Steve is slowly becoming one of my wise old Italian uncles.. I can listen to him talk about Zappa all day! Steve Vai is pure class.. an artist of the highest caliber!
I always liked Steve's guitar playing, but after hearing him talk at length with such warmth and generosity, he comes across as the full package: talented, gracious, intelligent, and able to express himself so well than he can "unpack" Zappa for us. What a cool guy
god! i need blue powder! red pill over-load! need more blue! actin' funny? well, don't ask-me-why! why not just ask steve vai! respecto! literally, that frickin' track, called blue powder, is there a story behind that? and where can i get some, please!
Agreed. Aside from earning his place as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Steve always impresses me with his attitude. He always seems to be in a great place emotionally and mentally, magnetic positivity. I get the same positive vibes watching interviews with Ringo Starr.
Steve mentions the beautiful melodies Frank composed. I had the privilege to sit on the steps outside my room at the log cabin, 30 feet away from Frank while he composed at his grand piano, always with one finger, occasionally adding in a chord, and then he would write it down, and do the same for the left hand, and then he would get Ian Underwood, who also lived there, to play the piece because Frank was unable to play it himself. How fortunate can you get? I write these experiences in Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa, 1967-71
It's so refreshing to hear an interviewer who asks open knowledgeable questions and then gives space to the interviewee and loved Steve's insights into Zappa. It passed in an instant, thanks guys.
Dream Theater does that too. They never want to play the same songs two nights in a row for fans following them on tour, and they never play the same songs you saw at last year's show in that city. So they have to be prepared to play their entire catalog upon request at all times.
Yeah, great idea; too many people only know about Steve's shredding. I would love to see a detailed documentary on the making of Flexable; my favorite of Steve's recordings, because, aptly titled, it's wildly varied, and everything on it is brilliant in a unique way, much like Zappa's music!
Can you imagine reading your idol talk about you in a magazine before you meet them for the first time. Mind blowing. This is easily one of the best Steve Vai interviews I've seen in years. Kudos.
The first time I'd heard Zappa was Call Any Vegetable back in the late 60s. I was in high school. I'd never hears anything like it, the composition, the humor and complete strangeness. It was like an alien abduction for however long the piece went... in a fun way. I'd entered into a brand new universe of music. I've been there ever since. Thanks Frank. It's been a great ride.
I'm not a Vai aficionado, but how he talks with natural joy especially about his first encounter with FZ (3:40) and about his transcription of The Black Page (5:42) shows him as a great personable guy and brilliant story teller.
I've been listening to a ton of Zappa stuff here lately. Both old and much of the new live vault stuff. I've been a fan since the early 70s. Bought my first lp around '75/76. Saw him in concert 5 times. 2 sets in '81 with Vai. Saw Vai on the Sex and Religion tour mere days or weeks after Zappa's death. Hearing Steve talk about Frank warms my heart and brings tears. Zappa checked out way too early but left us an absolute ton of music to listen to. To Frank and Steve thank you both for everything.
I've never forgotten a Zappa quote from the 1980s in Guitar World magazine in which an interviewer asked him about his music not being particularly accessible or relateable to the average rock fan and Frank said "You've already heard guys play the perfect blues turnaround, the perfect mixolydian scale. I don't give a shit about any of that. I just play what's on my mind."
its about time they made it. Frank Zappa is a national treasure..Steve is the luckiest dude alive to have such an immense musical career but also lucky to have been so closely associated with FZ
Frank Zappa was a musical genius. Saw him in the 70’s for 5 bucks.He was so good on guitar it seemed he got bored with it in the end. Writing music for Symphony Orchestra’s and music direction were his forte. Like 5D chess, Frank was the grandmaster R.I.P. Frank Zappa ☮️
5xs saw frank ...Stony Brook. WE SHUSHED THE AUDIENCE.. me and true Zappa afficionados..we knew he loved people That listened deep not screaming rowdy obvoously wasted rok cretins..Not a Pin drop. We Shushed em and loudly stated stfu ! Frank likes it Quiet...he came out to pure Silence. He came out and looked around Nodding Happily at us cig fuming cool......Unbelievable Epic Concert SHOW. hilarious flawless Awesome Band Sound...high point of my existence...i saw 100s of concerts..Top 3..Z
What a great interview ! I have been a Zappa fan since I first heard the "Freak Out" album in 1966 when I was 17 and playing guitar in a band in The Bahamas where I grew up. It was an eye opener for sure. I met Frank in a restaurant in Frankfurt Germany in Nov. 1971. I know it was forward of me, but I could not pass up on what would probably be the only opportunity of my life to meet him. I was in the military at the time and had short hair. He seemed a little suspicious of me until I explained that I was the Signal Corps Army, and not in the Shooting people type Army. And I was an American fan from the islands and if he wanted me to just go away, just give the word and I would comply. But he was very gracious and did not run me off. We spoke for only a couple of minutes. About the dates they were playing and that kind of stuff. He seemed to be fascinated with the sign on the building around the corner from the restaurant on Kaiserstrasse. The sign was five stories high in huge three foot square lighted letters that spelled " CRAZY SEXY" ! He had sent someone to retrieve a camera to photograph it. Aynsley Dunbar thought it was hilarious when I explained that it was a very large Whorehouse ! Actually somewhat of a Supermarket of a Whorehouse ! That had been there since prior to WWII. At that point I gave my apologies again for the interruption and thanked them for speaking with me, and left them to order their meal. After that I often wondered if I would ever hear a song about "The Crazy Sexy".
Steve, ho visto il concerto di Frank, a Roma, nel 1973 ma non posso dimenticare il concerto, sempre a Roma, del 1982, tra la polvere e la terra, nel vecchio mattatoio e l'ironia di Frank all'inizio del concerto, e poi Steve's Spanking (!), lo sguardo severo e professionale di Frank, come da maestro a discepolo, nel vostro duetto di chitarre, il tuo divertimento mentre suonavi e lo spengere della sigaretta...stupendo!
Always expect Steve to have a giant ego but he comes across as such a sweet and humble guy. Even though he doesn't play my genre of music he inspired me to play thanks to Crossroads. I tried to learn that solo but... yeah. Absolute monster guitarist.
In the mid to late 80's I saw Zappa at Tulane University. After a great show and a third encore, with calls for more, Frank went to the mike and said, "if you really want more, we're playing a second show in an hour so buy another ticket, it'll be a completely different set. So I did and again it was a great show. I think his last encore was "Whipping Post". It was so Frank and so awesome. A friend's wedding dance was to "Fountain of Love" from Cruising with Reuben and the Jets. Can't wait to see the documentary.
I remember listening to the old penciled in white albums with Flo an Eddie done at the Fillmore West! pre, record company contract. There will never be another frank, I miss him, best guitar player of all time, and one he'll of a composer. RIP. Mr.Zappa your a Genius!!!! I had the privilege to see him at the Long Beach sports arena on easter. Amazing!!!!!
A genius is speaking about a genius ,these 2 musicians are the core of the musical background in th US .Most pop musicians don't possess academic learning of music,but people like Mr Vai and the late Zappa join academia with the sense of popular entertainment and that's why they will outlive their ages by their huge contributions to world music.l wish Mr Vai a long life so tha he can achieve his musical projects and help bring out new material from Zappa's vault.
I watched the documentary, rented it on Netflix or Amazon. It was good. Steve's a great guy and awesome guitarist. Frank was amazing. Dweezil shows us his library of tapes and films in the documentary. He was perpetually composing and creating. What an amazing musician.
Time did fly fast on this one! It's fun to see that the interest for Frank Zappa still is so big. Only the trailer has over 1 million views which isn't bad at all!
The question from friends who have never heard of Zappa, "Zappa, what kind of music is that?" My reply is always it's Zappa music. "Do you know rock, jazz, blues, pop, modern composers and world music? It's all of those things and much more." You sir, are so accurate. It's Zappa music. He was a musical genius.
@@mickdarabuka7778 I think he was really a modern composer that used rock n roll instruments. Even lyrics in music weren't really his thing but he needed to sell records and most ppl like lyrics. Therefore he's songs with lyrics were funny, sarcastic, crazy sexuality, and mocking. He even mocked his own audience from time to time. LoL
I saw Zappa in Las Vegas in 1981 when Steve Vai was in the band. It is still the most amazing concert I've ever experienced. I saw Steve Vai in Las Vegas in 2013 and towards the end of the show he talked about playing in Las Vegas with Zappa back in 1981! I was blown away! Steve Vai also put on a great show in 2013. I didn't know a lot of the material he played, but that didn't matter because he is such a great entertainer, as well as being an amazing musician!
God dam, that was a great little interview! Steve was obviously in the mood to talk and I must say the way he described his memories with Frank was one of the most open I've heard from anyone really. Nicely done.
10/10 for interview and Zappa history. Gregory Peckery is one of my fav Zappa tunes, cool that he mentioned it. Love you Steve, *please do a collaboration with Les Claypool!*
This is just wonderful, to hear a world-class musician speaking with such reverence about another world-class musician. I saw Steve in New Haven just the other night, and even 30 years Frank's passing, he told the crowd that not a day goes by without him missing Frank.
Thank you for this interview. I love the music of Frank Zappa. I also love hearing Steve Vai talk about him, because he's such a big fan, but was involved with it as well. If anybody has a stolen Rolodex with Steve Vai's phone number, hit me up, I wouldn't mind chatting with him sometime.
Back in the early to mid 70's, I got my first chance to see Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention on a Halloween night!! I was so blown away I became the quintessential FZ Fan!! And then saw the band as many times as I could, not to mention 3 or 4 Halloween shows in a row, Three years in a row. I learned most of his tunes that mere mortals could sort of play. Then sometime around 1999 or 2000 I showed up at a club where a friend was going to play. Only the drummer was there, a couple of guitars were set up and ready. Not too many people there. I knew the drummer well as I did the rest of the guys. I picked up one of the guitars and started picking out I Am The Slime. The drummer went to the kit and jumped in. So for about 5 or 6 minutes we jammed that out.. The 5 or 10 people in the bar at the time went nuts. And that was just Guitar and Drums. So that tells you how inviting and intense Frank's music was. Great interview with Steve. Who I was lucky enough to see play with Frank. I have every recording Frank ever put out and many other bootleg recordings. Thanks for this interview. Great job. Nice conversation.
What a beautiful soliloquy to Frank... @ 4:50... those were my exact same feelings the 1st time I heard Frank's music! (at about the same age)... My 1st tune heard ever was Montana, and as a Drummer/Percussionist, I was beyond enthusiastic... and then proceeded to hear everything I could by this man... been a dedicated fan ever since - and I'm Steve's age!
Beautifully articulate and insightful, thanks Steve for this window into the vast and limitless mind of the never to be repeated Frank Zappa. And btw, I loved Alan Zavod, especially with Jean Luc Ponty.
@@seanjenkins4654 I don't want to distract too much from the main focus of this video, but yes I agree those are stunning albums, indeed EO would be a desert island disc for me as Allan Holdsworth and Jean Luc Ponty are a match made in heaven, and the rest of the band is smoking, including Alan Zavod! CM is also brilliant, but doesn't quite achieve the heights of EO as it lacks Allan H's unique presence, although J Lievano and P Maunu do a sterling job.
@@fusionfan6883 I’d have to agree with you there EM is hands down my favorite Ponty album, civilized evil is also very good too in my opinion even though I’d put it behind the other two. Also Alan’s guitar playing on gong expresso II is incredible. Yeah my bad I know it’s off topic but rarely see people mention those records.
@@seanjenkins4654 Agree and no need to apologise, us music fans are passionate folk! I am an Allan H nut, and am old enough to have bought his first record when it came out in 69, and have followed him ever since. I am also a huge Ponty fan! And if you are not already aware of the other incredible French fusion violinist Didier Lockwood, check this out, it features Holdsworth and Cobham, and is absolutely blistering, enjoy: ruclips.net/video/aa0bGAaHkdc/видео.html
I was turned on Zappa in the same way with Overnight Sensation; I just could not believe that you could have so much interesting, funny and even educational (creative sarcasm) stuff and still have awesome music at the same time. That was in about 76....great interview. I cant wait to see the Doco thanks Steve!
I was at the Armadillo show! It was so freakin' hot in there, the audience was melting. I was mesmerized by Vai bacause he was a few years younger than me and already playing with Zappa, (who I worshipped) I had no idea he was sick, I thought the dolly was just a stage prop (Zappa had many). Frank introduced him as "Little Stevie Vai - my Italian Virtuoso". They were brilliant that night. I was fortunate enough to see Zappa live 5 times over the years. (Once with Adrian Belew, who Zappa had wearing a dress! HAHA)
Steve Vai seems to be a really nice, humble person. Refreshing considering his monumental talent. Can't wait to see the movie. I really like Steve's cave there. I'd love to have a cosy studio like that.
Excellent interview! Love Steve's respect and responsiveness to Greg, and LOVED Greg's style. How many times have I heard the Austin story? Who cares?! SV's a pro and tells it as if for the first time. Kudos. March 2nd - Zappa Movie backers, we get our download links. Who's excited?!?!?! :-)
Frank was so far ahead of our times as far as music expression goes. His talent for recognising something that no one else can comprehend until he does it, was absolutely amazing. We used to buy his early vinyl, the day Joe's Garage came out, changed everything for me. I knew then that he was the genius.
One Sunday circa 1980 out for a drive stopped at the local cassette store and saw Joe's garage purchased act one and hit the road in a 67 lemans house speakers filling up the back seats we headed out for the country with the music at high volume after the tape ended and approximately 30 miles into our ride I made an abrupt u turn and headed back the way we came with my girlfriend asking what I was doing I replied that I HAD to go back to purchase acts II and III which I did and realized what a profound masterpiece this album was in music and commentary now 43 years later nothing has changed that opinion and I can't wait to see what it's like on the outside now
That final Ruth Underwood scene in the documentary... Fucking hell... And then Steve, on the verge of tears saying "IT FUCKING SUCKED". I rarely heard him swear but THIS was 100% justified. And you know what? 28 years later, it still fucking sucks. We miss you Frank (and George, and Allan, and Jimmy The Indian...) Special shout out to Ike Willis. Hang in there, man. Don't leave us just yet.
So much vitriol in this comment section , bitter twisted old men 🤣 I really enjoyed it , and I’ve been a fan for many many years , seen him live, met and shared stages with dweezil a few times and various members of franks bands and was one of the last people to record the great Jimmy Carl black. As a documentary intended to bring the wonderful world of Zappa to a new audience I think it did it’s job well, sure it could have included more of certain decades but let’s face facts here it would have been 8 hours long, similar to doing a Miles Davis doc. So much material , some people’s favourite eras are bound to be forgotten. In the end it was well made and I enjoyed it as many many others will do. And Mr Via you absolute gentleman and scholar sir . Good interview to
Loved the part with this Steve Vai documentary re: Frank Zappa to how long it had taken to do it and eventually get to hear it ....the overlays given overtime which creates the beautiful materials found across time and making those things gold leaf to the vault of time found as is the case with Frank Zappa & Co in various settings.
Good to see Steve. Been a fan for four decades. What a great guitar player. Seems like a cool guy. Was able to see Frampton (another guitar hero) a few years back. Please take a final tour thru St. Louis Steve !
Steve is slowly becoming one of my wise old Italian uncles.. I can listen to him talk about Zappa all day! Steve Vai is pure class.. an artist of the highest caliber!
I always liked Steve's guitar playing, but after hearing him talk at length with such warmth and generosity, he comes across as the full package: talented, gracious, intelligent, and able to express himself so well than he can "unpack" Zappa for us. What a cool guy
I like his playing as well. But I have to say that I love hearing him speak. Something about Vai
I think Steve Vai and Ruth Underwood do this equally well. It's a joy to hear them talk
He’s extremely intelligent and well spoken.
god! i need blue powder!
red pill over-load! need more blue!
actin' funny? well, don't ask-me-why!
why not just ask steve vai!
respecto!
literally, that frickin' track, called blue powder, is there a story behind that?
and where can i get some, please!
Agreed. Aside from earning his place as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Steve always impresses me with his attitude. He always seems to be in a great place emotionally and mentally, magnetic positivity. I get the same positive vibes watching interviews with Ringo Starr.
Steve mentions the beautiful melodies Frank composed. I had the privilege to sit on the steps outside my room at the log cabin, 30 feet away from Frank while he composed at his grand piano, always with one finger, occasionally adding in a chord, and then he would write it down, and do the same for the left hand, and then he would get Ian Underwood, who also lived there, to play the piece because Frank was unable to play it himself. How fortunate can you get? I write these experiences in Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa, 1967-71
I am currently reading your book. An utterly fascinating and superbly written insight into the great man.
@@Alun49 Thank you, Alun for your kind words. If you feel the same when you get to the end, might you feel inclined to write a review?
@@paulinebutcherbird Absolutely!! Let me know where you want me to post it!
@@Alun49 Usually where you bought it, either Book Depository or Amazon or some-such. Nice of you.
@@paulinebutcherbird Will do!!
Once a person absorbs Zappa's music, it's striking to imagine how impoverished one's musical life would be without it.
True, and well put.
It's so refreshing to hear an interviewer who asks open knowledgeable questions and then gives space to the interviewee and loved Steve's insights into Zappa. It passed in an instant, thanks guys.
Same for me . Sweet interview
Agreed. Great interviewer.
@@lennypersonalized Great interview....Steve really provided great insight on his work with Frank
ruclips.net/video/H2p45aoMaTI/видео.html
Steve Vai is very good at articulating the meaning behind his experiences with Zappa.
Nice cameo.
Steve Vai is very good at articulating anything.
No disrespect, but personally I'd rather hear Stave Vai speak than play.
What a fantastic interview! It’s pretty clear that Mr. Vai treasures his time spent with Frank Zappa.
I cannot imagine having to learn EIGHTY of his songs and be ready for any one of them on any giving night. Holy shit.
I understand the rehearsals were about 4 months for a tour but still. Such great bands.
Dream Theater does that too. They never want to play the same songs two nights in a row for fans following them on tour, and they never play the same songs you saw at last year's show in that city. So they have to be prepared to play their entire catalog upon request at all times.
Interesting. I'd really like to see a Steve Vai documentary.
Yeah, great idea; too many people only know about Steve's shredding. I would love to see a detailed documentary on the making of Flexable; my favorite of Steve's recordings, because, aptly titled, it's wildly varied, and everything on it is brilliant in a unique way, much like Zappa's music!
Can you imagine reading your idol talk about you in a magazine before you meet them for the first time. Mind blowing. This is easily one of the best Steve Vai interviews I've seen in years. Kudos.
Love Steve's description of The Black Page. The fact that he emphasizes the beauty of the melody in conjunction with the complex rhythmic aspect.
Wonderful Steve and Frank two amazing souls
The first time I'd heard Zappa was Call Any Vegetable back in the late 60s. I was in high school. I'd never hears anything like it, the composition, the humor and complete strangeness. It was like an alien abduction for however long the piece went... in a fun way. I'd entered into a brand new universe of music. I've been there ever since. Thanks Frank. It's been a great ride.
I'm not a Vai aficionado, but how he talks with natural joy especially about his first encounter with FZ (3:40) and about his transcription of The Black Page (5:42) shows him as a great personable guy and brilliant story teller.
Flexable Leftovers must be his most Zappaesque record. You might like it.
@@CesarCordova Pure Zappa without FZ, definitely!
I've been listening to a ton of Zappa stuff here lately. Both old and much of the new live vault stuff. I've been a fan since the early 70s. Bought my first lp around '75/76. Saw him in concert 5 times. 2 sets in '81 with Vai. Saw Vai on the Sex and Religion tour mere days or weeks after Zappa's death. Hearing Steve talk about Frank warms my heart and brings tears. Zappa checked out way too early but left us an absolute ton of music to listen to. To Frank and Steve thank you both for everything.
I've never forgotten a Zappa quote from the 1980s in Guitar World magazine in which an interviewer asked him about his music not being particularly accessible or relateable to the average rock fan and Frank said "You've already heard guys play the perfect blues turnaround, the perfect mixolydian scale. I don't give a shit about any of that. I just play what's on my mind."
its about time they made it. Frank Zappa is a national treasure..Steve is the luckiest dude alive to have such an immense musical career but also lucky to have been so closely associated with FZ
Frank Zappa was a musical genius. Saw him in the 70’s for 5 bucks.He was so good on guitar it seemed he got bored with it in the end. Writing music for Symphony Orchestra’s and music direction were his forte. Like 5D chess, Frank was the grandmaster R.I.P. Frank Zappa ☮️
$5 Bucks!?!? 😱😨😱😨😱
Because asswipes in the Audience didnt listen rowdy wasted. Demanding the Pop fad Hits...
5xs saw frank ...Stony Brook. WE SHUSHED THE AUDIENCE.. me and true Zappa afficionados..we knew he loved people That listened deep not screaming rowdy obvoously wasted rok cretins..Not a Pin drop. We
Shushed em and loudly stated stfu ! Frank likes it Quiet...he came out to pure Silence. He came out and looked around Nodding Happily at us cig fuming cool......Unbelievable Epic Concert SHOW. hilarious flawless Awesome Band Sound...high point of my existence...i saw 100s of concerts..Top 3..Z
@@zamthoth4700 Mr Frank Zappa was to have produced DEVO but unfortunately WB messed it up
What a great interview ! I have been a Zappa fan since I first heard the "Freak Out" album in 1966 when I was 17 and playing guitar in a band in The Bahamas where I grew up. It was an eye opener for sure. I met Frank in a restaurant in Frankfurt Germany in Nov. 1971. I know it was forward of me, but I could not pass up on what would probably be the only opportunity of my life to meet him. I was in the military at the time and had short hair. He seemed a little suspicious of me until I explained that I was the Signal Corps Army, and not in the Shooting people type Army. And I was an American fan from the islands and if he wanted me to just go away, just give the word and I would comply. But he was very gracious and did not run me off. We spoke for only a couple of minutes. About the dates they were playing and that kind of stuff. He seemed to be fascinated with the sign on the building around the corner from the restaurant on Kaiserstrasse. The sign was five stories high in huge three foot square lighted letters that spelled " CRAZY SEXY" ! He had sent someone to retrieve a camera to photograph it. Aynsley Dunbar thought it was hilarious when I explained that it was a very large Whorehouse ! Actually somewhat of a Supermarket of a Whorehouse ! That had been there since prior to WWII. At that point I gave my apologies again for the interruption and thanked them for speaking with me, and left them to order their meal. After that I often wondered if I would ever hear a song about "The Crazy Sexy".
ruclips.net/video/H2p45aoMaTI/видео.html
Fantastic story thank you for sharing
Stevie, you are loved with Frank. You are amazing , you time with the master was a gift to us all
Steve, ho visto il concerto di Frank, a Roma, nel 1973 ma non posso dimenticare il concerto, sempre a Roma, del 1982, tra la polvere e la terra, nel vecchio mattatoio e l'ironia di Frank all'inizio del concerto, e poi Steve's Spanking (!), lo sguardo severo e professionale di Frank, come da maestro a discepolo, nel vostro duetto di chitarre, il tuo divertimento mentre suonavi e lo spengere della sigaretta...stupendo!
Avevo solo 3 anni, ma quanto avrei voluto esserci!
Always expect Steve to have a giant ego but he comes across as such a sweet and humble guy. Even though he doesn't play my genre of music he inspired me to play thanks to Crossroads. I tried to learn that solo but... yeah. Absolute monster guitarist.
Crossroads as in?
@@andrejz8954 - The movie Crossroads. Steve plays the devil in the guitar playing duel! Definitely worth watching!
@@todd8155 Thanks man! Forgot a little about that movie, was thinking more of a festival or if he did a cover of the song... So thanks!
In the mid to late 80's I saw Zappa at Tulane University. After a great show and a third encore, with calls for more, Frank went to the mike and said, "if you really want more, we're playing a second show in an hour so buy another ticket, it'll be a completely different set. So I did and again it was a great show. I think his last encore was "Whipping Post". It was so Frank and so awesome. A friend's wedding dance was to "Fountain of Love" from Cruising with Reuben and the Jets. Can't wait to see the documentary.
I could listen to Mr. Vai talk or play forever 🤘🏽
I remember listening to the old penciled in white albums with Flo an Eddie done at the Fillmore West! pre, record company contract. There will never be another frank, I miss him, best guitar player of all time, and one he'll of a composer. RIP. Mr.Zappa your a Genius!!!! I had the privilege to see him at the Long Beach sports arena on easter. Amazing!!!!!
A genius is speaking about a genius ,these 2 musicians are the core of the musical background in th US .Most pop musicians don't possess academic learning of music,but people like Mr Vai and the late Zappa join academia with the sense of popular entertainment and that's why they will outlive their ages by their huge contributions to world music.l wish Mr Vai a long life so tha he can achieve his musical projects and help bring out new material from Zappa's vault.
Bob Spencer here interviewing Steve Vai. 2 legends of the guitar. ty 4 vid
I watched the documentary, rented it on Netflix or Amazon. It was good. Steve's a great guy and awesome guitarist. Frank was amazing. Dweezil shows us his library of tapes and films in the documentary. He was perpetually composing and creating. What an amazing musician.
Time did fly fast on this one!
It's fun to see that the interest for Frank Zappa still is so big. Only the trailer has over 1 million views which isn't bad at all!
Man that was a great interview, CONVERSATION ............... THANX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Control of infinite freedom" spot on. Well said.
I remember buying the flexible cassette..totally bizarre and Zappa influenced...and I loved it
Awesome interview from one of our greatest gunslingers of all time. He's always contributing more to music.
Vai always gives a great interview.
Brilliantly conducted interview with an amazing, well spoken, humble, top one percent musician. Thank you, very enjoyable.
Thank you so much for this interview 🌍🙏❤
Excellent interview. Steve does a great job describing Frank's music and his own experiences. Thanks to both!
Great job Steve ! YOU too have been a source of influence a, and inspiration for generations of guitar players. Thanks for that !!
Outstanding interview, really great questions… eliciting great answers - respect and thanks to both!
Zappa was his own Genre...
The question from friends who have never heard of Zappa,
"Zappa, what kind of music is that?"
My reply is always it's Zappa music. "Do you know rock, jazz, blues, pop, modern composers and world music? It's all of those things and much more."
You sir, are so accurate. It's Zappa music. He was a musical genius.
that's a good way to put it.
@@mickdarabuka7778 I think he was really a modern composer that used rock n roll instruments. Even lyrics in music weren't really his thing but he needed to sell records and most ppl like lyrics. Therefore he's songs with lyrics were funny, sarcastic, crazy sexuality, and mocking. He even mocked his own audience from time to time. LoL
Well put. Bravo.
As his son Dweezil says, "Frank plays music from the future." And long after his passing, it's still from the future.
Such a genuine guy. Steve seems like a guy you could hang out with on a patio and just talk music and life.
This is so dope. Great interview! Thanks guys!!!
I saw Zappa in Las Vegas in 1981 when Steve Vai was in the band. It is still the most amazing concert I've ever experienced. I saw Steve Vai in Las Vegas in 2013 and towards the end of the show he talked about playing in Las Vegas with Zappa back in 1981! I was blown away!
Steve Vai also put on a great show in 2013. I didn't know a lot of the material he played, but that didn't matter because he is such a great entertainer, as well as being an amazing musician!
God dam, that was a great little interview! Steve was obviously in the mood to talk and I must say the way he described his memories with Frank was one of the most open I've heard from anyone really. Nicely done.
Thank you GOAT Steve!
This is an amazing guy. So incredible and at the same time so down to earth. Fantastic!
I like this interviewer. Intelligent and short questions - no leading or filling in just good short questions left to the interviewee to answer!
10/10 for interview and Zappa history. Gregory Peckery is one of my fav Zappa tunes, cool that he mentioned it. Love you Steve, *please do a collaboration with Les Claypool!*
This is just wonderful, to hear a world-class musician speaking with such reverence about another world-class musician. I saw Steve in New Haven just the other night, and even 30 years Frank's passing, he told the crowd that not a day goes by without him missing Frank.
As a drummer, I hoped he would recant a tale involving Vinnie and Terry Bozzio .
My god , I was glued to this interview.
Fascinating.
How did frank hear everything?.
Crazy photo-graphic memory. Unreal intellect. Brilliant unique man.
Thank you for this interview. I love the music of Frank Zappa. I also love hearing Steve Vai talk about him, because he's such a big fan, but was involved with it as well. If anybody has a stolen Rolodex with Steve Vai's phone number, hit me up, I wouldn't mind chatting with him sometime.
Steve and frank exchanging guitar riffs live is incredible.........
Amazing discussion!! Great questions. Thank you Steve for sharing those insights! Well done!!
I was so carried away listening to this...
Back in the early to mid 70's, I got my first chance to see Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention on a Halloween night!! I was so blown away I became the quintessential FZ Fan!! And then saw the band as many times as I could, not to mention 3 or 4 Halloween shows in a row, Three years in a row. I learned most of his tunes that mere mortals could sort of play. Then sometime around 1999 or 2000 I showed up at a club where a friend was going to play. Only the drummer was there, a couple of guitars were set up and ready. Not too many people there. I knew the drummer well as I did the rest of the guys. I picked up one of the guitars and started picking out I Am The Slime. The drummer went to the kit and jumped in. So for about 5 or 6 minutes we jammed that out.. The 5 or 10 people in the bar at the time went nuts. And that was just Guitar and Drums. So that tells you how inviting and intense Frank's music was. Great interview with Steve. Who I was lucky enough to see play with Frank. I have every recording Frank ever put out and many other bootleg recordings. Thanks for this interview. Great job. Nice conversation.
Frank Zappa was one of a kind! Great interview ......
After viewing the documentary yesterday, this interview is a great little addition. Thanks for that!
What a wonderful interview! Good questions, and Vai is such a cool guy. Always giving! Thank you for the upload!
Steve is a generous classy guy. I like him he seems so down to earth.
I'd like to thank you for uploading this. I've been listening to Zappa since about 1968. Great interview.
He managed to answer almost every question i had about Zappa for 15 years in a 25 minutes video.
What a beautiful soliloquy to Frank... @ 4:50... those were my exact same feelings the 1st time I heard Frank's music! (at about the same age)... My 1st tune heard ever was Montana, and as a Drummer/Percussionist, I was beyond enthusiastic... and then proceeded to hear everything I could by this man... been a dedicated fan ever since - and I'm Steve's age!
Beautifully articulate and insightful, thanks Steve for this window into the vast and limitless mind of the never to be repeated Frank Zappa. And btw, I loved Alan Zavod, especially with Jean Luc Ponty.
Enigmatic ocean and cosmic messenger are two of my favorites when not listening to Frank haha.
@@seanjenkins4654 I don't want to distract too much from the main focus of this video, but yes I agree those are stunning albums, indeed EO would be a desert island disc for me as Allan Holdsworth and Jean Luc Ponty are a match made in heaven, and the rest of the band is smoking, including Alan Zavod! CM is also brilliant, but doesn't quite achieve the heights of EO as it lacks Allan H's unique presence, although J Lievano and P Maunu do a sterling job.
@@fusionfan6883 I’d have to agree with you there EM is hands down my favorite Ponty album, civilized evil is also very good too in my opinion even though I’d put it behind the other two. Also Alan’s guitar playing on gong expresso II is incredible. Yeah my bad I know it’s off topic but rarely see people mention those records.
@@seanjenkins4654 Agree and no need to apologise, us music fans are passionate folk! I am an Allan H nut, and am old enough to have bought his first record when it came out in 69, and have followed him ever since. I am also a huge Ponty fan! And if you are not already aware of the other incredible French fusion violinist Didier Lockwood, check this out, it features Holdsworth and Cobham, and is absolutely blistering, enjoy: ruclips.net/video/aa0bGAaHkdc/видео.html
Great interview. Thanks for sharing🙏
zappa sends random dude his score for new music via regular mail - you can't see that kind of adventures anymore. :)
Ain’t that the truth!!
Thank you Steve!!! So appreciate your insights and observations! YOU ROCK!!!
That 25 minutes passed so quickly!
I was turned on Zappa in the same way with Overnight Sensation; I just could not believe that you could have so much interesting, funny and even educational (creative sarcasm) stuff and still have awesome music at the same time. That was in about 76....great interview. I cant wait to see the Doco thanks Steve!
Well done and so cool to hear Steve in this era and reflection!
What a spectacular interview. Thank you.
Thank you Steve!
Steve is such a class act, fantastic interview!
I was at the Armadillo show! It was so freakin' hot in there, the audience was melting. I was mesmerized by Vai bacause he was a few years younger than me and already playing with Zappa, (who I worshipped) I had no idea he was sick, I thought the dolly was just a stage prop (Zappa had many). Frank introduced him as "Little Stevie Vai - my Italian Virtuoso". They were brilliant that night. I was fortunate enough to see Zappa live 5 times over the years. (Once with Adrian Belew, who Zappa had wearing a dress! HAHA)
Zappa the Unique described by his pupil!
What a wonderful man.
Stevie Vai, so nice to listen in to your conversation. The Zappa stories are gold and Pia is beautiful. Thank you for all the music!
Killer interview... you should hear his take on his audition for frank.... hilarious!!!
Steve Vai seems to be a really nice, humble person. Refreshing considering his monumental talent. Can't wait to see the movie. I really like Steve's cave there. I'd love to have a cosy studio like that.
Excellent interview! Love Steve's respect and responsiveness to Greg, and LOVED Greg's style.
How many times have I heard the Austin story? Who cares?! SV's a pro and tells it as if for the first time. Kudos.
March 2nd - Zappa Movie backers, we get our download links. Who's excited?!?!?! :-)
Wonderful interview ...thanks to both of you.
Vai is as cool as they get !!! Great interview! Viva La Zappa!!
Frank was so far ahead of our times as far as music expression goes. His talent for recognising something that no one else can comprehend until he does it, was absolutely amazing. We used to buy his early vinyl, the day Joe's Garage came out, changed everything for me. I knew then that he was the genius.
One Sunday circa 1980 out for a drive stopped at the local cassette store and saw Joe's garage purchased act one and hit the road in a 67 lemans house speakers filling up the back seats we headed out for the country with the music at high volume after the tape ended and approximately 30 miles into our ride I made an abrupt u turn and headed back the way we came with my girlfriend asking what I was doing I replied that I HAD to go back to purchase acts II and III which I did and realized what a profound masterpiece this album was in music and commentary now 43 years later nothing has changed that opinion and I can't wait to see what it's like on the outside now
That final Ruth Underwood scene in the documentary... Fucking hell...
And then Steve, on the verge of tears saying "IT FUCKING SUCKED".
I rarely heard him swear but THIS was 100% justified. And you know what? 28 years later, it still fucking sucks. We miss you Frank (and George, and Allan, and Jimmy The Indian...)
Special shout out to Ike Willis. Hang in there, man. Don't leave us just yet.
His lyrics were just plain Genius and he was always out there!
Wow, i love this interview
That Black Page story is just beautiful. :)
That was good. We got a few pieces of information from it.
Excellent interview. Thanks to you and Vai for the great interview!
Fantastic interview, saw Steve with Frank and with Dweezil amazing talent, super nice guy! Proud to be a movie backer it’s as good as Steve describes
Steve Vai is a class act always the gentleman.
Thanks for a very good interview which I enjoyed allot. Steve is also quite a musician i his own right.
So much vitriol in this comment section , bitter twisted old men 🤣
I really enjoyed it , and I’ve been a fan for many many years , seen him live, met and shared stages with dweezil a few times and various members of franks bands and was one of the last people to record the great Jimmy Carl black.
As a documentary intended to bring the wonderful world of Zappa to a new audience I think it did it’s job well, sure it could have included more of certain decades but let’s face facts here it would have been 8 hours long, similar to doing a Miles Davis doc. So much material , some people’s favourite eras are bound to be forgotten. In the end it was well made and I enjoyed it as many many others will do. And Mr Via you absolute gentleman and scholar sir .
Good interview to
Loved the part with this Steve Vai documentary re: Frank Zappa to how long it had taken to do it and eventually get to hear it ....the overlays given overtime which creates the beautiful materials found across time and making those things gold leaf to the vault of time found as is the case with Frank Zappa & Co in various settings.
Steve learned at the feet of his master, and his master taught him well.
Oct 16 1980 Armadillo I was at both shows face hurt for a month into Nov from laughing so hard.
I still have my ticket stubs...
Control over infinite freedom .. Nice putting! Thnx master Vai - ill work on that
Good to see Steve. Been a fan for four decades. What a great guitar player. Seems like a cool guy. Was able to see Frampton (another guitar hero) a few years back. Please take a final tour thru St. Louis Steve !
Joe's Garage is genius. One of a kind.
My fav. of his till now at least and in my top 5 albums of all time.
"Here comes the ice pick to the forehead!" lol.
Thank You!