Friday Night Musical Interlude. . .
Some people are born with talent. Some people are born with the talent for learning. Some people are lucky enough to have both and it's on these rare occasions that the combination creates something very special.
Such is Steve Vai.
I openly admit that I am not the greatest fan of Mr. Vai, yet there is simply no doubt that he is far and away one of the most accomplished rock guitarists to ever play six and sometimes seven strings. His virtuosity is a creative mix of skill, speed, precision, classical and modern theory and sheer gift.
The track, For The Love Of God, from his 1990 album Passion And Warfare, presents an apocalypse of sound and techniques from tremolo work, legato and pinch harmonics to raw, shredding speed. It's just an incredible track and it has been said that Mr. Vai meditated and fasted for days leading up to the recording of this song and he completed it in one take, collapsing on the floor afterwards. Is it the truth?
Let your ears decide.
You ought to check out the movie Crossroads Toast. He (Vai) does a head cutting session with someone (Ry Cooder?) obviously not really Ralph Macchio. He also happened to have the last name "Butler" as an added bonus.
Lot's of good blues music in Crossroads. I am a big fan of the blues. Don't know much about the old artists but I like the music.
I heard in real life that the late great Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton once did some head cutting that was for real and Stevie kicked Eric's ass. Maybe an urban legend.
I don't know about the collapsing thing but I think it's true.
cross-roads is a great movie. i named my blue beagle after blind otis lemon
Greasy, I've never heard that about Clapton and Vaughan, but I'd have to put my money on Stevie, pre or post-cocaine years. Either way, he was a genius on the guitar.
Like Vai, Stevie just had it in him. He had the learning and the raw talent and it just flowed from him like a. . .well, like a Texas Flood. Some people are naturals, Stevie was one of them.
Clapton was a great songwriter and performer, but in my opinion, just didn't and doesn't have the same skill, whether learned or innate.
People like Vai, Vaughan, Rhodes, Van Halen, King. . .their talent seems to be channeled into them and through the guitar coming from somewhere far, far away. Almost like God talking to them through the guitar.
There are people who are technically excellent and then there are people who are just damn, fucking good.