- published: 01 Mar 2008
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Steven Siro Vai (born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. After starting his career as a music transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, Vai recorded and toured in Zappa's band for two years, from 1980 to 1982. He began a solo career in 1983, has released eight solo albums and won three Grammy Awards. He has also recorded and toured with Public Image Ltd., Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth and Whitesnake. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 Concert Tour which began in 1996. In 1999 Vai started his own record label Favored Nations, intending to showcase as he describes, "...artists that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments."
Vai began playing guitar in 1973, at the age of 13. In 1974, he took guitar lessons from guitarist Joe Satriani and played in local bands, one of which was called "The Steve Vais". He was influenced by guitarists including Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Jimmy Page, Glen Buxton, and jazz fusion guitarist Allan Holdsworth. Vai attended the Berklee College of Music, afterwards recording a promotional piece for them in which he spoke about auditioning for Frank Zappa at age 20.
Yngwie Johann Malmsteen (/ˈɪŋveɪ ˈmɑːlmstiːn/ ING-vay MAHLM-steen; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck on 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader. Malmsteen became known for his neo-classical playing style in heavy metal. Steve Huey of Allmusic stated that, "Yngwie Malmsteen is arguably the most technically accomplished hard rock guitarist to emerge during the '80s."
Malmsteen was born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck in Stockholm, Sweden, as the second child of a musically-talented family. At age seven, he saw a television news report on the death of Jimi Hendrix, an event which had a profound impact on his musical path. Malmsteen, however, has stated that Hendrix had no musical impact on him, but on 18 September 1970 he saw a TV special of Hendrix, where he smashed and burned his guitar, and Malmsteen thought: "this is really cool". To quote his official website, "The day Jimi Hendrix died, the guitar-playing Yngwie was born".
At the age of 10 he took his mother's maiden name Malmsten as his surname, slightly changed it to Malmsteen, and Anglicised his third given name Yngve to "Yngwie". Malmsteen created his first band "Track On Earth" at the age of 10, consisting of himself and a friend from school on drums (Armin). Malmsteen was a teenager when he first encountered the music of the 19th century violinist composer Niccolò Paganini, whom he cites as his biggest classical music influence. Ritchie Blackmore and Uli Jon Roth are also cited as being significant influences, as is Brian May of Queen.
Ernie Ball (c.1930 – September 9, 2004) was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that would eventually gross US$40 million a year.
Born Sherwood Roland Ball in Santa Monica, California, USA, “Ernie” Ball grew up in a musical family. His grandfather wrote the standard, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling and his father was a car salesman who taught Hawaiian steel guitar on the side. Although Ball initially picked up the steel at age nine to please his father, he became bored and gave it up. In his early teens he began to take a renewed interest in the instrument, practicing as many as three hours a day. Within a year he was a member of the Musicians Union.
While still in his early teens, Ball began playing professionally in South Central Los Angeles beer bars. By age 19 he joined the Tommy Duncan Band playing pedal steel guitar. Duncan, the former lead singer with Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, took the band on tour through the Southwestern United States. During the Korean War, he did a tour of duty in the United States Air Force Band, playing guitar and bass drum. After the military he returned to Los Angeles and continued playing in barrooms and lounges, until landing a job on the 1950s “Western Varieties” program at KTLA television. The position soon gained him wider recognition in the Los Angeles music scene and led to studio work and teaching jobs.
Steve Vai - "For The Love Of God"
Steve Vai - "Tender Surrender"
Steve Vai - "I Know You're Here"
Steve Vai - Where The Wild Things Are [full concert]
Steve Vai - Building the Church (Live in L.A.)
Black Star - Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai - Generation Axe
Steve Vai (Incredible Guitar Performance)
Steve Vai dedication to Prince Generation Axe Orlando 4/21/2016
Steve Vai - Gravity Storm (Live in L.A.)
Steve Vai - Bad Horsie
Steve Vai - Master Class em BH - Jam Session - Brazilian Guitar Players - 30.06.2015
Ernie Ball: Steve Vai Q&A; | Live from NAMM 2016
For The Love Of God - Steve Vai - Cover by Tina S
2CELLOS - Highway To Hell feat. Steve Vai [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
Actors: Frank Zappa (composer), Steve Vai (actor), Dweezil Zappa (composer), Moon Unit Zappa (actress), Benni Atria (editor), Diva Zappa (actress), Salvo Cuccia (writer), Salvo Cuccia (director), Gail Zappa (actress), Massimo Bassoli (actor), Eleonora Cordaro (producer), Joe Travers (actor), Will Parrinello (producer), Tanino Liberatore (actor), Mathilda Doucette Zappa (actor),
Plot: 'Summer '82 - When Zappa Came to Sicily' is a 'homecoming story' of two families, Sicilian filmmaker Salvo Cuccia's and the family of Sicilian-American Rock icon Frank Zappa. Cuccia's story explores the unexpected intersection of the filmmaker, and the Zappa family, as they each try to reconnect with fathers who died young.
Genres: Biography, Documentary, Music,Actors: John Entwistle (actor), B.B. King (actor), Brian May (actor), David Gilmour (actor), Mark Knopfler (actor), Chet Atkins (actor), Stephen Stills (actor), Steve Vai (actor), Joe Satriani (actor), Sam Kinison (actor), Steve Cropper (actor), Tony Iommi (actor), Brian Setzer (actor), Joe Walsh (actor), Lindsey Buckingham (actor),
Genres: Documentary, Music,When I look down into my soul
I can see you bleeding
It's so tragic that I can't control
These wreckless feelings
I'd stand naked in the freezing wind
To your glory and honor
But how can I win this war
When I can't even face the battle
And here in my Garden Of Eden
There's a coming thunder
Well maybe if it tears me to pieces it will
Kill this aching hunger
And it hurts
You know it hurts so good
Oh it hurts
I said
Maybe in time peace will reign
And end this insanity
Maybe the meek shall inherit the earth
But I pray you inherit me
But now my Garden Of Eden
Is a barren tundra
If you could cut into my heart
You would touch my aching hunger
And it hurts
You know it hurts so good
Oh God it hurts
It hurts
Ya, and I let it burn
Because I like it
I don't mind the infection
Now it's comin' down
It's comin' down hard
It's crashin' on me
It's in a twinkle
It's in a breeze
And it passes
So subtle and elusively
Try to grab it
But it's gone and the rage that it fires up
Is like a blow torch in your face
And it hurts
Oh it hurts
Yeah, you know it hurts so good