Steve Vai Interview Part 1 | MI Conversation Series

Joining MI for a conversation, legendary guitar great, Steve Vai, discusses touring, what he looks for in bandmates, composing for orchestras and playing with Zappa back in the day.
Watch Part 2 here: • Steve Vai Interview Pa...
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Part Two comes out Monday! Stay tuned

[@commentfreely5443]

how could he be 18 when he started with Frank? he said previously that he went to audition for Frank after finishing Berkley, which would have taken years after school.

[@Vailover4ever]

Every Vai interview is a jewel, always interesting and somehow soul searching.His one note guitar piece with orchestra is brilliant. I ADORE that man. Can't wait for part 2.

[@megamountainman5230]

Vailover4ever Nope. Every Vai interview is a JEM. Get it? Get it?

[@LightningJackFlash]

Same here man :)

[@eljapi9346]

i need the name of the song

[@commentfreely5443]

i don't believe there are only 12 notes.

[@robinjohnsonpropheticeagle3733]

@@eljapi9346weeping China Doll”

[@williamchiusano3185]

Honestly who doesnt love this guy!???:) What a beautiful person who inspires creativity and being human.You cant not smile and have this guy in the room.I met him in NYC in a small club SPIT.He was gracious and did a gig for the night and raised $90,000 and donated it all to the church of St.Jude. Thank God for people like Steve. He is not the 'only' great philanthropists but one of those who will be remembered for so much spiritual gifts given to the world.

[@lstarrtna4288]

Lol

[@kellyfullen8735]

Met him in the early 90s..hell of a nice guy

[@RandyJM21]

What a likeable person. His advice is really good on a macro level. I was lucky enough to see him on the first Zappa plays Zappa tour. Good guy.

[@thomasscillieri296]

love this guy.. when he talks you drift off with a smile.. he's always saying something deep and raw, it's so soothing ;)

[@parkerthibault2871]

Am I the only one who thinks Steve Vai should do a podcast? lol

[@koho]

No!

[@KennethGonzalez]

This was an awesome event! Was so glad to be there live. Very pleased that everyone will get a chance to be a part of being with Steve!!!

[@ImSylla]

Thank You Steve and MI! The Great Conversation!!

[@BHAKTIBROPHY]

One of the most beautiful things about Steve is how incredibly down to earth he is. He's a great friend, terrific family man, and so gracious towards his fans. It's been an honor and a privilege following his career for the past 30+ years. Thank you for posting this interview. Bravo!!! Donna "Bhakti" Brophy

[@dianeherr5506]

Brilliant man. Magically complex, to my way of thinking. Thanks for posting, Dan, and MI.

[@way2muchawesome]

can't wait for part 2

[@stevenzin5834]

He can easily make millions as a motivational speaker. What a great genius and beautiful human being. Thank you for everything.

[@sazopro]

He’s always so enlightening, great advice always.

[@CongNguyen-pm2hp]

so touching for an excellent video

[@Sman-dc1ow]

LOVE LISTENING TO "THE MASTER" SPEAK.

[@castanomax1]

non l'ho mai seguito bene come chitarrista...ma ora che ho scoperto quanto sia simpatico sarò un suo fan!!!! super uomo

[@Joesfosterdogs]

excellent interviewer,,,Vai s strength is his focus,,,he wasnt kidding when he said he spent 15 hours a day editing,,,THAT is steve vai...hard work over time is his ring of success

[@marccianciola]

Steve is a pretty cool dude. Smart as hell too.

[@James-hh1lq]

I would love to have been a fly on the wall with satch teaching vai

[@benoitfleury8487]

Would be priceless to see that. Two guys growing together, learning together, becoming friends...

[@piotrhobbysta5614]

I ask myself - what I like more: listen to the music by Steve or listen to his interviews and what he teels us? :)

[@mrbrianmccarthy]

This guy is the Franz Liszt of guitar. Brilliant player and writer, and a really down to earth guy. Bravo Steve!

[@daviclar867]

But he didn't write anything worth listening to.

[@mrbrianmccarthy]

@@daviclar867 I think a lot of people would disagree with that. He's miles ahead of Zappa, I'll tell you that. LOL

[@dougsteeleguitar]

I love hearing about the Zappa stuff.

[@tonydorosario]

Great conversation!

[@ViveleRush]

Watching this interview is Vai Utopia!!!!!! :)

[@alienautopsy9326]

Master legend

[@sudan47]

Steve looking so handsome .

[@samdean71]

what is that orchestra piece he was talking about? with one note?

[@AlexGibson]

What the song of his entrance?

[@ylcn77ylcn]

very nice great

[@wafferz]

What was the name of the track that he played when he walked out? It was mesmerizing.

[@wafferz]

Thank you.

[@TurkiyeCumhurbaskani]

I love you Steve

[@megamountainman5230]

***** R U gay?

[@megamountainman5230]

FaimlyGuyFan yes.

[@LordPrutsikas]

Part 2, where is it?

[@emadmousavi2298]

Intro song: weeping china doll

[@gclark2536]

did Steve ever tour with P.I.L

[@robinjohnsonpropheticeagle3733]

what was the song he walked out to here on this interview?

[@robinjohnsonpropheticeagle3733]

It’s called “WEEPING CHINA DOLL”

[@isaiahwhaley3263]

Steve vai should make an album by himself that's just instrumental

[@karinedebray2175]

Some segments in the video are stamped not adjacent to each other

[@eroticblack]

not everyone can say, "I made a guitar part that everyone can play"!

[@blackstonedaze8983]

EVH amp on stage. hilarious

[@Cesmf2020]

What’s the opening song?

[@robinjohnsonpropheticeagle3733]

same question...whats that song?

[@emadmousavi2298]

Weeping china doll

[@TCRGuitar]

Vai could have been a preacher.

[@DarkMuzishn]

9:52 no I don't think one can possibly get to do a vibrato like steve vai so no you still didn't write a song that everyone can play:P

[@chairmanmeow-ij1wd]

Weird. He sounds just like FZ.

[@daviclar867]

A prodigy that couldn't even write an equivalent of an AC/DC song!

[@CountryHouseGent]

I like Steve's boots. Wouldn't kiss them though. :)

[@johnangelbautistaguitar]

No Females.!

[@sonykroket]

Indeed, who'd want to listen to this boring shit.

[@lazn9863]

guys who play the guitar find solace that cobain was a noob compared to tecqunical players like vai and still destroys them

[@endezeichengrimm]

+Laz N Solace that Cobain sucked ass?

[@DetVen]

+Laz N The only thing that Cobain destroyed is his own life, quite literally actually.

[@dthellland9738]

kobain was murdered by the illuminati. He was worth over 100million dollars and they wanted it. That's why the keep Hole fucked up on drugs, so they can spend her money.

[@TheChodax]

The interviewer is an annoying sycophant, he ruins the interview.

[@geoarthur6593]

Megalomaniac.. he could listen to himself all day .. great guitarist, pity he needs listened to ALL the time, contradictory into the bargain.. shut up and play yer guitar.

[@burnsZY85]

Or you could not bother listening to him.

[@daw162]

YOu think he set this interview up, or the school did? I'd bet you're not right here - generally, people like to talk about their work if someone says "I want to hear about it".

[@ShadovvV]

My god.. he's soooo boring.

[@megamountainman5230]

ShadowⓋ Fuck you. You are obviously either not bright, or not a guitarist. Any guitarist who has any brain whatsoever would find infinite insight in each and every interview.

[@ShadovvV]

Mega MountainMan "Infinite insight".. right. Infinitely boring maybe. Whether or not I play guitar is irrelevant to that fact. Point being, Steve may be talented, but listening to him talk is like watching paint dry. He's just simply boring. Honestly though, if you want my personal opinion on his playing, I think he's really good at making strange sounds with his guitar. That must be what he does when he records stuff. He probably sits there and thinks about the next bizarre sound he can make with his whammy bar. Sure, that's creative.. but it gets old fast. I'm also quite sure he's never been able to play a decent driving Thrash or Speed Metal rhythm to save his life. I guess that's why he's a lead player.. because his rhythmic ability blows - for the most part. Look at his history. That pretty much proves it. Most of his music has been tripping through the daisies fuckery. That's all I've really ever heard.

[@megamountainman5230]

ShadowⓋ Now I'm convinced even more that you are neither a guitarist nor bright. Ever tried making up your own ideas on how to be famous? He could easily play anything to save even YOUR life. He just doesn't play thrash or speed metal. Stick your logic back up your ass.

[@ShadovvV]

Mega MountainMan Again, whether or not I'm a guitarist (or even "bright", which you've already re-iterated twice now) is irrelevant to what I'm saying. Is there a reason why you're ignoring what I said? ONE MORE TIME: STEVE IS BORING (both his conversation and most of his music). Got it yet? That's why half of his career was based on making whammy bar sounds instead of decent songs or just simply heavier rhythms. As for LIVE playing, he may as well just stand there in a Peter Pan outfit because that's pretty much the mentality of what we're dealing with and what the audience is hearing. Anything else, smart ass?

[@megamountainman5230]

ShadowⓋ Those whammy bar sounds are 100 times harder to make than pinch harmonics and 1000000000000000000 times harder than a simple heavier rhythm. His live shows are way more energetic than those of Dave Grohl. His "Peter Pan" outfit was obviously inspired by Michael Jackson, the trend setter of Steve's time. The audience is hearing a person who loves music and really didn't want to be stuck in a dead end job.