Vai puhutaanko nyt mielipideasioista? Okei, kuinka tahansa, mutta maailman taitavimmaksi nykykitaristiksi monissa yhteyksissä ja äänestyksissä nostettu Steve Vai kipuaa Helsingin Nosturin lavalle 5. toukokuuta.
Myös näyttelijänä ja mehiläiskasvattajana tunnetun 53-vuotiaan virtuoosin saavutusten lista on käytännössä loputon, joten mainitaan tässä yhteydessä vaikkapa muutamia Vain työtä arvostaneita yhteistyökumppaneita vuosien varrelta: Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Frank Zappa, Whitesnake, Joe Satriani, Motörhead, The Devin Townsend Band, David Lee Roth, Public Image Ltd ja tietenkin Iwrestledabearonce!
Rage Against The Machine -herra Tom Morello sanoo Steve Vaista puolestaan seuraavaa:
”Some instrumental guitar players are lost in a muso fog. Steve Vai is not one of them. He’s an artist, and one of the greats. I’ve certainly learned from him, especially from his work ethic. I started playing guitar very late, when I was 17 years old. I felt really behind, and when I read about Steve’s practice regimen it really encouraged me. It also nearly killed me! While doing my college studies I was also practicing eight hours a day to amass the kind of technique that I admired in players like him and Randy Rhoads.
Once, Steve was doing a presentation at GIT, and he asked me to do it with him. He told me he’d also invited Steve Lukather, Stanley Jordan and Joe Satriani. I said, “No, bro, it sounds like it’s gonna be a shred-off.” But he said, “We’re not even gonna play; we’re just gonna discuss our craft.” So I said, “Okay, I’ll do it.”
A couple of days before the event, he says to me, “Just bring your amp and guitar along in case we have to demonstrate techniques.” So of course, I get there for soundcheck, and my worst nightmare has come true: it was six of us in a row with our guitars, and it was nonstop shredding the whole time!”