Steven "Steve" Siro Vai
(born June 6 1960 in Carle Place, New York) is an Italian American instrumental rock guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, producer, beekeeper, and actor. After starting his professional career as a music transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, Vai would also record and tour in Zappa's backing band starting in 1980. The guitarist began a solo career starting in 1984 and has released 13 solo albums as of 2008. Apart from his work with Frank Zappa, Vai has also recorded and toured with numerous musical artists including Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth and Whitesnake. Vai has been a regular touring member of the G3 Concert Tour which began in 1996. In 1999 Vai started his own record label Favored Nations with the intent to showcase, as Vai describes: "...artists that have attained the highest performance level on their chosen instruments."
[1]
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Career
1970s and 1980s
In 1974, Vai took guitar lessons from guitarist
Joe Satriani, and played in numerous local bands, one that took the name, "The Steve Vais". He has acknowledged the influence of many guitarists including
Jeff Beck and
jazz fusion guitarist
Allan Holdsworth. Vai followed those lessons by attending and graduating the
Berklee College of Music, afterwards recording a promotional piece for them, speaking about auditioning for Frank Zappa, at age twenty.
Vai mailed
Frank Zappa a transcription of Zappa's "
The Black Page", an instrumental song written for drums, along with a tape with some of Vai's guitar playing. Zappa was so impressed with the abilities of the young musician that he hired him in 1979 to do work transcribing several of his guitar solos, including many of those appearing on the
Joe's Garage album and the
Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar series. These transcriptions were published in 1982 in
The Frank Zappa Guitar Book
.
Subsequent to being hired as a transcriber, Vai did overdubs on many of the guitar parts for Zappa's album
You Are What You Is
. Thereafter he became a full-fledged band member, going on his first tour with Zappa in the Autumn of 1980. One of those early shows with Vai on guitar, recorded in
Buffalo was released in 2007. While touring with Zappa's band, Vai would sometimes ask audience members to bring musical scores and see if he could
sight-read them on the spot. Zappa referred to Vai as his "little Italian virtuoso" and was listed in liner notes as performing "stunt guitar" or "impossible guitar parts". He would later be a featured artist on the
1993 recording,
Zappa's Universe
. In
2006 he returned to playing music composed by Frank Zappa as a special guest on his son,
Dweezil Zappa's '
Zappa Plays Zappa' tour, alongside old friends from his early years who he had performed with when Zappa was alive.
After leaving Zappa in
1982 he moved to
California where he recorded his first album
Flex-Able
and performed in a couple of bands. In
1985 he replaced
Yngwie Malmsteen as lead guitarist in
Graham Bonnet's
Alcatrazz with whom he recorded the album
Disturbing the Peace
. Later in 1985 he joined former
Van Halen front man
David Lee Roth's group to record the albums
Eat 'Em and Smile
and
Skyscraper
. This significantly increased Vai's visibility to general rock audiences, since Roth was in a highly public battle with the Van Halen members and Vai was favorably compared by many commentators to
Eddie Van Halen.
In
1986 Vai also surprised everyone by playing with ex-
Sex Pistols John Lydon's
Public Image Ltd on their album
Album
(also known as
Compact Disc
or
Cassette
). Then, in
1989, Vai joined
Whitesnake, replacing
Vivian Campbell. But, when
Adrian Vandenberg injured his wrist shortly before recording was due to begin for the album
Slip of the Tongue
, Vai played all the guitar parts on the album. Vai also played on the
Alice Cooper album
Hey Stoopid
along with Joe Satriani on the song
Feed my Frankenstein
.
1990s and 2000s
Vai continues to tour regularly, both with his own group and with his one-time teacher and fellow guitar instrumentalist friend
Joe Satriani on the
G3 series of tours. Former
David Lee Roth and
Mr. Big bassist
Billy Sheehan also joined him for a world tour. In 1990, Vai released his critically acclaimed
solo album Passion and Warfare
.
The song
"For the Love of God" was voted #29 in a readers' poll of the 100 greatest
guitar solos of all time in
Guitar World
Magazine.
In
1994 Vai began writing and recording with
Ozzy Osbourne. Only one track from these sessions and "
My Little Man" was released on the
Ozzmosis
album. Despite Vai penning the track he does not appear on the album. His guitar parts were replaced by
Zakk Wylde. Vai's band members throughout the 1990s included drummer
Mike Mangini, guitarist
Mike Keneally and bassist
Philip Bynoe. In 1994 Vai received a
Grammy Award for his performance on the Frank Zappa song
Sofa
from the album
Zappa's Universe
.
In July
2002, Steve Vai performed with the
Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra at the
Suntory Hall in
Tokyo, Japan, in the world premiere of composer Ichiro Nodaira's
Fire Strings
, a
concerto for
electric guitar and 100-piece orchestra.
In
2004, a number of his compositions and orchestral arrangements including some previously recorded pieces, were performed in
The Netherlands by the Metropole Orchestra in a concert series entitled
The Aching Hunger
. In
2003, drummer Jeremy Colson joined Vai's group replacing previous drummer
Virgil Donati. Vai's latest album,
Sound Theories
, was released in
2007.
Steve Vai released a DVD of his performance at
The Astoria in
London in December
2001, featuring the lineup of bassist
Billy Sheehan, guitarist/pianist
Tony MacAlpine, guitarist
Dave Weiner and drummer Virgil Donati.
In February 2005, Vai premiered a dual-guitar (electric and classical) piece that he wrote called
The Blossom Suite
with classical guitarist
Sharon Isbin at the
Châtelet Theatre in
Paris. In 2006, Vai played as a "special guest" guitarist alongside additional guest Zappa band members, drummer
Terry Bozzio, guitarist-singer
Ray White and saxophonist-singer
Napoleon Murphy Brock in the "Zappa Plays Zappa" tour led by Frank's son
Dweezil Zappa in Europe and the U.S. in the Spring as well as a short U.S. tour in October.
On
September 21 2006, Vai made a special appearance at the
Video Games Live
concert at the
Hollywood Bowl in
Hollywood, California. He played two songs with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra;
Halo Theme
, and a second song for the world premier trailer for
Halo 3.
Steve Vai made an appearance at the London Guitar Show 2007 on the
28th April 2007 at the ExCeL Center. In late April 2007, Vai confirmed the release of his most recent record, called
Sound Theories
, on
June 26. The release is a 2-CD set consisting mostly of previously released material that Vai rearranged and played in front of a full
orchestra. Vai says that the project was a great joy because he considers himself to be a
composer more than a guitarist, and he is happy to see music he has composed played by an orchestra that can play it well. A DVD followed the record but was not released until later that year. He guested on the
Dream Theater album,
Systematic Chaos
, on the song "
Repentance". The appearance was vocal rather than instrumental, as Vai was only one of many musical guests recorded. The song features contributions from many artists, with the aim of apologizing to important people in their lives for wrongdoings committed in their pasts.
Vai is set to release
Where the Wild Things Are on CD, DVD and Blu-Ray on Sep 29 2009. This is a live recording of his performance at the Minneapolis State Theater from his 2007 Tour.
Video games
"Juice" was featured on the 1996 video game "Formula One" for the PlayStation.
In 1998, "Erotic Nightmares" was featured as the menu music in the video game
WCW/nWo Revenge for the
Nintendo 64.
Two different songs featuring Steve Vai's guitar playing appeared in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Both Yankee Rose by David Lee Roth and God Blessed Video by Alcatrazz are featured on the game's soundtrack.
In 2004, Steve Vai was featured on
Xbox's
Halo 2
(a game by
Bungie Studios) Volume 1 soundtrack, performing a heavy rock-guitar rendition of the
Halo theme
, known as
Halo Theme (Mjolnir Mix)
. He also performed on the track
Never Surrender
. He later featured in the second volume of the soundtrack, where he performed on the track
Reclaimer
.
In 2008, Steve Vai's
For the Love of God
was featured as a downloadable track for the game
Guitar Hero 3
.
Movies
Steve Vai's music has been featured in a number of feature films, including
Dudes
and
Ghosts of Mars
. He appeared onscreen in the
1986 Ralph Macchio movie
Crossroads
, playing the demonically-inspired Jack Butler. At the film's climax, Vai engages in a guitar duel with Macchio, whose guitar parts were dubbed by Vai and also
Ry Cooder, who played the initial slide work in the duel and Macchio's earlier performances in the film. The fast-paced
neo-classical track entitled
Eugene's Trick Bag
with which Macchio wins the competition was also composed by Vai. The body of the piece was heavily based on
Paganini's
Caprice #5
. He later borrowed the opening riff from the track
Head Cuttin' Duel
for a song called
Bad Horsie
from his 1995 EP
Alien Love Secrets
.
Later the
Crossroads
duel reappeared on the 2002 album
The Elusive Light and Sound, volume 1
.
In
1991's
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
the introductory riff to
KISS'
God Gave Rock 'N Roll To You II
, as performed by the
Wyld Stallyns in the
Battle of the Bands was performed by Vai. He also composed and performed the soundtrack to
PCU
(
1994), and made contributions in
2001 to the score for
John Carpenter's
Ghosts of Mars
, performing on the tracks
Ghosts of Mars
and
Ghost Poppin
. His track "I'm the Hell Outta Here" can be heard during
1992's
Encino Man
in the scene where
Brendan Fraser is taking a driving lesson.
His guitar is starring in the animated short film "Live Music".
Playing style
Vai is widely recognized as a highly technically advanced rock guitarist and has been described as a
virtuoso in the world of guitar music
[2]. He has mastered many
techniques on the instrument including
alternate picking,
legato, pinch
harmonics and
volume swells, and is noted for his
whammy bar effects and sporadic outbursts on the instrument often contrasting
sweep-picking or finger
tapping with slower sections to his compositions. His 1990 album
Passion and Warfare
and the ballad
For the Love of God
in particular received a significant amount of press and are often cited by critics and fans alike as amongst his best work to date
[3].
Vai's playing style has been characterized as quirky and angular, owing to his technical ability with the instrument and deep knowledge of
music theory. He often uses exotic guitars; he plays both
double and triple neck guitars, and is regarded as the first to use the
7-string guitar in a rock context. Along with Ibanez, he designed a signature 7-string guitar, the
Ibanez Universe.
Equipment
Vai is an accomplished studio producer (he owns two: "The Mothership"
[4] and "The Harmony Hut"
[5]) and his own recordings combine his signature guitar prowess with novel compositions and considerable use of studio and recording effects.
Vai also helped design his signature
Ibanez JEM series of guitars. They feature a hand grip (fondly referred to as a "monkey grip") cut into the top of the body of the guitar, a
humbucker-
single coil-humbucker
DiMarzio pickup configuration with several different types of pickup including Evolution, Breed and EVO 2. He also uses the Ibanez Edge and Lo-Pro Edge double-locking tremolo systems (the current production JEMs have the newer Edge Pro), as well as an elaborate and extensive "Tree of Life" inlay down the neck. Vai also equips many of his guitars with an Ibanez Backstop, a tremolo stabilizer that has been discontinued. Lately Vai has also equipped some of his guitars with
True Temperament fretboards in order for his chords to sound completely in tune.
[6] Vai also has a 7-string model designed by him named
Ibanez Universe. The Universe later influenced the 7-string guitars used by
Korn and other bands to create
nu metal sounds in the late 1990s. He also has a signature
Ibanez acoustic, the Euphoria. Before Ibanez, he briefly endorsed
Jackson guitars, but this relationship only lasted two years.
Steve Vai has also worked with
Carvin Guitars and Pro Audio to develop the
Carvin Legacy line of
guitar amplifiers. Vai wanted to create an affordable amp that was unique, and equal in sound and versatility to any guitar amp he had previously used.
[7]
Over his long musical career, Steve Vai has used and designed an array of guitars. He even had his DNA put into the swirl paint job on one of his signature JEM guitars, the JEM2KDNA, in the form of his blood
[8]. Only 300 of these were made. Nowadays he mainly uses his white "Evo", a JEM7V, and his "Flo", which is a customized Floral Jem 77FP painted white. They are both inscribed with their names in two places, mainly in order to allow him to distinguish between the guitars he uses onstage. "Flo" is equipped with a
Fernandes sustainer system.
He also has a guitar named "Mojo" in which the dot inlays are
blue LED lights. Additionally, he has a custom-made triple-neck guitar that has the same basic features as his JEM7V guitars. The top neck is a
12-string guitar, the middle is a 6-string, and the bottom is a 6-string
fretless guitar with a
Fernandes Sustainer pickup. This guitar was featured on the G3 2003 tour on the piece
I Know You're Here
. Vai's
effects pedals include a modified
Boss DS-1,
Ibanez Tube Screamer,
Morley Bad Horsie, Ibanez Jemini Twin Distortion Pedal, TC Electronics G-System, Morley Little Alligator
Volume pedal,
Digitech Whammy, and an
MXR Phase 90/Phase 100 on the Passion and Warfare album. His flight cases are labeled "Mr. Vai", or latterly, "Dr. Vai". He used a number of rack effects units controlled via
MIDI, but used a floor-based TC electronics G system instead for the Zappa Plays Zappa tour.
Philanthropy
In 2005, Vai signed on as an official supporter of
Little Kids Rock, a
nonprofit organization that provides free musical instruments and instruction to children in public schools throughout the U.S.A. He sits on LKR's Honorary Board of Directors.
Vai was a judge for the 3rd and 8th annual
Independent Music Awards to support independent artists.
[9]
Favored Nations
Vai owns
Favored Nations, a recording and publishing company that specializes in internationally procuring and maintaining
recording artists. Favored Nations is separated into three sections, 'Favored Nations', 'Favored Nations Acoustic' and 'Favored Nations Cool (Jazz style)'
Artists with whom the Favored Nations label works or has worked include
Eric Johnson,
Steve Lukather,
Neal Schon,
Yngwie Malmsteen,
John Petrucci &
Jordan Rudess,
Mattias IA Eklundh,
Tak Matsumoto,
Andy Timmons,
Johnny Hiland,
Tommy Emmanuel,
Vernon Reid,
The Yardbirds,
Larry Coryell,
Mimi Fox,
Eric Sardinas,
Dweezil Zappa,
Dave Weiner, James Robinson and
Johnny A.
Personal life
Vai is married to
Pia Maiocco, former
bass player of
Vixen, who can be seen in
Hardbodies
[10]. Vai and Maiocco have two children; Julian Angel and Fire. In his
spare time Vai is an avid
beekeeper [11] - his bees regularly produce a crop of
honey that Vai sells for his
Make a Noise Foundation.
[12]
Band History - not including guest appearances
- Frank Zappa (1980-1982)
- Steve Vai (1982-1984)
- Alcatrazz (1985)
- David Lee Roth (1985-1986)
- Public Image Ltd. (1985-1986)
- Frank Zappa (1986)
- David Lee Roth (1987-1988)
- Whitesnake (1988-1990)
- Solo (1989-present)
Current band members
- Steve Vai
- vocals, lead guitar
- Dave Weiner - rhythm guitar, electric sitar
- Ann Marie Calhoun - violin,keyboard
- Alex DePue - violin
- Bryan Beller - bass guitar
- Jeremy Colson - drums, percussion
Discography
Solo albums
- Flex-Able
(1984)
- Flex-Able Leftovers
(1984)
- Passion and Warfare
(1990) - Gold (USA) [13], #18 on the Billboard 200 on June 30, 1990
- Sex & Religion
(1993)
- Alien Love Secrets
(1995)
- Fire Garden
(1996)
- The Ultra Zone
(1999)
- The 7th Song
(2000)
- Alive in an Ultra World
(2001)
- The Elusive Light and Sound, volume 1
(2002)
- The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology
(2003)
- Live In London
(2004)
- Real Illusions: Reflections
(2005)
- Sound Theories
(2007)
- Where the Wild Things Are
(2009)
Appearances on Zappa albums
Year
| Album
| Credit
|
1981
| Tinseltown Rebellion
| Rhythm guitar, vocals
|
1981
| Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar
| Rhythm guitar
|
1981
| You Are What You Is
| Guitar
|
1982
| Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch
| "Impossible Guitar parts"
|
1983
| The Man from Utopia
| Guitar parts
|
1984
| Them or Us
| Guitar
|
1984
| Thing-Fish
| Guitar, vocals
|
1985
| Frank Zappa Meets the Mothers of Prevention
| Guitar
|
1987
| Jazz from Hell
| Guitar
|
1988
| Guitar
| Stunt guitar
|
1988
| You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore Sampler
| Stunt guitar
|
1988
| You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1
| Stunt guitar
|
1989
| You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3
| Stunt guitar
|
1991
| You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4
| Stunt guitar, vocals
|
1991
| Beat the Boots I: As An Am
| Stunt guitar
|
1992
| You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5
| Stunt guitar
|
1992
| You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6
| Stunt guitar
|
1995
| Strictly Commercial
| Guitar
|
1997
| Have I Offended Someone?
| Guitar
|
1998
| Cheap Thrills
| Guitar
|
1999
| Son of Cheep Thrills
| Guitar, vocals
|
With other artists
Year
| Artist
| Album
| RIAA
|
1983
| Lisa Popeil
| Lisa Popeil
|
1985
| Heresy
| At The Door
|
1985
| Alcatrazz
| Disturbing the Peace
|
1985
| Public Image Ltd.
| Album
|
1986
| Bob Harris
| The Great Nostalgia
|
1986
| Shankar & Caroline
| The Epidemics
|
1986
| David Lee Roth
| Eat 'Em and Smile
| Platinum
|
1986
| Randy Coven
| Funk Me Tender
|
1986
| Western Vacation
| Western Vacation
|
1988
| David Lee Roth
| Skyscraper
| Platinum
|
1989
| Whitesnake
| Slip of the Tongue
| 3x Platinum
|
1990
| Rebecca
| The Best of Dreams
|
1991
| Alice Cooper
| Hey Stoopid
|
1994
| Whitesnake
| Whitesnake's Greatest Hits
| Platinum
|
1995
| Ozzy Osbourne
| Ozzmosis
(cowriter on one song)
| 2x Platinum
|
1996
| Wild Style
| Cryin
|
1997
| Munetaka Higuchi with Dream Castle
| Free World
|
1997
| Joe Satriani / Eric Johnson / Steve Vai
| G3: Live in Concert
|
1997
| David Lee Roth
| The Best
|
1998
| Gregg Bissonette
| Gregg Bissonette
|
1998
| Al Di Meola
| The Infinite Desire
|
1999
| Joe Jackson
| Symphony No. 1
|
2000
| Whitesnake
| The Back to Black Collection
|
2000
| Gregg Bissonette
| Submarine
|
2000
| Thana Harris
| Thanatopsis
|
2000
| Andrew Dice Clay
| Face Down, Ass Up
|
2001
| Robin DiMaggio
| Blue Planet
|
2001
| Billy Sheehan
| Compression
|
2002
| Tak Matsumoto
| Hana
|
2003
| Surinder Sandhu
| Saurang Orchestra
|
2002
| Girls Together Outrageously (G.T.O)
| Solo in their cover version of "I'll Be Around"
|
2003
| Eric Sardinas
| Black Pearls
|
2003
| Steve Lukather & Friends
| SantaMental
|
2003
| Hughes Turner Project
| HTP 2
|
2003
| Shankar & Gingger
| One in a Million
|
2003
| Yardbirds
| Birdland
|
2004
| Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen
| G3: Live - Rockin' In The Free World
|
2004
| Motörhead
| Inferno
|
2004
| Bob Carpenter
| The Sun, The Moon, The Stars
|
2004
| Mike Keneally
| Vai: Piano Reductions, Vol. 1
|
2005
| John 5
| Songs for Sanity
|
2005
| Dave Weiner
| Live at Astoria DVD
|
2005
| Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, John Petrucci
| G3: Live in Tokyo
|
2006
| The Devin Townsend Band
| Synchestra
|
2006
| Marty Friedman
| Loudspeaker
|
2006
| Meat Loaf
| Bat out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose
| Gold
|
2007
| Dream Theater (spoken voice only)
| Systematic Chaos
|
2007
| Eros Ramazzotti
| e²
|
2008
| Jason Becker
| [Collection]
|
2009
| Spinal Tap
| Back from the dead
|
Soundtracks
Year
| Soundtrack
| Type
|
1986
| Crossroads
| Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
|
1987
| Dudes
| Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
|
1991
| Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
| Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
|
1992
| Encino Man
| Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
|
1994
| PCU
| Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
|
1997
| Formula 1
| Original Video Game Soundtrack
|
2001
| Ghosts of Mars
| Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
|
2004
| Halo 2 Soundtrack Volume 1
| Original Video Game Soundtrack
|
2006
| Halo 2 Soundtrack Volume 2
| Original Video Game Soundtrack
|
2008
| Guitar Hero III: Virtuoso Track Pack
| Original Video Game Soundtrack
|
Compilations
Year
| Artists
| Compilation
|
1989
| Various
| Guitar's Practicing Musicians
|
1993
| Various
| Zappa's Universe
|
1995
| Various
| In From The Storm
|
1996
| Various
| Songs of West Side Story
|
1997
| Various
| Merry Axemas: A Guitar Christmas
|
1997
| Various
| Angelica
|
1999
| Various
| Radio Disney Kid Jams
|
2001
| Various
| Roland Guitar Masters
|
2002
| Various
| ''Guitars For Freedom
|
2002
| Various
| Warmth In The Wilderness Vol. II - A Tribute to Jason Becker
|
2004
| Various
| Halo 2 Original Soundtrack
|
2004
| Various
| The Sounds Of Nascar
|
2006
| Various
| Monsters of Rock
|
2008
| Various
| Zappa Plays Zappa
|
2008
| Steve Vai
| Naked Tracks
|
Awards and Nominations
"ref">[14]==
Grammy Winner
- 1994 Best Rock Instrumental Performance "Sofa" from Zappa's Universe
- 2001 Best Pop Instrumental No Substitutions [Steve Vai Producer/Engineer]
- 2009 "Peaches En Regalia" – Zappa Plays Zappa
Grammy Nomination
- 1990 Best Rock Instrumental Album Passion & Warfare
- 1995 Best Rock Instrumental Performance "Tender Surrender" – from Alien Love Secrets
- 1997 Best Rock Instrumental Performance "For the Love of God" – from G3 Live in Concert
- 1999 Best Rock Instrumental Performance "Windows to the Soul" – from The Ultra Zone
- 2001 Best Rock Instrumental Performance "Whispering a Prayer" – from Alive in an Ultra World
- 2006 Best Rock Instrumental Performance "Lotus Feet" — lost to Les Paul & Friends's "69 Freedom Special"
- 2008 Best Rock Instrumental Performance "The Attitude Song" — lost to Bruce Springsteen's "Once Upon a Time in the West"
Guitar Player Magazine
1995 Gallery of Greats
1995 Best Rock Guitarist
(Tie with Jimmy Page)
1995 Best Overall Guitarist
3rd Place
1995 Best Experimental Guitarist
(Tie with Buckethead)
1995 Best Metal Recording
3rd Place
1995 Best Overall Guitar Recording
2nd Place
1995 Best Metal Guitarist
3rd Place
1990 Best Rock Guitarist
1990 Best Overall Guitarist
1990 Best Guitar Album
1990 Best Metal Guitarist
1989 Best Rock Guitarist
1988 Best Rock Guitarist
1987 Best Rock Guitarist
1987 Best Overall Guitarist
1986 Best Rock Guitarist
Guitar World
1990 Most Valued Player
(tie with Stevie Ray Vaughan)
1990 Best Album
1990 Best Rock Guitarist
1990 Best Guitar Solo
(For the Love of God)
1989 Best Rock Guitarist
International Music Award Nomination
1990 Best Guitarist
Select Magazine (UK)
1990 Best Album
(Passion and Warfare)
1990 Best Musician
1990 Sexiest Male
Guitar for the Practicing Musician
1993 Editor’s Choice Award
1990 Reader’s Choice - Guitar Album of the Year
1990 Best Instrumental Guitarist of the Year
1988 Rock Guitarist of the Year
1987 Hall of Fame
1986 Guitar in the 90’s Award
Kerrang (UK)
1993 Best Hard Rock Performance
1990 Guitarist of the Year
1989 Best Rock Guitarist
Young Guitar (Japan)
1991 Best Rock Guitarist
1997 Best Rock Guitarist
Rock Brigade
1996 Best Guitarist
1997 Best Guitarist
RAW
1990 Best Selling Album (No. 10)
1990 Best Selling LP Sleeve (No. 1)
1990 Best Selling Promo Video
(No. 5, I Would Love To)
1990 Best Selling Promo Video
(No. 7, The Audience is Listening)
1990 Best Sex Object (No. 6)
1990 Best RAW Cover (No. 3)
Player
1995 Best Hard Rock Guitarist - 2nd Place
Making Music
1990 Best Album
1990 Best Guitarist
1990 Best Musician
Metal Hammer
1990 Best Guitarist (Reader's Poll)
California Music Awards
2001 Outstanding Guitarist (nominee)
See also
- List of rock instrumentals
- Steve Vai songs
References
- Message from Favored Nations President, Steve Vai
- www.mtv.com
- ''Passion And Warfare Review'' at Yahoo Music, July 13 2005, Retrieved February 27 2008
- Title Unavailable
- Title Unavailable
- http://www.truetemperament.com/site/index.php
- Carvin Steve Vai Legacy Amplifiers
- http://www.jemsite.com/articles-menu/jem-specs-anniversary-guitars/
- Independent Music Awards - Past Judges
- Hardbodies
- All About Steve
- Make A Noise Foundation homepage
- http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS
- Vai.com > All about Steve > Awards and Honors