Steve Vai - The July, 1990 Guitar For The Practicing Musician Interview

[norminal]

I've been searching of this interview for literally decades and finally found it thanks to the archive of the Guitar For The Practicing Musician archive that was recently posted over at TOP.

What makes this interview so special is that he breaks down every track from Passion & Warfare and describes his experiences and the inspiration writing each song. It was my first window into Steve's eccentric mind and this interview made me admire him as a musician even more.

Enjoy!

 

[norminal]

Continued:

 

[DrewJD82]

Was this the one that had the multicolor UV up to his face and his hair coming up from behind the UV on the cover?

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

What's mildly disturbing to me is I'm almost 99.9% sure I know what the cover of this particular magazine looks like (Vai with guitar standing with fairies floating around him)... without seeing it. Because I remember it.

But I can't fucking remember a certain term at times, or what I was going to do 5 mins ago...

 

[Devin]

So sad he wasn't allowed to cum in the Erotic Nightmares dream

 

[PLX]

What's mildly disturbing to me is I'm almost 99.9% sure I know what the cover of this particular magazine looks like (Vai with guitar standing with fairies floating around him).

He was Tim Henson before Tim Henson.

 

[norminal]

Was this the one that had the multicolor UV up to his face and his hair coming up from behind the UV on the cover?

This one:

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

This one:

View attachment 38215

Yep that's the one. I remember it well because I learned "Call It Sleep" with the TAB in there... and the cool black & green motif.

 

[la szum]

That's the one that got me into meditation and fasting.

Improved my playing immensely.

 

[la szum]

One thing I always loved about Steve was his no holds barred view on practice and discipline.

No effort. No reward. It's all about time on task and being very intentional about where you
put your mind and your energy.

Love the dude. Still not totally sold on his warped (in my ears) sense of melody and composition, though.

 

[norminal]

No effort. No reward. It's all about time on task and being very intentional about where you put your mind and your energy.

This. Although, I never really agreed with his 8-hour-a-day practice regimen. That was just bonkers.

 

[la szum]

Haha! We all can't be Olympians.

 

[JiveTurkey]

DLR band is peak Vai

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

Whitesnake Slip Of The Tongue is peak Vai

FTFY.

 

[norminal]

If by “peak,” we’re talking about when Vai was the top of his game, without a doubt it was the Slip of the Tongue and Passion & Warfare era. This is when he was locking himself in his studio and practicing at all waking hours. His chops were absolutely insane during those years.