Steve Vai
Encyclopedia
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award
-winning American
guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso.
After starting his professional career as a music transcriptionist
for Frank Zappa
, Vai recorded and toured in Zappa's band for two years, from 1980 to 1982. The guitarist began a solo career in 1983 and has released 8 of his own solo albums since. Apart from his work with Frank Zappa, Vai has also recorded and toured with Public Image Ltd.
, Alcatrazz
, David Lee Roth
, and Whitesnake
. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 Concert Tour
which began in 1996. In 1999 Vai started his own record label, Favored Nations
, intending to showcase, as Vai describes, "...artists that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments."
and played in numerous local bands, one of which was called "The Steve Vais". He acknowledged the influence of many guitarists including Jimi Hendrix
, Jeff Beck
, Brian May
, Jimmy Page
, Glen Buxton
, and jazz fusion
guitarist Allan Holdsworth
. Vai followed those lessons by attending the Berklee College of Music
, afterwards recording a promotional piece for them in which he spoke about auditioning for Frank Zappa at age twenty.
Vai mailed Zappa a transcription of Zappa's "The Black Page
", an instrumental for drums, along with a tape with some of Vai's guitar playing. Zappa was so impressed that, in 1979, he hired him to transcribe a number of his guitar solos, including some on the Joe's Garage
album and the Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar series. These transcriptions were published in 1982 in The Frank Zappa Guitar Book
.
Subsequent to being hired as a transcriber, Vai did overdubs
on many of the guitar parts for Zappa's album You Are What You Is
. Thereafter he became a full-fledged band member, going on his first tour with Zappa in the autumn of 1980. One of those early shows with Vai on guitar, recorded in Buffalo
, was released in 2007. While touring with Zappa's band, Vai sometimes asked audience members to bring musical scores and see if he could sight-read
them on the spot. Zappa referred to Vai as his "little Italian virtuoso" and listed him in the liner notes as performing "stunt guitar" or "impossible guitar parts". Later, Vai was a featured artist on the 1993 recording Zappa's Universe. In 2006 he returned to Frank Zappa's music as a special guest on Dweezil Zappa
's 'Zappa Plays Zappa
' tour, alongside friends from his early years with Zappa.
After leaving Zappa in 1982 he moved to California, where he recorded his first album, Flex-Able
, in 1983 and performed in a couple of bands. In 1985 he replaced Yngwie Malmsteen as lead guitarist in Graham Bonnet
's Alcatrazz
, with whom he recorded the album Disturbing the Peace
. Later in 1985, he joined former Van Halen
front man David Lee Roth
's group to record the albums Eat 'Em and Smile and Skyscraper
.
In 1986, Vai played with John Lydon
's Public Image Ltd on their album Album (also known as Compact Disc or Cassette). Then, in 1989, Vai joined Whitesnake
, replacing Vivian Campbell
. When Adrian Vandenberg
injured his wrist shortly before recording was to begin for the album Slip of the Tongue
, Vai played all the guitar parts. Vai also played on the Alice Cooper
album Hey Stoopid
, along with Joe Satriani on the song "Feed my Frankenstein."
on the G3
series of tours. Former David Lee Roth
and Mr. Big
bassist Billy Sheehan
also joined him for a world tour. In 1990, Vai released his critically acclaimed solo album
Passion and Warfare
The song "For the Love of God" was voted #29 in a readers' poll of the 100 greatest guitar solo
s of all time in Guitar World
Magazine.
In 1994
Vai began writing and recording with Ozzy Osbourne
. Only one track from these sessions, "My Little Man
", was released on the Ozzmosis
album. Despite Vai penning the track he does not appear on the album. His guitar parts were replaced by Zakk Wylde
. Another track, "Dyin' Day", appeared as an instrumental on Vai's Fire Garden
album. Vai's band members in the 90's included drummer Mike Mangini
, guitarist Mike Keneally
, and bassist Philip Bynoe
. In 1994 Vai received a Grammy Award
for his performance on the Frank Zappa song Sofa
from the album Zappa's Universe.
Steve Vai released a DVD of his performance at The Astoria
in London in December, 2001
. The performance featured Billy Sheehan
, guitarist/pianist Tony MacAlpine
, guitarist Dave Weiner
, and Australian drummer Virgil Donati.
In July 2002
, Steve Vai performed with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
at the Suntory Hall
in Tokyo, Japan, in the world premiere of composer Ichiro Nodaira's Fire Strings, a concerto
for electric guitar
and 100-piece orchestra.
In 2004
, a number of his compositions and orchestral arrangements including some previously recorded pieces, were performed in The Netherlands by the Metropole Orchestra in a concert series entitled The Aching Hunger. In 2003
, drummer Jeremy Colson joined Vai's group, replacing Virgil Donati
. Vai's latest album, Sound Theories, was released in 2007
.
In February 2005, Vai premiered a dual-guitar (electric and classical) piece that he called The Blossom Suite, with classical guitarist Sharon Isbin
at the Châtelet Theatre
in Paris. In 2006, Vai played as a special guest guitarist alongside additional guest Zappa band members, drummer Terry Bozzio
, guitarist-singer Ray White
, and saxophonist-singer Napoleon Murphy Brock
in the "Zappa Plays Zappa" tour led by Frank's son Dweezil Zappa
in Europe and the U.S. in the Spring, as well as a short U.S. tour in October.
On September 21, 2006, Vai made a special appearance at the Video Games Live
concert at the Hollywood Bowl
in Hollywood, California. He played two songs with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; Halo Theme, and a second song for the world premier trailer for Halo 3
.
Steve Vai made an appearance at the London Guitar Show in 2007 on the April 28, 2007 at the ExCeL Center. In late April 2007, Vai confirmed the release of his most recent record, Sound Theories
, on June 26. The release is a two-CD set, mostly of previously released material that Vai rearranged and played with a full orchestra
. Vai says the project was a great joy because he considers himself a composer more than a guitarist, and he is happy to see music he has composed played by an orchestra that can play it well. A DVD followed the record later that year. He guested on the Dream Theater
album, Systematic Chaos
, on the song "Repentance". The appearance was vocal rather than instrumental, as Vai was only one of many musical guests recorded. The song features contributions from many artists, with the aim of apologizing to important people in their lives for wrongdoings committed in their pasts. On August 29, 2009, he appeared on stage with Dream Theater
during the final show of their Progressive Nation tour at the Greek Theater, where he performed in an improvised jam with the other musicians on tour. Broken Records magazine (Volume 1, Issue 3) quotes Vai as saying, "I enjoy challenging myself to come up with new ideas that I believe are unique."
In 2010, Vai released several "VaiTunes" singles of tracks that were previously recorded and later finished. They are available on www.vai.com, iTunes and Amazon.com. On September 14, 2010, Steve released "Where The Wild Things Are" as double vinyl through his label Favored Nations and made a guest appearance with Rickey Minor and The Tonight Show Band on NBC. In October, 2010 Steve completed his first full symphony and performed the compositions at the Steve Vai Festival which featured Vai and the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (NNO) on October 20–24, 2010. "The possibility to write for a full orchestra, as Vai was offered the opportunity to do during the last years, closes a circle back to the beginning of his solo career, his years with Frank Zappa and his first pieces for his debut record Flex-Able
(1984)." Immediately after the Holland shows, Steve embarked for the US to headline the "Experience Hendrix Tour" which features Eric Johnson
, Kenny Wayne Shephard
, Susan Tedeschi
, Billy Cox
, Vernon Reid
, Robert Randolph, Johnny Lang, Brad Whitford
and other top-notch guitarists.
On March 3, 2011 the online education division of Boston’s renowned Berklee College of Music and Steve Vai, set the Guinness® World Record for the world’s largest online guitar lesson. This first-of-its-kind initiative, held at streaming media platform Livestream Studios in New York City, brought together thousands of members of the international guitar community in a celebration of online music education.
Berkleemusic and Steve Vai have also co-authored a new twelve-week online course: Steve Vai Guitar Techniques. This online course, presents students with the chance to gain a deep understanding of Vai’s death-defying playing styles, repertoire, techniques, and musical concepts from anywhere in the world, and to incorporate their learnings into their own playing.
.
In 1998, "Erotic Nightmares" was featured as the menu music in the video game WCW/nWo Revenge
for the Nintendo 64
.
Steve Vai's guitar-work appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
. David Lee Roth
's "Yankee Rose" was featured on the game's soundtrack as well as "God Blessed Video" by Alcatrazz
as part of the Lazlow-led, 1980s rock/metal
radio station "V-Rock."
In 2004, Steve Vai was featured on Xbox
's Halo 2
(a game by Bungie Studios) Volume 1 soundtrack, performing a heavy rock-guitar rendition of the Halo theme
, known as Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix). He also performed on the track Never Surrender. He later featured in the second volume of the soundtrack, where he performed on the track Reclaimer.
In 2008, Steve Vai's For the Love of God and Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix) were featured as downloadable tracks for the game Guitar Hero 3. A live version of the song "For the Love of God" was also available at release on the Rock Band Network
as well as the song "Get the Hell Out of Here" from his 2002 album "The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1" on March 4, 2010. The Attitude Song and a live version of The Crying Machine were both also added to the Rock Band Network.
A re-recording of "Speeding" is featured in the 2010 video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
for Xbox 360
, Wii
and Playstation 3
.
and Ghosts of Mars
. He appeared onscreen in the 1986
Walter Hill film Crossroads
, playing the demonically-inspired Jack Butler. At the film's climax, Vai engages in a guitar duel with Ralph Macchio
, whose guitar parts were dubbed by Vai and also Ry Cooder
, who played the initial slide work in the duel and Macchio's earlier performances in the film. Vai also composed the fast-paced neo-classical
track Eugene's Trick Bag that wins Macchio the competition. He based the body of the piece heavily on Paganini's Capriccio number 5
. He later borrowed the opening riff from the track Head Cuttin' Duel for a song called Bad Horsie from his 1995 EP Alien Love Secrets
. Later, the Crossroads duel reappeared on the 2002 album The Elusive Light and Sound, volume 1
.
In 1991
's Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
, the introductory riff to KISS
' "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II
", as performed by the Wyld Stallyns
in the Battle of the Bands
, was performed by Vai. He also composed and performed the soundtrack to PCU
(1994
), and made contributions in 2001
to the score for John Carpenter
's Ghosts of Mars
, performing on the tracks "Ghosts of Mars" and "Ghost Poppin'". His track, "I'm the Hell Outta Here", can be heard during 1992
's Encino Man
in the scene where Brendan Fraser
is taking a driving lesson. He plays guitar in the animated short film "Live Music".
Vai is a virtuoso in the world of guitar music. His 1990 album Passion and Warfare
and the ballad For the Love of God in particular received a significant amount of press and are often cited by critics and fans alike as among his best work, often noted since the entire piece, at just over six minutes, was reportedly recorded in one take.
Vai's playing style has been characterized as quirky and angular, due in large measure to his technical ability with the guitar instrument and deep knowledge of music theory
. He regularly uses odd rhythmic groupings and his melodies often employ the Lydian mode
. Perhaps his most readily-identifiable stylistic feature is his creative use of the floating vibrato, using it to add melodic lines that sound odd to the ear. His playing can also be described as lyrical, as if sung by a human voice. During the recording of "Eat 'em and Smile," with David Lee Roth, he employed several guitar techniques that "mimicked" the human voice, as heard in the opening bars of the opening track "Yankee Rose." He often uses exotic guitars: he plays both double and triple neck guitars
(including a custom-made heart-shaped triple-neck model built by luthier Joe Rolston). Vai is regarded as the first to use the 7-string guitar in a rock context. Along with Ibanez, he designed a signature 7-string guitar, the Ibanez Universe
, in 1989. He is also noted for being physically expressive as he plays his guitar.
On Composing/The "Evo Era"
“I wanted to be a composer ever since I was a young boy. To me written music on paper was (and is) beautiful. It looked like art and I wanted to have a complete understanding of how to speak, read and write that language. I knew that through the little black dots I could get the music that was in my head out into the world.
Though the guitar fell into my lap and my fingers were glued to the instrument, I studied composition and musical notation long before I even started playing the guitar. Through high school, college and beyond, I kept up my studies and kept composing through the years as I felt my eventual calling was in the compositional world.
Although I have listened to and studied most of the great older and contemporary composers, when I compose my music I take a similar approach as to when I am developing my voice on the guitar and that's to find and cultivate ideas that I have not heard before. That's the exciting part!
Once you understand the written language of music and the possibilities and limitations of various instruments, composing music is pure liberation. It's an art form that allows for deep personal expression. For me composing is the ultimate playground for my imagination. And to have the opportunity to hear your music performed is the greatest gift a composer could hope for, provided it's performed correctly.
I feel that my task is to merge my authentic rock sensibilities with my orchestrational skills to create a brand of contemporary music that is unique and fulfilling on an emotional and melodic level for the listener. Although rock musicians have worked with orchestras and contemporary composers have written for rock band instruments, I believe the catalog of music that I am building in this field is not what would be expected from either. I'm very excited about this brand and hope to inspire other composers to walk their own parallel lines within this movement. I call this movement 'Evo', short for evolution. As it has been in the past through all of history, the 21st century will see a whole new wave of orchestral musical awareness develop. We are now entering the 'Evo Era.'" -Steve Vai
Vai helped design his signature Ibanez JEM
guitar series. They feature a hand grip (fondly referred to as a "monkey grip") cut into the top of the body of the guitar, a humbucker
–single coil
-humbucker (H/S/H) DiMarzio
pickup configuration with several different types of pickup including Evolution, Breed and EVO 2. He also uses the Ibanez Edge and Lo-Pro Edge double-locking tremolo systems (the current production JEMs have the newer Edge Pro), as well as an elaborate and extensive "Tree of Life" inlay down the neck. Vai also equips many of his guitars with an Ibanez Backstop, a tremolo stabilizer that has been discontinued. Lately Vai has also equipped some of his guitars with True Temperament fretboards to make his chords sound more in tune. Vai also has a 7-string model designed by him named Ibanez Universe
, featuring DiMarzio
Blaze II pickups in an HSH arrangement. The Universe later influenced the 7-string guitars used by Korn
and other bands to create nu metal
sounds in the late 1990s. He also has a signature Ibanez
acoustic, the Euphoria. Before Ibanez, he briefly endorsed Jackson guitars
, but this relationship only lasted two years. His two main guitars are white JEMs dubbed "Evo" and "Flo", each with their own unique modifications.
Steve Vai has also worked with Carvin Guitars and Pro Audio
to develop the Carvin Legacy line of guitar amplifiers
. Vai wanted to create an affordable amp that was unique, and equal in sound and versatility to any guitar amp he had previously used.
Over his long musical career, Steve Vai has used and designed an array of guitars. He even had his blood put into the swirl paint job on one of his signature JEM guitars, the JEM2KDNA. Only 300 of these were made. Currently, he mainly uses his white "Evo", a JEM7V, and his "Flo", which is a customized Floral JEM 77FP painted white. They are both inscribed with their names in two places, mainly so he can distinguish between them onstage. "Flo" is equipped with a Fernandes
sustainer system.
He also has a guitar named "Mojo" with dot inlays that are blue LED
lights. Additionally, he has a custom-made triple-neck guitar that has the same basic features as his JEM7V guitars. The top neck is a 12-string
guitar, the middle is a six-string, and the bottom is a six-string fretless guitar
with a Fernandes Sustainer pickup. This guitar was featured on the G3 2003 tour on the piece I Know You're Here. Vai's effects pedals include a modified Boss DS-1
, Ibanez Tube Screamer
, Morley Bad Horsie
, Ibanez Jemini Twin Distortion Pedal, TC Electronics G-System, Morley Little Alligator Volume pedal
, DigiTech Whammy, and an MXR Phase 90
/Phase 100 on the Passion and Warfare album. His flight cases are labeled "Mr. Vai", or lately, "Dr. Vai." He has used a number of rack effects units controlled via MIDI, but used a floor-based TC electronics G system instead for the Zappa Plays Zappa tour.
, a nonprofit organization
that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in public schools throughout the U.S. He sits on LKR's Honorary Board of Directors.
Vai was a judge for the 3rd and 8th annual Independent Music Awards
to support independent artists.
Vai is also the founder of the Make A Noise Foundation, which he started with his manager Ruta Sepetys
. The foundation's goal is to provide funding for music education and programs for those unable to pursue music-related activities due to limited resources. Vai is also a patron of music education around the world giving master classes in such prestigious music schools as the Fermatta Music Academy
.
, a recording and publishing company that specializes in internationally procuring and maintaining recording artists
. Favored Nations is separated into three sections, 'Favored Nations', 'Favored Nations Acoustic' and 'Favored Nations Cool (Jazz style)'.
, former bass player
of Vixen
, who can be seen in Hardbodies
. Vai and Maiocco have two children, Julian and Fire. In his spare time Vai is an avid beekeeper
. and an honorary member of the British Beekeepers' Association. His bees regularly produce a crop of honey
that Vai sells for his Make a Noise Foundation.
Vai is also a longtime vegetarian. "It has affected my music in a way I believe that what we put in our bodies has a reflection on the way we think," Vai told Veggies Rock. "And the way we think has a reflection on what we create. So I can’t tell you consciously how being a vegetarian affected my music but I’m sure it has." Many fans have been surprised to learn about his vegetarianism because he does not openly preach about it. "I think everyone has to find what’s right for them. I don’t judge anybody for what they eat. That’s their world and everybody has to find what resonates with them."
"Sex & Religion" Tour:
This band toured Russia twice, South America and the US (opening for Bon Jovi).
| 1990
| Passion & Warfare
| Best Rock Instrumental Album
|
|-
| 1994
| "Sofa" from Zappa's Universe
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 1995
| "Tender Surrender" from Alien Love Secrets
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 1997
| "For the Love of God" from G3: Live in Concert
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 1999
| "Windows to the Soul" from The Ultra Zone
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2001
| "Whispering a Prayer" from Alive in an Ultra World
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| No Substitutions
| Best Pop Instrumental Album
|
|-
| 2006
| "Lotus Feet"
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 2008
| "The Attitude Song"
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 2009
| "Peaches En Regalia" from Zappa Plays Zappa
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 2010
| "Now We Run" from Where the Wild Things Are
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|}
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso.
After starting his professional career as a music transcriptionist
Transcription (music)
In music, transcription can mean notating a piece or a sound which was previously unnotated, as, for example, an improvised jazz solo. Further examples include ethnomusicological notation of oral traditions of folk music, such as Béla Bartók's and Ralph Vaughan Williams' collections of the national...
for Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, Vai recorded and toured in Zappa's band for two years, from 1980 to 1982. The guitarist began a solo career in 1983 and has released 8 of his own solo albums since. Apart from his work with Frank Zappa, Vai has also recorded and toured with Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd.
Public Image Ltd are an English post-punk band formed by vocalist John Lydon , guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble, with frequent subsequent personnel changes. Lydon is the sole constant member of the band....
, Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy...
, David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
, and Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 Concert Tour
G3 (tour)
G3 is a concert tour organized by guitarist Joe Satriani featuring him alongside two other guitarists. Since its inception in 1996, G3 has toured most years and has featured many guitarists, including Steve Vai , Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Robert Fripp,...
which began in 1996. In 1999 Vai started his own record label, Favored Nations
Favored Nations
Favored Nations is a record label started by guitarist Steve Vai and former Guitar Center owner Ray Scherr in 1999. The first album ever released by Favored Nations was Frank Gambale's Coming to Your Senses in 2000...
, intending to showcase, as Vai describes, "...artists that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments."
1970s and 1980s
Vai began playing guitar in 1973, at the age of 13. In 1974, he took guitar lessons from guitarist Joe SatrianiJoe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
and played in numerous local bands, one of which was called "The Steve Vais". He acknowledged the influence of many guitarists including Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Jeff Beck
Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
, Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
, Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
, Glen Buxton
Glen Buxton
Glen Edward Buxton was an American musician, and guitarist for the original Alice Cooper band. He was born in Akron, Ohio....
, and jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
guitarist Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
. Vai followed those lessons by attending the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
, afterwards recording a promotional piece for them in which he spoke about auditioning for Frank Zappa at age twenty.
The Black Page
"The Black Page" is a piece by American composer Frank Zappa known for being extraordinarily difficult to play. Originally written for the drum kit and melodic percussion, the piece was later rearranged in several versions, including a disco and a so-called New Age version.Drummer Terry Bozzio said...
", an instrumental for drums, along with a tape with some of Vai's guitar playing. Zappa was so impressed that, in 1979, he hired him to transcribe a number of his guitar solos, including some on the Joe's Garage
Joe's Garage
Joe's Garage is a 1979 rock opera by Frank Zappa. Zappa stated that along with Lumpy Gravy, this album was one of his finest achievements. It was originally released as two separate albums, the first comprising Act I, and the second part as a double-album which made up Acts II & III. All three...
album and the Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar series. These transcriptions were published in 1982 in The Frank Zappa Guitar Book
The Frank Zappa Guitar Book
The Frank Zappa Guitar Book is a book of musical transcriptions of some of Frank Zappa's guitar solos. The Frank Zappa Guitar Book was distributed by The Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation in 1982, and is currently out of print. The book was transcribed by Steve Vai...
.
Subsequent to being hired as a transcriber, Vai did overdubs
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
on many of the guitar parts for Zappa's album You Are What You Is
You Are What You Is
You Are What You Is is a double album by Frank Zappa. It was originally released as a two-record set in 1981 and later by Rykodisc as a 20-song CD. The album relies on a heavy use of overdubbing. This album was the first one to feature material recorded using Zappa's home studio Utility Muffin...
. Thereafter he became a full-fledged band member, going on his first tour with Zappa in the autumn of 1980. One of those early shows with Vai on guitar, recorded in Buffalo
Buffalo (album)
Buffalo is a live album by Frank Zappa, released in 2007 as a two-CD set. It is the second installment on the Vaulternative Records label that is dedicated to the posthumous release of complete live shows of Zappa's...
, was released in 2007. While touring with Zappa's band, Vai sometimes asked audience members to bring musical scores and see if he could sight-read
Sight reading
Sight-reading is the reading and performing of a piece of written music, specifically when the performer has not seen it before. Sight-singing is often used to describe a singer who is sight-reading.-Sight-reading:...
them on the spot. Zappa referred to Vai as his "little Italian virtuoso" and listed him in the liner notes as performing "stunt guitar" or "impossible guitar parts". Later, Vai was a featured artist on the 1993 recording Zappa's Universe. In 2006 he returned to Frank Zappa's music as a special guest on Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa is an American rock guitarist and occasional actor.-Early life:Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of musician Frank Zappa and Adelaide Gail Sloatman, who worked in business. He is the second of four siblings: his older sister, Moon, younger sister Diva and younger...
's 'Zappa Plays Zappa
Zappa Plays Zappa
Zappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the eldest son of the late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa.- History :...
' tour, alongside friends from his early years with Zappa.
After leaving Zappa in 1982 he moved to California, where he recorded his first album, Flex-Able
Flex-Able
Flex-Able is an album by Steve Vai. This was his first as a solo artist, and was created in Stucco Blue, a shed converted into a studio in Vai's old back garden. It is very different from many of his other albums, and is largely influenced by Frank Zappa...
, in 1983 and performed in a couple of bands. In 1985 he replaced Yngwie Malmsteen as lead guitarist in Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet
Graham Bonnet is an English rock vocalist, and songwriter. He has recorded and performed as a solo artist, and as a member of several hard rock and heavy metal bands including Rainbow, the Michael Schenker Group, Alcatrazz, and Impellitteri.-Early days:Bonnet was born in Skegness in 1947...
's Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy...
, with whom he recorded the album Disturbing the Peace
Disturbing the Peace
Disturbing the Peace is the second studio album by Alcatrazz, and is the only one featuring Steve Vai on guitar. One of the singles, God Blessed Video, can be found on the fictional radio station, V-Rock, on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Weeks on Chart: 7, Peak: #133...
. Later in 1985, he joined former Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
front man David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
's group to record the albums Eat 'Em and Smile and Skyscraper
Skyscraper (album)
Skyscraper is the second full-length album by David Lee Roth , released in 1988. It was the last to feature guitarist Steve Vai, who left the group in 1989 to join Whitesnake and continue his solo career. Bassist Billy Sheehan would also leave the group before the tour to eventually form Mr. Big...
.
In 1986, Vai played with John Lydon
John Lydon
John Joseph Lydon , also known by the former stage name Johnny Rotten, is a singer-songwriter and television presenter, best known as the lead singer of punk rock band the Sex Pistols from 1975 until 1978, and again for various revivals during the 1990s and 2000s...
's Public Image Ltd on their album Album (also known as Compact Disc or Cassette). Then, in 1989, Vai joined Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
, replacing Vivian Campbell
Vivian Campbell
Vivian Patrick Campbell is a Northern Irish rock guitarist who is a member of Def Leppard and was, from May 2010 to November 2011, a member of Thin Lizzy. Prior to joining Def Leppard in April 1992, he had been a member of Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King...
. When Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian van den Berg is a Dutch rock guitarist, best known for his tenure as one of the guitarists in Whitesnake during their successful late 1980s period.-Early years:...
injured his wrist shortly before recording was to begin for the album Slip of the Tongue
Slip of the Tongue
-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Fool for Your Loving"*"Now You're Gone"*"The Deeper the Love"-Personnel:*David Coverdale – vocals*Steve Vai – All Guitars*Adrian Vandenberg - Guitars *Rudy Sarzo – bass...
, Vai played all the guitar parts. Vai also played on the Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
album Hey Stoopid
Hey Stoopid
Hey Stoopid is the 19th studio album by heavy metal singer and shock rock-legend Alice Cooper. It was released on July 2, 1991 with guest appearances from Slash , Ozzy Osbourne, Vinnie Moore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars .After Cooper's smash 1989 hit album Trash, Cooper...
, along with Joe Satriani on the song "Feed my Frankenstein."
1990s and 2000s
Vai continues to tour regularly, with his own group and with his one-time teacher and fellow guitar instrumentalist friend Joe SatrianiJoe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
on the G3
G3 (tour)
G3 is a concert tour organized by guitarist Joe Satriani featuring him alongside two other guitarists. Since its inception in 1996, G3 has toured most years and has featured many guitarists, including Steve Vai , Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Petrucci, Robert Fripp,...
series of tours. Former David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
and Mr. Big
Mr. Big (band)
Mr. Big is an American rock supergroup, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1988. The band is a quartet composed of Eric Martin , Paul Gilbert , Billy Sheehan , and Pat Torpey ; Mr. Big also included Richie Kotzen, a reputable blues-based guitarist who replaced Gilbert in 1999...
bassist Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan
William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
also joined him for a world tour. In 1990, Vai released his critically acclaimed solo album
Solo album
A solo album, in popular music, is an album headlined by a current or former member of a band. A solo album may feature simply one person performing all instruments, but typically features the work of other collaborators; rather, it may be made with different collaborators than the artist is...
Passion and Warfare
Passion and Warfare
Passion and Warfare is a 1990 instrumental album from guitarist Steve Vai. It has been certified Gold by the RIAA. It was written based on a series of dream sequences that Vai had when he was younger, and in the guitar music book of the album, Vai sums it up as 'Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a...
The song "For the Love of God" was voted #29 in a readers' poll of the 100 greatest guitar solo
Guitar solo
In popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
s of all time in Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
Magazine.
In 1994
1994 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
Vai began writing and recording with Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
. Only one track from these sessions, "My Little Man
My Little Man
"My Little Man" is a song off the 1995 album Ozzmosis by Heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne. This is the only song from the collaboration of Ozzy and Steve Vai. However, Vai did not actually play in the recording. All guitars/ electric sitars were played by Zakk Wylde...
", was released on the Ozzmosis
Ozzmosis
-Personnel:Musicians*Ozzy Osbourne – vocals*Zakk Wylde – guitar*Geezer Butler – bass*Deen Castronovo – drums*Rick Wakeman – keyboardsAdditional personnel*Michael Beinhorn – production, keyboards...
album. Despite Vai penning the track he does not appear on the album. His guitar parts were replaced by Zakk Wylde
Zakk Wylde
Zachary Phillip Wylde , best known by the stage name Zakk Wylde, is an American musician, songwriter, and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. He was the lead guitarist and vocalist in Pride & Glory,...
. Another track, "Dyin' Day", appeared as an instrumental on Vai's Fire Garden
Fire Garden
Fire Garden is a 1996 album from guitarist Steve Vai. This is his fourth solo album, as Alien Love Secrets is an EP.Fire Garden is divided into two "phases"...
album. Vai's band members in the 90's included drummer Mike Mangini
Mike Mangini
Mike Mangini is an American drummer, and the current drummer for the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has played for Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai, among others. He lectured at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and is also known for his work as a session musician...
, guitarist Mike Keneally
Mike Keneally
Michael Joseph Keneally is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Allmusic says: "With his wide-ranging talents and ability to be creative in almost any musical situation, Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era."Born on Long Island, New York, he...
, and bassist Philip Bynoe
Philip Bynoe
Three-time Grammy nominee and Emmy Award-winning bassist Philip Earl Bynoe is a prolific recording and touring musician. Though best known for his work with virtuoso guitarist Steve Vai, Philip has played everything from heavy metal to R&B to classical, and has worked with the likes of Kevin...
. In 1994 Vai received a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for his performance on the Frank Zappa song Sofa
One Size Fits All
One Size Fits All is a 1975 rock album by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. It is the last Zappa album to be released with the subheading of "Mothers of Invention". A special four-channel Quadraphonic version of the album was prepared and advertised, but not released...
from the album Zappa's Universe.
London Astoria
The London Astoria was a music venue, located at 157 Charing Cross Road, in London, England. It had been leased and run by Festival Republic since 2000. It was closed on 15 January 2009 and has since been demolished...
in London in December, 2001
2001 in music
See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
. The performance featured Billy Sheehan
Billy Sheehan
William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
, guitarist/pianist Tony MacAlpine
Tony MacAlpine
Tony Jeff MacAlpine is an American guitarist and keyboardist. Having released ten studio albums over a career spanning more than two decades, he is best known as an instrumental solo guitarist, although he has worked with many different bands and musicians in the form of guest appearances and...
, guitarist Dave Weiner
Dave Weiner
Dave Weiner is an American guitarist, most widely known for being one of Steve Vai's touring guitarists. He also posts instructional videos, called the "Riff of the Week", every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes and his own website, he also gives online lessons.- Joining Steve Vai :Weiner first joined...
, and Australian drummer Virgil Donati.
In July 2002
2002 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
, Steve Vai performed with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
The , also known as Tokyō , is one of the representative symphony orchestras of Japan. The Orchestra was founded in 1965 by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, to commemorate the Tokyo Olympics ....
at the Suntory Hall
Suntory Hall
The Suntory Hall is a concert hall complex consisting of the "Main Hall" and the "Small Hall" located in the Ark Hills complex, near the U.S. Embassy and TV Asahi in the Akasaka district of northern Minato, a ward in Tokyo, Japan...
in Tokyo, Japan, in the world premiere of composer Ichiro Nodaira's Fire Strings, a concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
for electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
and 100-piece orchestra.
In 2004
2004 in music
See also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
, a number of his compositions and orchestral arrangements including some previously recorded pieces, were performed in The Netherlands by the Metropole Orchestra in a concert series entitled The Aching Hunger. In 2003
2003 in music
-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
, drummer Jeremy Colson joined Vai's group, replacing Virgil Donati
Virgil Donati
Virgil Donati is an Australian drummer, frequent drum clinician and a producer. He is currently playing with the band Planet X and Seven the Hardway among other projects. Virgil is perhaps most well known for his fast, highly technical drumming skills...
. Vai's latest album, Sound Theories, was released in 2007
2007 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
.
In February 2005, Vai premiered a dual-guitar (electric and classical) piece that he called The Blossom Suite, with classical guitarist Sharon Isbin
Sharon Isbin
Sharon Isbin is a widely-recorded American classical guitarist, recording artist, concertizer, and the founder of the Guitar Department at the Juilliard School.-Early life and education:...
at the Châtelet Theatre
Théâtre du Châtelet
The Théâtre du Châtelet is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France.One of two theatres built on the site of a châtelet, a small castle or fortress, it was designed by Gabriel Davioud at the request of Baron Haussmann between 1860 and...
in Paris. In 2006, Vai played as a special guest guitarist alongside additional guest Zappa band members, drummer Terry Bozzio
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...
, guitarist-singer Ray White
Ray White
Ray White is a soul vocalist and rock and blues guitarist, best known as a member of Frank Zappa's touring ensembles. He was drafted into Zappa's band in the fall of 1976, being featured on rhythm guitar and vocals, forming a memorable vocal harmony partnership with Ike Willis on later tours in...
, and saxophonist-singer Napoleon Murphy Brock
Napoleon Murphy Brock
Napoleon Murphy Brock is an American singer, saxophonist and flute player who is best known for his work with Frank Zappa in the 1970s, including the albums One Size Fits All, Roxy and Elsewhere, and Bongo Fury...
in the "Zappa Plays Zappa" tour led by Frank's son Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa
Dweezil Zappa is an American rock guitarist and occasional actor.-Early life:Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of musician Frank Zappa and Adelaide Gail Sloatman, who worked in business. He is the second of four siblings: his older sister, Moon, younger sister Diva and younger...
in Europe and the U.S. in the Spring, as well as a short U.S. tour in October.
On September 21, 2006, Vai made a special appearance at the Video Games Live
Video Games Live
Video Games Live is a concert series created and produced by industry veterans and video game composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall. The concerts consist of segments of video game music performed by a live orchestra with video footage and synchronized lighting and effects, as well as several...
concert at the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
in Hollywood, California. He played two songs with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra; Halo Theme, and a second song for the world premier trailer for Halo 3
Halo 3
Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...
.
Steve Vai made an appearance at the London Guitar Show in 2007 on the April 28, 2007 at the ExCeL Center. In late April 2007, Vai confirmed the release of his most recent record, Sound Theories
Sound Theories
Sound Theories vol. I & II is a 2007 album by American guitarist Steve Vai. The album was recorded with the Metropole Orchestra in Netherlands in mid 2004-2005 and released on June 26, 2007....
, on June 26. The release is a two-CD set, mostly of previously released material that Vai rearranged and played with a full orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
. Vai says the project was a great joy because he considers himself a composer more than a guitarist, and he is happy to see music he has composed played by an orchestra that can play it well. A DVD followed the record later that year. He guested on the Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
album, Systematic Chaos
Systematic Chaos
Systematic Chaos is the ninth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 4, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States, Systematic Chaos was the band's first release through Roadrunner Records, which was sold to their previous label...
, on the song "Repentance". The appearance was vocal rather than instrumental, as Vai was only one of many musical guests recorded. The song features contributions from many artists, with the aim of apologizing to important people in their lives for wrongdoings committed in their pasts. On August 29, 2009, he appeared on stage with Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
during the final show of their Progressive Nation tour at the Greek Theater, where he performed in an improvised jam with the other musicians on tour. Broken Records magazine (Volume 1, Issue 3) quotes Vai as saying, "I enjoy challenging myself to come up with new ideas that I believe are unique."
In 2010, Vai released several "VaiTunes" singles of tracks that were previously recorded and later finished. They are available on www.vai.com, iTunes and Amazon.com. On September 14, 2010, Steve released "Where The Wild Things Are" as double vinyl through his label Favored Nations and made a guest appearance with Rickey Minor and The Tonight Show Band on NBC. In October, 2010 Steve completed his first full symphony and performed the compositions at the Steve Vai Festival which featured Vai and the North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (NNO) on October 20–24, 2010. "The possibility to write for a full orchestra, as Vai was offered the opportunity to do during the last years, closes a circle back to the beginning of his solo career, his years with Frank Zappa and his first pieces for his debut record Flex-Able
Flex-Able
Flex-Able is an album by Steve Vai. This was his first as a solo artist, and was created in Stucco Blue, a shed converted into a studio in Vai's old back garden. It is very different from many of his other albums, and is largely influenced by Frank Zappa...
(1984)." Immediately after the Holland shows, Steve embarked for the US to headline the "Experience Hendrix Tour" which features Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson is an American guitarist. Though he is best known for his success in the instrumental rock format, Johnson regularly incorporates jazz, fusion, gospel and country and western music into his recordings...
, Kenny Wayne Shephard
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Kenny Wayne Shepherd is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He has released several studio albums and experienced a rare level of commercial success both as a blues artist and a young musician.-Biography:Shepherd graduated Caddo Magnet High School in Shreveport, Louisiana...
, Susan Tedeschi
Susan Tedeschi
Susan Tedeschi is an American blues and soul musician, who has received multiple Grammy Award nominations, and is well-known for her singing voice, guitar playing, stage presence, and marriage to blues guitarist Derek Trucks...
, Billy Cox
Billy Cox
William "Billy" Cox is an American bassist, best known for performing with Jimi Hendrix.-Early years:Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Cox was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Schenley High School. He first met Jimi Hendrix in the early 1960s, when they were both in the United States...
, Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid
Vernon Reid is an English-born American guitarist, songwriter, composer, and bandleader. Best known as the founder and primary songwriter of the heavy metal band Living Colour, Reid was named #66 on Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.Critic Steve Huey writes, "[Reid's]...
, Robert Randolph, Johnny Lang, Brad Whitford
Brad Whitford
Bradford Ernest Whitford is the rhythm guitarist for the hard rock band Aerosmith. He graduated Reading Memorial High School in 1970.-Career:...
and other top-notch guitarists.
On March 3, 2011 the online education division of Boston’s renowned Berklee College of Music and Steve Vai, set the Guinness® World Record for the world’s largest online guitar lesson. This first-of-its-kind initiative, held at streaming media platform Livestream Studios in New York City, brought together thousands of members of the international guitar community in a celebration of online music education.
Berkleemusic and Steve Vai have also co-authored a new twelve-week online course: Steve Vai Guitar Techniques. This online course, presents students with the chance to gain a deep understanding of Vai’s death-defying playing styles, repertoire, techniques, and musical concepts from anywhere in the world, and to incorporate their learnings into their own playing.
Video games
"Juice" was featured on the 1996 video game "Formula One" for the PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
.
In 1998, "Erotic Nightmares" was featured as the menu music in the video game WCW/nWo Revenge
WCW/nWo Revenge
WCW/nWo Revenge is a professional wrestling video game released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64 game console. It is the sequel to 1997's WCW vs. nWo: World Tour and would be THQ's last game for World Championship Wrestling...
for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
.
Steve Vai's guitar-work appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
. David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
's "Yankee Rose" was featured on the game's soundtrack as well as "God Blessed Video" by Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz
Alcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy...
as part of the Lazlow-led, 1980s rock/metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
radio station "V-Rock."
In 2004, Steve Vai was featured on Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
's Halo 2
Halo 2
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...
(a game by Bungie Studios) Volume 1 soundtrack, performing a heavy rock-guitar rendition of the Halo theme
Halo Original Soundtrack
The Halo Original Soundtrack is a soundtrack for the video game Halo: Combat Evolved. Composed and produced by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori for Bungie Studios, the soundtrack was released on June 11, 2002. Most of the music from Halo: Combat Evolved is present on the CD, although some...
, known as Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix). He also performed on the track Never Surrender. He later featured in the second volume of the soundtrack, where he performed on the track Reclaimer.
In 2008, Steve Vai's For the Love of God and Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix) were featured as downloadable tracks for the game Guitar Hero 3. A live version of the song "For the Love of God" was also available at release on the Rock Band Network
Rock Band Network
The Rock Band Network is a downloadable content service designed by Harmonix Music Systems with the help of Microsoft to allow musical artists and record labels to make their music available as playable tracks for the Rock Band series of rhythm video games, starting with Rock Band 2...
as well as the song "Get the Hell Out of Here" from his 2002 album "The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1" on March 4, 2010. The Attitude Song and a live version of The Crying Machine were both also added to the Rock Band Network.
A re-recording of "Speeding" is featured in the 2010 video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is a music video game and the sixth main entry in the Guitar Hero series for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles. The game was released September 24, 2010 in Europe, September 28, 2010 in North America and September 29, 2010 in Australia...
for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and Playstation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
.
Movies
Steve Vai's music has appeared in a number of feature films, including DudesDudes (film)
-Plot:Two punks from the big city , traveling across the country in a Volkswagen bug, embrace the western ethos when they must take revenge against a group of rednecks for killing their friend in this lighthearted road movie...
and Ghosts of Mars
Ghosts of Mars
John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars is a 2001 American science fiction action horror film composed, written, and directed by John Carpenter. The film stars Ice Cube, Natasha Henstridge, Jason Statham, Pam Grier, Clea DuVall, and Joanna Cassidy...
. He appeared onscreen in the 1986
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
Walter Hill film Crossroads
Crossroads (1986 film)
Crossroads is a 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson.The film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and featured an original score featuring Ry Cooder and Steve Vai on the soundtrack's guitar, and...
, playing the demonically-inspired Jack Butler. At the film's climax, Vai engages in a guitar duel with Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio
Ralph George Macchio is an American actor, best known for his roles as Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid series, Bill Gambini in My Cousin Vinny, and Johnny Cade in The Outsiders. He is also known to American television audiences for his season five recurring role as Jeremy Andretti on the...
, whose guitar parts were dubbed by Vai and also Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder
Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder is an American guitarist, singer and composer. He is known for his slide guitar work, his interest in roots music from the United States, and, more recently, his collaborations with traditional musicians from many countries.His solo work has been eclectic, encompassing...
, who played the initial slide work in the duel and Macchio's earlier performances in the film. Vai also composed the fast-paced neo-classical
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
track Eugene's Trick Bag that wins Macchio the competition. He based the body of the piece heavily on Paganini's Capriccio number 5
Caprice No. 5 (Paganini)
Caprice No. 5 is one of 24 pieces composed by virtuoso violinist Niccolò Paganini in the early 19th century. The piece is known for its incredible speed and extremely high technical difficulty...
. He later borrowed the opening riff from the track Head Cuttin' Duel for a song called Bad Horsie from his 1995 EP Alien Love Secrets
Alien Love Secrets
Alien Love Secrets is an EP made by Steve Vai in 1995. It was written as a stripped-down guitar, bass and drums record with minimal keyboards...
. Later, the Crossroads duel reappeared on the 2002 album The Elusive Light and Sound, volume 1
The Elusive Light and Sound, volume 1
The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1 is a 2002 compilation album by Steve Vai. The album collects many of the songs that Vai recorded for movies and television shows.The album is Volume 1 in "The Secret Jewel Box".-Track listing:*1...
.
In 1991
1991 in film
The year 1991 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*April 28 - Bonnie Raitt marries actor Michael O'Keefe in New York* Terminator 2: Judgment Day, became one of the landmarks for science fiction action films with its groundbreaking visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic.*November...
's Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey is a 1991 American science fiction comedy film, and the directing debut of Peter Hewitt. It is the second film in the Bill & Ted franchise, and a sequel to Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure . Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter and George Carlin reprise their respective roles...
, the introductory riff to KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
' "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II
God Gave Rock 'N' Roll to You II
The video was filmed in Los Angeles, California in July 1991 and was directed by Mark Rezyka. It features the band playing in a room with flashbacks of Simmons and Stanley during the make-up era of Kiss's heyday. There were no prominent clips of Carr during the make-up years featured in the video,...
", as performed by the Wyld Stallyns
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure is a 1989 American science fiction–comedy buddy film and the first film in the Bill & Ted franchise in which two metalhead slackers travel through time to assemble a menagerie of historical figures for their high school history presentation.The film was written by...
in the Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bands
Battle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
, was performed by Vai. He also composed and performed the soundtrack to PCU
PCU (film)
PCU is a 1994 comedy film. The film depicts college life at the fictional Port Chester University, and represents "an exaggerated view of contemporary college life...." The film is based on the experiences of writers Adam Leff and Zak Penn at...
(1994
1994 in film
1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
), and made contributions in 2001
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
to the score for John Carpenter
John Carpenter
John Howard Carpenter is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, composer, and occasional actor. Although Carpenter has worked in numerous film genres in his four-decade career, his name is most commonly associated with horror and science fiction.- Early life :Carpenter was born...
's Ghosts of Mars
Ghosts of Mars
John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars is a 2001 American science fiction action horror film composed, written, and directed by John Carpenter. The film stars Ice Cube, Natasha Henstridge, Jason Statham, Pam Grier, Clea DuVall, and Joanna Cassidy...
, performing on the tracks "Ghosts of Mars" and "Ghost Poppin'". His track, "I'm the Hell Outta Here", can be heard during 1992
1992 in film
The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
's Encino Man
Encino Man
Encino Man, released in Europe as California Man, is a 1992 comedy film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Brendan Fraser, Sean Astin and Pauly Shore. The plot revolves around two geeky teenagers from Encino, Los Angeles, California played by Astin and Shore, who discover a caveman in their...
in the scene where Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser
Brendan James Fraser is a Canadian-American film and stage actor. Fraser portrayed Rick O'Connell in the three-part Mummy film series , and is known for his comedic and fantasy film leading roles in major Hollywood films, including Encino Man , George of the Jungle , Dudley Do-Right , Monkeybone ,...
is taking a driving lesson. He plays guitar in the animated short film "Live Music".
Playing style
Passion and Warfare
Passion and Warfare is a 1990 instrumental album from guitarist Steve Vai. It has been certified Gold by the RIAA. It was written based on a series of dream sequences that Vai had when he was younger, and in the guitar music book of the album, Vai sums it up as 'Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a...
and the ballad For the Love of God in particular received a significant amount of press and are often cited by critics and fans alike as among his best work, often noted since the entire piece, at just over six minutes, was reportedly recorded in one take.
Vai's playing style has been characterized as quirky and angular, due in large measure to his technical ability with the guitar instrument and deep knowledge of music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
. He regularly uses odd rhythmic groupings and his melodies often employ the Lydian mode
Lydian mode
The Lydian musical scale is a rising pattern of pitches comprising three whole tones, a semitone, two more whole tones, and a final semitone. This sequence of pitches roughly describes the fifth of the eight Gregorian modes, known as Mode V or the authentic mode on F, theoretically using B but in...
. Perhaps his most readily-identifiable stylistic feature is his creative use of the floating vibrato, using it to add melodic lines that sound odd to the ear. His playing can also be described as lyrical, as if sung by a human voice. During the recording of "Eat 'em and Smile," with David Lee Roth, he employed several guitar techniques that "mimicked" the human voice, as heard in the opening bars of the opening track "Yankee Rose." He often uses exotic guitars: he plays both double and triple neck guitars
Double neck guitar
A multi-neck guitar is a guitar that has multiple fingerboard necks. They exist in both electric and acoustic versions. Although multi-neck guitars are quite common today, they are not by any means a modern invention...
(including a custom-made heart-shaped triple-neck model built by luthier Joe Rolston). Vai is regarded as the first to use the 7-string guitar in a rock context. Along with Ibanez, he designed a signature 7-string guitar, the Ibanez Universe
Ibanez Universe
The Ibanez Universe is the world's first modern, commercial seven-string electric guitar, developed by Steve Vai and manufactured by Ibanez. The Universe is a seven-string version of the Ibanez JEM series, Vai's signature model...
, in 1989. He is also noted for being physically expressive as he plays his guitar.
On Composing/The "Evo Era"
“I wanted to be a composer ever since I was a young boy. To me written music on paper was (and is) beautiful. It looked like art and I wanted to have a complete understanding of how to speak, read and write that language. I knew that through the little black dots I could get the music that was in my head out into the world.
Though the guitar fell into my lap and my fingers were glued to the instrument, I studied composition and musical notation long before I even started playing the guitar. Through high school, college and beyond, I kept up my studies and kept composing through the years as I felt my eventual calling was in the compositional world.
Although I have listened to and studied most of the great older and contemporary composers, when I compose my music I take a similar approach as to when I am developing my voice on the guitar and that's to find and cultivate ideas that I have not heard before. That's the exciting part!
Once you understand the written language of music and the possibilities and limitations of various instruments, composing music is pure liberation. It's an art form that allows for deep personal expression. For me composing is the ultimate playground for my imagination. And to have the opportunity to hear your music performed is the greatest gift a composer could hope for, provided it's performed correctly.
I feel that my task is to merge my authentic rock sensibilities with my orchestrational skills to create a brand of contemporary music that is unique and fulfilling on an emotional and melodic level for the listener. Although rock musicians have worked with orchestras and contemporary composers have written for rock band instruments, I believe the catalog of music that I am building in this field is not what would be expected from either. I'm very excited about this brand and hope to inspire other composers to walk their own parallel lines within this movement. I call this movement 'Evo', short for evolution. As it has been in the past through all of history, the 21st century will see a whole new wave of orchestral musical awareness develop. We are now entering the 'Evo Era.'" -Steve Vai
Equipment
Vai is also a producer. He owns two studios ("The Mothership" and "The Harmony Hut" ), and his own recordings combine his guitar skills and novel compositions with studio and recording effects.Vai helped design his signature Ibanez JEM
Ibanez JEM
Ibanez JEM is an electric guitar manufactured by Ibanez and first produced in 1987. The guitar's most notable user is its co-designer, Steve Vai. As of 2010, there have been five sub-models of the JEM: the JEM7, JEM77, JEM777, JEM555 and the JEM333...
guitar series. They feature a hand grip (fondly referred to as a "monkey grip") cut into the top of the body of the guitar, a humbucker
Humbucker
A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup, first patented by Seth Lover and the Gibson company, that uses two coils, both generating string signal. Humbuckers have higher output than a single coil pickup since both coils are connected in series...
–single coil
Single coil
A single coil pickup is a type of magnetic transducer, or pickup, for the electric guitar and the electric bass. It electromagnetically converts the vibration of the strings to an electric signal...
-humbucker (H/S/H) DiMarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
pickup configuration with several different types of pickup including Evolution, Breed and EVO 2. He also uses the Ibanez Edge and Lo-Pro Edge double-locking tremolo systems (the current production JEMs have the newer Edge Pro), as well as an elaborate and extensive "Tree of Life" inlay down the neck. Vai also equips many of his guitars with an Ibanez Backstop, a tremolo stabilizer that has been discontinued. Lately Vai has also equipped some of his guitars with True Temperament fretboards to make his chords sound more in tune. Vai also has a 7-string model designed by him named Ibanez Universe
Ibanez Universe
The Ibanez Universe is the world's first modern, commercial seven-string electric guitar, developed by Steve Vai and manufactured by Ibanez. The Universe is a seven-string version of the Ibanez JEM series, Vai's signature model...
, featuring DiMarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
Blaze II pickups in an HSH arrangement. The Universe later influenced the 7-string guitars used by Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
and other bands to create nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
sounds in the late 1990s. He also has a signature Ibanez
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
acoustic, the Euphoria. Before Ibanez, he briefly endorsed Jackson guitars
Jackson Guitars
__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
, but this relationship only lasted two years. His two main guitars are white JEMs dubbed "Evo" and "Flo", each with their own unique modifications.
Steve Vai has also worked with Carvin Guitars and Pro Audio
Carvin A&I
Carvin Corporation is an American guitar, musical instrument and equipment manufacturer located in San Diego, California. Carvin was founded in 1946 by Lowell Kiesel, and originally manufactured guitar pickups.-History:...
to develop the Carvin Legacy line of guitar amplifiers
Instrument amplifier
An instrument amplifier is an electronic amplifier that converts the often barely audible or purely electronic signal from musical instruments such as an electric guitar, an electric bass, or an electric keyboard into an electronic signal capable of driving a loudspeaker that can be heard by the...
. Vai wanted to create an affordable amp that was unique, and equal in sound and versatility to any guitar amp he had previously used.
Over his long musical career, Steve Vai has used and designed an array of guitars. He even had his blood put into the swirl paint job on one of his signature JEM guitars, the JEM2KDNA. Only 300 of these were made. Currently, he mainly uses his white "Evo", a JEM7V, and his "Flo", which is a customized Floral JEM 77FP painted white. They are both inscribed with their names in two places, mainly so he can distinguish between them onstage. "Flo" is equipped with a Fernandes
Fernandes Guitars
Fernandes Guitars is a guitar and accessory manufacturer that originated in Japan in 1969, building flamenco guitars. As the company grew it expanded production to include more acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, amplifiers, and accessories to become one of the biggest guitar...
sustainer system.
He also has a guitar named "Mojo" with dot inlays that are blue LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
lights. Additionally, he has a custom-made triple-neck guitar that has the same basic features as his JEM7V guitars. The top neck is a 12-string
Twelve string guitar
The twelve-string guitar is an acoustic or electric guitar with 12 strings in 6 courses, which produces a richer, more ringing tone than a standard six-string guitar...
guitar, the middle is a six-string, and the bottom is a six-string fretless guitar
Fretless guitar
A fretless guitar is a guitar without frets. It operates in the same manner as most other stringed instruments and traditional guitars, but does not have any frets to act as the lower end point of the vibrating string...
with a Fernandes Sustainer pickup. This guitar was featured on the G3 2003 tour on the piece I Know You're Here. Vai's effects pedals include a modified Boss DS-1
BOSS DS-1
The Boss DS-1 is a distortion pedal for guitar, manufactured by the Roland Corporation under the brand name Boss since 1978. The first distortion unit made by Boss, it has become a classic effect, used by many notable guitar players. Boss produced a successor, the DS-2.-Circuit design:The DS-1 has...
, Ibanez Tube Screamer
Ibanez Tube Screamer
The Ibanez Tube Screamer is a guitar overdrive pedal, made by Ibanez. The pedal has a characteristic mid-boosted tone popular with blues players...
, Morley Bad Horsie
Wah-wah pedal
A wah-wah pedal is a type of guitar effects pedal that alters the tone of the signal to create a distinctive effect, mimicking the human voice...
, Ibanez Jemini Twin Distortion Pedal, TC Electronics G-System, Morley Little Alligator Volume pedal
Expression pedal
An expression pedal is an important control found on many organs and synthesizers, as well as in the pedal steel guitar, that allows the volume of the sound to be manipulated...
, DigiTech Whammy, and an MXR Phase 90
MXR Phase 90
The MXR Phase 90 is a phaser effects pedal originally designed in the 1970s by MXR.-History:The Phase 90 was released in 1972. It was the first pedal sold by MXR and helped launch the company. The original came in a simple orange enclosure with MXR's "script" logo. In 1977 MXR changed its logo to...
/Phase 100 on the Passion and Warfare album. His flight cases are labeled "Mr. Vai", or lately, "Dr. Vai." He has used a number of rack effects units controlled via MIDI, but used a floor-based TC electronics G system instead for the Zappa Plays Zappa tour.
Philanthropy
In 2005, Vai signed on as an official supporter of Little Kids RockLittle Kids Rock
Little Kids Rock is a nonprofit organization that provides free instruments and lessons to children in under-served public schools. The organization is supported by a number of music industry luminaries including Bonnie Raitt, Slash, Joe Satriani, BB King, Jason Newsted, Linkin Park's Brad Delson,...
, a nonprofit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in public schools throughout the U.S. He sits on LKR's Honorary Board of Directors.
Vai was a judge for the 3rd and 8th annual Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
to support independent artists.
Vai is also the founder of the Make A Noise Foundation, which he started with his manager Ruta Sepetys
Ruta Sepetys
Ruta Sepetys or Rūta Šepetys is an American author, of Lithuanian descent. Her debut novel, Between Shades of Gray, a New York Times Bestseller, chronicles Stalin’s reign of terror in the Baltics and was inspired by Sepetys' family history. -Biography:Ruta Sepetys is the daughter of a Lithuanian...
. The foundation's goal is to provide funding for music education and programs for those unable to pursue music-related activities due to limited resources. Vai is also a patron of music education around the world giving master classes in such prestigious music schools as the Fermatta Music Academy
Fermatta Music Academy
The Fermatta Music Academy is a private music university with campuses in Mexico City and Guadalajara Mexico. Founded in 1993, it is the only music university in Mexico to give bachelor's degrees in contemporary music certified by Mexico's Secretariat of Public Education...
.
Favored Nations
Vai owns Favored NationsFavored Nations
Favored Nations is a record label started by guitarist Steve Vai and former Guitar Center owner Ray Scherr in 1999. The first album ever released by Favored Nations was Frank Gambale's Coming to Your Senses in 2000...
, a recording and publishing company that specializes in internationally procuring and maintaining recording artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. Favored Nations is separated into three sections, 'Favored Nations', 'Favored Nations Acoustic' and 'Favored Nations Cool (Jazz style)'.
Personal life
Resides in Encino, CA with his family. Vai is married to Pia MaioccoPia Maiocco
Pia Maiocco is an American former bass guitarist and backing vocals for the heavy metal band Vixen.She is married to the guitarist Steve Vai, whom she met while they both attended the Berklee College of Music. She appears on his album Flex-Able...
, former bass player
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
of Vixen
Vixen (band)
Vixen is an all-female American hard rock band which achieved some commercial success during the late 1980s and early 1990s as part of the Los Angeles, California glam metal scene.-Early years:...
, who can be seen in Hardbodies
Hardbodies
Hardbodies is a 1984 sex comedy film about three middle-aged men who hire a younger man to help them pick up women at the beach. The film was directed by Mark Griffiths, and stars Grant Cramer, Courtney Gains, and Gary Wood...
. Vai and Maiocco have two children, Julian and Fire. In his spare time Vai is an avid beekeeper
Beekeeper
A beekeeper is a person who keeps honey bees for the purposes of securing commodities such as honey, beeswax, pollen, royal jelly; pollinating fruits and vegetables; raising queens and bees for sale to other farmers; and/or for purposes satisfying natural scientific curiosity...
. and an honorary member of the British Beekeepers' Association. His bees regularly produce a crop of honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
that Vai sells for his Make a Noise Foundation.
Vai is also a longtime vegetarian. "It has affected my music in a way I believe that what we put in our bodies has a reflection on the way we think," Vai told Veggies Rock. "And the way we think has a reflection on what we create. So I can’t tell you consciously how being a vegetarian affected my music but I’m sure it has." Many fans have been surprised to learn about his vegetarianism because he does not openly preach about it. "I think everyone has to find what’s right for them. I don’t judge anybody for what they eat. That’s their world and everybody has to find what resonates with them."
Band history (not including guest appearances)
More Info on www.vai.comYoung Bands
- Hot Chocolate (1967)
- The Ohio Express (1971–1972)
- Circus (circa 1973 to 1976)
- Ravge (circa 1973 to 1976)
- Bold As Love (1977)
Professional Bands
- Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
(1980–1982) - The Out Band (Circa 1983)
- The Classified (1984)
- 777 (1984)
- AlcatrazzAlcatrazzAlcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy...
(1985) - David Lee RothDavid Lee RothDavid Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
(1985–1989) - WhitesnakeWhitesnakeWhitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
(1989–1991)
1992-94 (VAI)
"Sex & Religion" Album:- Vocals: Devin TownsendDevin TownsendDevin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
- Guitar: Steve Vai
- Bass: TM Stevens
- Drums: Terry BozzioTerry BozzioTerry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...
"Sex & Religion" Tour:
- Vocals: Devin TownsendDevin TownsendDevin Garret Townsend is a Canadian musician and record producer. He was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad from 1994 to 2007 and has had an extensive career as a solo artist....
- Guitar: Steve Vai
- Bass: Scott ThunesScott ThunesScott Thunes is a former bass player with Frank Zappa, Wayne Kramer, Steve Vai, Andy Prieboy, Mike Keneally, Fear, The Waterboys and others....
- Keys: Will Riley
- Drums: Abe Laboriel, Jr., then Toss Panos
1995
- Guitar: Steve Vai
- Bass: Tony Pimental, then Scott ThunesScott ThunesScott Thunes is a former bass player with Frank Zappa, Wayne Kramer, Steve Vai, Andy Prieboy, Mike Keneally, Fear, The Waterboys and others....
- Keys: Will Riley
- Drums: Chris FrazierChris FrazierChristopher Ridgeway Frazier is a musician who became the drummer of veteran rock band Whitesnake in December 2007 and left in June 2010...
This band toured Russia twice, South America and the US (opening for Bon Jovi).
1996-99
- Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
- Guitar, Vocals and Keys: Mike KeneallyMike KeneallyMichael Joseph Keneally is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Allmusic says: "With his wide-ranging talents and ability to be creative in almost any musical situation, Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era."Born on Long Island, New York, he...
- Bass, Vocals: Philip BynoePhilip BynoeThree-time Grammy nominee and Emmy Award-winning bassist Philip Earl Bynoe is a prolific recording and touring musician. Though best known for his work with virtuoso guitarist Steve Vai, Philip has played everything from heavy metal to R&B to classical, and has worked with the likes of Kevin...
- Drums: Mike ManginiMike ManginiMike Mangini is an American drummer, and the current drummer for the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has played for Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai, among others. He lectured at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and is also known for his work as a session musician...
2000
- Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
- Guitar, Vocals and Keys: Mike KeneallyMike KeneallyMichael Joseph Keneally is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Allmusic says: "With his wide-ranging talents and ability to be creative in almost any musical situation, Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era."Born on Long Island, New York, he...
- Guitar: Dave WeinerDave WeinerDave Weiner is an American guitarist, most widely known for being one of Steve Vai's touring guitarists. He also posts instructional videos, called the "Riff of the Week", every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes and his own website, he also gives online lessons.- Joining Steve Vai :Weiner first joined...
- Bass, Vocals: Philip BynoePhilip BynoeThree-time Grammy nominee and Emmy Award-winning bassist Philip Earl Bynoe is a prolific recording and touring musician. Though best known for his work with virtuoso guitarist Steve Vai, Philip has played everything from heavy metal to R&B to classical, and has worked with the likes of Kevin...
- Drums: Mike ManginiMike ManginiMike Mangini is an American drummer, and the current drummer for the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He has played for Annihilator, Extreme, James LaBrie, and Steve Vai, among others. He lectured at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and is also known for his work as a session musician...
- Keyboards (South American Tour): Eric GoldbergEric GoldbergEric Goldberg may refer to:* Eric Goldberg , Canadian painter* Eric Goldberg , American animator and film director...
- Drums (South American Tour): Chris FrazierChris FrazierChristopher Ridgeway Frazier is a musician who became the drummer of veteran rock band Whitesnake in December 2007 and left in June 2010...
2001-02
- Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
- Bass, Vocals: Billy SheehanBilly SheehanWilliam "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
- Guitar, Vocals and Keys: Mike KeneallyMike KeneallyMichael Joseph Keneally is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Allmusic says: "With his wide-ranging talents and ability to be creative in almost any musical situation, Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era."Born on Long Island, New York, he...
, then Tony MacAlpineTony MacAlpineTony Jeff MacAlpine is an American guitarist and keyboardist. Having released ten studio albums over a career spanning more than two decades, he is best known as an instrumental solo guitarist, although he has worked with many different bands and musicians in the form of guest appearances and... - Guitar: Dave WeinerDave WeinerDave Weiner is an American guitarist, most widely known for being one of Steve Vai's touring guitarists. He also posts instructional videos, called the "Riff of the Week", every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes and his own website, he also gives online lessons.- Joining Steve Vai :Weiner first joined...
- Drums: Virgil DonatiVirgil DonatiVirgil Donati is an Australian drummer, frequent drum clinician and a producer. He is currently playing with the band Planet X and Seven the Hardway among other projects. Virgil is perhaps most well known for his fast, highly technical drumming skills...
2003-04
- Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
- Bass, Vocals: Billy SheehanBilly SheehanWilliam "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style...
- Guitar, Vocals and Keys: Tony MacAlpineTony MacAlpineTony Jeff MacAlpine is an American guitarist and keyboardist. Having released ten studio albums over a career spanning more than two decades, he is best known as an instrumental solo guitarist, although he has worked with many different bands and musicians in the form of guest appearances and...
- Guitar: Dave WeinerDave WeinerDave Weiner is an American guitarist, most widely known for being one of Steve Vai's touring guitarists. He also posts instructional videos, called the "Riff of the Week", every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes and his own website, he also gives online lessons.- Joining Steve Vai :Weiner first joined...
- Drums: Jeremy Colson
Studio Albums & EPs
| Year | Type | Album | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | LP | Flex-Able Flex-Able Flex-Able is an album by Steve Vai. This was his first as a solo artist, and was created in Stucco Blue, a shed converted into a studio in Vai's old back garden. It is very different from many of his other albums, and is largely influenced by Frank Zappa... |
|
| 1984 | EP | Flex-Able Leftovers Flex-Able Leftovers Flex-Able Leftovers was a limited edition 10" vinyl EP by American composer and guitarist, Steve Vai. It was leftover material from the recordings done during the "Flex-Able"days and originally released in 1984 .... |
Leftovers from the Flex-Able session |
| 1990 | CD | Passion and Warfare Passion and Warfare Passion and Warfare is a 1990 instrumental album from guitarist Steve Vai. It has been certified Gold by the RIAA. It was written based on a series of dream sequences that Vai had when he was younger, and in the guitar music book of the album, Vai sums it up as 'Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a... |
Gold (USA), #18 on the Billboard 200 on June 30, 1990 |
| 1993 | CD | Sex & Religion | |
| 1995 | EP | Alien Love Secrets Alien Love Secrets Alien Love Secrets is an EP made by Steve Vai in 1995. It was written as a stripped-down guitar, bass and drums record with minimal keyboards... |
|
| 1996 | CD | Fire Garden Fire Garden Fire Garden is a 1996 album from guitarist Steve Vai. This is his fourth solo album, as Alien Love Secrets is an EP.Fire Garden is divided into two "phases"... |
|
| 1998 | CD | Flex-Able Leftovers Flex-Able Leftovers (1998 Album) The Flex-Able Leftovers album, released on November 10, 1998 on Sony Records, contains five bonus tracks and is quite different to the original Flex-Able Leftovers EP... (Re-release) |
re-release of the limited edition 10” vinyl "Flex-Able Leftovers" With bonus tracks |
| 1999 | CD | The Ultra Zone The Ultra Zone The Ultra Zone is a 1999 album from guitarist Steve Vai.The Ultra Zone is structurally similar to Vai's previous album, Fire Garden, in that the first half of the album consists mainly of instrumentals, and the second half mainly of vocal songs; however, unlike Fire Garden, The Ultra Zone is not... |
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| 2005 | CD | Real Illusions: Reflections Real Illusions: Reflections Real Illusions: Reflections is the first studio album since Steve Vai's 1999 studio release The Ultra Zone. The album was released on February 22, 2005... |
Live & Orchestral Albums (Inc. G3 (tour))
| Year | Album | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | G3: Live in Concert G3: Live in Concert G3: Live in Concert is a live album and DVD by the G3 project, led by Joe Satriani. It was released in 1997 by Epic Records. This lineup of G3 includes Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Steve Vai... |
Joe Satriani Joe Satriani Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations... , Steve Vai, Eric Johnson Eric Johnson Eric Johnson is an American guitarist. Though he is best known for his success in the instrumental rock format, Johnson regularly incorporates jazz, fusion, gospel and country and western music into his recordings... |
| 2001 | Alive in an Ultra World Alive in an Ultra World Alive in an Ultra World is a live album by Steve Vai, recorded during The Ultra Zone world tour in 2000, and released in 2001. The songs compiled on this album were written specifically for the countries that Vai and his band were visiting... |
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| 2004 | G3: Rockin' in the Free World G3: Rockin' in the Free World G3: Rockin' in the Free World is a double live album by the G3 project that was recorded at The Uptown Theater in Kansas City, Missouri on October 21, 2003. The album featured the touring lineup of project leader Joe Satriani, frequent member Steve Vai, and guest guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen... |
Joe Satriani Joe Satriani Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations... , Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen |
| 2004 | Live in London | The audio contained on this disc is the same audio contained on the DVD : Live at the Astoria, London Live at the Astoria, London Live at the Astoria, London is Steve Vai's first live solo DVD, filmed at the Astoria in London on December 6 and 7, 2001.It contains a feature length audio commentary from Vai and the band.-DVD n.1:# Shyboy# Giant Balls Of Gold# Erotic Nightmares... |
| 2005 | G3: Live in Tokyo G3: Live in Tokyo G3: Live in Tokyo is another G3 live performance which featured John Petrucci along with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai in the 2005 G3 tour. It was released as double live album as well as DVD with extra material: G3 Soundcheck featuring commentary by Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and John Petrucci.In this... |
Joe Satriani Joe Satriani Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations... , Steve Vai, John Petrucci John Petrucci John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory... |
| 2007 | Sound Theories Vol. I & II | Orchestral Album from 5 European performances, a studio session and a soundcheck rehearsal recording (between 2004 and 2005) |
| 2009 | Where the Wild Things Are Where The Wild Things Are (album) Where The Wild Things Are is a compilation album of New York hardcore tracks by various artists. It was the first release on the hardcore punk specialist label, Blackout Records and was released in 1989.-Track listing:... |
Orchestral DVD & CD recorded and filmed at the State Theatre in Minneapolis, MN as part of Vai’s “Sound Theories” world tour |
| 2010 | Where the Other Wild Things Are Where The Wild Things Are (album) Where The Wild Things Are is a compilation album of New York hardcore tracks by various artists. It was the first release on the hardcore punk specialist label, Blackout Records and was released in 1989.-Track listing:... |
12 Tracks Bonus CD from "Where the wild thing are" DVD not included in the 2009 CD released |
Other
| Year | Album | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Bad Squad" | promo 2-tracks CD from Morley to promote the Bad Horsie wah pedal. |
| 2005 | "Naked Tracks" | This five cd package contains a large selection of tracks from the Vai catalog that have been mixed without the main lead and melody guitar tracks |
Compilations
| Year | Album | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The 7th Song - Enchanting Guitar Melodies (Archives Vol. 1) The Seventh Song "The 7th Song, Enchanting Guitar Melodies " is a 2000 album by guitarist Steve Vai. It is his first compilation album, but unlike a standard "greatest hits" or "best of" album, all of the songs on it can be found on one of Vai's previous albums as the 7th track... |
Compilation of the 7th song of Steve's Albums, and 3 tracks previously unreleased. |
| 2001 | The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box is a ten-CD box set, a collection of music by guitarist Steve Vai, released in 2001. Vai's website describes it as "not a compilation of Vai's catalog, but rather something far more conceptual... |
10 CD Collector Box |
| 2001 | Frank Zappa Original Recordings; Steve Vai (Archives, Vol. 2) FZ Original Recordings; Steve Vai Archives, Vol. 2 This Album is only available in "The Secret Jewel Box" set.Vai reflects here on his three years as a member of Zappa’s ensemble where he was credited not just as "guitarist" but as wielder of "strat abuse" and "impossible guitar parts."... |
Not Sold Separately / Vol.3 of The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box is a ten-CD box set, a collection of music by guitarist Steve Vai, released in 2001. Vai's website describes it as "not a compilation of Vai's catalog, but rather something far more conceptual... |
| 2002 | The Elusive Light and Sound, volume 1 The Elusive Light and Sound, volume 1 The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1 is a 2002 compilation album by Steve Vai. The album collects many of the songs that Vai recorded for movies and television shows.The album is Volume 1 in "The Secret Jewel Box".-Track listing:*1... |
Re-released of the Vol.1 of The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box is a ten-CD box set, a collection of music by guitarist Steve Vai, released in 2001. Vai's website describes it as "not a compilation of Vai's catalog, but rather something far more conceptual... This disc collects Vai’s many contributions to film music |
| 2003 | Mystery Tracks (Archives Vol. 3) Mystery Tracks - Archives Vol. 3 -Personnel:*Steve Vai – guitar, tambourine, sampler*Devin Townsend – vocals*T.M. Stevens – vocals*Mike Keneally – guitar, keyboards*Marc Ziegenhagen – keyboards*Robin DiMaggio – drums, drum programming*Deen Castronovo – drums*Morgan Ågren – drums... |
Compilation of Steve's bonus tracks featured on Japanese releases of his CDs, along with promotional tracks, songs featured on other albums and unreleased/demo tracks / Vol.4 of The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box is a ten-CD box set, a collection of music by guitarist Steve Vai, released in 2001. Vai's website describes it as "not a compilation of Vai's catalog, but rather something far more conceptual... |
| 2003 | Various Artists (Archives Vol. 4) Various Artists - Archives Vol. 4 -More Informations:... |
Collection of songs Steve has contributed to other projects and records. / Vol.5 of The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box is a ten-CD box set, a collection of music by guitarist Steve Vai, released in 2001. Vai's website describes it as "not a compilation of Vai's catalog, but rather something far more conceptual... |
| 2003 | The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology is Steve Vai's compilation album that was released in 2003 . This two-disc compilation spans Vai's entire solo career, featuring the best tracks from most of his albums including Fire Garden, Passion and Warfare, Alien Love Secrets and The Ultra Zone... |
A career-spanning collection of 32 digitally remastered tracks over 2CDs (including work with other artists such as Alcatrazz and Whitesnake). |
| 2004 | "Vai: Piano Reductions, Vol. 1 Vai: Piano Reductions, Vol. 1 Piano Reductions Vol. 1: Performed by Mike Keneally is an instrumental album produced by Steve Vai. This is an album of 11 solo acoustic piano interpretations of Vai songs by fellow Zappa alumnus Mike Keneally.This Is Volume 6 in "The Secret Jewel Box".... " (by Mike Keneally Mike Keneally Michael Joseph Keneally is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Allmusic says: "With his wide-ranging talents and ability to be creative in almost any musical situation, Keneally is the leading progressive rock genius of the post-Zappa era."Born on Long Island, New York, he... ) |
This is an album of 11 solo acoustic piano interpretations of Vai songs by Mike Keneally / Vol.6 of The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box is a ten-CD box set, a collection of music by guitarist Steve Vai, released in 2001. Vai's website describes it as "not a compilation of Vai's catalog, but rather something far more conceptual... |
| 2008 | Steve Vai Original Album Classics Steve Vai Original Album Classics Steve Vai Original Album Classics is a box set, released by RCA Records in 2008. It contains the following Steve Vai albums:* Flex-Able* Passion and Warfare* Sex & Religion* Alien Love Secrets* Fire Garden... |
Box Set Re-release with : Flex-Able Flex-Able Flex-Able is an album by Steve Vai. This was his first as a solo artist, and was created in Stucco Blue, a shed converted into a studio in Vai's old back garden. It is very different from many of his other albums, and is largely influenced by Frank Zappa... , Passion and Warfare Passion and Warfare Passion and Warfare is a 1990 instrumental album from guitarist Steve Vai. It has been certified Gold by the RIAA. It was written based on a series of dream sequences that Vai had when he was younger, and in the guitar music book of the album, Vai sums it up as 'Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a... , Sex and Religion, Alien Love Secrets Alien Love Secrets Alien Love Secrets is an EP made by Steve Vai in 1995. It was written as a stripped-down guitar, bass and drums record with minimal keyboards... & Fire Garden Fire Garden Fire Garden is a 1996 album from guitarist Steve Vai. This is his fourth solo album, as Alien Love Secrets is an EP.Fire Garden is divided into two "phases"... . |
| 2010 | Playlist: The Very Best of Steve Vai | |
| 2011 | The Essential Steve Vai |
With Band (As Lead Guitarist)
| Year | Artist | Album | RIAA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Alcatrazz Alcatrazz Alcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy... |
Disturbing the Peace Disturbing the Peace Disturbing the Peace is the second studio album by Alcatrazz, and is the only one featuring Steve Vai on guitar. One of the singles, God Blessed Video, can be found on the fictional radio station, V-Rock, on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Weeks on Chart: 7, Peak: #133... |
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| 1985 | Public Image Ltd. Public Image Ltd. Public Image Ltd are an English post-punk band formed by vocalist John Lydon , guitarist Keith Levene and bassist Jah Wobble, with frequent subsequent personnel changes. Lydon is the sole constant member of the band.... |
Album | |
| 1986 | Shankar L. Shankar Lakshminarayanan Shankar, also known as L. Shankar and Shenkar, is an Indian-born American violinist, singer and composer.-Early life:... & Caroline |
The Epidemics The Epidemics (Epidemics album) The Epidemics is an album by Indian violinist L. Shankar & British composer, vocalist and keyboardist Caroline. It was released on the ECM label in 1986.-Track listing:#"Never Take No For An Answer" - 3:31... |
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| 1986 | David Lee Roth David Lee Roth David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time.... |
Eat 'Em and Smile | Platinum |
| 1988 | David Lee Roth David Lee Roth David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time.... |
Skyscraper Skyscraper (album) Skyscraper is the second full-length album by David Lee Roth , released in 1988. It was the last to feature guitarist Steve Vai, who left the group in 1989 to join Whitesnake and continue his solo career. Bassist Billy Sheehan would also leave the group before the tour to eventually form Mr. Big... |
Platinum |
| 1989 | Whitesnake Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style... |
Slip of the Tongue Slip of the Tongue -20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Fool for Your Loving"*"Now You're Gone"*"The Deeper the Love"-Personnel:*David Coverdale – vocals*Steve Vai – All Guitars*Adrian Vandenberg - Guitars *Rudy Sarzo – bass... |
3x Platinum |
| 1994 | Whitesnake Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style... |
Whitesnake's Greatest Hits Whitesnake's Greatest Hits Whitesnake's Greatest Hits is a compilation of Whitesnake's biggest hits from the 1980s. It features hit singles from their albums Slide It In, Whitesnake and Slip of the Tongue. The album also contains three tracks previously unavailable in the USA.The compilation charted at number 161 on The... |
Platinum |
| 1997 | David Lee Roth David Lee Roth David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time.... |
The Best (Steve performs on a little over half of the songs on this disc) | |
| 1999 | Joe Jackson Joe Jackson (musician) Joe Jackson is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001... |
Symphony No. 1 Symphony No. 1 (album) Symphony No. 1 is a 1999 album by Joe Jackson. Jackson received a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2001, after several unsuccessful nominations for previous work. Symphony No... |
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| 2000 | Whitesnake Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style... |
The Back to Black Collection | |
| 2010 | Alcatrazz | Disturbing the Peace Tour Live in Japan 1984.10.10 Audio Tracks |
Appearances on Zappa albums
| Year | Album | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Tinseltown Rebellion | Rhythm guitar, vocals |
| 1981 | Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar is a triple vinyl album, originally issued mail order-only as three separate volumes, featuring live material recorded by Frank Zappa between February 1977 and December 1980. The final track, "Canard du Jour", is a duet with Frank Zappa on electric bouzouki and Jean-Luc... |
Rhythm guitar |
| 1981 | You Are What You Is You Are What You Is You Are What You Is is a double album by Frank Zappa. It was originally released as a two-record set in 1981 and later by Rykodisc as a 20-song CD. The album relies on a heavy use of overdubbing. This album was the first one to feature material recorded using Zappa's home studio Utility Muffin... |
Guitar |
| 1982 | Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch is an album by Frank Zappa, released in May 1982 and digitally remastered in 1991. It features five tracks composed by Zappa, and one song, "Valley Girl", co-written with Moon Unit Zappa, his daughter, who provided the spoken monologue mocking some of... |
"Impossible Guitar parts" |
| 1983 | The Man from Utopia The Man from Utopia The Man from Utopia is a 1983 album by Frank Zappa. It is a more song-driven, and less conceptual work than many others in Zappa's oeuvre. The album is named after a 1950s song, written by Donald and Doris Woods, which Zappa covers as part of "The Man from Utopia Meets Mary Lou".The sleeve art... |
Guitar parts |
| 1984 | Them or Us Them or Us Them or Us is an album by Frank Zappa, released in October 1984. Its opening and closing tracks are covers: "The Closer You Are", which was written by Earl Lewis and Morgan Robinson and originally released by The Channels; and "Whippin' Post", originally recorded by The Allman Brothers Band. ... |
Guitar |
| 1984 | Thing-Fish Thing-Fish -1995 Rykodisc CD Release:- Cast :*Thing-Fish—Ike Willis*Harry—Terry Bozzio*Rhonda—Dale Bozzio*The Evil Prince—Napoleon Murphy Brock*Harry-As-A-Boy—Bob Harris*Brown Moses—Johnny "Guitar" Watson*Owl-Gonkwin-Jane Cowhoon—Ray White- Musicians :... |
Guitar, vocals |
| 1985 | Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention is a 1985 album by Frank Zappa. It was originally released in two slightly different versions in the US and Europe. The two versions were later combined and reissued on a compact disc: first in the US on Rykodisc in 1986 Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of... |
Guitar |
| 1987 | Jazz from Hell Jazz from Hell Jazz from Hell is a Grammy Award–winning instrumental album from Frank Zappa. It was released in 1986 by Barking Pumpkin Records and by Rykodisc .-Album information:... |
Guitar |
| 1988 | Guitar | Stunt guitar |
| 1988 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Sampler | Stunt guitar |
| 1988 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 is a double disc set of live tracks by Frank Zappa. It was released in 1988 under the label Rykodisc.-Disc one:#"The Florida Airport Tape" – 1:03... |
Stunt guitar |
| 1989 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 is a double disc collection of live recordings by Frank Zappa, spanning from December 10, 1971 to December 23, 1984. "Sharleena" had been previously issued as a flexidisc in "Guitar Player" magazine. All the songs on disc one are by the 1984 band... |
Stunt guitar |
| 1991 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 is a two-CD set of live recordings by Frank Zappa, recorded between 1969 and 1988, and released in 1991.-Disc one:#"Little Rubber Girl" - #*... |
Stunt guitar, vocals |
| 1991 | Beat the Boots I: As An Am | Stunt guitar |
| 1992 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 is a double compact disc collection of live recordings by Frank Zappa. Disc one comprises performances by the Mothers of Invention spanning the period from 1966 to 1969. "My Guitar" had been previously released as a single in 1969... |
Stunt guitar |
| 1992 | You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 is the last of six double disc collection volumes of live performances by Frank Zappa recorded between 1970 and 1988. All of the material on Disc one has a sexual theme. It was released on October 23, 1992 under the label Rykodisc.-Disc one:#"The M.O.I... |
Stunt guitar |
| 1995 | Strictly Commercial Strictly Commercial Strictly Commercial is a compilation album by Frank Zappa. It was released in 1995 , two years after his death.-Side one:#"Peaches en Regalia"#"Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" #"Dancin' Fool"... |
Guitar |
| 1997 | Have I Offended Someone? Have I Offended Someone? Have I Offended Someone? is a compilation album featuring music by Frank Zappa, and was posthumously released in 1997. As indicated by the title, it compiles a number of Zappa's songs that have gained notoriety as being particularly offensive, and often satirical or parodic... |
Guitar |
| 1998 | Cheap Thrills Cheap Thrills (Frank Zappa album) Cheap Thrills is a compilation album by Frank Zappa, with material from previously released albums.* Original recordings produced by FZ.* Compiled by the original Joe Black.* Intramural sports by David Greenberg.* Sampler mastered by Toby Mountain.... |
Guitar |
| 1999 | Son of Cheep Thrills Son of Cheep Thrills Son of Cheep Thrills is a compilation album by Frank Zappa, with material from previously released albums.* Original recordings produced by FZ.* Compiled by the original Joe Black.* Intramural sports by David Greenberg.... |
Guitar, vocals |
| 2001 | FZ Original Recordings; Steve Vai Archives, Vol. 2 FZ Original Recordings; Steve Vai Archives, Vol. 2 This Album is only available in "The Secret Jewel Box" set.Vai reflects here on his three years as a member of Zappa’s ensemble where he was credited not just as "guitarist" but as wielder of "strat abuse" and "impossible guitar parts."... (Only available as Vol.3 in The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box The Secret Jewel Box is a ten-CD box set, a collection of music by guitarist Steve Vai, released in 2001. Vai's website describes it as "not a compilation of Vai's catalog, but rather something far more conceptual... ) |
"strat abuse" and "impossible guitar parts." |
| 2008 | Zappa Plays Zappa (Dweezil Zappa Dweezil Zappa Dweezil Zappa is an American rock guitarist and occasional actor.-Early life:Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of musician Frank Zappa and Adelaide Gail Sloatman, who worked in business. He is the second of four siblings: his older sister, Moon, younger sister Diva and younger... Live CD & DVD) |
Guitar |
Appearances, Featuring (With Other Lead Artists)
| Year | Artist | Album | Info | RIAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Lisa Popeil | Lisa Popeil | Steve performs on "What You're After", "You Can't Take It Away", "For A Time", "Don't Turn Me Off And On", "I Don't Get It", "The Viper", "Love In My Life", "Perfect Woman" | |
| 1985 | Heresy | At The Door | Steve performs on "London : 1941" and "Wasted Moments" | |
| 1986 | Bob Harris | The Great Nostalgia | Steve performs on the track "Autumn in Nepal" & "There's Still Hope" | |
| 1986 | Randy Coven | Funk Me Tender | Steve performs on the track "Funk Me Tender" | |
| 1987 | Danny Mendez | Death to All Mankind | No Information | |
| 1986 | Western Vacation | Western Vacation | Steve performs on the track "Western Vacation" (under the name "Reckless Fable") | |
| 1990 | Rebecca | The Best of Dreams | Steve performs on "Supergirl" / This is a greatest hits CD | |
| 1991 | Alice Cooper Alice Cooper Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades... |
Hey Stoopid Hey Stoopid Hey Stoopid is the 19th studio album by heavy metal singer and shock rock-legend Alice Cooper. It was released on July 2, 1991 with guest appearances from Slash , Ozzy Osbourne, Vinnie Moore, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars .After Cooper's smash 1989 hit album Trash, Cooper... |
Steve performs with Joe Satriani on "Feed My Frankenstein" | |
| 1995 | Ozzy Osbourne Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal... |
Ozzmosis Ozzmosis -Personnel:Musicians*Ozzy Osbourne – vocals*Zakk Wylde – guitar*Geezer Butler – bass*Deen Castronovo – drums*Rick Wakeman – keyboardsAdditional personnel*Michael Beinhorn – production, keyboards... |
Steve did not play guitar on this album. He Co-Wrote the song "My Little Man My Little Man "My Little Man" is a song off the 1995 album Ozzmosis by Heavy metal musician Ozzy Osbourne. This is the only song from the collaboration of Ozzy and Steve Vai. However, Vai did not actually play in the recording. All guitars/ electric sitars were played by Zakk Wylde... " |
2x Platinum |
| 1996 | Wild Style | Cryin | Steve performs on "Let It Go" | |
| 1997 | Munetaka Higuchi Munetaka Higuchi was the original drummer of the Japanese heavy metal band, Loudness.Since very young, he was considered a talented drummer. During his high school years, Higuchi played in seven bands. But he was not happy with this situation, wanting to focus his time on only one band... with Dream Castle |
Free World | Steve plays guitar and bass on the track "Speed" | |
| 1998 | Gregg Bissonette Gregg Bissonette Gregg Bissonette, is an American drummer. Gregg was born in a family of musicians. His father Bud Bissonette plays drums, his mother Phyllis plays piano and vibraphone, and brother Matt Bissonette plays bass guitar. Gregg started learning to play the drums at age 5 from his father... |
Gregg Bissonette | Steve performs on "Common Road" | |
| 1998 | Al Di Meola Al Di Meola Al Di Meola is an acclaimed American jazz fusion and Latin guitarist, composer, and record producer of Italian origin. With a musical career that has spanned more than three decades, he has become respected as one of the most influential guitarists in jazz to date... |
The Infinite Desire | Steve performs on "Race with the Devil on Turkish Highway" | |
| 2000 | Gregg Bissonette Gregg Bissonette Gregg Bissonette, is an American drummer. Gregg was born in a family of musicians. His father Bud Bissonette plays drums, his mother Phyllis plays piano and vibraphone, and brother Matt Bissonette plays bass guitar. Gregg started learning to play the drums at age 5 from his father... |
Submarine Submarine (album) Submarine is the debut album by the Irish rock group Whipping Boy, released in July 1992 on the Liquid Records label.The album used shades of early Sonic Youth and Post Punk Rock along with Ian McCulloch Vocal styles in places.Blending music stylings of My Bloody Valentine and The Loop with same... |
Steve performs on the track "Noah's Ark" | |
| 2000 | Thana Harris | Thanatopsis Thanatopsis "Thanatopsis" is a poem by the American poet William Cullen Bryant.-Overview:The title is from the Greek thanatos and -opsis ; it has often been translated as "Meditation upon Death"... |
Steve performs on the track "Fingers" | |
| 2000 | Andrew Dice Clay Andrew Dice Clay Andrew Dice Clay is an American comedian and actor who played the lead role in the film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.Clay has been in several movies and has released a number of stand-up albums... |
Face Down, Ass Up | No information | |
| 2001 | Robin DiMaggio Robin DiMaggio Robin DiMaggio is a drummer/percussionist based out of Los Angeles. He has performed/recorded with a variety of artists including Steve Vai, Paul Simon, David Bowie, Jackson Browne, Diana Ross, Dr. Dre, Luther Vandross, Sean Lennon, Johnny Cash, and Chris Isaak as well as sitarist/composer Ravi... |
Blue Planet | Steve performs on the track "Mallorca" with L. Shankar | |
| 2001 | Billy Sheehan Billy Sheehan William "Billy" Sheehan is an American bassist known for his work with Talas, Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Mr. Big, and Niacin. Sheehan has won the "Best Rock Bass Player" readers' poll from Guitar Player Magazine five times for his "lead bass" playing style... |
Compression Compression (album) Compression is the first solo album by bassist Billy Sheehan, formerly of Talas, David Lee Roth, and Mr. Big.-Track listing:All tracks by Billy Sheehan#"Bleed Along the Way" – 3:55#"Oblivion" – 4:29#"Somethin's Gotta Give" – 4:23... |
Steve Vai appears on the track "Chameleon" | |
| 2002 | Tak Matsumoto Tak Matsumoto is a Grammy Award-winning Japanese guitarist, producer, arranger, composer, singer and songwriter. In addition to guitarist and lead composer for the hard rock band B'z, he has also had a successful solo career.-Background:... |
Hana | No information | |
| 2003 | Surinder Sandhu Surinder Sandhu Surinder Sandhu is a sarangi player and composer. He is a student of Sabri Khan of the Senia Rampur Moradabad gharana.Sandhu composes in multiple genres. His compositions combine jazz, western classical and Asian fusion music. Guests performers on Sandhu's albums include rock guitarist Steve Vai to... |
Saurang Orchestra | Steve Vai performs on the tracks "Amirah", The Little Hindu", "Movement One: Twice Born", "Movement Two: Sunday Morning in Calcutta", "Movement Three: Tradition of the New" | |
| 2002 | Girls Together Outrageously (G.T.O) | "I'll Be Around" (SINGLE) | GTO (Girls Together Outrageously) is a Dutch trio who released a cover version of Steve's song "I'll Be Around". The CD single features a Radio Version (3:28) and an Extended Version (4:40). Steve performs the guitar solo on the Radio Version. | |
| 2003 | Eric Sardinas Eric Sardinas Eric Sardinas is an American blues-rock guitarist born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is noted for his use of the electric resonator guitar and his live performances. He sometimes sets his guitar alight on stage and during shows.... |
Black Pearls | Steve Vai performs on the track "Green Tea" | |
| 2003 | Steve Lukather Steve Lukather Steve "Luke" Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer best known for his work with the rock band Toto. Lukather has played with many artists, released several solo albums, and worked as a composer, arranger, and session guitarist on more than 1,500 albums... & Friends |
Santamental Santamental -History:When Lukather's record company, Bop City Records, approached him about recording a Christmas album, he quipped, "Why me? Do I look like Father Christmas to you mofos?" The company wanted him to do the record knowing he would approach the project with a unique angle and produce something... |
Steve Vai is featured on the track "Carol of the Bells" | |
| 2003 | Hughes Turner Project Hughes Turner Project Hughes Turner Project was a musical project formed in the 2001 by bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes and guitarist/vocalist Joe Lynn Turner .... |
HTP 2 HTP 2 HTP 2 is the second album by the Hughes Turner Project, a collaboration between Glenn Hughes and Joe Lynn Turner ; it was released in 2003 on MTM Music and Pony Canyon Records.... |
Steve Vai appears on the track "Losing My Head" | |
| 2003 | Shankar L. Shankar Lakshminarayanan Shankar, also known as L. Shankar and Shenkar, is an Indian-born American violinist, singer and composer.-Early life:... & Gingger |
One in a Million | Steve Vai performs on the track "Out Of My Mind" | |
| 2003 | Yardbirds | Birdland Birdland (album) Birdland is a 2003 studio album by English blues rock band The Yardbirds. The album was the first Yardbirds release in over 35 years; however, the only original 60's era Yardbirds members are drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja. . New members are John Idan, Gypie Mayo and Alan Glen... |
Steve Vai performs on the track "Shapes of Things" | |
| 2004 | Motörhead | Inferno | Steve appears on the tracks "Terminal Show" and "Down On Me" | |
| 2004 | Bob Carpenter Bob Carpenter Robert E. Carpenter, Jr. is a former professional ice hockey center who played in the National Hockey League for 18 seasons from 1981–82 until 1998–99. In his NHL career that spanned 18 years, Carpenter played 1,178 games, scoring 320 goals and 408 assists for 728 points. He has the distinction of... |
The Sun, The Moon, The Stars | This CD features a piano interpretation of “Whispering a Prayer”. It also features Steve Vai on acoustic guitar and Pia Vai on harp. | |
| 2005 | John 5 John Lowery John William Lowery , best known by the stage name John 5, is an American guitarist. His stage name was bestowed on him in 1998 when he left David Lee Roth and joined the industrial metal group Marilyn Manson as their guitarist, taking over from Zim Zum... |
Songs for Sanity Songs for Sanity -Credits:*John 5 – Guitars, lap steel, bass guitar , associate producer*Steve Vai – Lead guitar on second half of each of the main two solos on Perineum*Albert Lee – Lead guitar on the first solo on Death Valley... |
Steve appears on the song "Perineum" | |
| 2006 | The Devin Townsend Band | Synchestra Synchestra Synchestra is the eighth solo album by Canadian musician Devin Townsend, and the second album he recorded with The Devin Townsend Band. The album was released in January 2006 on Townsend's label, HevyDevy Records.-Background:... |
Steve performs an extended guitar solo on the third track "Triumph" | |
| 2006 | Marty Friedman Marty Friedman (guitarist) Marty Friedman is a guitarist, well known for his tenure as the lead/rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth, which lasted almost a decade... |
Loudspeaker Loudspeaker (album) Loudspeaker is an instrumental album by the guitarist Marty Friedman, released in 2006 in Japan, and 2007 in United States. It entered the Japanese national chart at #33... |
Steve performs on the song "Viper" | |
| 2006 | Meat Loaf Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor... |
Bat out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose is an album by Meat Loaf, the third and last in the Bat Out of Hell series. It was released in October 2006, 29 years after Bat Out of Hell , and 13 years after Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell .Produced by Desmond Child, it is the only Bat album not... |
Steve performs on the song "In the Land of the Pig, the Butcher is King" | Gold |
| 2007 | Dream Theater Dream Theater Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would... |
Systematic Chaos Systematic Chaos Systematic Chaos is the ninth studio album by American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Released on June 4, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States, Systematic Chaos was the band's first release through Roadrunner Records, which was sold to their previous label... |
Guest spoken words on "Repentance" | |
| 2007 | Eros Ramazzotti Eros Ramazzotti Eros Luciano Walter Ramazzotti , known simply as Eros Ramazzotti, is an Italian singer and songwriter. Ramazzotti is enormously popular in Italy, and is well known in most non-English-speaking European countries and in the Spanish-speaking world, as he has released most of his albums in both... |
e² E² (album) e² is a greatest hits album by Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti, released in Europe and Latin America on October 26, 2007. This is his fourteenth album , and his second Greatest Hits Album after Eros in 1997.... |
Steve performs on, produced and re-recorded the track "Dove C'e' Musica" on this album | |
| 2008 | Jason Becker Jason Becker Jason Eli Becker is an American virtuoso neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988... |
Collection Collection (Jason Becker album) Collection is an album by Jason Becker released by Shrapnel Records on November 4th, 2008. The album includes three new songs in addition to some older recordings... |
Steve performs on the song "River Of Longing (Reprise)" with Marty Friedman | |
| 2009 | Spinal Tap Spinal Tap (band) Spinal Tap is a parody heavy metal band that first appeared on a failed 1979 ABC TV sketch comedy pilot called "The T.V. Show", starring Rob Reiner... |
Back from the Dead | Steve performs on the song "Short And Sweet" | |
| 2009 | Mike Stern Mike Stern Mike Stern is an American jazz guitarist. After playing for a few years with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he landed a gig with Billy Cobham and then broke through with Miles Davis' comeback band from 1981 to 1983, and again in 1985. Since then, he launched a solo career, releasing more than a dozen albums... |
Big Neighborhood Big Neighborhood Big Neighborhood is the fourteenth solo studio album by jazz guitarist Mike Stern. The 2009 release was produced by Jim Beard and released by Heads Up International. It debuted at number five on the Billboard Top Traditional Jazz Albums chart and was nominated for the 2010 Grammy Award for Best... |
Steve performs guitar on "Big Neighborhood" and sitar on "Moroccan Roll" | |
| 2009 | Orianthi Orianthi Orianthi Panagaris , better known simply as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8... |
Believe Believe (Orianthi album) Bonus tracks- Believe bonus tracks :The Believe tracks are listed under tracks 2, 3, 8, 12, 13 and 14 respectively.Tracks 13, 14 and 15 are included in the Japanese release of Believe .- UK tracklist :- Singles :... |
Steve appears on and co-wrote the song "Highly Strung" | |
| 2010 | Meat Loaf Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor... |
Hang Cool Teddy Bear Hang Cool Teddy Bear -Disc 2: Tour Edition:During Meat Loaf's 2010 UK tour, a special two-disc tour edition was given out. The second disc included four songs recorded live at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey, on July 16, 2010.-Reception:... |
Steve performs on "Love Is Not Real/Next Time You Stab Me in the Back" & "Song of Madness" |
Soundtracks
| Year | Soundtrack | Type | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Crossroads Crossroads (1986 film, OST) -Track listing:* -Film's music chronology:- Miscellaneous Informations :* The "Eugene's Trick Bag" is based on the Caprice No. 5 by Nicolo Paganini.... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | All part played by Steve on "The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1" |
| 1987 | Dudes Dudes (film) -Plot:Two punks from the big city , traveling across the country in a Volkswagen bug, embrace the western ethos when they must take revenge against a group of rednecks for killing their friend in this lighthearted road movie... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | Steve performs "Amazing Grace" / This OST is out of print Also on "The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1" |
| 1987 | Less Than Zero Less Than Zero (film) Less Than Zero is a 1987 American drama film loosely based on Bret Easton Ellis' novel of the same name. The film stars Andrew McCarthy as Clay, a college freshman returning home for Christmas to spend time with his ex-girlfriend Blair and his friend Julian , who is also a drug addict... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | Steve performs "Bump 'N Grind", which is not on the OST Less Than Zero (soundtrack) Less Than Zero is the soundtrack to the 1987 film Less Than Zero. It was released on November 6, 1987, through Def Jam Recordings and consisted of a variety of music genres, including hard rock, pop rock, hip hop, heavy metal and contemporary R&B, with most of the album being produced by Rick Rubin... |
| 1991 | Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey: Music from the Motion Picture Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey: Music from the Motion Picture is the licensed soundtrack to the 1991 Orion Pictures film Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. It was released by Interscope Records on July 9, 1991 on CD and cassette formats... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | Steve performs the tracks "The Reaper" and "The Reaper Rap" and a few tracks which are not in the OST Also on "The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1" |
| 1992 | Wayne's World Wayne's World (soundtrack) Wayne's World is the original soundtrack album by the film of the same title. It was released on February 18, 1992.-Track listing:# "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen# "Hot and Bothered" - Cinderella# "Rock Candy" - BulletBoys# "Dream Weaver" - Gary Wright... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | Steve performs with Joe Satriani on Alice Cooper's "Feed My Frankenstein" |
| 1992 | Encino Man Encino Man Encino Man, released in Europe as California Man, is a 1992 comedy film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Brendan Fraser, Sean Astin and Pauly Shore. The plot revolves around two geeky teenagers from Encino, Los Angeles, California played by Astin and Shore, who discover a caveman in their... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | Steve performs the track "Get The Hell Out Of Here" |
| 1994 | PCU PCU (film) PCU is a 1994 comedy film. The film depicts college life at the fictional Port Chester University, and represents "an exaggerated view of contemporary college life...." The film is based on the experiences of writers Adam Leff and Zak Penn at... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | Steve scored this film, and contributed the track "Now We Run" to this soundtrack |
| 1997 | Formula 1 | Video Game Soundtrack | |
| 2001 | Ghosts of Mars Ghosts of Mars John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars is a 2001 American science fiction action horror film composed, written, and directed by John Carpenter. The film stars Ice Cube, Natasha Henstridge, Jason Statham, Pam Grier, Clea DuVall, and Joanna Cassidy... |
Motion Picture Soundtrack | Steve Vai performs on "Ghosts of Mars" and "Ghost Poppin'" |
| 2004 | Halo 2 Soundtrack Volume 1 | Video Game Soundtrack | Steve Vai performs on "Halo Theme Mjolnir Mix" and "Never Surrender" |
| 2006 | Halo 2 Soundtrack Volume 2 | Video Game Soundtrack | Steve Vai performs on "Reclaimer" |
| 2008 | Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock "Virtuoso Track Pack" |
Video Game Soundtrack | Steve Vai song "For The Love Of God" |
Compilations
| Year | Artists | Compilation | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Various | Guitar's Practicing Musicians | Steve plays guitar on the track "Western Vacation" as Reckless Fable |
| 1993 | Various | Zappa's Universe (Tribute to Frank Zappa) | Steve plays guitar on "Sofa" & "Dirty Love" |
| 1995 | Various | In From The Storm(The music of Jimi Hendrix Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter... ) |
Steve appears on "Drifting" and "Bold as Love" |
| 1996 | Various | Songs of West Side Story | Steve appears on "The Rumble" (Steve Vai's Monsters vs. Chick Corea's Elektric Band) |
| 1997 | Various | Merry Axemas: A Guitar Christmas | Steve performs on "Christmas Time is Here" (with Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Eric Johnson and more...) |
| 1997 | Various | Angelica | Steve performs on "Der Holle Rache (Queen of the Night)". This album also features Steve Stevens Steve Stevens Steve Stevens is an American guitarist and songwriter.He is best known for playing for other artists and less known for his critically acclaimed solo efforts , collaborations Steve Stevens (born as Steven Schneider on May 5, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and songwriter.He... and Eric Johnson Eric Johnson Eric Johnson is an American guitarist. Though he is best known for his success in the instrumental rock format, Johnson regularly incorporates jazz, fusion, gospel and country and western music into his recordings... |
| 1999 | Various | Radio Disney Kid Jams | Steve performs the track "Wipe Out" |
| 2001 | Various | Roland Roland Corporation is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,... Guitar Masters |
Steve performs the tracks "Cliffs of Insanity" and "Misfits" |
| 2002 | Various | Guitars For Freedom | Steve contributed the track "Amazing Grace" to this benefit CD |
| 2002 | Various | Warmth In The Wilderness Vol. II – A Tribute to Jason Becker Jason Becker Jason Eli Becker is an American virtuoso neo-classical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Mike Varney-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988... |
Steve Vai performs the track "Feathers" |
| 2004 | Various | The Sounds Of Nascar | Steve is featured on the previously unreleased track "Rush" (Only on "iTunes Music Store") |
| 2006 | Various | Monsters of Rock (EMI, 3CD compilation) | Steve performs with Whitesnake Whitesnake Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style... the song "Fool for Your Loving Fool For Your Loving "Fool for Your Loving" is a song recorded by British hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is from the band's 1980 album Ready an' Willing, but it was later re-recorded in 1989 for the album Slip of the Tongue.-Original version:... " |
Live
| Year | Type | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | VHS / DVD | "Alien Love Secrets" | Steve Vai | Features full performances of all seven songs from the album Alien Love Secrets. |
| 1997 | VHS / DVD | "G3: Live in Concert G3: Live in Concert G3: Live in Concert is a live album and DVD by the G3 project, led by Joe Satriani. It was released in 1997 by Epic Records. This lineup of G3 includes Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Steve Vai... " |
Joe Satriani Joe Satriani Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations... / Steve Vai / Eric Johnson Eric Johnson Eric Johnson is an American guitarist. Though he is best known for his success in the instrumental rock format, Johnson regularly incorporates jazz, fusion, gospel and country and western music into his recordings... |
Steve plays on six tracks (three solo and three with Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson.) |
| 2003 | DVD | "Live at the Astoria, London Live at the Astoria, London Live at the Astoria, London is Steve Vai's first live solo DVD, filmed at the Astoria in London on December 6 and 7, 2001.It contains a feature length audio commentary from Vai and the band.-DVD n.1:# Shyboy# Giant Balls Of Gold# Erotic Nightmares... " |
Steve Vai | Steve's first live solo DVD. Filmed at the Astoria, London UK on December 6 & 7, 2001. |
| 2004 | DVD | "G3: Live in Denver G3: Live in Denver G3: Live in Denver is a live DVD of G3, the touring band in which Joe Satriani and Steve Vai invite another player to come tour with them. In 2003, Yngwie Malmsteen was the chosen one. Along with this DVD, a double-CD album was released, G3: Rockin' in the Free World. The DVD was recorded at the... " |
Joe Satriani Joe Satriani Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations... / Steve Vai / Yngwie Malmsteen |
Steve performs on 3 tracks & 3 jam Tracks |
| 2005 | DVD | "G3: Live in Tokyo G3: Live in Tokyo G3: Live in Tokyo is another G3 live performance which featured John Petrucci along with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai in the 2005 G3 tour. It was released as double live album as well as DVD with extra material: G3 Soundcheck featuring commentary by Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and John Petrucci.In this... " |
Joe Satriani Joe Satriani Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations... / Steve Vai / John Petrucci John Petrucci John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Along with his former bandmate Mike Portnoy, he has produced all Dream Theater albums since their 1999 release, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory... |
Steve performs on 6 tracks |
| 2007 | DVD | "Visual Sound Theories" | Steve Vai | This DVD features the live performances from the Aching Hunger concerts with the Holland Metropole Orchestra in July 2005. |
With Other Artists
| Year | Type | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | VHS / DVD | "The Dub Room Special The Dub Room Special The Dub Room Special is a film produced by Frank Zappa for direct-to-video release in October, 1982. The video combines footage from a performance at the KCET studios in Los Angeles on August 27, 1974, a concert performed at The Palladium, NYC on October 31, 1981, some clay animation by Bruce... " |
Frank Zappa Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed... |
Steve appears 58 minutes into this video performing "Stevie's Spanking" (from The Palladium, NYC show on October 31, 1981) |
| 1985 | VHS | "Power Live" | Alcatrazz Alcatrazz Alcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy... |
Live concert recorded at Shinjuku Kousei Nenkin Hall (Japan) on 10/10/84. |
| 1986 | VHS | "David Lee Roth" | David Lee Roth David Lee Roth David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time.... |
Steve performs on "Yankee Rose" and "Goin' Crazy!". There is also an alternate video take for Steve's guitar solo during the "Goin' Crazy!" video. |
| 1987 | VHS | "Video from Hell Video from Hell Video From Hell is a video released in 1987 by Frank Zappa. It is a compilation of pieces of music and video from a series of projects that Zappa presumably planned to finish and release for home video, including a companion video for the You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore series of albums, but... " |
Frank Zappa Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed... |
Steve appears 11:15 minutes into this video performing "Stevie's Spanking." (Rome, Italy - July 10, 1982) |
| 1989 | VHS | "The True Story of 200 Motels" | Frank Zappa Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed... |
Steve appears 41:33 minutes into this video - in a brief interview shot on July 14, 1982 in Palermo, Sicily. |
| 1990 | VHS | "Metal Head Vol.2" | BMG Video Magazine | This hard to find "video magazine" features an interview with Steve. |
| 1993 | VHS / DVD | "Zappa's Universe: A Celebration of 25 Years of Frank Zappa's Music" | Various Artists | Steve performs on "Dirty Love" (with Dweezil), and "Sofa", a performance that won a Grammy. |
| 1997 | VHS / DVD | "7th Heaven video by Ibanez" | Ibanez Ibanez is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce... Various Artists |
Ibanez promotional-only video includes commentary and music from Steve Vai, Head & Munky from Korn, John Petrucci, Dino Cazares, Andy Timmons, Wes Borland, Jerry Sims. |
| 2003 | DVD | "Rockthology" | Various Artists | This video compilation features the "I Would Love To" promo video. |
| 2003 | DVD | "The Satch Tapes" (Originally released on VHS in 1993) |
Joe Satriani Joe Satriani Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations... |
This DVD re-release features a brief interview with Steve circa 1992. |
| 2004 | DVD | "Crossroads Guitar Festival Crossroads Guitar Festival The Crossroads Guitar Festival is a music festival and benefit concert first held in 2004 and again in 2007 and 2010. The festivals benefit the Crossroads Centre founded by Eric Clapton, a drug treatment center located in Antigua. The concerts are also intended to be a showcase for a variety of... " |
Various Artists | Steve and the band performing “Get The Hell Outta Here. |
Movies (As an Actor)
| Year | Type | Album | Artist | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | VHS / DVD | "Crossroads" Crossroads (1986 film) Crossroads is a 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson.The film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and featured an original score featuring Ry Cooder and Steve Vai on the soundtrack's guitar, and... |
Columbia Tristar (Movie) | Steve appears in this movie as "Jack Butler", a devil guitarist |
| 2005 | DVD | "Bill & Ted's Most Excellent Collection" | MGM Video | Bonus Feature : “Score! An Interview With Guitarist Steve Vai.” |
| 2008 | DVD | "Crazy" | FN Crazy Film LLC | Steve appears in this movie as "Hank Williams" |
| 2008 | DVD | "Tattooed" | Steve appears in this movie as himself | |
| 2009 | TV | "Metalocalypse Metalocalypse Metalocalypse is an American animated television series, created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha, which premiered on August 6, 2006 on Adult Swim... " |
Animated TV Series | Steve appears as guest Voice on ep.39 "Renovationklok" & ep.40 "Tributeklok" |
Grammy Awards
|-| 1990
| Passion & Warfare
| Best Rock Instrumental Album
|
|-
| 1994
| "Sofa" from Zappa's Universe
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance was an honor presented to recording artists for quality instrumental rock performances at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
|
|-
| 1995
| "Tender Surrender" from Alien Love Secrets
Alien Love Secrets
Alien Love Secrets is an EP made by Steve Vai in 1995. It was written as a stripped-down guitar, bass and drums record with minimal keyboards...
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 1997
| "For the Love of God" from G3: Live in Concert
G3: Live in Concert
G3: Live in Concert is a live album and DVD by the G3 project, led by Joe Satriani. It was released in 1997 by Epic Records. This lineup of G3 includes Joe Satriani, Eric Johnson and Steve Vai...
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 1999
| "Windows to the Soul" from The Ultra Zone
The Ultra Zone
The Ultra Zone is a 1999 album from guitarist Steve Vai.The Ultra Zone is structurally similar to Vai's previous album, Fire Garden, in that the first half of the album consists mainly of instrumentals, and the second half mainly of vocal songs; however, unlike Fire Garden, The Ultra Zone is not...
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2001
| "Whispering a Prayer" from Alive in an Ultra World
Alive in an Ultra World
Alive in an Ultra World is a live album by Steve Vai, recorded during The Ultra Zone world tour in 2000, and released in 2001. The songs compiled on this album were written specifically for the countries that Vai and his band were visiting...
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| No Substitutions
| Best Pop Instrumental Album
Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality instrumental albums in the pop music genre...
|
|-
| 2006
| "Lotus Feet"
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 2008
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
| "The Attitude Song"
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 2009
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
| "Peaches En Regalia" from Zappa Plays Zappa
Zappa Plays Zappa
Zappa Plays Zappa is an American tribute act led by Dweezil Zappa, the eldest son of the late American composer and musician Frank Zappa, devoted to performing the music of Frank Zappa.- History :...
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|-
| 2010
52nd Grammy Awards
The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year on January 29, two days prior to the Grammy telecast. Only ten of the 109 awards were received during the broadcast...
| "Now We Run" from Where the Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are (Steve Vai album)
Where the Wild Things Are is a 2009 album by American guitarist Steve Vai. The album was recorded and filmed at the State Theatre in Minneapolis, MN as part of Vai’s “Sound Theories” world tour. The 2 hour and 40 minute set contains several new tracks and re-orchestrated pieces culled from Vai's...
| Best Rock Instrumental Performance
|
|}
Guitar Player magazine
- 1995 Gallery of Greats
- 1995 Best Rock Guitarist (Tie with Jimmy Page)
- 1995 Best Overall Guitarist - 3rd Place
- 1995 Best Experimental Guitarist (tie with Buckethead)
- 1995 Best Metal Recording - 3rd Place
- 1995 Best Overall Guitar Recording - 2nd Place
- 1995 Best Metal Guitarist - 3rd Place
- 1990 Best Rock Guitarist
- 1990 Best Overall Guitarist
- 1990 Best Guitar Album
- 1990 Best Metal Guitarist
- 1989 Best Rock Guitarist
- 1988 Best Rock Guitarist
- 1987 Best Rock Guitarist
- 1987 Best Overall Guitarist
- 1986 Best Rock Guitarist
Guitar World
- 1990 Most Valued Player (tie with Stevie Ray Vaughan)
- 1990 Best Album
- 1990 Best Rock Guitarist
- 1990 Best Guitar Solo (For the Love of God)
- 1989 Best Rock Guitarist
Select magazine (UK)
- 1990 Best Album (Passion and Warfare)
- 1990 Best Musician
- 1990 Sexiest Male
Guitar for the Practicing Musician
- 1993 Editor's Choice Award
- 1990 Reader's Choice – Guitar Album of the Year
- 1990 Best Instrumental Guitarist of the Year
- 1988 Rock Guitarist of the Year
- 1987 Hall of Fame
- 1986 Guitar in the 90's Award
Kerrang (UK)
- 1993 Best Hard Rock Performance
- 1990 Guitarist of the Year
- 1989 Best Rock Guitarist
RAW
- 1990 Best Selling LP Sleeve (No. 1)
- 1990 Best Selling Promo Video (No. 5, I Would Love To)
- 1990 Best Selling Promo Video (No. 7, The Audience is Listening)
- 1990 Best Sex Object (No. 6)
- 1990 Best RAW Cover (No. 3)