Yeah, the quality of alot of my videos sucks, but I was a teenaged kid at the time, recording on a VHS in SLP. What did I know about quality at the time?? Nothing, obviously. At least I had the good sense to hold onto it for all these years. I've uploaded a small fraction of what I actually collected back then. I have hundreds of VHS tapes with mixed stuff on them all. I guess something is better than nothing. Right?? Enjoy!!
I remember when this show aired. I was 19 and had already owned my Ibanez Jem for about two years. Loved and worshiped this album (still do) ... Great post
I was the first in the entire country to buy passion and warfare when it came out, The country i am from is really small and probably no one but me heared of the guy...so.....you are probably wondering what country that might be..
Will Horton as a non steve vai fan, i agree. i don't like his music, i tried to like it, i listened to several albums but apart from a couple of parts within songs i dislike his music. but that's a matter of taste, his playing and writing are outstanding. he truly is one of the most capable guitar virtuosos out there.
I remember watching this back then. I recorded it on VHS too - I remember trying to pause and rewind to figure out the licks. I thought this was lost forever. Thanks for posting.
I still have this incredible amazing LIVE performance from one of my endless inspirations and heroes..when it aired on BETA yes BETA..Passion and Warfare..Brother Steve Vai..blew up the Guitar World with that album..nothing like it..!!!!!!!!!
What a genius with the Eventide Harmonizer! Incredible/beautiful. I remember the day PASSION AND WARFARE came out! In 1987 my friend lent me the BLUE POWDER sound page from Guitar Player... I WAS PRAYING Blue Powder would be on PAW...and thank God it was because I couldn't go another year without hearing it. Shear genius. 22 years later and I STILL listen to Passion and Warfare at least once a month...and sometimes every day... :) What a gift Steve's music is! Great video!
I played this song as a drummer as my guitar player wanted to play it....brings back memories..I saw this episode of Letterman when it came out, I guess that's shows my age.
Hard for me to believe how controversial Vai and his musicianship are to so many here. I played music professionally (country/country rock fiddle and guitar) out of Vegas for a number of years and have been around some great musicians. Also I have a music education degree and have played every Beethoven Symphony (on violin), and lost track of how many times I played the 5th. I'm here to tell you that the first time I heard Vai play I nearly fell out of my chair. My son, who was maybe 13 at the time, found him on TH-cam playing "Whisper A Prayer", live in London. It was the first time in my life I'd seen a musician who I felt had more potential for musical expression than his instrument even allowed him to convey. The emotional and spiritual energy this guy plays with is virtually unmatched in my experience. The only thing that tops Vai IMHO is some of the really great groups who achieved great unity and drive because of their unity. You may laugh, but among these groups I include The Jackson Five doing "ABC". Sly and the Family Stone doing "Everyday People". Duane Allman in his day (and in his own way) could deliver a song with great emotion and pyrotechnics. Prince's performance in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame doing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (2003/2004?) compares also. As for anyone who is bored by this clip, I have to question what you find exciting. Sorry to take so long saying all this, but IMHO Steve Vai is a virtuoso of the highest order, excelled by few if any in the present day, irregardless of genre or instrument. He is a phenomenal genius whose place in the pantheon of the Greatest of the Guitar Greats is secure.
Mike Deason+ Looking at Steve's hands he was born to play somekind of instrument. I can't believe how long and thin his fingers are. I'm cursed with short and thick fingers which makes it a P.I.T.A. to play guitar cleanly. And yes, he is an amazing player and shows it by making what he's playing look effortless to him.. Thanks.. :)
You have more you say? I'd love to see what you have of Vai at the beginning of his solo career. It seems footage of him playing on his original neons and swirls is rather rare and his playing style really has changed since then. It's cool to hear everything and listen to how his style evolved. Just noted, there is interest in old Vai videos of any quality. Thanks for uploading this!
His guitar playing prowess is of course proven and no denying. What I`d like to comment on is his image ...it is the best in these years. Guitar hero rock star!
This brings back memories And just to think that most of the people in that crowd Couldn't really appreciate what they were seeing or should I say hearing
the people who say he's only technical and has no significant songwriting have no fucking idea what they're talking about, as i guitarist i find Vai' s composing skills as some of the most Amazing in the Whole guitar universe, people who say he's only technical are not even guitarists, or maybe very bad and souless ones, just listen to Passion and Warfare, way Beyond any Satriani record, Malmesteen's and the list goes on...It seems like youtube gives the chance to ignorant people to raise their popularity in saying bullshit, which is very sad, who knows keep it for himself usually, in this chase i was so pissed of ignorant comments that i couldn't shut my mouth, at least study guitar before writing abominations under Steve Vai' videos, for Christ's sake
but this song sucks bro. kind of ironic to make that post to this video. the song is like something you might see in a B movie about teenager love affair and they play it when the guy gets in the girl's pants at the end of the movie. also Vai's outfit looks ridiculous. why is he wearing riding chaps? did he ride a horse to the studio? totally ridiculous.
This is just an ignorant and ridiculous reply, you certainly do not play and compose music so you can't understand it, otherwise you could if you had good taste.Could you even be able to conceive something that original? i'm a composer and i have a decade of experience, this song is brilliant and original, you could not even be a composer for the easy fact that those who create don't criticize what they can't understand. People like you, for the reason that don't have the talent to create, destroy verbally whatever takes the guts, courage, talent(which you don't have) to be created. Those comments under a true Genius like Vai is, make me really laugh at the pathetic world of today
you are not original for imagining in terms and images which are already made, nowadays people lack imagination, because we depend on prebuilt informations, marketing and images
I recorded this on a vhs years ago when it first aired. .I still have it. .. wondering if anyone has noticed the dark haired girl sitting way in the back to the right of the drummer. .. (Our right) way back in the corner. .. Every now and then you'll see her face pop out
Este tío,es dios con la guitarra.Si no el mejor guitarrista de la era moderna,insuperable.Es como Paco de Lucia pero en rock.........🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸☠☠☠☠☠🔊🔊🔊🔊🎸☠☠☠☠
@abetterplaceband Probably around 1990, which is the year that Passion & Warfare-the album that Letterman was holding in the beginning) was released. Also, long enough ago that this performance was originally recorded on a VHS tape.
Via is quite unique and does for the electric guitar as what John Williams does for the classical guitar, which is understanding his instrument. Yes a poser and visual product, but an excellent musician.
That's cool you got it, this is probably the only solo album of Vai's I actually liked. For the Love of God is terrific, but there were several songs on here that had a lot of melody and I find most of Vai's stuff is too concentrated on acrobatics and not enough melody, something I find Satriani does better. Cool vid, thanks for upping.
absolutely. Steve knew this once he went solo and admitted it. Steve is more like a composer and that won't get you really famous, famous but not elite famous.
Yeah, the quality of alot of my videos sucks, but I was a teenaged kid at the time, recording on a VHS in SLP. What did I know about quality at the time?? Nothing, obviously. At least I had the good sense to hold onto it for all these years. I've uploaded a small fraction of what I actually collected back then. I have hundreds of VHS tapes with mixed stuff on them all. I guess something is better than nothing. Right?? Enjoy!!
Thank you.
It really doesn't look that bad
Man. I can't believe you didn't record this in HD. Lol Thanks for posting this stuff! It's awesome.
Legend
thank you
I remember when this show aired. I was 19 and had already owned my Ibanez Jem for about two years. Loved and worshiped this album (still do) ...
Great post
I was the first in the entire country to buy passion and warfare when it came out, The country i am from is really small and probably no one but me heared of the guy...so.....you are probably wondering what country that might be..
Lol! The 1st power chord was so badass it totally knocked off the tracking of the vcr that was taping the performance!
LOL
+1dabirdman nice one!! haha :D
@@kevinkraft5480 lmao
Steve Vai, what a nice little boy!!!! Love his music!!
Such a phenomenal artist. This man was and is a true virtuoso in every sense
He's about all we have now that unfortunately Eddie is gone...
i get chills, so good. Eddy and Steve are the best, they each have their own style...they're both mesmerizing.
Even for people who don't like him or his style of playing. You have to admit he's an amazing guitarist, and definately up in the list of the best.
Will Horton as a non steve vai fan, i agree. i don't like his music, i tried to like it, i listened to several albums but apart from a couple of parts within songs i dislike his music. but that's a matter of taste, his playing and writing are outstanding. he truly is one of the most capable guitar virtuosos out there.
His fingers are freakishly long.
My fingers also long but still can’t master any solo
The band in the back like, "just let him go dudes"
XD
hahahaha
I remember watching this back then. I recorded it on VHS too - I remember trying to pause and rewind to figure out the licks. I thought this was lost forever. Thanks for posting.
A true artist, best guitarist in the world!
I still have this incredible amazing LIVE performance from one of my endless inspirations and heroes..when it aired on BETA yes BETA..Passion and Warfare..Brother Steve Vai..blew up the Guitar World with that album..nothing like it..!!!!!!!!!
i Also LOVE Steve , He is a TRUE MASTER of His Own !!!
His Music is INCREDIBLE GENIAL !!
What a genius with the Eventide Harmonizer! Incredible/beautiful.
I remember the day PASSION AND WARFARE came out!
In 1987 my friend lent me the BLUE POWDER sound page from Guitar Player...
I WAS PRAYING Blue Powder would be on PAW...and thank God it was because I couldn't go another year without hearing it. Shear genius.
22 years later and I STILL listen to Passion and Warfare at least once a month...and sometimes every day... :)
What a gift Steve's music is!
Great video!
Too much shred for the VHS to handle at 3:27
too much changing pixels per second lol VHS is bugging
I remember watching this the night it happened. Absolutely great 👍
🙌🏻🎸Master!!!🔝🏆
I played this song as a drummer as my guitar player wanted to play it....brings back memories..I saw this episode of Letterman when it came out, I guess that's shows my age.
thank you for posting this!!
For some reason he looks like christian bale grew his hair out.
Hard for me to believe how controversial Vai and his musicianship are to so many here. I played music professionally (country/country rock fiddle and guitar) out of Vegas for a number of years and have been around some great musicians.
Also I have a music education degree and have played every Beethoven Symphony (on violin), and lost track of how many times I played the 5th.
I'm here to tell you that the first time I heard Vai play I nearly fell out of my chair. My son, who was maybe 13 at the time, found him on TH-cam playing "Whisper A Prayer", live in London.
It was the first time in my life I'd seen a musician who I felt had more potential for musical expression than his instrument even allowed him to convey. The emotional and spiritual energy this guy plays with is virtually unmatched in my experience.
The only thing that tops Vai IMHO is some of the really great groups who achieved great unity and drive because of their unity.
You may laugh, but among these groups I include The Jackson Five doing "ABC". Sly and the Family Stone doing "Everyday People".
Duane Allman in his day (and in his own way) could deliver a song with great emotion and pyrotechnics. Prince's performance in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame doing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (2003/2004?) compares also.
As for anyone who is bored by this clip, I have to question what you find exciting.
Sorry to take so long saying all this, but IMHO Steve Vai is a virtuoso of the highest order, excelled by few if any in the present day, irregardless of genre or instrument. He is a phenomenal genius whose place in the pantheon of the Greatest of the Guitar Greats is secure.
Amen to that sir!
Mike Deason : Wow, you sound amazing....Ok, just kidding!
Mike Deason+ Looking at Steve's hands he was born to play somekind of instrument. I can't believe how long and thin his fingers are. I'm cursed with short and thick fingers which makes it a P.I.T.A. to play guitar cleanly. And yes, he is an amazing player and shows it by making what he's playing look effortless to him.. Thanks.. :)
He makes it all look effortless. Just a walk in the park.... scary good !
I want that Ibanez Universe nowwwwwww
i want his DNA guitar, Or Flo at a push, (Flo is Evo but has a sustainer)
Thanks for saving this tape! I had a lot of things taped from VHS when I was a teenager. Didn't keep anything. Thanks again!
Thank you for uploading.
Man VAI has always been the best.HUGH u really know how to pick em.Love that ORANGE HOUR BAND outta st.pete florida.....HELLO REIDA...LOVE DAD
A fully formed Steve Vai at maximum Vai level!
GREAT share!
Steve - "Thank gawd for the H3000!"
You have more you say? I'd love to see what you have of Vai at the beginning of his solo career. It seems footage of him playing on his original neons and swirls is rather rare and his playing style really has changed since then. It's cool to hear everything and listen to how his style evolved. Just noted, there is interest in old Vai videos of any quality. Thanks for uploading this!
One of the great guitarists of all time. I seen him in concert in StL. playing for Dweezil. He blew the roof off. Simply awesome!
great score man thank you for uploading it!!
Cool upload. Thank you for sharing!
Very accurate and precise. I love the sparkle the Eventide Harmonizer harmony..
Fantastic!
You nailed it! Well said! 100% agree!
His guitar playing prowess is of course proven and no denying. What I`d like to comment on is his image ...it is the best in these years. Guitar hero rock star!
Steve Vai back then ...He is one of MY GODS "Passion and Warfare" is The BEST Guitar Instrumental Record of ALL Times ..!
Amazing to see how he evolved in song writing and guitar playing from then till now.
The first part is called "Ballerina 12/24" the other song in the last part is "Liberty" both off of the Passion and Warfare album
Steve is the musicians musician..numero uno
One of the greatest musicians of our time.
Letterman used to be cool. I saw this when it aired.Thanks for posting it !
This brings back memories And just to think that most of the people in that crowd Couldn't really appreciate what they were seeing or should I say hearing
I used to use my parent's VCR to record my favorite bands on late night t.v. and rewatch them until the tape wore out too.
😀👍👍
0:48 Ice cream anyone?
yep, sounds like the ice cream van that drives down the road here every summer.............
ahhahahaha... this comment made my day
holy shit...your ice cream trucks do that?
Alex Trapski spot on...awful effect but god like playing.
This is the greatest video ever if you watch this high
really awesome performance
All played though that little Marshall combo!
what a relic!!!!!!!
Vai shines!
the people who say he's only technical and has no significant songwriting have no fucking idea what they're talking about, as i guitarist i find Vai' s composing skills as some of the most Amazing in the Whole guitar universe, people who say he's only technical are not even guitarists, or maybe very bad and souless ones, just listen to Passion and Warfare, way Beyond any Satriani record, Malmesteen's and the list goes on...It seems like youtube gives the chance to ignorant people to raise their popularity in saying bullshit, which is very sad, who knows keep it for himself usually, in this chase i was so pissed of ignorant comments that i couldn't shut my mouth, at least study guitar before writing abominations under Steve Vai' videos, for Christ's sake
but this song sucks bro. kind of ironic to make that post to this video. the song is like something you might see in a B movie about teenager love affair and they play it when the guy gets in the girl's pants at the end of the movie. also Vai's outfit looks ridiculous. why is he wearing riding chaps? did he ride a horse to the studio? totally ridiculous.
This is just an ignorant and ridiculous reply, you certainly do not play and compose music so you can't understand it, otherwise you could if you had good taste.Could you even be able to conceive something that original? i'm a composer and i have a decade of experience, this song is brilliant and original, you could not even be a composer for the easy fact that those who create don't criticize what they can't understand. People like you, for the reason that don't have the talent to create, destroy verbally whatever takes the guts, courage, talent(which you don't have) to be created. Those comments under a true Genius like Vai is, make me really laugh at the pathetic world of today
dimetonn
the song is not original. it sounds like the music they might play when the Queen of Tinkerbell Land knights her favorite fairy.
you are not original for imagining in terms and images which are already made, nowadays people lack imagination, because we depend on prebuilt informations, marketing and images
I don't mean to be offensive, i just find it right to be honest
Awesome! I have this on an old video tape too! LOL
What a player and album!, my prefered!
Ballerina 12/24 is just genius!
I recorded this on a vhs years ago when it first aired. .I still have it. .. wondering if anyone has noticed the dark haired girl sitting way in the back to the right of the drummer. .. (Our right) way back in the corner. .. Every now and then you'll see her face pop out
vai AWESOME
the other band members are like thinking how the fuck do I follow that!
wow, 01:22, beautiful tapping here mister Vai ;)
thank you
Este tío,es dios con la guitarra.Si no el mejor guitarrista de la era moderna,insuperable.Es como Paco de Lucia pero en rock.........🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸☠☠☠☠☠🔊🔊🔊🔊🎸☠☠☠☠
Virtuoso.
He is insane ... precision is unremarkable
I love how when the band starts "Born to Be Wild", Steve just jumps right in.
greatest one
I love that series of guitars steve plays then.
the opening reminds me so much of yes, wow, never a big fan of steve but credit, like it.
He starts off with "Ballerina 12/24" before going into "Liberty", they're both on the Passion and Warfare album he had out at the time
@abetterplaceband Probably around 1990, which is the year that Passion & Warfare-the album that Letterman was holding in the beginning) was released. Also, long enough ago that this performance was originally recorded on a VHS tape.
those were the days hahah
me encanto. un buen
AWESOME HAIR FLIP !!!!!!!
When I grow up I want to be a famous guitar player
Love the hair flipping.
BEAST
That musical intro tho was awesome.
Via is quite unique and does for the electric guitar as what John Williams does for the classical guitar, which is understanding his instrument. Yes a poser and visual product, but an excellent musician.
John Williams and classical guitar? What the fuck are you talking about
Thank you Scurano2 & Happy Christmas
I swear you explain who John Williams is calmy then you say go die in wtf
thanks :)
That's some awesome elevator music. Nothing more...nothing less.
ahhhhhh back in the day when Steve vai had hair
he still has hair
***** I wouldn't know, but obviously you do
The tapping solo of Steve at 1:37 in what song is contained? And his pedals seen are wah wah and the others do you know?
Wow he plays real fast and makes funny noises !!! What's great song !!! Do people buy this ?????
It's an Eventide Harmonizer preset with some crazy delay combined with a pitch shifter layering of multiple intervals :)
Still sounds fresh today. Its an old recording, but way ahead of its-(his) time!!!!
At the pinnacle sits Steve Vai.
A L O N E . O_O
Crossroad❤❤❤❤❤
ive listened to a good deal of vai, but ive never heard this, i am mindblown, someone tell me what this steve vai zappa amazingness
Liberty, opening track from Passion & Warfare
do i detect a hint of frank marinos world anthem in this?
Coolest & Humblest person on this planet, if he is from this planet LoL
A man wayyy beyond his time.......
The year's when stevie have best performance
That's cool you got it, this is probably the only solo album of Vai's I actually liked. For the Love of God is terrific, but there were several songs on here that had a lot of melody and I find most of Vai's stuff is too concentrated on acrobatics and not enough melody, something I find Satriani does better. Cool vid, thanks for upping.
Pretentiousness pervades everything Steve Vai has ever played.
One of the few times you’ll see Steve playing his 8-string (Universe) live.
Satriani said Steve was at a point where he couldn't teach this guy anymore. Joe said Steve was so talented and gifted, he needed to go on.
can any one tell me the name of that song its awesome!!!...
@Black12Phoenix the first song was ballerina the solo after that was from ihs live g3 before for the love of god then liberty
i wish he would still use all these techniques today. Sweeping and alt picking
Im pretty sure he still sweeps, and alternate picking is essential to playing almost everything. Are you suggesting he downpicks every he plays?
Of course not but he never uses alt/sweep/economy picking as extremely as he did in this vid anymore
Though I agree with you, just a correction: Whispering a Prayer is from the live album "Alive In An Ultra World". :)
absolutely. Steve knew this once he went solo and admitted it. Steve is more like a composer and that won't get you really famous, famous but not elite famous.