Note to Steve Vai...

[UDTBUDS]

You probably never should have taken the Alcatrazz gig.... yikes he is horrible. Vibrato and terrible sloppy alternate picking. What would he do if his effects were taken away? That whammy effect... without it, would anything sound that impressive?

You forgot this on the bus. Now put it back on, sit down and lick the window again
And for the record in not Vai fanboy. I don't own single record of his or any of his gear. It's fine if you don't like him but have some respect. And yes, yes you are a troll this is like the 2nd or 3rd dickhead thread you have started in the last month.

 

[ejecta]

but his playing and stage presence is so annoying to "me" it honestly causes me to question the musical depth and maturity of his fans and defenders. that is how shallow his playing sounds to me.

..

And you actually had the balls to say right before this that you didn't mean to insult anyone. Liar. I tell you what I'll give some of what you're giving back and I'll say that I truly say this to insult you. I've thought this for a long time after reading your posts over the years... you're a pompous guitar snob and no matter how good you think you are no one gives a fuck about your "reasons" for not liking him. No matter how "reasoned" you think they are in that over inflated head of yours.

 

[UDTBUDS]

 

[Bob Savage]

i truly don't desire to insult people who admire him. or care to convice anyone not to like him or defend my reasoning.

... it honestly causes me to question the musical depth and maturity of his fans and defenders.

Pat, I'm not saying you're a condescending ass for the way you qualify a comment so as not to seem disrespectful and then follow up with a comment that appears intentionally disrespectful, but the comments really make me question the intent.


This logic should seem familiar.

 

[ejecta]

i truly don't desire to insult people who admire him. or care to convice anyone not to like him or defend my reasoning.

... it honestly causes me to question the musical depth and maturity of his fans and defenders.

Pat, I'm not saying you're a condescending ass for the way you qualify a comment so as not to seem disrespectful and then follow up with a comment that appears intentionally disrespectful, but the comments really make me question the intent.


This logic should seem familiar.

I'll say it. Just one example... I remember when Pat ripped into you and Steve and several other really good players here. Maybe he had some points but he came at in the same way. It has to be that he means be insulting or at worst thinks he's better than most on here to make such unsolicited critiques..... he meant it...no doubt in my mind.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

People with straight life experiences may not be hearing it quite the same way
Too much Zappa for Squares

 

[mdc1mdc11]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4OH0xPVXAA



Let's allow the playing to do the talking. One thing to point out, Vai is pretty outspoken about his desire to create his style of music and probably likely does not care what most think from the critical viewpoint. Imagine a guy that can go out on tour worldwide with great musicians and play guitar music without singers and still be relevant. Whatever he is doing, some probably want some of that.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

You probably never should have taken the Alcatrazz gig.... yikes he is horrible. Vibrato and terrible sloppy alternate picking. What would he do if his effects were taken away? That whammy effect... without it, would anything sound that impressive?

You forgot this on the bus. Now put it back on, sit down and lick the window again
And for the record in not Vai fanboy. I don't own single record of his or any of his gear. It's fine if you don't like him but have some respect. And yes, yes you are a troll this is like the 2nd or 3rd dickhead thread you have started in the last month.

Ok I'll play your game bigmouth, point me in the direction of my other troll threads. If you want to be a dick about this, let's see it. The only come back I need is to once again stress my point that I did not like van in this gig. Was it due to his style not fitting? Maybe. Personally I also don't like his reliance on tricks and effects to mask a lot of the simplicity in his playing. As I have stated, I think his strength is his rythm playing. I get it, you guys love him, he has accomplished a lot, that's great. So many big tough guys on this forum who forget that this forum is essentially a place to sit back and shoot the shit. For as many posts as there are about guys rippin, I see no problem in posting the occasional fail. We do it all the time with hammet right? Now I will gladly put my helmet back on because it is play off hockey time, something I enjoy a hell of a lot more than some of you uptight nellies.

 

[Racerxrated]

I remember reading an interview with Vai where he said he had a day to learn the songs for the Alcatraz gig.

Vai can do more in a day than some people on this board will do in a lifetime.

Hell, in an hour.

 

[Zap]

I remember reading an interview with Vai where he said he had a day to learn the songs for the Alcatraz gig.

Vai can do more in a day than some people on this board will do in a lifetime.

Hell, in an hour.

30 minutes, and I don't even care about him.

 

[mentoneman]

but his playing and stage presence is so annoying to "me" it honestly causes me to question the musical depth and maturity of his fans and defenders. that is how shallow his playing sounds to me.

..

And you actually had the balls to say right before this that you didn't mean to insult anyone. Liar. I tell you what I'll give some of what you're giving back and I'll say that I truly say this to insult you. I've thought this for a long time after reading your posts over the years... you're a pompous guitar snob and no matter how good you think you are no one gives a fuck about your "reasons" for not liking him. No matter how "reasoned" you think they are in that over inflated head of yours.

i said earlier i don't care if you or a billion other people love him.
i also didn't say i was better than him, or anyone who likes him. i'm not a liar but yes a pompous guitar snob in a way, spoiled by witnessing first hand players who smash vai in the face. guilty. big deal.

i just see and hear elements of his playing that lead me to believe he has a shallowness to his musicality and my reasons align with more than a handful of good players i know who share my sentiments. i will say vai seems to be a master at bamboozling people with more flash than substance.
i think kapo's comments were funny and i happen to agree with some of his observations.

feel free to rip apart the players i do admire like eric gales mike landau or guthrie and even challenge my tastes and abilities musically for liking them. i promise i will not care or get mad!

again i honestly do not care if you or bob or whoever disagree or take offense to what i said, and i predict many others will be tweaked by my opinion, or unable to hear or understand where i am truly coming from, oh well....but i look at vai threads the same way i look at the silly axe fx love v hate debates and ensuing name calling or how van halen tone can't be from a stock plexi and then the inevitable "who really knows the truth" nonsense. just opinions.

 

[ejecta]

but his playing and stage presence is so annoying to "me" it honestly causes me to question the musical depth and maturity of his fans and defenders. that is how shallow his playing sounds to me.

..

And you actually had the balls to say right before this that you didn't mean to insult anyone. Liar. I tell you what I'll give some of what you're giving back and I'll say that I truly say this to insult you. I've thought this for a long time after reading your posts over the years... you're a pompous guitar snob and no matter how good you think you are no one gives a fuck about your "reasons" for not liking him. No matter how "reasoned" you think they are in that over inflated head of yours.

i said earlier i don't care if you or a billion other people love him.
i also didn't say i was better than him, or anyone who likes him. i'm not a liar but yes a pompous guitar snob in a way, spoiled by witnessing first hand players who smash vai in the face. guilty. big deal.

i just see and hear elements of his playing that lead me to believe he has a shallowness to his musicality and my reasons align with more than a handful of good players i know who share my sentiments. i will say vai seems to be a master at bamboozling people with more flash than substance.
i think kapo's comments were funny and i happen to agree with some of his observations.

feel free to rip apart the players i do admire like eric gales mike landau or guthrie and even challenge my tastes and abilities musically for liking them. i promise i will not care or get mad!

again i honestly do not care if you or bob or whoever disagree or take offense to what i said, and i predict many others will be tweaked by my opinion, or unable to hear or understand where i am truly coming from, oh well....but i look at vai threads the same way i look at the silly axe fx love v hate debates and ensuing name calling or how van halen tone can't be from a stock plexi and then the inevitable "who really knows the truth" nonsense. just opinions.

The thing is.... you and Kapo are confusing us with people who give a shit about what you think of Vai. It means absolutely nothing what your over inflated ego tells you about other players' musical knowledge and to get on here and insult those players with a condescending stereotype is very lame.

 

[nigelpkay]

For the longest time I used to feel the same way about Steve Vai, didn't dig his solo stuff, didnt like his hired gun gigs, just wasn't my style... but ... Recently I was surfing YouTube and saw this 1990 Whitesnake show at Donington. My god, musicianship, showmanship... What else do you need out of a guitarist? Still not my style... But now I "get it".
Check out the solo starting at 1:06:30.

 

[UDTBUDS]

Steve has stayed true to his principles as a player but evolved at the same time.

Ibanez, DiMarzio, Carvin are still part of him and i admire that he doesn't jump ship and whore himself out to any gear company that cuts him a check.

As for the nastiness in this thread/forum its pretty harsh.

Control is an illusion that you have power over a person, place or idea that you really don't and based on fear.

 

[messenger]

Still dumbfounded that people can doubt and/or discount his musical abilities. Love him or hate him he is truly a master of the instrument. I have to be in a certain mood to listen to his stuff but come on, the guy is an amazing player.

 

[Bob Savage]

my reasons align with more than a handful of good players i know who share my sentiments.

Appeal to authority.

again i honestly do not care if you or bob or whoever disagree or take offense to what i said,

I actually take no issue with your distaste for Vai's playing/music and you'll notice I didn't even bring that topic up because like you, I couldn't care less about your musical opinions as they relate to my own taste in music/players. It's that you have a need to make broad sweeping, condescending statements about people who do enjoy Vai's work that I find distasteful.

You've been this way since as long as I've known you so my comments are in no way meant to somehow drive home a point that makes you say to yourself "hey, I am a condescending know-it-all," because we both know that's not going to happen. I guess it just still surprises me that even though you do have that mindset, that you unashamedly proclaim it "publicly."

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

For the longest time I used to feel the same way about Steve Vai, didn't dig his solo stuff, didnt like his hired gun gigs, just wasn't my style... but ... Recently I was surfing YouTube and saw this 1990 Whitesnake show at Donington. My god, musicianship, showmanship... What else do you need out of a guitarist? Still not my style... But now I "get it".
Check out the solo starting at 1:06:30.

I know I am not allowed to have a different opinion than the masses here but that show reinforces what I don't like about his playing. Again, his posturing and showmanship is meant to detract from the fact that he is unable to cop the feel or play anything remotely close to the original tune. I can see that he knows he won't cop Sykes fast runs and alternate picking so bam, in comes the legato and the whammy bar. Hey he has his moments here or there on his solo stuff from a harmony or melody perspective but that is where it ends for me. Vandenberg is the more solid player here and a guy who has a style I guess that I appreciate more. Again though, like Vai on the rythm and liked the rythmic work on that whitesnake album he played on as well. Some cool stuff there. A lot of the leads were a bit of a let down though. By the way, when I saw him play as part of the Hendrix experience tour, Eric Johnson and Kenny Wayne Shephard absolutely smoked him. He did have the best outfit though. Anyway you guys are right to a degree, the guy has accomplished a lot and inspired a lot of great players, and that has to be respected. I didn't say a thing about that. I just feel that watching the Alcatrazz gig and any of his stand in gigs, that he is over hyped and believes a little too much in his own hype. He will take three notes and make it look like he is feeling all of them where SRV would take three notes and you'd know he was feeling them by the way it came off the fretboard. That is all. I think we have had a good constructive thread here guys.. good job!

 

[amiller]

To me, Vai has his own unique style. He's not going to try to "fit" in to another band by imitating the original guitar player...Vai is an original.

You may not like his style, hell, I find it a bit much at times, but you really can't knock his abilities. And just because we don't agree with you doesn't necessarily mean we don't understand what's going on musically. Ya know, did you ever consider that maybe YOU don't know what's going on?

 

[dfrattaroli]

...yikes he is horrible. Vibrato and terrible sloppy alternate picking.

This is where anyone with half a brain stops reading.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

To me, Vai has his own unique style. He's not going to try to "fit" in to another band by imitating the original guitar player...Vai is an original.

You may not like his style, hell, I find it a bit much at times, but you really can't knock his abilities. And just because we don't agree with you doesn't necessarily mean we don't understand what's going on musically. Ya know, did you ever consider that maybe YOU don't know what's going on?

That sir is a definite possibility!