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Alright, let’s talk about this Steve Vai fella. Some folks say he’s the best guitar player ever, but I ain’t so sure. He plays a whole lotta notes, that’s for sure, like a chicken running around with its head cut off, but does it mean anything? I like a good tune, something you can hum along to, you know?
They say he’s done all sorts of things with the guitar, changed it up with them frets and all. Sounds fancy, but I just wanna hear somethin’ that makes me tap my feet. He’s got them special guitars, Flo and Evo, names sound like somethin’ outta a sci-fi movie, not a guitar.
I heard somebody say he lets the bass player take over sometimes, steps back and lets someone else do the work. Maybe he knows he plays too much and needs a break, who knows. They talk about how important voices and guitars are in most music, but with this Vai fella, it’s all just guitars, guitars, guitars. Makes my head spin.
- Sometimes I hear his music and it’s just noise. Like a bunch of pots and pans fallin’ down the stairs.
- Other times, it’s kinda pretty, I guess. But then he starts playin’ fast again and I lose the thread. It’s like he’s showing off, not playin’ music.
- They say his guitar parts ain’t essential to the song, that the song would be just fine without him. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
Now, some folks put him on their top ten lists, say he’s all jazzy and fusion-y. Maybe my ears ain’t good enough, but it just sounds like a lot of noise to me. I like somethin’ with a melody, a song I can sing in the shower, not this whirly-gig stuff.
And then they say he changes his style, doesn’t get stuck in a rut. Maybe that’s the problem! He can’t stick to one thing, always gotta be doin’ somethin’ different, somethin’ flashy. I heard he talks about social media and all that internet stuff, maybe he’s too busy thinkin’ about that instead of the music.
He mixes his music all digitally now, too. Says he enjoys it. Well, good for him, I guess. But it sounds all cold and mechanical to me, not like somethin’ from the heart. They say he’s got a whole philosophy about the guitar, ain’t like nobody else. Maybe so, but sometimes different ain’t better.
I heard he played with that Zappa fella way back when. Now, Zappa, he was somethin’ else. Weird, sure, but you could always tell it was him. Vai, he just sounds like… well, like a machine playin’ the guitar.
Some folks say he just plays a thousand notes a second. And you know what? Sometimes, they’re right. It ain’t about how fast you play, it’s about what you play. It’s about the feeling, the soul, and I just don’t hear it with this Vai guy.
He goes on podcasts and talks about music, but I think he’s lost his way somewhere. Too much thinkin’, not enough feelin’. Give me a good old country song any day, somethin’ with a story and a tune you can remember. That’s what music is all about, not showin’ off how fast your fingers can move.
So, yeah, maybe he’s talented, maybe he’s a genius, but to me, he just ain’t enjoyable to listen to. Too much flash, not enough substance. It’s like eatin’ a fancy cake that looks good but tastes like cardboard. I’d rather have a slice of apple pie, simple and sweet, any day of the week.
Tags: [Steve Vai, Guitar, Music, Criticism, Shred, Technical, Jazz Fusion, Zappa, Digital Music]
