Steve Vai Interview on DLR

[Seshmeister]

Yeah it was Glasgow.

You were wrong to walk out as he pulled it together as the night went on but as you say the band were very much journeymen which was a shock given the people he had worked with in the past.

Two guitarists at the time and neither was much better than me. I didn't know who Holmes was at that point but he ducked every difficult part.

For guitarists here I mean stuff like two handed tapping Ice Cream Man kind of thing and worse. I've posted before about this gig, Roth was in a filthy mood arguing with sound guys and so on. The music was sub par and without that it became a bit gimmicky with the surfboard, boxing ring and so on in a 4000 seat venue.

[ashstralia]

That's a shame considering any proper guitarist would donate a nut to be in Dave's band. What, was there no other decent players available? I know music was in a weird state at the time, but jaysus...

[Seshmeister]

This was 1990 not the dark ages of grunge and so forth, there would have been plenty of great guitarists around.

Roth has to take the blame for taking his eye off the ball and just picking up some LA people.

Later on Ray Luzier ended up being in charge of sourcing musicians and did a great job.

[VHscraps]

I wonder why Steve Hunter, who dave wrote tunes with - I think he also played on ALAE - couldn't be persuaded to tour? Say, alongside a younger hotshot guitarist that was comfortable with the VH material.

I also knew guys like you Sesh, who could have probably filled the role better - I'd never heard of Holmes. And in those days, pre-internet, if you didn't know the players through other bands, they might as well have been any old pick-up band.

[Monkeeman]

I wonder why Steve Hunter, who dave wrote tunes with - I think he also played on ALAE - couldn't be persuaded to tour? Say, alongside a younger hotshot guitarist that was comfortable with the VH material.

Steve Hunter was touring with Alice Cooper earlier this year. I don't know about back then but now he doesn't particularly like playing on stage anymore. I believe his eyesight is not too good and when he was playing live this year he hardly moved onstage because of his sight.

[Seshmeister]

I also knew guys like you Sesh, who could have probably filled the role better -

I'm good enough to know I'm not good enough, you expect something special with a Roth guitarist.

There were at least 2 guys I knew from my hometown who were far better than those ALAE and YFLM tour guys.

This isn't even subjective since they couldn't play the original Eddie or Vai stuff properly.

[Seshmeister]

Steve Hunter was touring with Alice Cooper earlier this year. I don't know about back then but now he doesn't particularly like playing on stage anymore. I believe his eyesight is not too good and when he was playing live this year he hardly moved onstage because of his sight.

Jesus we're getting old...

[ashstralia]

Yeah you'd have to play 'hot for teacher’ followed by 'stay frosty'

[VHscraps]

Steve Hunter is 64, according to Wikipedia.

He could sit down, like BB King.

[ashstralia]

The irony here is in the nuances. Do you really love what you do? If you do and they pay you, you'll do it forever. Q

[Seshmeister]

I'm still waiting for the call from Smirnoff...

[ELVIS]

You were passed out and you missed it...

[lajustice77]

Vai is a class act and it would still be awesome to see a EEAS band reunion!

[WARF]

Awesome read...thanks!

[ashstralia]

I went and bought the new Vai album yesterday, based on the September guitar world interview. It's .... Interesting, initial impression was its not much different to what he was doing on fire garden. And what's that, 15 years ago? Aah well, still love ya Stevie.