someone

    I saw another vid. from Steve last week.It was for a song called "in my
    dreams".Terry Bozzio wasn't in it or the bass player but it was still
    quite good.Lots of backward effects in the song and video.They also did
    a lot of close ups on the singers face.I wish they hadn't.He fell out
    the ugly tree and hit every branch!
    
    
    						ian

    Is the new 7-song instrumental thing out yet?
    
    Kev --
    

    
    	Picked up "Alien Love Secrets" a couple weeks ago.  Excellent!!
    
    	"Bad Horsie" starts with a "sampled" horse whinny, and when I
    	heard that I thought all the horse effects were going to be samp-
    	led.  But luckily they were not ... he throws in some beautiful
    	whinnies in this song.
    
    	The 2nd track kind of reminds me of "Greasy Kid's Stuff".
    
    	And "Yo Yo Gak" features Julian [his sone, 3-4 years old] on voc-
    	als.  Mostly just saying "Yo Yo Gak" throughout the song, with
    	several other "baby words" here and there.
    

    re: -1.....babytalk??...well that sounds just as cute as a bugs ear,
    ...it also sounds revoltingly self indulgent.........i think i'll just
    rent cross roads if i want to hear Vai play.........;')........../k

    
    	Well, if I didn't make it clear, Steve plays guitar on the Julian
    	song.  It's not acapella.  8^)
    

>    re: -1.....babytalk??...well that sounds just as cute as a bugs ear,
>    ...it also sounds revoltingly self indulgent.........i think i'll just
>    rent cross roads if i want to hear Vai play.........;')........../k
    
    Vai is so talented, he can even make the blues exciting.
    
    My only beef with "Crossroads" (the movie) is that I think Vai got
    cheated.  As far as I'm concerned Vai *WON* the head-cutting
    competition hands down.
    
    	db

    
    	He definitely out-played Ralph all the way through ... the only
    	thing he couldn't do was duplicate the last piece.
    
    	I would have voted the same way as you, db.
    

    >  the only thing he couldn't do was duplicate the last piece.
    
    Yeah... so basically he lost because despite all the wild originality
    in what he was playing he couldn't COPY someone.
    
    Big friggin' deal.
    
    If I were the judge, I woulda tossed Ralph Macchio out as soon as he
    went into that classical thing (the one Vai couldn't duplicate) on
    the basis of plagiarism without contributing anything new.
    
    OK... I know... "It's just a movie"...  ;-)

    
    I would have just kicked out Ralph Macchio when he entered the place
    on account of he's a git and I can't stand him!Mr.Zero talent actor
    as I prefer to call him!
    
    
    
    
    						ian

    
    	Hey, if Jami Gertz [yow!!] likes him he's alright in my book.
    

>    I would have just kicked out Ralph Macchio when he entered the place
>    on account of he's a git and I can't stand him.
    
    Oh come on Ian, you at least have to admit that as a guitar player
    he at least Phil Keaggy's complete and utter superior.
    
    Not that that's saying much.
    
    	db

    
    I don't know about Phil Keaggy...I've never heard him play.All I know
    about him is he's a "thumper" and has a finger missing.
    
    Ralph Macchio is a git and Steve Vai is excellant is small doses@
    
    
    							ian

                         The Next Album - Fire Coma

     The project I�m working on at this time is tentatively called Fire
Coma. It�s the most work intensive record I�ve ever done. The music is
loosely based around a screenplay I wrote called Fire Coma. It�s about an
arrogant rock star. (Sound familiar? Who said it was me?)

     An attempt is made on his life by his hopelessly wicked manager who
has a several hundred million dollar life insurance policy out on him.
Fire, the main character is drowned and falls into a coma. The story then
revolves around what is happening in the worlds both inside and outside of
Fire�s coma. It�s quite metaphysical, intense, yet amusing and...

     The music for Fire Coma is a reflection of the state of mind of Fire
before the coma. He is a compelling personality, consumed by sex and drugs
and all that typical stuff. Within the coma he meets an entity that guides
him through experiences that enable him to see what and who he is.

     I have written some 30 songs for this record. Half instrumental and
half vocal. It�s pretty aggressive at times. Definitely not for the weak at
heart. I�ve been singing it and if you can imagine Arnold Schwartzenegger
on Prozac meets Mickey Mouse on steroids, you can imagine how I sound. It�s
not a great voice, but it has somewhat of a character at times.

     I know, I know, "We don�t wanna hear you sing Steve, you�re a guitar
hero." I can just see all of the hate mail in the guitar magazines now,
although it seems incredible that it can be worse than it is already.

     Anyway, I�ve got to do it and I�m eccentric enough not to care what
the press says. But I do hope you get a kick out of it.

     The instrumental stuff is more along the lines of Passion & Warfare.
I�ve been working on material for this record for about 14 months. I write
stuff and then end up throwing it out. I want this record to be just right.

     I�m not quite sure when it�s going to be done, but when it�s done,
then it�s done. The music was slated to be finished by September�95, but it
wasn�t ready.

     Sorry, I just kept writing more and more. As it turns out, I want to
release a 2 CD package, one disk with all instrumentals and the other all
vocals. That�s what I would like to do, but that can all change in a
heartbeat. There�s no fat lady singing...well, maybe.

     The CD may be issued with a seat belt to give you some idea of the
ride it will take you on.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                               The CD-ROM(s)

     I'm working on 2 CD-ROMs. The main one is an educational guitar
CD-ROM. I've never done educational videos in the past because I always
thought they were somewhat stale and lackluster. But, with the advent of
interactivity, I've found the means to display every guitar secret I know
on the instrument. The CD-ROM will focus on a player's individuality on the
instrument, learning how to indentify with it and develop it through a
series of exercises that challenge the player to really delve into the
imagination. You can be a complete beginner or an expert and I believe
you'll find this to be inspiring. If all you want to do is learn to play
the guitar, it can take you through that. If you want to learn how to be a
completely educated musical person, it will go through myriads of theory
and ear training.

     The CD-ROM will take you step by step how to read music, compose and
orchestrate for most ensembles, but, most of all, it will be a gas. It's
still in the prototype stages and is being written in a very powerful, yet
complex computer language.

     The second CD-ROM I'm working on is sort of a folio for Alien Love
Secrets. It has all of the video footage I shot for the Alien Love Secrets
video that's available now. It will have the tabulature so you can play
along with the music and the ability to loop certain sections of the music
to listen to it or to play over it. It will also give the option to play
your guitar, or any instrument, against the naked tracks of the Alien Love
Secrets album. That is the tracks without the lead guitar on them.

     I know I've mentioned the CD-ROMs before and it's not yet available.
Sorry, I know, I know, most people's dreams are bigger than their watches.
I'm sorry folks. It's just that these things take so much time ya know!

     The real reason for the delay is that it is so special that it's
taking a team of scientists to amalgamate all my brilliant concepts into
one CD-ROM. Yeah, that's it.

                           Steve Vai Discography

          TITLE               ARTIST             LABEL           RELEASE
                                                                  DATE

   Tinseltown Rebellion     Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin      5/1/81

  Shut Up and Play Your
          Guitar            Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin      5/11/81

   You Are What You Is      Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin       9/81

  Ship Arriving To Late
            To              Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin       5/82
  Save a Drowning Witch

       Lisa Popeil          Lisa Popeil       Lisa Popeil         1983
                                                Records

   The Man From Utopia      Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin       3/83

        FLEX-ABLE            Steve Vai      Urantia/Akashic       3/84

   Flex-Able Leftovers       Steve Vai      Urantia/Akashic       1984

        Them Or Us          Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin     10/18/84

        Thingfish           Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin     11/21/84

   Disturbing The Peace      Alcatrazz          Capitol           1985

  Frank Zappa Meets The
  Mothers Of Prevention     Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin     11/21/85

    PIL (Public Image         Johnny
         Limited)             Rotten            Elektra           1985

       At The Door            Heresy       Toll House Records     1985

   The Great Nostalgia      Bob Harris      Mastahna Records      1986

      The Epidemics           Shankar       Shankar/Caroline      1986

      Jazz From Hell        Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin     11/15/86

    Eat 'Em and Smile        David Lee        Warner Bros.      12/31/88
                               Roth

      Funk Me Tender        Randy Coven       TPL Records         1986

   Amazing Grace (cut)         Dudes          MCA Records         11/87
                            Soundtrack

     Western Vacation         Western       Akashic Records       10/87
                             Vacation

        Skyscraper           David Lee        Warner Bros.       1/21/88
                               Roth

       Blue Powder           Steve Vai     Guitar Player Mag.     10/86

      Amazing Grace          Steve Vai     Guitar Player Mag.     2/88

        Crossroads           Steve Vai     Guitar Player Mag.     3/88

   You Can't Do That On
  Stage Anymore Sampler     Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin      4/26/88

    Frank Zappa:Guitar      Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin      4/26/88

   You Can't Do That On
   Stage Anymore Vol I      Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin      5/8/88

       Guitar World
        According           Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin      6/2/87
      To Frank Zappa

    Slip Of The Tongue      Whitesnake           Geffen          11/7/89

   You Can't Do That On
  Stage Anymore Vol III     Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin     11/13/89

   Guitar's Practicing
        Muscicans            Steve Vai     Guitar Recordings      1989

    Passion & Warfare        Steve Vai     Relativity Records    5/17/90

       Bill & Ted's
        Excellent            Steve Vai         Soundtrack         7/91
        Adventure                             Cut/Atlantic

       Hey Stoopid         Alice Cooper       Epic Records        1991

        Encino Man           Steve Vai       Soundtrack Cut       5/92

    Refugee (Producer)      Bad 4 Good     Interscope Records     1992

   You Can't Do That On
   Stage Anymore IV, V,     Frank Zappa     Barking Pumpkin       1992
            VI

      Sex & Religion         Steve Vai     Relativity Records    7/27/93

   Whitesnake/Greatest
           Hits             Whitesnake       Geffen Records       1994

          P.C.U.
   (Politically Correct      Steve Vai       Film Score/Fox       6/94
          Univ.)                                Records

     Zappa's Universe
         ("Sofa")            Steve Vai          Polygram          1994

    Symphonic Hendrix        Steve Vai            BMG             1995

      Westside Story         Steve Vai            BMG             1995

    Alien Love Secrets       Steve Vai     Relativity Records     1995

    
    	Lisa Popeil??  Wasn't she 1 of Weird Al's backup vocalists?
    

    
    
    re-1
    
    you're the only person I know that buy Weird Al's music so you should
    know better than anyone~
    
    
    							ian

    
    	I consider that a compliment ... thanks, Ian.
    
    	8^)
    

    
    re-1
    
    you're welcome...!
    
    
    
    hang on,this is getting waaay to bizarre...we better start trading
    insults to keep the normality in the file! ;*)
    
    
    							ian

    
    	RE: .364
    
    	Sometimes we are somewhat sociable over here in the US, in
    	comtrast to what you were used to back in Ireland.
    
    	8^)
    

    
    
    people here do seem to be a little bit better mannered and polite!
    
    
    
    
    I'm not even going to touch the Ireland comment!
    
    							ian

    
    Ian - 
    
    At least he didn't say you were ENGLISH! :^)
    
    And leave Weird Al alone...I just saw him riding roller coasters at
    Hershey park and anybody that likes coasters can't be all bad! :)
    
    /jen
    

    
    	Hey, I just listened to "Alien Love Secrets" again this morn-
    	ing and noticed something that I never realized before.  The
    	1st few bars of "Bad Horsie" was what he opened "the duel" with
    	in the movie "Crossroads".
    

    Vai's touring band consists of none other than ex DREAM drummer
    extradonaire Mike Mangini.
    
    NNTTM
    
    Peter

    Hay -- any truff to da rumah that Mike Mangini will be auditioning 
    for Smashing Pumpkins?

    at this point he'd audition for MYSTIC POWERS if asked.   :)
    
    Peter

    
    	Hopefully he has the sense to start out small [like with The
    	Smashing Pumpkins] and THEN hope that the big-name acts [like
    	Mystic Powers] notice him and decide to sign him up.