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Steve Vai

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Steve Vai at G3 in Milan, Italy, June 2004

Steven Siro Vai (born June 6, 1960 in Carle Place, New York, USA), is an American guitarist and composer.

Influences

When growing up the young Vai became interested in rock giants such as Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper and Led Zeppelin which led him to take up learning the guitar. While attending Berklee College of Music, Steve began taking guitar lessons from now fellow guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani, and played in numerous local bands. It was also at this time that he became fascinated by the music of Frank Zappa, who after meeting Vai for the first time was so impressed with the abilities of the young musician, hired him to do work transcribing his seemingly endless array of experimental symphonic rock.

The post-Zappa period

After leaving Zappa in 1980 he moved to California where he recorded his first album Flex-Able and performed in a couple of bands. Where Vai's contributions to others' material has been constrained by the largely rock or heavy-rock style of those bands, his own material is considerably more esoteric. In 1985 he replaced Yngwie Malmsteen as lead guitarist in Graham Bonnett's Alcatrazz with whom he recorded the album Disturbing the Peace. Later in 1985 he joined former Van Halen front man David Lee Roth's group to record the albums Eat 'em and Smile and Skyscraper. In 1986 Vai also surprised everyone by playing with ex-Sex Pistols John Lydon's Public Image Ltd on their album "Album" (now called "Compact Disc"). Then in 1989 Vai stepped into guitarist Adrian Vandenberg's shoes to record with British rock-group Whitesnake after Vandenberg injured his wrist shortly before recording was due to begin for the album Slip of the Tongue. Vai's playing style has been characterized as quirky and angular, owing to his superb technical facility with the instrument, and deep knowledge of music theory, though it is often argued that many of his solos sound forced, highly contrived, and lacking in natural expressiveness Vai has also been credited with the revival of the 7-string guitar. The earliest 7-string electric guitars were played by jazz guitarist George Van Epps in the 1930s and 1940s, but the concept was reintroduced to rock audiences by Vai.

Steve Vai continues to tour regularly, both with his own group and with his one time teacher and fellow Grammy award winning guitar instrumentalist friend Joe Satriani on the G3 series of tours. Former David Lee Roth Bassist Billy Sheehan also joined him for a world tour. Vai received a Grammy Award in 1991. Vai's band members throughout the 1990s included drummer Mike Mangini and bassist Philip Bynoe.

Steve Vai released a DVD of his performance at The Astoria is London in Decemeber 2001, featuring the lineup of bassist Billy Sheehan, formerly of David Lee Roth and Mr. Big, guitar and piano virtuoso Tony MacAlpine, Dave Weiner and drummer Virgil Donati.

In 2003, Donati was replaced by drummer Jeremy Colson. Vai's latest album, Real Illusions: Reflections, was released in 2005, and Steve Vai and the Breed, as the band is now called, has embarked on a world tour in support of that album.

In 2004, Steve Vai played some of the guitar in the Halo 2 soundtrack.

Movies

Steve Vai's music has featured in a number of feature films, including Dudes, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey and Ghosts of Mars. He appeared onscreen in the 1986 Ralph Macchio movie Crossroads, playing the demonically-inspired Jack Butler. At the film's climax, Vai engages in a guitar duel with Macchio, whose guitar parts were dubbed by Vai himself. The fast-paced "neo-classical" track entitled "Eugene's Trick Bag" with which Macchio wins the competition was also composed by Vai. The piece was heavily based on Paganini's Caprice # 5, and has become a favorite apprentice-piece among many guitar students.

Equipment

Vai is an accomplished studio producer (he owns two: "The Mother Ship" and "The Harmony Hut") and his own recordings combine his signature guitar prowess with novel compositions and considerable use of studio and recording effects, such as the Eventide H3000 ultra harmonizer and DigiDesign's Pro-Tools Hard Disc recording system and plug-in effects architecture.

Vai also helped design his signature Ibanez JEM series of guitars. They feature a hand grip (fondly referred to as a "monkey grip") cut into the top of the body of the guitar, a humbucker-single coil-humbucker pickup configuration, a double-locking Floyd Rose tremolo system, as well as an elaborate and extensive "Vine of Life" inlay down the neck. Steve also was behind the seven string version of the JEM called the Universe. These instruments were later used by Korn and other heavy metal bands to create nu-metal sounds in the late 1990s.

Steve Vai has also worked with Carvin Guitars and Pro Audio to develop the Carvin Legacy line of guitar amplifiers. Vai wanted to create an amp that was superior in sound, versatility, and affordability to any guitar amp he had previously used.

Other engagements

Vai owns Favored Nations, a recording and publishing company that specializes in internationally procuring and maintaining recording artists. Vai is married to Pia Maiocco former bass player of Vixen, which can be seen in Hardbodies. Steve and Pia have two children, Julian Angel & Fire. In his spare time Vai enjoys keeping bees, which regularly produce a crop of honey that Vai sells for his Make a Noise Foundation.

(CORRECTION) The seven string guitars used by Korn guitarist "Munkey" and former Korn guitarist "Head" were not Ibanez Universe models. Although they were Ibanez brand, they were of the K-7 line.

Discography

Solo Albums

Appearances on Zappa albums

Guitars

Steve vai, over his long musical career has used and designes an array of guitars. He even had his DNA put into the swirl paintjob on one of his jem guitars Nowadays he mainly uses hisgood 'ole white jem 7v, which is inscribed with the letters "evo" mainly so he can distinguish beetween the guitars he uses onstage which are practickly identicle except his "flo" guitar equiped with a sustainer pick-up in the bridge

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