Calling Steve Vai fans - help needed!

AlexC · November 2017

Recommend me a solid, representative album by Mr Vai. I know who he is. I have a very good idea what he does, but I don't own a solo album by him. Love his playing on Public Image Limited's Album and, as a teen, I was familiar with his stuff with Dave Lee Roth... I'm not really into shredding per se, but I believe he goes beyond that and is more versatile. So which album ( or couple of albums) should I get? Thanks, guys.

John_P · November 2017

Start with Passion and Warfare.

not_the_dj · November 2017

John_P said:

Start with Passion and Warfare.

This, without doubt.

CarpeDiem · November 2017

Passion and Warfare - one of his biggest albums. The 7th Song - a compilation of the 7th tracks on previously-released albums.

ICBM · November 2017

The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology.

http://www.vai.com/images/svanth.jpg

That's how I got into his music. I've now got Passion And Warfare as well, but unless you already know you like the 'shreddy' Vai it's too much too soon as a starter. The anthology has a much broader range of work.

I prefer the more melodic side of his playing, personally.

Schmo · November 2017

Alien Love Secrets is essential too. For the earlier version of Mr Vai try Flex-Able & Flex-Able Leftovers, then the superb Alcatrazz-Disturbing The Peace.

bingefeller · November 2017

Anthology is his best starter album, as ICBM said. Plus, it has some bonus tracks on it.

For hardcore fans it would have to be Sex and Religion, so avoid this one if you're considering it.

I would also recommend Alien Love Secrets - no overdubs, amazing tones, great playing and Great songs. One of his best.

Philly_Q · November 2017

Whitesnake - Slip Of The Tongue

Just kidding.

viz · November 2017

Philly_Q said:

Whitesnake - Slip Of The Tongue

Just kidding.

Actually that's not a bad idea, it's got some of Steve's vaiest playing. But otherwise, PaW, Alien Love Secrets, Fire Garden, and both DLR albums.

EricTheWeary · November 2017

Philly_Q said:

Whitesnake - Slip Of The Tongue

Just kidding.

Or Alcatraz - Disturbing the Peace.

I have really fond memories of this, must give it a listen for the first time in 30 years.

https://youtu.be/fmLb_Lpnd6E

Philly_Q · November 2017

Going off topic a bit, all three Alcatrazz studio albums were interesting, with the three different guitarists. Not sure I'd want to listen to them now, though.

EricTheWeary · November 2017

Philly_Q said:

Going off topic a bit, all three Alcatrazz studio albums were interesting, with the three different guitarists. Not sure I'd want to listen to them now, though.

I only had the Vai one, just watching some stuff on YouTube - stands up surprisingly well, this is quite funny

https://youtu.be/bgRl_Jy1f1I

Malmsteen, Vai and who was the third one then?

Philly_Q · November 2017

Danny Johnson (ex-Derringer and, I think, Rod Stewart band).

The third album was more of a mainstream sound, but there were a few good songs.

stratman3142 · November 2017

I'd go with Passion & Warfare.

You mention his work with DLR. I think his playing on Eat 'Em and Smile is ground breaking. The solo to Big Trouble is a masterpiece and IMHO one of the greatest solos ever.

Alnico · November 2017

stratman3142 said:

I'd go with Passion & Warfare.

You mention his work with DLR. I think his playing on Eat 'Em and Smile is ground breaking. The solo to Big Trouble is a masterpiece and IMHO one of the greatest solos ever.

Likewise but for me, the standout track is 'Ladies Night in Buffalo'.
That solo is one of my all-time favourites that I'd love to be able to play properly.

Andy James does a Lick Library course on this track which I'm going to get very soon and if life will let me, try to learn (Again) properly (This time!).

'Passion and Warfare' is amazing but I already loved Vai's playing by the time I heard it so I'd go with 'Anthology' as previously suggested.

viz · November 2017

Alnico said:

stratman3142 said:

I'd go with Passion & Warfare.

You mention his work with DLR. I think his playing on Eat 'Em and Smile is ground breaking. The solo to Big Trouble is a masterpiece and IMHO one of the greatest solos ever.

Likewise but for me, the standout track is 'Ladies Night in Buffalo'.
That solo is one of my all-time favourites that I'd love to be able to play properly.

Andy James does a Lick Library course on this track which I'm going to get very soon and if life will let me, try to learn (Again) properly (This time!).

'Passion and Warfare' is amazing but I already loved Vai's playing by the time I heard it so I'd go with 'Anthology' as previously suggested.

Yes Big Trouble is gorgeous. Ladies Night is lovely but quite easy. Not that that's a bad thing!

stratman3142 · November 2017

Alnico said:

stratman3142 said:

I'd go with Passion & Warfare.

You mention his work with DLR. I think his playing on Eat 'Em and Smile is ground breaking. The solo to Big Trouble is a masterpiece and IMHO one of the greatest solos ever.

Likewise but for me, the standout track is 'Ladies Night in Buffalo'.
That solo is one of my all-time favourites that I'd love to be able to play properly.

Andy James does a Lick Library course on this track which I'm going to get very soon and if life will let me, try to learn (Again) properly (This time!)...

I see that video is half price at the moment. See link below:

http://www.licklibrary.com/store/andy-james/26463/learn-to-play-steve-vai-the-solos-dvd

I've just purchased the download version, but I expect it will just magnify my frustration with my ability.

axisus · November 2017

Personally I would NEVER buy an anthology or greatest hits of any artist that I thought I would buy other records from. It kind of spoils every other album if you have creamed off the best tracks and also played them a lot by the time you go for other CDs.

Phil_aka_Pip · November 2017

axisus said:

Personally I would NEVER buy an anthology or greatest hits of any artist that I thought I would buy other records from. It kind of spoils every other album if you have creamed off the best tracks and also played them a lot by the time you go for other CDs.

That assumes the compilers' tastes are the same as yours. I have a James Taylor compilation for the car and there are some songs on it that I wouldn't have chosen (although I don't mind them in the context of the album they were originally on), and some songs that are absent for reasons I cannot explain.

not_the_dj · November 2017

axisus said:

Personally I would NEVER buy an anthology or greatest hits of any artist that I thought I would buy other records from. It kind of spoils every other album if you have creamed off the best tracks and also played them a lot by the time you go for other CDs.

I agree with this. There's enough free ways to get an idea of what an artist is like to know if they're for you or not (youtube etc).

If I get into an artist I usually go whole hog and end up buying everything, so I'm not one for casual best of compilations, as I know I'll just end up buying all the albums anyway....of course I'm then scuppered with the odd new or unreleased track that they put on comps these days (waves fist in the direction of the record companies!)

Vai also does proper albums that hang together, and he's careful on how they are sequenced (hence the 7th track thing), so hearing the albums as he intended is the best way.

LuttiS · November 2017

Agree passion & warfare to start..
Slip of the tongue is a great too..

But if you really wanna go back: Tinseltown Rebellion

mudslide73 · November 2017

P&W is still the standard I compare all his stuff to. It's never got old for me in any way - although at the time I preferred Skyscraper and Eat 'Em. He's a super clever bloke to boot - I can watch him do interviews all day on YT. Him and Satch are like the Zen masters of guitar imo.

ICBM · November 2017

not_the_dj said:

axisus said:

Personally I would NEVER buy an anthology or greatest hits of any artist that I thought I would buy other records from. It kind of spoils every other album if you have creamed off the best tracks and also played them a lot by the time you go for other CDs.

I agree with this. There's enough free ways to get an idea of what an artist is like to know if they're for you or not (youtube etc).

I'm not sure about that - sometimes you don't get to hear a wide enough range and think you don't like something. If you get an Anthology-type album there is usually more of a selection. I very often buy best-of albums out of curiosity and then replace them with the individual albums if I like the artist.

I'll be honest - I came to this thinking I didn't like Vai. I've never been keen on 'shreddy' guitar at all, and I'd never been interested enough to listen beyond the few tracks I had heard in passing. So when I was in a charity shop one day and found the Anthology for £2, I took a deep breath and decided to give him a try in the interests of keeping an open mind… fully expecting to file under 'good, but not for me' and return the week after.

I was wrong - although I'm still not really that keen on the more shreddy stuff, I really like his more melodic, interesting-sounding 'not a million miles an hour' side. If I have a favourite it's probably the Fire Garden Suite. I later got Passion & Warfare, and although I can see why it's the definitive album if you like the 'shreddy Vai', I don't think I'd want to listen to it all repeatedly - it's not varied enough.

LightB4sound · November 2017

Another one for Passion and Warfare, it is probably the best place to start and still (I would argue) his masterpiece. Also as mentioned above check out Ladies Nite in Buffalo....some of the finest tasteful and slinkiest playing ever. Not bad for what was basically a scratch track which they ended up leaving!

I’d give Flexible a while though and until you have been through some more of the catalogue

AlexC · November 2017

Much bigger response to this than I was hoping for. Thanks all. I've ordered The Anthology Compilation and Passion And Warfare. I'm not sure how I'm going to get on with Vai TBH, but I'm always on the lookout for music - particularly guitar based stuff and, of course, he's one of those 'touchstone' players often mentioned and much admired.

Vibetronic · November 2017

Passion and Warfare is obviously the most famous one, but I think Eat 'em and Smile is definitely on a par for the ground-breaking guitar playing it was at the time. Having said that, when I first heard P&W, I'd only just started listening to Van Halen, and the stuff I was hearing on P&W seemed utterly impossible to play compared to VH (which sounded tricky enough!). My definite favourite is Sex and Religion though; it's one of my favourite albums ever. I love his tone on it, and I love vocal songs with clever guitar in them. And the drums on it are awesome too.

viz · November 2017

Vibetronic said:

Passion and Warfare is obviously the most famous one, but I think Eat 'em and Smile is definitely on a par for the ground-breaking guitar playing it was at the time. Having said that, when I first heard P&W, I'd only just started listening to Van Halen, and the stuff I was hearing on P&W seemed utterly impossible to play compared to VH (which sounded tricky enough!). My definite favourite is Sex and Religion though; it's one of my favourite albums ever. I love his tone on it, and I love vocal songs with clever guitar in them. And the drums on it are awesome too.

Yes it’s amazing. I just got it on vinyl at last and it’s even better! I LOVE pig!!

viz · November 2017

And dirty black hole and deep down into the pain. Amazing album.

hollywoodrox · August 2023

I really really love his playing on SkyScraper it’s a great album one of my fave albums ever

fastonebaz · August 2023

The G3 album with Vai, Satriani and Malmsteen has some really splendid Vai playing live as a starter. Especially Whispering a Prayer. PAW deffo. Alien Love secrets and Anthology set.

viz · August 2023

@AlexC - how did you get on?

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Calling Steve Vai fans - help needed!

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