Steve Stevens: The Big 5

[@peter-0200]

Steve is genuine and loves guitar. He has appeared on many channels talking about playing technique, gear, etc. He’s happy to share his knowledge and is very down to earth. SS rocks!

[@Walks-With-Pride]

Steve, your words about finding ones own style is so true. I first learned about you from the Billy Idol LP , Rebel Yell back in the late ´80s. I was living in Japan at the time and was taking guitar lessons at a Japanese music school. One day the teacher asked everyone in class who was their favorite guitarist. Most of the students replied with the typical names like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and the like. When my turn came to answer, I said Steve Stevens. Everyone, including the teacher, looked at me with a startled face and asked: Who is Steve Stevens? I said he is the guitarist who plays with Billy Idol. The teacher, still with that look of astonishment on his face asked me why him. I replied that I like Steve Stevens because he is unique. Because he plays stuff differently from every other guitar slinger. More than three decades later, I am proud to say that you still are one of my favorite players of all time. I love you, brother! Stay strong and keep on rockin´.

[@boatingforbeginners7949]

Yep! Totally there with you buddy

[@Particle67]

So true

[@shammalabdullah8149]

agree... you are right man! my schooldays love at first shred "top gun anthem"...

[@bonek350]

Stevens is one of my favorites. He has such a cool, unique style with a lot of neat tricks.

[@Highcastle_of_Tone]

Steve has been such a perfect foil for Billy’s style, such a cool blend of punk energy and prog sensibility. Love all his solo stuff too.

[@AtomicThrillGaming]

Steve is a legend.

[@TheSoulsandRevive]

Phenomenal guitarist! Was just watching his footage on 'Ernie Ball String Theory'... Love Steve Steven's work with Billy Idol. Cheers

[@aronchas]

He is a very cool and down to earth guy

[@understandinc]

it's mind-blowing how much steve understands context

[@michael_caz_nyc]

So glad to see Steve Stevens doing well. Such a great guitar-player. I agree with "Close to the Edge" album. I love Steve's Passion for music. I've been listening to his tracks: Cinecitta & Letter to a Memory.

[@cybergrind]

Huge respect of Yes and Steve Howe, wonderful and amazing know in Stevens words

[@scottenglert4083]

Steve - you and Billy Idol were my first concert - way back in 1986... fast forward a mere 30 years and I decided to take up guitar and really enjoying the journey... Thanks for your insights during this show - really interesting to hear your thoughts...

[@juandelhombre]

Coolest rock dude ever. Just a humble gentleman. Thank you

[@jerryvahnknight218]

Watching Steve, I cry more more more!

[@lucasgm03]

Steve is a genius thanks for all!!

[@brockpinson949]

Steve, you are a badass! So many great players out there but the tone you find and your smooth playing can not be beat. So great to hear from you! Please keep it coming buddy.

[@l8tapex]

Your my idol through the eighties and you made the concerts great for me. Thank you for giving it all each time.

[@dougmaser7312]

What a solid, well rounded, humbled and talented musician. Not many big named guitarist can be all of them. Nice job Steve.

[@OrbiterElectronics]

You're awesome Steve 👍

[@hackdog69]

Cool dude, good advice

[@craiglizt8074]

Excellent stuff here. He’s such a humble dude.

[@TMoody]

Love this dude.

[@williamdejeffrio9701]

Always love Steve's candor and humility. I consider myself a student of his, and whenever he speaks, I listen.

[@bienvenidovelasco6834]

Me too

[@MultiGuitarDave]

Steve, one of my favorite guitarists. And I think a very nice guy too.

[@bobbarcus8310]

Steve’s seems down to earth

[@antoniojosenovotavarestava3020]

True❤

[@bluespig1]

Great to see & hear your well and still one of the great players of our time. Massive contribution.

[@dougross2256]

Thanks Steve for sharing

[@marcchampagne9174]

Steve is so amazing when it comes to guitar sound and what is right for a certain song.

[@greglawrencemusic]

Oh God... Close To The Edge - such a masterpiece in conception and delivery. Thanks Steve for your guitar stuffs...I've played your riffs for decades. Your tone is killer...meaning "to die for." :-)

[@blakehavard]

Super cool video.

[@purplecow5150]

steve is so good. i always enjoy listening to his playing. and such a cool guy.

[@joesatchton212]

I forget the exact details after so many years, but the most memorable guitar magazine article quote about Steve Stevens for me is the one where the writer is in the studio hearing Steve lay down some rhythm tracks, possibly for his first solo album. Anyway, the writer describes Steve's right had as being an engine of absolute rhythmic perfection. Perfect in tempo, consistency of attack and flawless. As a fan of Steve's for nearly his entire career, I have always whole-heartedly agreed with that description. Not bad for another NYC kid...good company with a couple guys named Satriani and Petrucci.... :)

[@kengreen6901]

Always loved his style!

[@eddiebranden1]

Love the shot of Steve with Geezer Butler in the background.

[@pb12661]

Steve Stevens is one of the players that defined 80's rock guitar.

[@20cencool]

I love your new LP and I enjoyed listening to you, I share your opinion about Steve Howe & Fripp. Dark side my desert island 🤟

[@stratter71]

A legend!

[@Juaniguitarra86]

Such a cool dude and a BEAST of a player!

[@peterallen1041]

Steve is great!

[@krsa345]

Awesome thoughts, observations, inspirations, from master himself. I think I listened to Memory Crash for months. One of the best albums out there.

[@samuelegiuseppelongo]

That's useful, interesting & humble advice from an icon. Thanks for being such an inspiration, Steve! Bless you 💜🤘🏼

[@phhuynh9881]

Steve has worked on tour with Himuro in 1998 , AWESOME

[@understandinc]

steve howe "approach" i can so HEAR that

[@jobckts682]

Steve Howe. Stevie Ray Vaughan. Stevens is Worthy.

[@briantherion5464]

That tone is killer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@phhuynh9881]

My favorite guitar player

[@lawrencesinderson]

Along with Mick Mars, Steve Stevens is one of the most underrated guitarists.

[@Janlaurenz75]

Amazing Guitar player and person

[@eddiebaby22]

Absolutely agree with him about competitiveness, and what he says about Guthrie as well

[@maxmustardman298]

Love the 2014 Idol album man, such a great record

[@stevenmaddock4237]

A great player one of my favourites

[@keithtpc1508]

Top man amazing player and great guy

[@MegaMixking]

love steve

[@timp.9582]

He's got the best all around crunch rhythm and lead tones

[@megatronmotors221]

Man that sounds sweet! Steve is a pro! He deserves a guitar to match up to his talent level. Well done!

[@josegallegosdds]

One cool Cat. And soooo talented!!!

[@malamuteaerospace6333]

Awesome, great guitarist and stoic character.

[@christianjosephkarner]

I love this guy.

[@2113rush]

Great guitarist. Ones who know what it takes to be good, know that’s a fact.

[@CusterFlux]

Steve - nobody's ever so perfectly switched between a whimsical, Spaghetti Western finger style - to a hard, pumpin', dead on the groove, aggressive & distorted punk rhythm style - in a single song - as you did in White Wedding - and no, not even Steve Howe ever did that - your hard rhythm groove is super solid, and yes, I'm quite busy, desperately trying to "steal" it as best I can 😉 ( then Step #2. finding a rhythm section that can lock as hard in the groove as Steve Webster & Thommy Price. Then Step #3 - finding a singer with texture who can weave around the groove like Billy … yeah, that's probably gonna take me, um … a little while … 🤔)

[@bryanmannoia8410]

he has always been a great player, nice to see he is a down to earth guy as well. curse him for making me want yet another guitar but I will check out that SSC model. listening to him talk about style and influence makes me think of Santana's quote "if you copy someone you are stealing, if you copy a little from everyone it is research. love it. keep rocking.

[@musicman7773]

My guitar friends and I have always discussed how great this guy is.

[@mr.mckinnon5680]

Owner of a Lonely Heart. Guitar solo in that song it's just incredible. I've never heard somebody use a chainsaw on a Dodge before. But it sounds killer. Everytime I hear that solo I think... How the hell did he do that?

[@kenvorland]

Steve rules love his sound and playing

[@rickiehacker8944]

We love you Steve!!!!

[@jim925]

I was listeneing to Steve Stevens and a classically trained guitarist told me to "turn that crap off!" He said "Do you hear that sound? Listen closely? That is feedback, and you don't want that in your music. Audio experts have spent years coming up with ways to remove feedback from amplifiers, and that Stevens guy is adding it. Why he is doing that, I dont know? " I Said I don't care what it is, that I like the way it sounds. He said not to talk to him about music anymore because I didn't know a thing about music.

[@jackbyrd4921]

Yes was a big influence on me as well but yes album and close to the edge have gotta be some of the best progressive rock albums that have ever been made and that early version of the band was just so good the rhythm section you can't beat it to this day you cannot beat it. Great words of wisdom on playing sir.

[@alwilliams1997]

Legend

[@tasteapiana]

I would like to hear the result of putting Steve in a studio full of every percussion instrument, letting him build up a full album's worth of rhythm tracks, maybe toss in a few percussionists to keep him from going nuts and to reference when he gets lost (as anyone would), then see what he comes up with to lay over it. Totally take him out of his element and let him go full kid on it but keep his hands and ears AWAY from any stringed instruments until a goal of, say, 60 minutes of tracks is reach then say "Ok, now do something over the top of all of this". He might actually not flood it with guitars like most guitarists would. I think he's inwardly musical enough to surprise us, even though he's professional and polite enough to have conformed and entertained us as ''Mr. Rock Guitar Hero'' all these years. He's just a guy that's fun, so fun that we love it when he steps out of the expected, we all trust him. Think about that, it's 100% true. Steve is not here on this earth to intimidate us AND WE SOMEHOW JUST KNOW THAT.

[@williambroadstreet3353]

Steve's nickname is "fingers" - and for obvious reasons. Many might not know but many will know it was SS who upon bonding and collaborating with a also young bloke called William Broad - or as he is know Billy Idol, who as the lead singer of UK punk band Generation X settled in LA/NY and Steve penned/created the music for BO's breakthrough MTV hits, all know the songs I refer to. There's a in my view beautiful story about one time, do not know what gig - Van Halen were playing and Steve wandered out for his soundcheck and noticed, and grabbed to play one of EVH's Musicman guitars. Now Eddie either saw this or heard about this and one day Steve was at home and out of nowhere a truck pulled up. EVH just sent him a set of guitars, the one's Steve had been doodling on previously. The magic of music - and of amazing generosity from the guitar God himself. SS's playing is extremely versatile, he can play anything. With Billy Morrison and Idol's band members having been set since around 2010 - the line up for Idol/Steve is tight as, no backing vocals like Def Leppard - the band are so tight, the bassist actually has history with Idol going back to around 1980-1983 where he first played for Idol but since 2010 has come full circle. So many bands have few if any original members - Steve has worked with Vince Neil and many other musicians. He is arguably one of the top 10 guitarists since the 80's.

[@raserx63]

I got to watch Steve a few years ago when he toured with "Kings of Chaos" ...he was amazing and it was one of the most fun shows Ive ever seen... Sadly it was one of Chester Bennington's last shows as well.

[@DjangoStikany]

Respect Steve 🙏

[@p6x2]

I checked Knaggs guitars for the SSC model you use in this video; I suppose they only made one for you, because the SSC shown on Knaggs web site is different.

[@wanontalay8510]

I like him. He is a good guy. I can feel it 👍

[@johnoberto2659]

This dude is a monster on guitar

[@Neelfy01]

Steve Stevens frrrrrrricken rocks. And yeah is such a awesome down to earth guy. Nuff said. \m/ \m/

[@Rangerglx]

Viva la Billy Idol and Steve Steven’s!

[@christopherprice3226]

never heard steve howe in his playing loved steve howe with Asia

[@DanHains]

1:24 a reminder of just what great tone is

[@LEDFOOT49]

This guy has his feet well centered in the ground. Humble Guy.

[@simonjennings9098]

thanks

[@christopherprice3226]

dug the vid thought it was vhs as it was so grainy sounded fine

[@Prousto]

A National Treasure: absolutely killer player, with real New Yawk soul and charisma.

[@JudgeFredd]

At least Steve without sun glasses !

[@julioweyce]

You're the Best!!!!

[@joshuaachaibor1568]

Stevens rock

[@workingorder2189]

I though the Hamer Steve Stevens Signature would be your favorite guitar.

[@LetzBeaFranque]

Steve Stevens is not a guitarist. He is a musician who plays guitar - one of my favorites.

[@p6x2]

Could not find any information about the tremolo bridge "Epitune?"

[@chrislestermusic]

Evertune

[@tps1020]

OMG what a surprise! You're favorite guitar is your signature model! I really like you Steve you are great but I can't afford a Knaggs.

[@JamieToddBand]

Just goes to show you can't judge a man by his fingernail color. Great discussion by a cool guy! Thank you!

[@bedwetting_cosmonaut5635]

"my favorite guitar? -- why it's cocaine, of course!"

[@ronaldfernandez.8586]

🎸🎸🤘🤘

[@p6x2]

Steve, any artistry is compared, but the main point is that some artists corresponds more to our own taste than others. So, yes in a way, it is not that we need to grade a Van Gogh against a Manet or Monet or Sisley. Some of us would prefer Van Gogh because of his special ability with colors, and others would gravitate towards Matisse. However, independently of our taste, we will always recognize that an artist remains an artist.

[@rickfeith6372]

I find it funny that he names Zakk for his alternate picking prowess...I would have said Petrucci or Tall Paul as the benchmark for flawless alt picking technique. I would rather listen to Steve play for 5 mins than Zakk for 2 hours...I'm just not that big into his music, I do love his early work with Ozzy though, No More Tears is a bangin guitar record.

[@buggybunny5769]

Feel the same way.

[@alienautopsy9326]

Surprised he’s a Prog head. Not just a good guitar player but a great musician.

[@theohartman]

Steve this is great, aloha. -t

[@internetmoney221]

He’s wearing a pink thong underneath those leather pants

[@DMSProduktions]

So?

[@bluespig1]

What if he is?

[@martinlahaie6012]

Wearing a fluo green myself...comfie

[@tasteapiana]

I think he probably totally gets this comment and would laugh his *ss off at it.

[@DMSProduktions]

@@tasteapiana Celf sensor much?

[@DMSProduktions]

Johnny Thunders called, he wants his image back!

[@DMSProduktions]

@@AzathothsAlarmClock ;o)

[@woggz21]

Boss

[@vicesquadpunk]

Two dislikes so far... for guitarists who think they are better than him 🤣