Crossroads DVD Out Today.

[ALinChainz]

For anyone who is a fan of this movie, it came out today on DVD. Have always liked this movie and of course, the part Vai plays in it.

[Ally_Kat]

um, AL

http://www.crankycritic.com/archive02/posters/crossroads.jpg

?

[ALinChainz]

lol

My bad.

I meant the one with Ralph Macchio and Jamie Gertz where they travel with this old blues legend down to Mississippi and battle against the Devil and his guitar player, Steve Vai.

I like to look at Britney, but that's the extent of that.

[ALinChainz]

A young musical prodigy studying at New York City's Julliard School becomes obsessed with the music of the Mississippi Delta, the blues. Intent on discovering fame and fortune as a blues guitar player, he seeks out the legendary bluesman, Willie Brown.

[JCOOK]

The karate kid beats Steve Vai "cuttin heads"........ Yeah
still loved the movie though

[seenbad]

fucking CLASSIC. Thanks for posting that. I'll buy it immediately. That movie kicks ASS!!

[ALinChainz]

Just happen to be at Best Buy this morning buying the new Madden and there it was.

Didn't even know it was released, but a nice surprise.

[ashstralia]

oh, jack butler gonna LOVE you!!
he he.

[classicdude]

I have been looking for this!! Actually, I thought you were talking about Clapton's Crossroads concert down in Texas.

[WolfStar999]

WHERE'S MY CREDIT CARD?!?! BEST BUY, HERE I COME!!!!

[secrets]

Good news. I really enjoyed this movie, especially the part with Steve Vai. Bit stupid winning on neo classical licks IMO. The Blues should've won over classical otherwise what was the point of learning to play with feel?

[seenbad]

In the movie, that classical lick was supposed to be taken as being improvised, which would mean that it WAS played with feel and musically speaking, it was fairly perfect and unbeatable in cutting heads.

[secrets]

I don't know those licks always sound like they've been worked out note for note to me.

The message seemed to be that Macchio couldn't beat Jack Butler (Steve Vai) playing blues guitar so he had to play some classical licks instead.

So in other words classical music is more powerful and better than the blues.:confused:

[seenbad]

I think you're putting too much emphasis on definitions. Musically, it was better, regardless of classification. Of course the notes were worked out and maybe sounded that way. For a movie, you're supposed to have a temporary suspension of disbelief to enjoy the show. As far as the movie goes, it was improvised and it whipped the devils ass.

[secrets]

Yeah you really have to suspend disbelief watching Ralph Macchio pretend to play the guitar, especially a finger picked neo classical lick on a Telecaster.:D

[seenbad]

Actually he really did play most of the tunes in that movie. :cool: As for the classical piece, I highly doubt it, but follow his hands. He does at least nail the fret progression as it's tabbed out.

[secrets]

Originally posted by seenbad
Actually he really did play most of the tunes in that movie. :cool: As for the classical piece, I highly doubt it, but follow his hands. He does at least nail the fret progression as it's tabbed out.

Macchio was a non player before the movie who took a crash course with country rock guitarist Arlen Roth (no relation to Dave). Pretty much all the blues playing you hear in the movie is actually Ry Cooder (some may also be Arlen Roth). The duel at the end between Eugene and Jack Butler was Steve Vai and Ry Cooder. Acording to Ry it was hard work playing slide guitar to synch up to what Macchio was playing on screen because he was all over the place.

I'm not sure who played the acoustic classical but he also gave Macchio lessons I think and played the actual parts in the movie.

Actually Macchio did a pretty good job considering he was a non player before the movie but I doubt he played anything you actually hear on screen.

[seenbad]

I read that he did. If you're a player, watch the frets. Granted, it's pretty clean for somebody with no experience but some of the pignose stuff is pretty believable. I know cooder wrote all the bluesy stuff for the soundtrack and played on it. The accoustic classical piece at the end was actually played by the composer of the piece I've found out. Ralph did a great job air jammin'. lol

[mikethemartian]

I was under the impression that Steve Vai had played the music for both sides of the duel.

I was just thinking about Crossroads the other night. I saw the movie at the theater in 86. I bought the LP and was dissappointed the duel wasn't on it. I remember a recording of the duel being included in a guitar magazine on a "floppy" type record but I always wanted to buy a good copy of it. Has it ever been released on a CD quality format? I assume the DVD would have the best quality available?

[seenbad]

You can find some pretty good quality rips off winmx or kazaa.

[Seshmeister]

I think Ry Cooder did the slide stuff but I find it hard to believe he did the classical stuff in the duel.

I always thought it was a bit silly that Vai's character is this shit hot guitarist but storms out in disgust because he can't hit a high note...:)

Also any guy playing first in a duel has a bit of a fucking advantage...

Ah well it's only a movie and has some good bits.

Cheers!

:gulp:

[secrets]

Originally posted by mikethemartian
I was under the impression that Steve Vai had played the music for both sides of the duel.


No it's Steve Vai and Ry Cooder on slide guitar.


Originally posted by Seshmeister
I think Ry Cooder did the slide stuff but I find it hard to believe he did the classical stuff in the duel.


Ry didn't play any classical.

BTW Steve Vai mentioned Ry Cooder being the inspiration for the finger picked part on Knucklebones just before the solo.

[classicdude]

I knew I had some licks of this someplace...just had to go digging. Check out "The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1" - has tracks from the movie, plus a track that never made it on screen. Damn, now I really have to go get this dvd!

(btw - in the liner notes, Vai says he is going back and forth with Cooder and Macchio does not actually play :) )