Five Early Spotlight Tracks featuring Steve Vai

Guitar virtuoso and three-time Grammy Award winner Steve Vai released his major-label debut, the critically acclaimed and Gold record awarded Passion and Warfare in 1990. One of music’s most highly regarded musicians, Vai is also among the most accomplished guitarists. Over the course of his career to date, Vai has worked with many top names including Whitesnake, Joe Satriani (who gave Vai lessons year before either became famous), Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper, Al Di Meola, Joe Jackson, Spinal Tap and King Crimson’s Adrian Belew. Steve Vai celebrated his 66th birthday on June 6; in honor of the occasion, here are five notable recordings from the first few years of his recording career.

“Theme From the 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear” from Frank Zappa’s You Are What You Is (1981)
Vai’s first recorded credits came on Frank Zappa’s Tinsel Town Rebellion, released in 1980. On that record he was credited as rhythm guitarist. But within a few months, Vai had worked his way up to the position of “stunt guitarist” is Zappa’s band. And that’s how he’s credited on this and several other tracks on Zappa’s 34th album. One guitar part in the song was so complex that composer Zappa couldn’t even play it, so he delegated the lead guitar role to 20-year-old Vai. Even so, it reportedly took the young guitarist two weeks to learn the part.

“The Attitude Song” from Steve Vai’s Flex-Able (1984)
During his time working with Zappa, Vai’s first outside credit was playing guitar on the self-titled release from inventive singer Lisa Popeil. And right around the same time, he recorded his solo debut, Flex-Able. A highlight of that record is the guitar showcase “The Attitude Song,” which was also released on a flex-disc included in the October 1984 issue of Guitar Player Magazine. He was joined on the track by drummer Chris Frazier and virtuoso bassist Stuart Hamm.

“God Blessed Video” from Alcatrazz’s Disturbing the Peace (1984)
Technical guitar master Yngwie Malmsteen was a founding member of Los Angeles metal band Alcatrazz; his work is featured on the band’s first album and some later archival and live releases. But he was gone by the time of Alcatrazz’s second LP, so Vai stepped in. He’d only remain for one album, but his melodic, tightly controlled playing is a centerpiece of 1986’s Disturbing the Peace.

“Yankee Rose” from David Lee Roth’s Eat ‘Em and Smile (1986)
After his all-covers debut EP, former and future Van Halen singer David Lee Roth cut a full-length album. The opening track on Eat ‘Em and Smile – and its first single – was “Yankee Rose.” Steve Vai makes his guitar “Speak” on the opening of the track, and Roth engages in “dialogue” with it. Like five of the album’s other original tracks, the song was a Vai/Rot co-write. “Yankee Rose” would earn Roth his third Top 20 hit single.

“Rise” from Public Image Ltd’s Album (1986)
After the demise of Sex Pistols, vocalist Johnny Rotten reverted to his Lydon surname, and launched a postpunk group. Membership in PiL was fluid, and for the group’s fifth album, Lydon was joined by a who’s who list of session players. The album’s roster included former Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Parliament-Funkadelic keyboard whiz Bernie Worrell, jazz great Tony Williams and guitarist Steve Vai. The resulting recordings are arguably the best – and most accessible – that Lydon has ever made.