"Steve Vai: "How I Scored the Zappa Gig 🎸"

[@mark_fox_music]

Vai is such an awesome human being.

[@GoodCorporateRobot]

Great interview. Frank’s impact on the best musicians in the world speaks volumes about his legacy.

[@johntomasik1555]

I saw Vai with Zappa back in 1980 in Dallas, Texas. It was the first time I saw Zappa, having only been a casual listener of his music through what was occasionally played on the radio. So, I knew nothing of the band members, only who Zappa was. Vai didn't grab my attention (no fault of his....just my naivete of the band), but it's obvious he had to be great just to be there. One of the musicians that did grab my attention was their drummer (I think that was Vinnie Colaiuta). What really shocked me was how the band could accurately play such crazy music, and how that drummer always seemed to be exactly where the music went. Again, no crack on Vai....I wish I knew more about Zappa's band and music before seeing him. I'd bet then I could really appreciate each musician and not be overwhelmed.

[@cboch3075]

I saw Frank live five times from 1979 to 1988. Always an amazing show. Simply the best band you could ask for. Like watching athletes who have trained for the Olympics. I've seen Dweezil five times now as well. Also a great show. Vai and Bozzio have both toured with him.

[@globaltrud6685]

Thank you for this jewel !

[@museinglis1979]

Vai is the GOAT! …played with Zappa, Whitesnake, Roth… It’s no wonder Belew chose him do Fripp’s role in the upcoming King Crimson project! …and with TOOLs percussionist! 😮 👏

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

@museinglis1979 quite a B team Resume. Whitesnake?

[@talesfromthetoiletseat8295]

That blows my mind having to know 80 songs cold. Stuff like Zappas music must of been nightmare!

[@SteveRussell-q6v]

So clever at such a young age.

[@TristanWeijermars]

A great musician talking about (maybe) an even greater musician. Fascinating stuff. Is there a longer version of this interview?

[@thomascerulli8013]

One of my biggest regrets. Was never seeing Frank Live. My fiends didn’t hear him. And as an a native NYer. His Halloween shows in The City every year. Are that of legend

[@FullChokeFowl]

Never realized until now, how much Steve looks like Hugh Hefner. Uncanny.

[@JS---]

Might be his offspring😊

[@bcsemotorworks2462]

Haha well he didn't but now he does.

[@frankiezap]

...can't unsee it now

[@loucontino4804]

I remember seeing Frank in 1981 at the Halloween Show in NYC at The Palladium. Vai was a force on that night and just blew me away. When he did Stevie's Spanking I was floored. Not one of my friends knew who he was and I only knew him from Frank's records. But I told everyone who would listen about Vai after that show. I remember, at that time everyone was heavily into EVH, but I just knew Steve was something special and no way was that level of talent going to be contained. I'm writing this in 2024 and the history of Steve speaks for itself. An tremendous musical genius.

[@edwardeller4579]

Great interview!

[@mbingham666]

That's how I got into rock music at 11, Guns N Roses Illusion records came out sept of 1991, i had just turned 11. I had only been into things like MC, Hammer and vanilla ice...stupid 5th grade bs. My parents took me to Target and there was a giant display with the illusion records. There was just something about "Use Your Illusion II" with the blue and black, i had to have it For some reason I thought that they were something of an outlaw country band, along the lines of Willie Nelson or Waylon Jennings.... My aunt listened to that kind of music when I was younger and I was really into it. Obviously I got the record home and it was nothing what I thought it was going to be. It absolutely blew me away, and got me really into rock music. People don't remember that within a couple of weeks those GNR records came out, metallica black album, nirvana nevermind, pearl jam ten, red hot chili peppers blood sugar sex magic, and Soundgarden's badmotorfinger.... All came out August and September of 1991. Guns n' roses got me into Queen, megadeth, danzig, there was so much good music coming out in the early '90s... In 1992, Best friend and I went to the record store to buy his father a CD for his birthday. He misheard what his father liked and bought. Steve Vai instead of Stevie Ray Vaughan. His father didn't want the record, So we listen to it and discovered passion and warfare.... I became a huge Vai fan immediately, then his band Vai in '93 with devin townsend.... And it all started with just what the album cover look like.... Kids today Just don't get to experience albums like we did, It was an experience to open up an LP with its giant images and lyrical inserts, So you could study the lyrics and know what they were saying back before you could just look them up online

[@beckylynn209]

I saw Zappa in Portland Oregon when I was a teen in the 60s or 70s, n I don't remember much of it.. I believe he did a song called The Mudshark Dance.. 🤨🤗🤘

[@Frunobulax74]

@beckylynn209 - That would be 1970 or 1971

[@shearn666]

"Shovel it on, brother, cos I got this!" You don't often hear Vai speak with such cockiness & confidence; he's normally quite measured and humble. But you can tell he's proud of what he achieved with Zappa, as well, he should. It set him up for a long & successful career in one of the toughest industries there is.

[@leepd1]

This aint no party.. this aint no disco.. this aint no fooling around.. being in Franks band was clearly not for the faint hearted.

[@timwhite5562]

I'm constantly getting distracted throughout the interview wondering what the hell that thing is in his right hand.

[@NateBliss]

It appears to be a Trigger Finger Splint

[@whotube357]

Love Vai but never got Zappa....he sounds like a racket

[@robbinsteel]

Funny thing how Steve picked the first album.

[@meyou-dv8ns]

Steve Silverman gave Steve his first guitar lessons, but Steve never mention's poor Steve Silvermans name ever in any interview

[@frankiezap]

...maybe he didn't like him

[@sabtahi13]

Having seen FZ more than a dozen times, I can attest that his set list varied show to show, consecutive nights. Frank at the Auditorium Theater when he got banned, that was the most memorable show for me. It involved an inflatable sex doll, which went from female to trans in an instant, hilarious! The next time I saw him he was playing a University Hall, oops!

[@jameschristiansson3137]

Did you see him in Naperville? Carbondale?

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

Permanent stain on Zapps legacy!

[@kelleychilton2524]

I've heard that Zappa was a difficult person, plus his kids have a lot of negative things to say about him and their mother.

[@volpeverde6441]

'STUNT' GUITAR....