LEGEND QUIT David Lee Roth To FINISH What Many Say Is GREATEST Guitar Song EVER! | Professor Of Rock
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ส.ค. 2024
- Like sonic light cutting through the darkness, listening to this track is guaranteed to take you to a higher plane. It has been called one of the of the greatest guitar songs ever written. And it contains one of the greatest solos ever played. Steve Vai’s For The Love of God came about in an instinctive moment after this virtuoso picked up his guitar and everything just started to flow. He had fasted for 10 days to gain the spiritual intuition to get to a higher vibration. But amazingly, it would sit on the shelf years before it ever made it to record. In this episode I sit down with the legendary guitar hero himself and discover the origin story of one of the most powerful and inspirational rockers of all time. Oh ya and he also tells us about losing to his son when they play this on guitar hero. It’s a good one coming.
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So, I’m excited to bring you another episode from our series Revelations. This is where featured artists reveal rare stories about their biggest songs. Along with fascinating insight about their careers. On this installment of Revelations, I get to sit down with legendary guitar virtuoso Steve Vai to talk about his 1990 masterwork For the Love of God, from his album Passion and Warfare.
As many of you likely know...Passion and Warfare was written based on a series of dream sequences that Vai had. Vai was doing a lot of reading at the time, including reading about lucid dreams, or becoming conscious in your dream state. As he started to experiment with his sleep patterns. And he got results he was looking for. He became vividly aware of what was happening in his dreams.
Sketches and concepts for the album started as early as 1982, but were shelved after he joined David Lee Roth. But even during his time with Roth, the concepts for Passion and Warfare were bubbling over. Although he enjoyed collaboration with Diamond Dave, Vai had started to move in different directions, feeling like there was this whole other world of music to explore. Steve parted ways with Dave in 1989.
After Roth, Vai was determined to finish his nearly decade old record. This happened at the same time he was completing the guitar parts for the Whitesnake record Slip of the Tongue and touring with the band. It was all recorded in The Mothership studio at his home in Hollywood Hills. Passion and Warfare was released on May 22, 1990. When it came out there were a lot of people wondering what exactly it was. It wasn’t a conventional guitar record. If there is such a thing. It was not genre specific.
Steve Vai summed it up as “Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a party that Ben Hur threw for Mel Blanc.”
Really, he had no expectations for the album, but was completely open to the creative muse. It was liberating. Said Vai, “When you are completely engrossed in something that feels natural to you, there’s no compromising. Compromising means that there is something else that you are fighting against. And there was none of that. It was pure creative freedom and joy. And that’s what I felt flowing through me at the time.”That is how the record came.
Poll: What is the greatest guitar instrumental ever composed?
A tough choice. There are too many great ones for different reasons.
I'll go with "Cliffs of Dover" by Eric Johnson.
Gary Moore - The Loner
Cliffs Of Dover- Eric Johnson;
Satch Boogie- Joe Satriani;
Hot Sauce- Son Seals.
This...or Cliffs of Dover. Cliffs of Dover made me sit up and recognize the guitar and get me wanting to play...For the Love of God...made me want to give up playing...even though it's an absolute baroque instrumental cacophony. Both brilliant.
Quantum Flux By Ace Frehley
Vai is a killer guitarist. He's also a great man. He brings out young players on stage with him, and introduces them to audiences they probably would never get to play to.
I 9o. K i 9o o ll
A very friendly dude.
it was more than loud, it was everything.
I did not know he did that. I’m not surprised. He collaborated with Polyphia recently on their song ego death and it was spectacular. If you haven’t checked out the video, I strongly recommend that you do so. It’s great that he does everything he can to pass on the torch. We need a new generation of guitar gods. We need it very badly. They are out there but, the way the music industry is these days, they are undiscovered unless you happen to stumble upon them on TH-cam.
Jeff Beck was also great at giving up and comers a stage
There is absolutely nothing that can negatively be said about Steve Vai. One of the most accomplished musicians ever . And he continues to make music on the highest of levels.
He's also a cool person.
The most humble person i ever met..the fact that hes probably the most influential guitarist on the planet..well ..when i spoke with him he never broke eye contact ..even after a few interruptions..ive been a fan since he stepped on stage halloween 1981 in nyc. ,with Frank Zappa..he has never stopped pushing the bouderies of what can be done on the guitar...
I met him...he was a total asshole
Absolutely. Vai is such a nice guy and absolutely shreds on an alien level.
"For The Love Of God" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. The other is "Cliffs Of Dover" by Eric Johnson.
The live version is amazing .
Discovered Vai in "Crossroads"... followed him a bit, but this interview is enlightening. That place he's talking about is the "Outside of Time" dimension, where we come from. His description of slamming back into his body is a common description of returning to the body that many Near Death Experience people talk about. Steve's been there. His music is what he brought back.
How does this channel not have 10M subs, given how many amazing interviews he's done already? It boggles the mind!
Share it with everyone and hit like to add to the algorithm. I found it by accident years ago and still hooked today.
and he's still under a million subs, I was thinking the same
honest answer? the click-baity titles that don’t tell people who the video is about. It also makes the videos non-searchable. love the channel, but took me a long time to care enough to click on them. and even now, if I wanted to go back and rewatch an episode, I’d never remember what the video was called.
I completely lost it when I saw this video come up. Never in a million years would I have expected this particular video. You're the man, Adam.
A close friend gave me a copy of Passion and Warfare back in 1992 and it blew me away. It was my introduction to Steve Vai and I played that cassette until it wore out. He's still my favorite guitarist of all time. The first time I heard For The Love Of God it brought tears to my eyes and before it was over I was outright bawling. 30 years later it still makes my eyes well up. The passion and pleading in that song, the anguish and elation, are just so powerful. Just a year before I had an incident with a severely mentally ill family member that almost resulted in my death and everything I thought I knew about life was turned upside down. When I heard this song, and even now, it resonates with the turmoil and confusion of that period of my life.
It’s a POWERHOUSE of a song.
Great Story thanks for sharing
So rare to have someone with his talent be such a genuinely down to earth and nice person
He's the Genuine Article!!!!!!!! Extremely Talented… And Very Humble 😌 18:28
Thank you for highlighting a guitar GOAT: STEVE VAI.
Kudos Professor of Rock for all the work you put into giving us great Rock n' Roll content. It doesn't go un-noticed, and is greatly appreciated.
Rock on!
Vai is great...but he's not the GOAT; that would be Eddie Van Halen.
@@scott6828 well that’s good because they didn’t say “the” GOAT. They said “a” GOAT.
@@scott6828 As amazing as Steve is, it is the legendary Edward Van Halen who tops them all . There is just something about Edward that no other guitarist in history has and it's almost impossible to explain but I'll give you an example of what I mean . The great Steve Vai used to be at Frank Zappa's house all the time where Dweezil Zappa was also always around , not surprising of course he's Franks son for God's sake. Despite Steve always being around and playing amazing guitar Dweezil was absolutely OBSESSED with Eddie , that's all he talked about . That's how it was with tens of millions of other up and coming guitarists , no matter how many other amazing guitarists were around everybody including every guitar publication on the planet focused and obsessed over Eddie . It's not his tapping either, it was the whole package he was a true freak that wasn't from this planet . He changed everything . There was just something that he had that even to this day nobody has or ever will have.
There hasn't been a single Steve Vai interview I've seen where I haven't come away from it liking him more and more. Superb talent and great guy.
So gutted this morning after finding out that Irene Cara passed away at 63. She was a multitalented singer and actress who inspired many people, including myself, to live forever and learn how to fly high. What a feeling, those memories of breakdancing out here on my own. I decided to add her Flashdance anthem to the Mining for Diamonds 1983 playlist.
We are thinking on the same page. He should do a video on Irene Cara. What a feeling from flashed and is one of the defining 80 songs
No one lives forever!
@@keithguidry2841
"Who wants to live forever?"
@@DavidPackluvr not me!
What a shame. She was one of the brightest stars of the early 80's. I agree, Adam should do an episode that showcases her incredible talent.
I’ve had the good fortune of seeing Steve Vai perform twice. A Total honor! He’s the greatest in my opinion.
I remember getting to see him on the Eat 'Em and Smile tour and he was phenomenal! It was a super group and everyone was at their best. The whole show was amazing and to this day, the most fun show I have ever seen! I think Damn Yankees comes in next as Nugent is almost as big a character as Diamon Dave. Steve is a much more technical player though. Really apples and oranges there.
Vai is and always has been an alien. There is no one else that will ever compare to his talent. The ability to have a dream and make it reality is genius and for the Love of God is a true blessing on Earth.
I notice people are amazed that you know about their background, you are the professor, I haven't heard this axe masters Steve Vai album, now I will , Salvador Dali painted his dreams, Steve played his , the true measure of a person is how they handle adversity, Steve figured it out
Steve Vai is one of my guitar heroes, pun intended, without any doubt. Just an absolutely chill and cool guy with so much technical and influential prowess! Thanks for the stories man!
Guitar Hero Indeed! 🎸
I love when people reach their potential and do so in such a humble way. He is a special man first and a guitar hero second.
Steve literally followed his dreams. Thank god he had the opportunity to record it all. Great interview, he is so based and humble.
My understanding is that Frank Zappa encouraged hem to record things on his own, perhaps even to build the studio. Its been ages since I read the liner notes on Flexible. It tells the facts. There's something dead in here... 🤣😂
Got to see Steve live last month (October) and wow! Got to experience it with my son (who was just floored and is now a big Vai fan).
For the Love of God was just absolutely amazing. There was a something special that night in that song.
Thanks Steve.
That's great you got to take your son and he was inspired 🎸👍🎸👍
Sometime in the '80s, Guitar Player Magazine featured "Blue Powder" on one of their "Soundpage" records, a flimsy plastic record contained within the magazine. I was blown away when I heard that, and he has been regarded by me as one of the very best ever since. He's a guitar magician.
Wow! That was an amazing interview! Thank you, professor 🙏. I saw Steve when he played for Whitesnake. He was incredible! I loved the show.
I’ve gotta tell you this story, & this only happened to me once at a concert. It was in Steve’s solo, & in some portion of it, I felt faint. The feeling passed in a few seconds, but it was a weird experience. I wasn’t high, & didn’t drink. I’ve gone to quite a few concerts, but that only happened that one time. I’m convinced that it was him playing so fast, & at a certain frequency of the notes that I felt faint. Fascinating, & incredible.
Some legends have a profound effect on you like that.
I love Steve Vai’s appearance as Jack Butler in the movie Crossroads- his electric guitar duel against Ralph Macchio - so cool 😎
Awesome interview too Professor!
It’s been years since I saw that!
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 watch the guitar duel on TH-cam
@@duromusabc Got it, thx
Steve Vai is my favorite guitarist! Plus, I loved his turn in the movie "Crossroads".
👍👍That show blew us away when it came out!!🎸🕺😃 Especially the dueling scene with Ralph and Steve down in hell!!
@@jayheinz4624 my favorite scene in the movie? 😁👍
Steve is the best, such a nice guy, so glad I got to meet him and got my guitar signed. I was at college when Passion and warfare came out, it just blew my mind, got into Steve from the slip of the tongue album.
Steve Vai is the top of the list for me! I was blessed to have the opportunity to meet him this year and he is truly incredible! Gracious, humble, and the coolest guy on the planet!
A Songbird has flown to heaven ...
Christine McVie passed...as a long time Fleetwood Mac fan ...this is truly heartbreaking. But she has left a huge legacy that will shine and sparkle forever ..that is the absolute flawlessly beautiful, sometimes wistful voice ..that perfectly complimented her gorgeous, ethereal songwriting. Such a beautiful example of a talented, classy and super cool woman. RIP Christine Perfect 🧚
I saw Steve Vai in concert for the first time just last month. He’s still amazing. Got a photo with him too, was over the moon.
Was that in one of his Midwest concerts? I just saw him in Fargo North Dakota last wednesday,, that's great you got a photo with him 🎸🐦
Going to see Mr Vai this weekend in Napa. This will be the 3rd time, but the first time he was the main act. I've been into this guy's weird beautiful music since passion and warfare - which was the first CD I ever bought.
All I can say about his music is 'I get it'.. this dude is in my top 5 guitar players (along with Ed and SRV). I'm so excited to see him, and super happy you covered him
Also, For the Love of God is a gateway. It is an incredible song. Lotus Feet, and the Angel Food section of Fire Garden suite are also just angelic
That's close to where my oldest son lives,,, didn't know he was playing out there?, I just got to see Steve for the first time in Fargo North Dakota, this last Wednesday! You won't be disappointed!🕺 Unless, he decides to make another homemade pizza before the concert? Hahaha! 😃 🐦
I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Vai the guitar virtuoso, and he was as amazing in person as his music. I wish him a long a fruitful life and continued creativity.
Adam, the fact that you "do your homework" (10:55-11:02) is the best compliment and noblest way of honoring your guests. I'm always rooting for you when you show you've done your due diligence and are not some shallow wannabe interviewer. I always give you thumbs up, gotta work that algorithm! Another great one!👍🏻
thank you!
I tend to get as much or even more value from Steve’s life experience and humility, than I do from his music.
A great musician that you never hear anything but positive comments from. I think his focus on positivity has helped him focus on becoming great. My daughter and I just saw him play and he is as phenomenal as ever!!!
Steve is such a wonderful person, so kind and unassuming. His positivity rises above his playing!!
I am more of a piano lover but Vai’s guitar on this song was so amazing. So powerful, yet had that eerie vibe to it that drew me in. Rock on brother!
I agree on both points but I think piano and lead guitar make a great combo. Kind of an opposites attract type thing.
It’s an amazing solo.
Since day one Steve Vai leaves me musically and spiritually absolutely speechless.
Seems like a cool guy..down to earth and interesting to talk with...props to Adam for earning his respect to....always makes for better interviews
God given Steve a talent to make people come together...and Steve delivered
Vai is the perfect example of a guitar hero that got to a point in his career where he could make the music that was his sheer creativity that a whole audience would get to hear because of his fame. This work is jaw dropping that I have to put on headphones and close my eyes because it is from somewhere else in the universe . It's funny he doesn't even want to take credit for his creativity he almost sounds like it is given to him from some unknown entity in the room. Great episode professor, always love his interviews such a fascinating musician
Eddie and his band mates get all the love, but what about Steve Vai? He is an absolutely incredible guitarist. This song, especially, is otherworldly and mindblowing.
@@xxlilly_playsxxkiz9980 I agree, Vai is so much deeper that just a riff master and soloist
I agree wholeheartedly.
@@MyName-pl7zn He’s just a great guy in general. Very witty and cool.
Just like Frank
You introduce your audience to such incredible music and give such stellar interviews! Thank you!
My true guitar hero, since 1984! His influence on my playing, cannot be quantified. I only wish I had 10% of his genius.
Ah Man! Thanks for this Prof!!! One of my favorite guitar players and influencers! The whole Passion and Warfare album is transcending! When I listened to it for the first time, I just sat there mesmerized, not moving a muscle. It took me to a whole different place!
It’s a perfect album.
Always been a big fan of Vai, since the Zappa days.. Passion and Warfare is wonderful.. Much like Jeff Beck’s “Where Were You” the fluidity of “For the Love of God” is a spiritual experience more than a mere song.
Not strictly a guitar instrumental but super underrated and pure genius to have created it so young Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield is such a beautiful piece of music
Awesome interview by both of you! Steve is such an awesome dude and my god his playing is so unbelievable! Just saw him live recently and my brain is still trying to comprehend his playing and how easy he makes it look!
Have followed Steve for over 30 years, he's definitely not afraid of pushing boundaries, Flexable wasn't a favorite of mine but most everything else he has done intrigues and entertains me. He truly is an artist in every sense of the word. Thanks again for this segment Professor I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Flexible was experimental when he first built his studio. He was working with or had just finished working with Zappa who did odd experimental things too. Like a lot of Zappa, that isn't everyone's cup of tea. 🙂
I never really got into Steve Vai but I'm a huge fan of Joe Satriani! I'll have to take a walk down the Steve Vai aisle & check him out.
Thank you Adam, PoR, for having me as an honorary producer for this episode.
Thanks for watching CharleyAnne.
You might be interested to know that Satriani was Vai's teacher in the early days. There are some crossovers in their approaches.
@@siriusfun I think I knew that. It's been a while since I thought about just the guitarists.
The song tender surrender is a masterpiece by Vai.
Please do, he’s very intelligent.
It's good to see this channel growing at a quick pace! It's quality, great content and your enthusiasm is infectious! Cheers from Arkansas!
Fantastic interview, Professor. 👍🏼
The production quality of that album is outstanding. The crystal-clear clarity of it. I use it as a gold standard for sound quality.
Been lucky enough to see Steve Vai three times in concert: first when he was with Whitesnake in 1990, then in the 90s for his Sex and Religion tour and lastly, just a few weeks ago when he came to St Louis. Incredible talent and just seems like a very cool guy!
Remember that Vai put his time and work into his ART. He broke with Zappa. Then he kept at his craft and today he is still re inventing music the way he plays. Incredible musician!
I think that Steve Vai music will be huge in a few more years. Way ahead of his time. It may not make sense right now but later will become music that is so more important for years to come. A genius artist
Mr. Vai is an exceptional human being. He touches on hard times. His music with DLR and solo has helped me through some really dark, brutal times that I've had. I am always forever grateful for his insight and music.
Fantastic conversation, good job. I have been fortunate enough to have met Steve a few times over the years, and he is a very genuine, special human being.
This guys personality is just as amazing as his guitar playing. Such a good dude.
My absolute favorite song of his. There’s a version kicking around TH-cam where he plays it with an orchestra which is just absolutely sublime.
A great player,performer,songwriter! I must say that his spiritual sense has always been apparent to me. I would guess Steve is an awesome teacher as well.
During the lockdown, he was releasing a lot of videos. He spoke as a mentor and a friend to his fans. He shared and was just such an all around gracious guy.
so glad i was able to see Vai live when he was with DLR...eat em and smile tour.......still ranks as one of the best concerts i've ever seen
Sounded like fun!
I remember when Passion and Warfare came out. I was in High School, and my friends and I were all long haired, aspiring guitar players. We were obsessed with that record. It made us realize that the guitar was a limitless instrument. And anything was possible. Such a classic record. Still holds up after all these years. 💯🎸
Steve is such an inspirational thinker, let alone being one of the greatest most original electric guitar players ever to live. Passion and Warfare is no doubt one of the most powerful guitar records ever to have been recorded.
Excellent interview, Steve Vai is such a master of guitar. Amazing insight from Steve himself
I love this! Being Spiritual myself, (NOT RELIGIOUS) hearing him speak gave me so many affirmations and validations regarding my own journey. We are all connected and come from the same source. The Universe expresses its love and joy of creating through us and when you're spiritually awake, it comes through that much more visibly. Energy, frequency and vibration is how the Universe really works! Steve's music is a perfect example of this! Great interview dude :-)
What a great interview! I was a teenager in the 80’s. My favorite music style is 80’s rock/hair metal. I am not a musician however so purely a fan. This channel is so amazing because I was what you would call a casual listener in the 80’s though it was all I listened to. The information and details you share make listening now and the memories from my youth so much more enjoyable by learning things I never knew. Thank you!
What an incredible interview by both of you. I really enjoyed how up close and personal this was. I love all the episodes from the Professor of Rock. And this one makes me get out and purchase some vintage SV material to dive back in much deeper
Steve changed the way I play and write but more importantly, the way I listen to music. Steve Vai is a blessing to us.
Absolutely. A pure LEGEND.
Hey, is someone psychic again? When I saw this I was just listening to a podcast about how a New Mexico family discovered Jesus on a tortilla in 1977. Yes, literally. A mark of Jesus on a freaking TORTILLA. It’s insane how it all came about. Anyway, I love listening to Steve Vai talk. He is one of the smartest musical geniuses out there.
Met Vai a few weeks ago. Did meet and greet. Very gracious and incredible live.
Sisters has to be my all time favorite from the album. One of my top favorite guitar albums!
Wow! So awesome! Love Steve and the channel. The mind is a garden. Plant good seeds (thoughts/self talk) grow good fruit, plant bad seeds you grow bad fruit. Deal with internal negativity. Confront it and replace it with something you are grateful for. Gratitude is the root of joy....
I've been a Steve Vai fan since I heard The Attitude Song right after navy boot camp, he continues to astound me with his creativity 35 years later! My favorite SV song, though is not For the Love of God (as great as it is!)...it is Fire Garden Suite and Angel Food/Taurus Bulba in particular. That song has every thing from incredibly uplifting acoustic/piano to full on metal riffing with the classic crazy Vai solo over it
Steve truly understands how energy works. He knows that discord, resistance, disharmony, trauma, etc. exist as an opportunity for us to expand. He's brilliant. You can see the connection between his great character and his great playing.
He is indeed a gentleman and a scholar as my favorite English teacher used to say when we exceeded his expectations in decoding Shakespeare or writing Anglo Saxon poetry correctly. 😁
Love the album, love the song, love the artist! The GOAT for now, for even he would say he wants future generations to surpass, to innovate and go beyond.
Truly a chill and unique individual with a good understanding of life.
Passion & Warfare, Alien Love Secrets, and Inviolate are always on play in this house!!
1988 DLR on the Skyscraper tour was my first concert ever.
UN-REAL ...and to see Steve Vai with Billy Sheehan and the Bisonette Brothers was a tough act to follow.
A couple of years later he toured with Whitesnake and I went to that show.
I'm truly blessed to have had those experiences as a teenager.
He is still the ultimate guitar God to me....hands down.
I met Steve Vai in a small club on the anniversary tour for the album a few years ago, he was such a nice guy. He was selling copies of his first album reflex he found in his attic and autographed mine
I see him as a cross between Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen and Jeff Beck. He is a guitarist I know little about, but he is extraordinary for sure. I have not heard this album so now I will have to listen to it.
Go for it!
Highly recommend it. He should be up there with Eddie and the rock gods.
Vai was also heavily influenced by prog rock / jazz fusion guitar maestro Alan Holdsworth.
Listen to Holdsworth’s chops in his bands Soft Machine and UK .
Indeed. And his time with Zappa rubbed off, as well.
@@ProfessorofRock I did, it is amazing.😯
Awesome video. What a great guy. Steve is pretty cool too, lmao. Seen him on the skyscraper tour as my first concert. Poison opened in Pittsburgh. For such a huge star, he is quite humble.
Seriously, that may have been the most interesting, uplifting, real interviews I've seen, AND it wasn't too long. I got exactly what was needed. Thank you and Steve! 🙏
Steve’s the man! Really cool guy, too. Gotta see him live for a real treat, especially when he puts on the LED suit and turns off the lights! His guitar book “Vaideology” is excellent, too.
I agree. Thanks Robster.
He’s just so AWESOME.
Steve Vai is really the most accomplished guitarist that there ever was regarding precision. He even teaches classes. He is just about perfectionism.
Love Vai, he is one with the guitar. I have most of his recordings. I like the collaboration he did with Polyphia. Vai is such a humble and down to earth guy. I don't think he sold his soul to become on of the greatest guitar players.
Steve, be happy that you had such an epic career. Your talent and hard work got you where you are today. There are many guitar virtuoso's are out there living under a bridge, blowing dudes in limos for crack money. Or just crack, who will never be heard. You found your window, so never stop giving thanks for knowing all the right people, and being in that right place at the right time. That's how great things happen. You found a way to master your own universe. Have no regrets! If you ever got the chance to back and do it over again. You would never change a thing. You are not just an awesome guitar player. You are an inspiration to other great guitarists, and that message is for them to be them selves, and follow their dreams. God Bless!
Just met him and saw him in Austin last month on his current tour. He is truly a master, a gifted individual and just as genuine as he came across in your interview. His son was on tour with him supporting him (Fire Vai) and it was so awesome to watch their dynamic together. Great interview!
By the way, if you want to watch him in his true mastery...watch him tackle the Hydra th-cam.com/video/Rq6hZYappmM/w-d-xo.html
Grateful for the hard times!!! Man he’s got it! Too many have no idea. Learn overcome and grow!
steve vai is one of a kind when it comes to guitar while i abasalutly love his music i also love just listing to him talk its very rare to see such a grounded person theres just something very interesting about him
One of the most inspirational guitarists alive, possibly the best one of all.
A living legend 🤘
Just took my kids 7 and 8) to see him a last week. Pure legend, and a sweet dude to boot.
Grace. That’s what he’s talking about. It’s a shared experience, especially powerful in music. That’s why we gather to see live performances. I think it misses quite a bit when the performance is purely mechanical/digital. Which explains the continued popularity of symphonic music despite its limited audience on radio.
Awesome interview, love Steve's words of wisdom and it resonates.
Steve Vai is a celestial being placed on this earth for our intergalactic enjoyment!!!
I bought Passion and Warfare the week it came out and listened to it many times. I didn't realize back then how unique this album really was.
I got my cassette version a day or two after it showed up at my local record store. I replaced it on CD many, many moons ago. I miss the days when I would listen to every track on an album over and over. Read all the liner notes. I could tell you which side and which track number each song was. I would devour them because it would take a while to save up enough to make my next purchase. I remember riding my bicycle on the way home from the record store, crossing I-45, praying I wouldn't get hit by a car before I got to hear the 12" singles I just got. Now I can buy a collection of an artist's first 5 albums at a nominal price, but with work, I scan them for ear candy and put them in my play list until I can get around to listening to each album sometime in the future. I need to go see if Amazon has any of Steve's music I don't already own.
@@vinceinhouston4338 I bought mine at a record store near Buffalo Spreedway and Main which I'm sure is long gone. Crossing 45 on a bike was extremely dicey, then and now.
@@gordiasgordian925 For full disclosure, by the time Passion and Warfare came out, I was driving, but in the early 80s, I made the trip via pedal power. Also, I wasn't crossing the actual freeway lanes (four at the time -2 going North and 2 going South), but going under the overpass. The feeder streets there were crazy as there were cars going in every direction fast, as everyone drives in Houston (unless you are from somewhere else - my gf from Colorado about 8 years ago considered it a feat when she drove a rental vehicle there) I was further South thanBuffalo Speedway, in South Houston near Hobby Airport. Biking from Highway 3 to Soundwaves meant you had to cross under 45. Way more intense than going to the U-Totem (eventually replaced by Circle K) to get a Coke. 🥵
i'd never really been into guitar music until one day I was off work sick and browsing through the few TV channels we had in the UK at that time. Suddenly there was this crazy music that i was immediately drawn to. Turns out it was Joe Satriani. As soon as I was well I went to the nearest city to the biggest music store (Virgin megastore in Birmingham) to see if they had it. When I got there there was a life size standee of Steve promoting Passion and Warfare. I'd never heard it but did know him from DLR's band so took a chance on it and Flying in a Blue Dream by Satch. What a day that was. Changed my life as far as music goes. Made me start learning to play guitar and began a love affair with guitar centric music,
Thanks for sharing.
We gotta thank Joe Satriani for giving these legends their very gifts, from Vai to Kirk Hammett.
If I fasted for 10 days, I would start talking like Mel Blanc. 🤔
Have always respected Vai's talent....... loved him in Whitesnake. But he does have a funny side also....... losing to his son, and also the video he does with 2 Cellos is a blast ( He pokes fun at himself ).
Thanks for giving us this one, Professor. Nice to go deep with a virtuoso.
The guy is just so entertaining.
Vai = GOAT. Passion and Warfare still sounds fresh. I picked it up when it came out and was floored. Even after all these years it just blows my mind.
It’s a perfect album.
I've never heard him. I took your advice and listened to it out there on TH-cam. Oh my God it is the most beautiful experience listening to him. Your mind just wanders and is beautiful.
I have to say David Lee Roth's Eat em and Smile Is is one of my favorites. Billy and Steve together It was just what the doctor ordered!!
I saw Vai about 10 years ago with a friend. I remember it was a very enjoyable show. I wish I had known some of this at the time.
All I can say is that I could've listened to this interview for another hour at least.
To be fair, Steve Vai has been the name that guitar players speak about in hushed tones since the very early 80s.. we all knew he worked with Zappa but when Guitar Player magazine put out the flexi- disc series and when they released the Attitude Song from his first solo album Flexible, he began to take up a very large space in the collective consciousness of guitar players...
I remember being 14 years old sitting on my bed looking at the transcription and listening to the music wondering there is no way any man can do this but he did.. any of Professor of rocks subscribers unaware of Vai absolutely need to check out his performance as Jack Butler in the 1986 Ralph Macchio film Crossroads it will blow your mind thanks for having this master magician of a musician on your show🤟
I got to strike off getting to see Vai in concert from my bucket list back in October in Charlotte. Amazing show. Have been a fan since the Passion and Warfare album. He is definitely an immensely talented guitarist. Met his son who was selling merch at the show.
SH_T!!!! I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HE WAS HERE IN CHARLOTTE LAST MONTH OR I'D CERTAINLY BEEN THERE!!! Such happens when work responsibilities seem to overrun, overwhelm and override your conscience!
My bad, my regret. Just had to vent!!
=;-b
Mr. Vai has made music that has airways been part of my life. Thank you for the beauty.
That Jack Butler, he's discouraged a lot of up and comers. But his doppelganger, Steve Vai, has inspired generations of them.