Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnel on Steve Vai

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Watch Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) of Spinal Tap discuss his friend Steve Vai's attempt to set the Guinness World Record for the World's Largest Online Guitar Lesson.
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About Steve Vai
As a Grammy award-winning guitar virtuoso with career sales of over 15 million records, Steve Vai's sheer breathtaking facility on the guitar is acclaimed in the rock world and beyond. While Vai clearly had what was needed to make indelible impressions during his stays with Frank Zappa and David Lee Roth, it's as a solo artist that he's made his most precious contributions. The Long Island, NY native has spent the last three decades writing, recording, scoring for films, orchestra, and performing the most exciting music ever created with a guitar. His virtuosity and custom six and seven string instruments continue to inspire young musicians who celebrate Vai as the "Alien Guitar Master." Although Vai is hailed as a musical alchemist of the highest order and tours regularly in over 50 countries, he is also highly sought after to lend his talents to commercial enterprises and has appeared on American Idol, The Tonight Show, games for Xbox. Playstation, and Guitar Hero. In addition to his recording career, Steve is involved with many worthwhile organizations. He is a former Trustee for the National Academy of the Recording Arts and Sciences, is on the advisory board of Hollywood Arts, and works closely with his own Make a Noise Foundation, raising money for music education. Steve attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the college. In 2011 Berklee will launch an eponymous course devoted to the study of Vai's technique and style.

[@pabdiary]

Steve is great but we all know Nigel is way louder and I suspect that Steve has always resented Nigel for that.

[@garycitro1674]

I also haven't seen Steve Vai juggle with both hands while continuing a guitar solo with his foot. Nigel does this matter-of-factly. See Spinal Tap's return at Albert Hall.

[@dvt1393]

That's because Nigel's amps go to 11, and Steve's only go to 10. :(

[@holdencaustic]

KO Bossy Steve also doesn’t have a guitar with the sustain of Nigel’s ‘59 LP- And as to volume, Nigel can only go 1 louder, but it’s enough to overpower Steve, who’s amp will blow 😂

[@dougie2150]

Nigel is always 'one' louder. That's make him unique ;)

[@ikkenhisatsu7170]

Spinal Tap should do a reunion tour like all the old bands. Their new life on the road could be hysterical.

[@tyrssen1]

Good ol' Nigel ... obviously the greatest guitarist, from the greatest band in the world. Right?

[@bumpfugget]

hell yeah The Thamesmen 4 life

[@MrJoeythebabykangaro]

The Hottest Band In The World! lol

[@jarryjayo]

Nigel should be doing the guitar lesson show I’d pay money to see that.

[@ekdaman13]

Well definitely the loudest guitarist in the loudest band

[@pallhe]

Nigel Tufnel is very much underrated as a musician. I would rate Steve Vai at 9.9 out of ten because music is obviously like an Olympic sport, but Nigel I would rate at 11 on the Richter scale. In all seriousness, Spinal Tap and the Folksmen deserve some credit for their musicianship.

[@sirfizz6518]

Definitely 11 on 10.

[@r3d5ive87]

Nigel an 11 on the richter Steve an 8 on the sphincter.

[@alzahir]

Know what, unlike Vai, Nigel Tufnel was never beaten in a guitar duel by Ralph Macchio, so there you go!

[@jazzx251]

Tufnel is undefeated - the best guitarist in the history of stringed instruments When you take Steve Vai's best work - on "Surfing With the Alien" - and compare it to Tufnel's mandolin solo on "Stonehenge" (which still reduces me to tears every time I see it) - there's no contest to be had. More notes doesn't make more quality!

[@ahcubac]

@@jazzx251 You're thinking of Joe Satriani not Steve Vai in regards to Surfing with the Alien. But anything compared to the mandolin solo in Stonehenge pales in comparison! Agreed!

[@davidjorgensen877]

@@ahcubac This was actually SUPPOSED to be a Joe Satriani guitar lesson, but they couldn't get Satriani, they couldn't get Tufnel, they couldn't even get Macchio, so they settled for Vai. Forget it, not worth the ticket price.

[@patrickoconnor7890]

According to who?

[@liontone]

The GOAT talking about Steve Vai. Classic!

[@PrimoSchnevi]

Like how this guy talks. could listen all day.

[@Carryon392]

Tufnel. Now there's a legend.

[@johnroberts5285]

No one will ever be as loud as Nigel Tufnel! It's all about volume, not technique!

[@99muddy99]

Volume is technique. Obviously someone has to think: “I want it louder.” That’s the cerebral dimension. However, it takes technique to turn a volume knob all the way until it can go no further. It would be very easy to stop short of all the way, but does anyone really listen to jazz any more? As William Blake wrote: “If you want tolex-melting sustain, you won’t find it at a jazz club!”

[@machtanger]

lick my love pump ......a musical trilogy in D minor........ which is the saddest of all keys.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

what does that make F, then?

[@DJVMFVME]

A mix of Mozart and Bach: Moch.

[@defnist47]

Nigel is hilarious, they should make this online guitar lesson when I'm not in school..

[@kassemir]

"I can't personally do it, caue I don't have a computer" Made me laugh so hard. I love Spinal Tap!!

[@devolve42]

I think I would learn more from a lesson by Nigel.

[@justsumguy2u]

+devolve42 I don't know if I'd learn more, but I'd sure as hell laugh alot more...

[@namebrandmason]

Nobody plays like him, nobody even tries.

[@SwayisGod]

For an American, Christopher Guest's accent is outstanding! I wouldn't be able to tell, and I'm British. Not to mention how hilarious he is.

[@paulmattingley2140]

He is actually a dual British /American citizen and up until 1999 held a seat in the house of Lords as an hereditary peer inherited from his father.

[@rockymountainrocker5630]

He's one of the funniest ever.

[@martingerup]

Ohh, Nigel. You're bright. Steve Vai comparison to Johann Sebastian Bach is amazing. The shoulder tapping thing. I learned something about jazz "what are they so afraid of?" and now I learned something about Steve Vai. My great idol.

[@danielfisch389]

„Many great guitarists have technique and style. I got volume!“ (N. Tufnel)

[@Kissfan96dr]

he can play anything. you go "la de da..." he plays "la de da"he can even do it backwards, "da de la"LMAO

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

"yeah, but then what?" lol

[@marthaworc7873]

wouldn't that be la de da and he plays da de la? (laugh emoji here)

[@studiomonster2012]

I wonder if Vai will do a variation of the Spinal classic “ lick my love pump”? If so I hope it’s in the original key of d minor. The saddest of all keys. 🥺👍🏼

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

what does that make F major, then?

[@GeorgeSPAMTindle]

@@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823 It's all relative.

[@chococoplex]

Weird how he accurately described how perfect Steve plays.

[@colderthandiablo676]

You are the best Nigel!!!

[@StamfordBridge]

Colder Than Diablo At the very least in the top ten Nigels.

[@cfredrics]

Now the lesson will go to 11!

[@santanaincubus]

Vai should promote Nigel instead. No offense to Steve Vai but I wanna learn from Nigel.

[@tweevers2]

We all shall gain inspiration once we stand in Johann Sebastian Bach's Kitchen

[@SeanTheReptileGuru]

COOL! i'll definitely try to attend the lesson. And Nigel is so funny.

[@kimholland9316]

He speaks, we listen

[@tangogrrl]

[@andruestone3104]

this comment is hella based

[@mattsides734]

Man they need to make another spinal tap following up on them in the modern day, it would be epic.

[@moonbeamskies3346]

Usually it is best to leave things be. It wouldn't be as funny as you might hope.

[@marthaworc7873]

THey are working on a sequel to the movie. Spinal Tap II may be out in 2024. . There is a treasure of trove of changes in the music industry to draw from. Tap into tomorrow!!!!!

[@melomaniakjm]

Yeah best leave it, unsolved really!

[@TheKRU251]

It's a Mach piece (from the Lick My Love Pump section)!

[@CaliUndergroundSound]

"Learn something for once in your lives." Lol

[@StamfordBridge]

Michael Schaffer “Lifes,” actually.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Notice, he's talking to guitar players, lol.

[@porterhouse_]

Nigel is Squatney's most gifted musician... he's a treasure he is

[@DJVMFVME]

“He knows too much.”🤣🤣🤣

[@47Str8]

Nigel may make mistakes, but they're the best sounding mistakes ever!

[@dougnulton]

2:12 wait…we’re finally allowed to look at it?!

[@bassman5123]

It's hard to believe that this is the same man who played the Marine base doctor in "A Few Good Men" and Patrolman Reilly in the original Death Wish. But it is! Plus, he's even married to Jamie Lee Curtis. What a stud!

[@ghostmachine241]

LA 610. Dope. Wish I could afford one of those.

[@imthunderstruck]

im gonna be at school... i hope someone records it

[@frankholstein4499]

Artie Shaw said if you don't make a mistake, you're not extending yourself. You're not pushing the envelope. Shaw said that about Glenn Miller. He was great but always played it safe.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

oh, great, I f**k up royally all the time. I must be ahead of the game, then...lol I just learned from.a guy who's really good at winging it because he hates learning specific drum parts. So I learned how to drum myself out of corners watching him. He's so good, I'd be the only one to hear the mistake. :)

[@KeshikS2C]

Awesome!

[@forexfreak77]

"I don't have a computer. I have a phone."

[@joesatriani1200rulez]

ahhhh it creases me every time i watch nigel advertising something or talking about someone hahaha

[@roadamerica2011]

Big bottom, big bottom Talk about bum cakes, my girl's got 'em Big bottom drive me out of my mind How could I leave this behind?

[@highcurrent1125]

Damn! I don't even play guitar but I'm totally tuning into to that!

[@johnemorrison-kj3ox]

Effing BRILLIANT ! ! 🧐😃

[@LiterallyJesusChrist]

AMG I LOVE IT!

[@bingefeller]

I lol'd at the amp capo in the background.

[@johnathanmclaren4116]

I like how there's a computer in frame the whole time

[@srogers500]

Love it.

[@marks.3303]

Can Steve Vai play a second guitar with his foot while bowing a guitar with a violin? I didn't think so.

[@mikemoyes2]

NIGEL!!!

[@djschmolli]

legend!

[@clifftotten7609]

LOVE this to 11!!

[@detonationcruster]

I saw Steve Vai on a Passion And Warfare tour a few years ago. He totally hit a sharp note in one of the melody of For The Love Of God.... it kinda blew my mind that it happened. I think it had to be some sort of cosmic oddity or something...

[@Trashfished]

Dont even look at that guitar!

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

why is this coming into my feed from 7 years ago?? lol

[@fgray78]

I never ended signing up for it, I regret it

[@marthaworc7873]

It would be nice if Stevi Vai played with Nigel. Nigel really is a good mandolin player. :)

[@therenewedpoet4292]

"Can you play da-na-na? Ya, he can play it. He'll play it backwards na-na-da" lol

[@paulgtarist]

@djchristian82 No he isn't British. Nigel Tufnel is a character played by American actor Christopher Guest.

[@1970borntorun]

LOL! You can hear the sustain !! LMAO ♫

[@hafstrat]

Awesome!!!!!

[@minkorrh]

"learn something for once in your life" .....Nigel Tufnel

[@samanosukkia]

Berklee, Tufnel and Vai, three of the greatest legends ever. What else do you need?

[@marthaworc7873]

Well, Fripp and Sach would be nice :)

[@alanserjeant4947]

A Drummer ?

[@MrROTD]

No-one beats Nigel not even Vai

[@indy500tabasco8]

Spinal Tap the best.

[@scott7521]

Christopher Guest = genius

[@MrSuede79]

-"Hey, Johan!" - "Hey, what?"

[@gimmetheremote16]

Is it possible to watch the Steve Vai lesson if you missed it?

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

I'd watch it and I suck at guitar, which is how I got to be a singing drummer

[@johnwatts8346]

yes of course hes a gat legend- but does steve's amp go up to infinity?

[@jasonfifi]

"he had these very chubby fingers" little nod to segovia there.

[@pneumatic00]

Which, itself, is a nod to C. Guest being asked to play the Segovia scales = 3 octave scales when he was first trying out for the couple of music schools he applied to.

[@tommyt1971]

I think even being INSULTED by Tuf would be an honor!

[@laplut]

Will the puppet show be scheduled before the online lesson?

[@JENDALL714]

I doubt Steve Vai has ever toured the World and Else Where!

[@mebeasensei]

Does Stevie Vai use an amp capo?

[@darioinfini]

Get together with Derek Smalls. Tap Reunion WOOOOO!!!! Surely you've written Saucy Jack by now!

[@Hemulen40]

Steve turned da amp up to 13 !

[@2patero]

Yeah Steve knows way too much! Lolz

[@Rechbert]

I will send my old computer (3 ghz P4) to Nigel for free:)

[@elmud]

18 people played at the Enormodome

[@nodrush80]

Nigel is way better than vai.

[@tempo1889]

Nigel must be older than dirt if he knew Bach personally.

[@tangogrrl]

He is, he uses Oil of Delay (as my GF's daughter calls it)

[@pat6146]

LOL Hey, Johann!

[@pinkcat8855]

That guy is comical. 😄

[@pippipster6767]

ALL I want to hear is 'it goes to 11' 🙃

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

No. Now Marshalls go up to 20. no joke. I don't know why.

[@m1j3]

Haha I love this

[@mlnem2k]

Nigle, shops at IKEA. (standup armoire) upper left corner

[@jonsingle1614]

Steve has never gone to 11.....mic drop

[@Lalaldd]

pause video at 0:44 0:45

[@christopherhuff3123]

He's right

[@johnbowkett5920]

Yeah ... but does his amp go up to 11 ????

[@tgsiii2179]

Sept. 18, 2021......guess I missed the lesson, huh?

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

The fact that some hack like Jeff Beck is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Spinal Tap is not is really all you need to know about how utterly uncredible that institution really is. Especially when you consider the fact that Jeff Beck stole his whole look and accent and everything from Nigel Tufnel. It's infuriating really.

[@bmphil3400]

Will steve play a flying V with a violin though?

[@vladchetvertak3394]

The loudest guitar player ever! Nigel, certainly)

[@tomitstube]

you know what they say about people who know too much...

[@soyounoat2814]

Can Steve Vai play it in reggae?

[@erniegibbs4002]

Yeah,but his invention of the amp capo,the amp volume ceiling of 11,radiates the Tufnel genius.What his he coming up eith now,and will we be able to handle it?

[@V211-q4g]

Nigel is not far behind Steve, maybe only 1000's of an inch.

[@TheEleatic]

Was Nigel Freddy Mercury's back door man?

[@nycshelbygt500]

#SteveVai Yeah, Yeah But then what? EXACTLY!!!

[@AlexFotinos]

Did steve break the record?

[@argoscarneirow]

hhehheheheh he is funny! ;]