Steve Vai

[Lietuvis]

I've had "The Ultra Zone" CD lying around for a long time, never giving it a real listen... the other day I ripped it, put it on my iPod, and I haven't been listening to anything else.(even Opeth) I like every song on this album quite a bit, except for "I'll Be Around", which is just lame...

So, could someone recommend other albums by him? I've heard that "Passion And Warfare" is excellent.

Does anyone else here think that Vai is one of the greatest guitarists out there?

 

[Tubbs]

I think he's one of the best.

Of course, lots of others are going to call him a guitar wanker.

He isn't though, so that would be retarded.

Get his anthology, and then you should decide what your favorite album by him is.

 

[JoeVice]

some of his stuff is somewhat cheesy, but i like a lot of it. i don't own any albums though, so i can't make any recs.

 

[Lietuvis]

Get his anthology, and then you should decide what your favorite album by him is.

Do you mean this?

 

[Tubbs]

Yep. That has tracks from all of the previous albums. I think that's the best way to decide which album you should get next. I'm pretty sure it mentions what albums the songs are from.

 

[Kenneth R.]

Alive in an Ultra World.
Firegarden.
Real Illusions - Reflection.

those are my favorites.
I must confess he bores me after a while of listening, and he often steals riffs from his previous work to incorporate in his new stuff. However, I must also say I think he is/was one of the true innovators in pushing what can be done with a guitar and how guitars can be expressive of human emotions. He has immense talent as well. I half wish he would write better songs, but then, he would sound like so many other bands and lose his individuality.

 

[Ebonic Plague]

Zappa and Satriani Protege, Enough said...

 

[daz436]

dont know much in the way of albums.. but that track where he's a kid playing on his school teacher's desk is awesome

 

[Weakness]

Steve Vai owns..

Real illusions - Reflections is a beautiful album, and underrated..

 

[BANNEDadrian]

pretty much all i know of vai is that he toured with zappa in the early 80s

 

[Led Opeth]

i saw him last year on his RI-R tour...man..he can sure put on a show...and he skills the guitar

 

[Jon Snow]

The only song I know is 'For the Love of God' and it's amazing.

 

[Gunt Piddlesworth]

he'd be better if his music wasn't so unlistenable

 

[Ebonic Plague]

He's a Freak Genius, it'll be appreciated in 2250 when Opeth is...

 

[Yoda]

dont know much in the way of albums.. but that track where he's a kid playing on his school teacher's desk is awesome

The audience is listening?

Yeah, Steve is awesome, I've had a few of his albums for a fair while but they only just 'clicked' with me as such.

 

[Stimuli]

get the new one... that and Passion and Warfare are his best I think.

its all about Lotus Feet

 

[blakmetalemp]

Alien Love Secrets.

 

[soundave]

Awesome guitar player. Definitely get Passion and Warfare.

He's also a really nice guy. Met him when I worked at Full Sail. Gave him a tour of their Studio A and he grilled me (nicely) about the SSL 9000J. He has freakishly long fingers, btw.

Also, he was great live. Very impressive. More so than his recorings, I think.

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

Vai pretty much makes rock guitar a legitimate art.

Passion and Warfare (and a lot of his other albums) = total genius. The guy's one hell of a composer and player, and puts on a better show than any instrumental rocker out there.

So yeah, I'm a big fan. Used to hate his stuff, though, until I heard the right songs.

 

[The Evil Toucan]

Vai overindulges. Johnson, Timmons, & Morse are much better rock players. Vai also is for some reason considered THE technical god of the guitar. Why, I don't know. He's no Holdsworth/McLaughlin/Metheny, etc.

That being said, Vai has a handful of songs that are brilliant.