Steve Vai - His First 30 Years | The Documentary

This is the first documentary covering Steve Vai’s life from 1960 to 1990. (Co-written by Steve Vai.) The documentary has hundreds of Vai-centric facts and stories that even the most ardent fan will not have known. Complete with a Vai’esque quirky sense of humor, the video covers Vai’s life growing up, attending Berklee College, playing with several artists like Frank Zappa, Alcatrazz, the David Lee Roth band, and Whitesnake, the recording of both his solo albums Flex-Able and Passion and Warfare, plus Vai’s role in the movie Crossroads, and how he helped create the JEM guitar. Other information, photos, etc. can be found here: Link to Arlen Roth’s SoundCloud If you’re a video editor and you want to edit like me, you need MotionVFX in your life. 00:00:00 - Intro to Steve Vai documentary 00:00:36 - Steve Vai growing up in Carle Place, and his family 00:01:20 - His first musical revelation 00:01:53 - His love for the musical Westside Story 00:02:35 - His first musical instrument 00:03:11 - His first records 00:04:09 - His first band is formed 00:04:57 - His second band 00:05:11 - He is introduced to Led Zeppelin 00:05:52 - Steve Vai’s first guitar 00:06:23 - Vai tells his Dad he wants to play the guitar 00:06:54 - Taking lessons from Joe Satriani 00:08:29 - Vai meets Bill Westcott 00:09:08 - Vai plays the Tuba 00:11:51 - Vai has one last blow-out before college 00:12:19 - Vai almost gets busted by the cops 00:13:04 - Vai’s ritual of the tuna melt 00:13:46 - The worm had turned 00:15:45 - One last drive around Carle Place 00:16:27 - Steve Vai heads off to Berklee College of Music 00:17:40 - Via meets his future wife, Pia 00:18:16 - The first time he tried to connect with Frank Zappa 00:18:51 - He talks to Zappa 00:20:04 - Vai’s first mention in a music magazine 00:20:29 - Vai considers leaving Berklee 00:21:01 - Moving out to California 00:21:47 - Transcribing Zappa’s music 00:22:18 - Trying out for Frank Zappa’s band 00:23:00 - Frank Zappa’s thoughts on Vai’s guitar playing 00:23:37 - Vai goes on his first Zappa tour 00:23:51 - Vai asks Zappa for an honest appraisal of his playing 00:24:34 - Onset of Vai’s depression 00:25:41 - Vai finds some help 00:26:53 - Vai reclaims his mojo 00:28:11 - The Palermo, Italy riot 00:29:44 - What Vai learned from Zappa 00:30:10 - The ethic he learned from Zappa 00:31:43 - SYVA studio and FlexAble 00:32:21 - Trying out for Alice Cooper 00:33:12 - Building Stucco Blue Studio 00:34:34 - Why the name FlexAble is the name of his first album 00:35:44 - Why he said no to a record deal 00:36:33 - The birth of Akashic and Urantia Records 00:37:55 - FlexAble is released 00:39:08 - Joining Alcatrazz 00:40:14 - Alcatrazz works on their album 00:40:54 - Alcatrazz’s God Bless Video 00:41:58 - The movie Crossroads 00:42:20 - Arlen Roth 00:42:38 - The original duel 00:43:29 - Ry Cooder calls Guitar Player magazine looking for talent 00:43:52 - Vai is hired for the movie Crossroads 00:44:20 - Vai did not want to be in the movie Crossroads 00:44:51 - Shuggie Otis plays in the duel 00:45:04 - Another Frank Zappa connection 00:45:27 - Vai’s recycle riffs for Bad Horsie 00:46:04 - Eugene’s Trick Bag and who played what 00:46:26 - Niccolo Paganini’s connection to Crossroads 00:47:09 - Steve Vai’s other acting gigs 00:47:50 - Vai gets a call from David Lee Roth 00:48:28 - David Lee Roth’s acting career and movie 00:49:12 - Billy Sheehan steps in 00:49:24 - Roth’s first choice of guitarist 00:51:19 - Eat ‘Em and Smile 00:52:04 - Guitar makers want Steve Vai 00:52:42 - The creation of the Flame guitar and the Monkey Grip 00:52:58 - Vai’s guitar is stolen 00:53:09 - Vai goes to Performance Guitar 00:53:23 - The prototype JEMs before Ibanez 00:53:44 - Ibanez needs their own Eddie Van Halen 00:54:39 - Vai’s request to all guitar companies 00:55:35 - Steve Vai signs with Ibanez 00:55:46 - Unveiling the Ibanez JEM 00:55:56 - Why Vai named it the JEM guitar 00:56:33 - David Lee Roth’s Skyscraper album 00:57:58 - Billy Sheehan leaves the band 00:58:32 - Just like Paradise and the show 90210 00:59:06 - Vai turns in his resignation to Roth 00:59:30 - Whitesnake comes along 01:01:58 - The influence the Ibanez 7-string had over music 01:02:42 - Vai turns his attention to Passion and Warfare 01:03:59 - What was Passion and Warfare written around? 01:05:47 - Sound effects on Passion and Warfare 01:08:42 - The melody Vai has reused several times 01:09:32 - Vai’s mastery in the studio 01:10:55 - For the Love of God backstory 01:13:22 - Finding a record deal for Passion and Warfare 01:14:46 - Releasing Passion and Warfare 01:15:16 - Critic response to Passion and Warfare 01:15:44 - Why did he not tour for Passion and Warfare #stevevai #ibanezjem