Steve VaiSteve Vai is one of my favorite guitarists. He has changed the way that I, and many other people look at music. He has made the impossible seem possible. But for him it is all just a day's work. He has inspired me to play the guitar and never give up. He plays beautiful music and has the talent to play many different styles such as: rock, blues,and classical. So here is a small biography on Steve Vai.
Although, another guitarist is Joe Satriani. This guitarist is still famous and just happened to be Vai's teacher. When Steve was a teen he befriended Joe Satriani and then soon shared the same desire to play the guitar. Steve borrowed equipment and held small gigs in the basement of the church he attended, he was surprised the church let him do this because there was often beer bottles and other items left scattered about the floor.
Frank Zappa and band, Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo...
G3 - Joe Satriani, Steve Vai & John Petrucci T...
Joe Satriani (and band)This was the start to Vai's career. Soon he surpassed Satriani in skill, Steve had unusual flexibility in his hands. Normal people can reach their fingers about 5 or 6 frets but Steve could reach 8 and 9 frets. Maybe he should have tried out for basketball.
After high school Steve Vai studied at Berklee School of Music in Boston Massachusetts. Most musicians don't actually go to a college for guitar theory. But Vai was fortunate enough to go. This could explain his ability to play. He did many things here; he was in two different amateur bands at this time. They were called "Winter" and "Morning Thunder". When he attended this college he got his first Fender Stratocasterâ"â. After completing college he left for Los Angeles to seek his fortune.
A year after moving to Los Angeles he came to the attention of gonzo musician Frank Zappa. Zappa was impresses by Vai's amazing technical ability and tremendous knowledge of Frank's own repertoire. Vai soon joined Zappa's band as "stunt guitarist", earning a reputation as one of the most talented hard rock guitarists in the industry. This was yet another jump-start to his career.
In 1984 Steve made his solo debut with Flexi-able, then joined the local band Alcatrazz. In 1986 he joined former Van Halen front man David Lee Roth's backing band for the Eat em' and Smile album. Following the recording of Roth's 1988 album Skycraper, Vai temporarily joined Whitesnake, filling in on guitar on their 1989 effort, Slip of the Tongue. He then returned to his solo career, recording 1990's acclaimed Passion And Warfare. Several more all-instrumental solo albums followed; his most recent 1996's Fire Garden, is the first to add vocals to the mix. Vai's latest project is G3, an album and series of tours with fellow guitar wizards Joe Satriani and Eric Johnsen.
Satriani playing in Chile, 2003
Steve Vai with Ibanez JEM
English: Steve Vai in London in 2001
English: Joe Satriani and Stuart Hamm in concert, ...
Musician Joe Satriani