Steve Vai

Karl Hungus

You know, I've been listening to a lot of Steve Vai lately, and watching a lot too, as I recently got the Live ath the Astoria DVD, and the G3 Live In Tokyo DVD seems to have been getting a lot of play lately.

But I think Vai gets a lot of flak as a tasteless fretwanker. I remember reading an interview with one of the guys from Trivium, and I can't quite remember what he said, but there was a lot of Vai bashing going on, about how he can't write a song for ****, and how it doesn't matter how fast he can play. Well, I'm reading this and I'm not sure what to think.

But you know what, I don't think he's a masturbatory indulgenist. Hell, I might get some flak myself for saying so, but I actually like him as a songwriter. I kid you not, I think he's a magnificent songwriter, and when I hear someone say that Steve Vai can't write a song for ****, I think "What are you talking about"? Sure, I think he's a fantastic guitarist, and I really appreciate his music for that aspect, but damnit, he can write a really good song aswell.

Don't believe me? Listen to the song Lotus Feet. My god that is an utterly beautiful peice of music with some really soulfull playing. Yes, I just said that, soulfull playing, I don't think he's the soulless shredmachine that some people take him for. I remember hearing someone on another message board exclaim that they nearly cry anytime they hear the song "For The Love Of God" and I was thinking to myself, yeah I can feel it man, that's one soulfull song.

Of course, I do appreciate his skills with the guitar. He definetly pushes the boundaries in a sense, by using the guitar in ways that it normally isn't used, with a lot of more ambient sounds being created. And who doesn't love a bit of fretboard antics now and then?

What do you think?

Adam

I think you're dead right on this. The fact of the matter is he has the ability and speed to 'shred' constantly if he wanted to, like Malmsteen for what I've heard, Malmsteen bores the sh1te out of me! Vai has got some serious song writing abilities in him! Heck, even without 'flo' he can write amazing stuff like Sisters! Now there's a song!

The point is he doesn't feel he needs the speed to attract appreciation, and he's right. In fact, while I appreciate his unbelievable talent in speed, I listen to it more for the concepts and theme's than anything else, and therein lies Vai's real talent. He can convey real emotion though his playing.

Karl Hungus

fade_to_grey wrote:

He can convey real emotion though his playing.

:eek:

I thought I was the only one who thought so!

Adam

Ah god no! I know a lot of girls (yes, girls :eek:) that listen to Vai because 'its pretty' or some such silly reason, but basically what they mean is they can appreciate the songs, and they havent a clue which end of a guitar points north!! ( dont ask, i dunno...)

Karl Hungus

fade_to_grey wrote:

Ah god no! I know a lot of girls (yes, girls :eek:) that listen to Vai because 'its pretty' or some such silly reason, but basically what they mean is they can appreciate the songs, and they havent a clue which end of a guitar points north!! ( dont ask, i dunno...)

Actually you're quite right there, I know one girl who's pretty mad into Vai.

feylya

Aye, he has the ability to write great stuff with some fantastic technique thrown in eg the sweeps in Blue Powder. But he's still a fret wanker

SirLemonhead

I think he's unbelievably crap myself.

Karl Hungus

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I think he's unbelievably crap myself.

Care to give any information as to why?

Crucifix

Vai's great. Anyone who says songs like "All about Eve" or the aforementioned "For the love of god" are bad songwriting is just crazy. I think alot of people who dismiss Vai as a fretwanker are really just quoting what they've heard other people say about him, and have never really listened to his stuff.

Adam

MasterOfSolos wrote:

I think he's unbelievably crap myself.

Cos with a name like that we've just gotta listen to your unfounded opinions!! :rolleyes:

pants on fire

Karl Hungus, I've been wondering...who is the picture in your signature of?!

It wasn't me!

Opeth

tolosenc

i dunno, my guitar teacher is a massive fan of him and yngwie and the likes, but i just don't feel it when i listen to them. There's not enough soul in their playing. I only enjoy listening to their slower paced songs.

SirLemonhead

His stuff, to me, just sounds either too weird and random, or bores me to tears (For the love of god)

I'm not hugely into the whole solo guitarist thing anyway.

SirLemonhead

fade_to_grey wrote:

Cos with a name like that we've just gotta listen to your unfounded opinions!! :rolleyes:

Boo hoo I said something mean about your favourite guitarist :cool:

pbsuxok1znja4r

Vai doesn't even usually write or play songs. That's why his music lacks that extra something that might induce me to listen to him. Normally I'd be the first person to choose melody over heaviness, but Vai's stuff comes off just feeling limp and...IDK, like shallow or something. I guess he's overspecialized with lead-work and the lack of heavy-rhythm guitar turns me off. Undeniabley, the guy knows his theory and his fretboard ridiculously, incredibley, infinitely well. But 'tis not enough. All too often comes off sounding a bit naff. And yeah, comes off looking like a bit of a wanker at times.

Treebeard

I love Steve Vai, I used to listen to a lot of that instrumental electric guitar stuff like Satch, Becker, Friedman and Yngwie but he's my favourite out of that style. People always go on about how he's all **** etc. but as other people have said he's a great song writer, my personal favourite being blue powder. He does have his **** moments of course but it's always clear when he's being serious or when he's just having a laugh

gizmo

Karl Hungus wrote:

But I think Vai gets a lot of flak as a tasteless fretwanker. I remember reading an interview with one of the guys from Trivium, and I can't quite remember what he said, but there was a lot of Vai bashing going on, about how he can't write a song for ****, and how it doesn't matter how fast he can play. Well, I'm reading this and I'm not sure what to think.

How odd, the last interview I read by them they were going on about how they had been listening to alot more of that kind of material and although Heafy concentrated more on Petrucci mostly I would have though he would have had equal respect for the other virtuosos.

Karl Hungus wrote:

I remember hearing someone on another message board exclaim that they nearly cry anytime they hear the song "For The Love Of God" and I was thinking to myself, yeah I can feel it man, that's one soulfull song.

Damn right. Now while I wouldnt go to such extremes as the poster in question, I always seem to drift off (in a good way) when I listen to this song, it just, I duno, makes you think.

On the other hand, to this day I have not met one person who likes Vai that doesnt play the guitar. That type of music just doesn't seem to appeal to the majority of people and I really think that for alot of his stuff you need at least an intrest in the instrument to not only enjoy it but to properly appreciate it too.
Any of my friends who don't, can listen to only one or two songs before screaming for him to be turned off. "It's not a song to be honest, its only music" has been shouted at me several times...now theres one for ya!

cournioni

Went to see him in Vicar St. in October last year. Worst gig I've ever been to. That includes cover, tribute and all signed bands I've been to see. I used to be a fan, but after seeing him live it hit me that he was nothing more than a show pony and that the only reason he was so big was not because of his musical ability, but because of his technical ability to play at a billion mph.

Alot of the stuff he releases is even more pointless than Cannibal Corpse's lyrics. It comes across to me that it is "show people what I can do" first and music second.

gline

coming from a non guitarist point of view i think it is hard to listen to one of his albums, they usually contain 1-2 accessible tracks, the rest is only really amazing if you are a guitarist yourself and you know what he is accomplishing on it
thats just what i think anyway

1 thing i think is undesputable is that he is amazing live, saw him a few years ago in the pod (i think it was anyway) and he put on a good show, amazing to see what he does on the guitar, up close. though I think satriani is better then him in all aspects, preferred his live show

gizmo

Really? With the exception of the acoustic set which I felt went on too long I thought he was amazing live, in fact the whole band were. I went with a mate who doesn't play the guitar yet appreciates good guitar work in his music and, bar the usual reservations about such a long instrumental gig, he thought it was class too, ah well can't please everyone I guess.

ferdi

i will always prefer SRV to SV just cause i feel he is a better song writter - this probably stems from the fact that SRV could actually sing.

conzy

he can write amazing stuff like Sisters! Now there's a song!

I agree, Just because he can shred doesnt mean he is shallow:mad: ???

He is an amazing guitarist and songwriter, The only thing I dont like about him, is the cheesy voice overs in some songs:D

gline

conzymaher wrote:

The only thing I dont like about him, is the cheesy voice overs in some songs:D

yeh it just sounds pure wrong in a lot of his songs

evad_lhorg

does he use KY jelly on his fret? i must try it see if i can play faster with it.

deaddonkey

ferdi wrote:

i will always prefer SRV to SV just cause i feel he is a better song writter - this probably stems from the fact that SRV could actually sing.

word.

vai's an amazing guitarist, I don't dispute his ability... but even in terms of melodic playing that moves me emotionally, eric johnson does it an awful lot better...

and yes, vai is a superior guitarist in technical terms to SRV, but i'd take stevie ray anyday, the playing moves me and the song moves me and the singing moves me, whereas with vai i'm left thinking "hey, that's great playing, but could you play a little tune now?"

Ancient1

Just in case you guys weren't aware - SRV is God and that's the end of this discussion.

deaddonkey

Ancient1 wrote:

Just in case you guys weren't aware - SRV is God and that's the end of this discussion.

that's pretty much the truth.

ferdi

Ancient1 wrote:

Just in case you guys weren't aware - SRV is God and that's the end of this discussion.

aint that the truth

adox

Vai is a fantastic technical and indeed emotional guitarist and he can write too.
I think people are starting to become obsessed with the whole fret wanker opinion.

A guy can play very fast,mess around, experiment, and still be a fantastic player both in technical and emotional terms.:D

herbieflowers

imo Vai is overconcerned with playing at incredible, unmusical speed. Yes it's great to marvel at for about ten minutes, then it just gets tired and exhausted. In my opinion