Steve Vai facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Vai
Vai performing in Wrocław in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Steven Siro Vai
Also known as	Reckless Fable
Born	(1960-06-06) June 6, 1960 (age 65) Carle Place, New York, U.S.
Genres	Instrumental rock hard rock heavy metal progressive metal
Occupation(s)	Musician songwriter producer
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Favored Nations Relativity Epic Mascot

Steven Siro Vai (born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and music producer. He has won three Grammy Awards and been nominated fifteen times. Steve Vai began his music journey in 1978 when he was 18. He worked for the famous musician Frank Zappa and later played in Zappa's band from 1980 to 1983.

Steve Vai started his own solo career in 1983. He has released 11 solo albums. He has also played with popular bands like Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. Many people describe Vai as a very unique guitar player. He is known as one of the "heavy rock and metal guitar heroes" who became famous in the 1980s. His first solo album, Flex-Able, came out in 1984. His most successful album, Passion and Warfare (1990), was called "the best hard rock guitar album of the '80s." Guitar World magazine readers voted him the "10th Greatest Guitarist." He has sold over 15 million records worldwide.

Biography

Early Life and Musical Start

Steve Vai was born in Carle Place, New York, on June 6, 1960. He is the fourth son of John and Theresa Vai. He grew up in a Roman Catholic family. Steve remembers being five years old and touching a piano. He realized that notes go higher to the right and lower to the left. This moment helped him understand how music works.

A year later, at age six, he saw a nine-year-old boy playing the guitar. Steve immediately knew that the guitar would be his instrument. He was very influenced by the music his parents listened to. The soundtrack from the 1961 movie West Side Story was a big inspiration for him. When he was 12, after hearing Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker", he decided to start playing guitar.

In 1973, Steve Vai began taking guitar lessons from Joe Satriani, who was also from New York. He played in local bands like The Ohio Express and Circus during high school. In 1978, he went to Berklee College of Music in Boston to study music. While at Berklee, he started working for Frank Zappa. He moved to California to work with Zappa full-time. At Berklee, he also met his wife, Pia Maiocco. They have two children. In 2003, Berklee gave Vai an honorary music degree.

Working with Frank Zappa (1978–1983)

In 1978, Steve Vai sent Frank Zappa a written version of Zappa's song "The Black Page." He also sent a recording of his college band. Zappa was impressed and hired Vai to write down his music. This included songs from Zappa's albums Joe's Garage and Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar.

After leaving college, Vai moved to California. He tried out for Zappa's band and became a full-time member. His first tour with Zappa was in late 1980. Zappa often called Vai his "little Italian virtuoso." Vai was known for playing "stunt" or "impossible" guitar parts on Zappa's albums.

Vai also appeared on the 1993 album Zappa's Universe. In 2006, he was a special guest on Dweezil Zappa's Zappa Plays Zappa tour. Both of these projects helped Vai win a Grammy Award.

Starting a Solo Career (1983–1986)

After leaving Zappa's band in 1983, Steve Vai built his first professional music studio. During this time, he formed two bands, The Classified and 777. He also wrote and recorded a lot of music that he didn't plan to release at first. From this music, he put together his first solo album, Flex-Able.

He started his own record label, Akashic Records, to release Flex-Able in January 1984. Vai became more famous in 1983 when his song "The Attitude Song" was printed in Guitar Player magazine. This song showed off his unique guitar techniques. Later, his song "Blue Powder" also appeared in Guitar Player, showing his amazing guitar skills.

In 1986, Vai acted in the movie Crossroads. He played the Devil's guitar player, Jack Butler. In the famous guitar duel scene, Vai wrote and played all the guitar parts, except for the slide guitar.

Between his solo projects, Vai joined the band Alcatrazz in June 1984. He replaced Yngwie Malmsteen as the lead guitarist. He recorded the album Disturbing the Peace with them. Vai left Alcatrazz after their tour to join David Lee Roth's band.

Playing with David Lee Roth (1985–1989)

In 1985, Vai became the lead guitarist for David Lee Roth's band. Roth was the former singer of Van Halen. The band also included Billy Sheehan on bass and Gregg Bissonette on drums. Their first album, Eat 'Em and Smile, came out on July 7, 1986. It was very successful, selling over two million copies.

Guitar World magazine said that Steve Vai's guitar playing was so amazing that "in earlier times he would have been burned as a witch." Many people still think Eat 'Em and Smile is one of the best rock albums from the 1980s. The band toured from August 1986 to February 1987.

Roth's next album, Skyscraper, was released in 1988. Both Roth and Vai produced it. This album was also a big success. After the Skyscraper Tour in 1989, Vai left the band.

In 1985, after joining Roth's band, Vai designed the Ibanez JEM guitar. This guitar had new features that became common in the guitar industry. These included 24 frets, special pickups, and a locking tremolo system. Vai started working with Ibanez in 1986, and the first Ibanez JEM 777 guitars were released in 1987.

The 1990s: More Success

From 1985 to 1990, Vai recorded his second solo album, Passion and Warfare, in his home studio. After leaving Roth's band in 1989, Vai signed with Relativity Records to release Passion and Warfare. He finished the album shortly after recording guitar parts for Whitesnake's Slip of the Tongue album. He joined Whitesnake to replace the injured Adrian Vandenberg.

Slip of the Tongue sold over three million copies worldwide after its release in November 1989. Vai then joined Whitesnake on their 13-month world tour.

In May 1990, Vai released Passion and Warfare. The album sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide. Passion and Warfare won Vai several awards, including "Best Album" and "Best Rock Guitarist" from Guitar World and Guitar Player magazines. It is considered one of the most important instrumental albums ever released.

Also in 1990, Vai helped design the Ibanez Universe seven-string guitar. Vai left Whitesnake in 1990 to focus on his own music. He formed a new band with Devin Townsend on vocals, T. M. Stevens on bass, and Terry Bozzio on drums. This group released ... & Religion on July 23, 1993. The album was known for its strong sound and progressive metal style. The band broke up after the tour.

In 1994, Vai worked with Ozzy Osbourne and wrote music for the Ozzmosis album. However, the album was later re-recorded with Zakk Wylde on guitar. In 1994, Vai won a Grammy Award for his performance of "Sofa" from Zappa's Universe.

While recording his fourth solo album, Fire Garden, Vai also recorded and released the shorter album Alien Love Secrets. This seven-song album was recorded in four weeks and released on March 21, 1995. Vai says this album is one of his favorites.

On September 17, 1996, Vai released Fire Garden, a 19-song double album. The first half was mostly instrumental, and the second half featured Vai singing. After Fire Garden, Vai joined his former teacher Joe Satriani and guitarist Eric Johnson for the second G3 concert tour. On G3 tours, three guitarists perform their own songs and then jam together. A video of the 1996 tour, G3: Live in Concert, was released on June 3, 1997.

In 1998, Vai released a DVD of his Alien Love Secrets performance. Also in 1998, Vai started the Make a Noise Foundation. This foundation helps provide music education to people who can't afford it. Vai often auctions off his belongings to raise money for the foundation.

At the end of the 1990s, Vai played guitar on Joe Jackson's Symphony No. 1. This album won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2001.

The 2000s: New Directions

In December 2001, Vai recorded two shows at The Astoria in London with his band, The Breed. This live show was released as a DVD, Steve Vai: Live at the Astoria, London, in 2003. In 2004, Vai released 12 songs from the DVD online.

In 2001, Vai released The Secret Jewel Box, a special 10-CD set with unique music from different parts of his career. Four albums from this set were later released to the public. Also in 2001, Vai's record label, Favored Nations, released No Substitutions: Live in Osaka. Vai produced this album, and it won him his second Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album in February 2002.

While known as a rock guitarist, Vai also composes orchestral music. In May 2004, Vai performed "The Aching Hunger" with the Netherlands' Metropole Orchestra. This project included Vai's original orchestral music and new versions of his songs played with the orchestra. This led to the Visual Sound Theories DVD and the Sound Theories Vol. I & II album, released in June 2007.

In 2005, Vai released Real Illusions: Reflections. This was the first part of a three-album story. Each album has songs, lyrics, and stories that relate to the main plot. Vai plans to release a fourth album with the full story in order. He says the story is about a man who goes through a difficult experience that changes him.

In 2006, Vai joined the Zappa Plays Zappa tour as a special guest. In 2008, he won his third Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for his performance of "Peaches en Regalia" from this tour. Vai enjoys teaching, so in 2006, he started "Alien Guitar Secrets" masterclasses. In these classes, he shares his experiences, explains how to succeed, plays music, and answers questions.

To support Sound Theories Vol. I & II, Vai formed a new band called the String Theories band. This band included violins, which was a new idea for him. The tour began in June 2007 and ended in December.

In 2007, Vai recorded a performance in Minneapolis. This became the 2009 live concert DVD and Blu-ray Where the Wild Things Are. This DVD showed the band's wide musical range.

2007 also marked 20 years since the Ibanez JEM guitar was first made. In 2008, Vai released his signature Ibanez Jemini distortion pedal.

The 2010s: Continued Innovation

2010 was the 20th anniversary of the Ibanez Universe guitar. A special anniversary model was released. In February 2010, Vai launched "VaiTunes" to release digital-only songs. In April, Vai performed with Mary J. Blige and others on American Idol, playing "Stairway to Heaven."

In October 2010, two of Vai's original symphonies were performed in the Netherlands. Soon after, Vai joined the Experience Hendrix tour across the United States.

In March 2011, Vai set a Guinness World Record for the world's largest online guitar lesson. This was for a Berklee College of Music online course that Vai helped create. In April 2011, Vai launched GuitarTV, a website for free guitar content.

Vai's eighth studio album, The Story of Light, was released in August 2012. It was the second part of his Real Illusions story. The tour for The Story of Light lasted over two years, with 254 shows in 52 countries. This tour led to the 2015 live DVD Stillness in Motion, filmed in October 2012. The DVD included a bonus disc with a video diary of the tour.

In 2014, Vai announced a new guitar camp called "Vai Academy." Each year, Vai and special guests teach classes and jam with the campers.

In 2016, Vai released a special edition of Passion and Warfare for its 25th anniversary. It included remastered songs and a new album of music written earlier in his career. He then went on a world tour, playing the entire Passion and Warfare album.

In 2016, Vai played a guitar solo on the song "Go!" by the band M83. He also took part in the Generation Axe tour with other famous guitarists. Vai is featured on the song "Do You Feel Love" from Jacob Collier's 2019 album Djesse Vol. 2.

The 2020s: Recent Works

On December 1, 2021, Steve Vai announced his tenth studio album, Inviolate, which was released on January 28, 2022. It became his first album to reach No. 1 on the Current Hard Rock Albums chart. To support the album, Vai went on a 54-show tour in America. In 2021, Vai also appeared on a song called "Lost Children of the Universe" by Star One.

In 2022, Vai was featured on Polyphia's song "Ego Death."

On November 10, 2022, Vai announced his album Vai/Gash. He and singer Johnny "Gash" Sombrotto had recorded it in 1991, but it was not released because Sombrotto passed away in 1998. Vai and Sombrotto shared a love for motorcycles. The album was released on January 27, 2023.

Vai collaborated with Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin for her 2023 album, Seven Daughters of the Sea. They had previously worked together in 2012.

In early 2024, Vai, Satriani, and Eric Johnson went on a "Reunion" tour of the original G3 lineup. Vai and Satriani then continued touring together. On March 29, 2024, they released their first song together, "The Sea Of Emotion, Pt.1."

In September 2024, Vai joined Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, and Tool drummer Danny Carey for a three-month tour called "Beat." They played songs from 1980s King Crimson albums. The band continued touring in Latin America and Japan through Spring 2025.

In 2025, Vai announced a European tour with Joe Satriani for the summer.

Media Appearances

Documentary: Steve Vai – His First 30 Years

In 2022, a 77-minute documentary was released about Steve Vai's first 30 years in music. This film covers his life from 1960 to 1990. It shows him growing up, attending Berklee College of Music, and playing with artists like Frank Zappa, Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. The documentary also covers the making of his solo albums Flex-Able and Passion and Warfare. It also talks about his role in the movie Crossroads and how he helped create the Ibanez JEM guitar.

Video Games

Vai's song "Juice" from Alien Love Secrets was in the 1996 video game Formula One for the PlayStation. His guitar work also appeared in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Songs by David Lee Roth and Alcatrazz featuring Vai were also on the game's soundtrack.

In 2004, Vai played a heavy rock guitar version of the "Halo theme" for the Xbox video game Halo 2. He also played on the song "Never Surrender." He later re-recorded his Halo music for the Halo 2 Anniversary Original Soundtrack in 2014.

In 2008, Vai's songs "For the Love of God" and "Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix)" were available to download for the game Guitar Hero 3. Other songs like "Get the Hell Out of Here," "The Attitude Song," and "The Crying Machine" were also added to the Rock Band Network. A re-recorded version of "Speeding" is in the 2010 video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.

Films

In 1986, Vai played Jack Butler, the Devil's guitar player, in the film Crossroads. In the guitar duel scene, Vai wrote and performed all the guitar parts, except for the slide guitar. The main part of the duel song, "Eugene's Trick Bag," was based on a piece by Niccolò Paganini. This duel appeared on the 2002 album The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1.

In 1987, Vai performed "Amazing Grace" in the film Dudes. He also played on the films Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991), Encino Man (1992), PCU (1994), and John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars (2001).

In 2010, Vai's record label, Favored Nations, produced the film Crazy. This independent movie was inspired by the life and music of guitarist Hank Garland.

Style and Influence

When Steve Vai was 13, he bought his first guitar and started lessons with Joe Satriani. He became very dedicated to practicing. Vai's practice routine involved 10 to 15 hours a day, which became his work ethic for his whole career. When he worked for Frank Zappa, Vai wrote down and played very complex music. He believed that any music could be played if you started slow and practiced it perfectly.

Vai's first solo album, Flex-Able, showed his unique and creative style. It was influenced by his time with Frank Zappa. Passion and Warfare, his second solo album, showed a more developed "signature" style. Vai says his inspiration comes from many places, even from flowers outside his studio. He uses a method called "musical meditation" to get into a creative state of mind. In this state, he gets musical ideas, like melodies or rhythms. He saves these ideas in what he calls the "Infinity Shelf," a collection of thousands of song snippets. Vai teaches these ideas in his "Alien Guitar Secrets" masterclasses.

Vai's playing style uses special guitar techniques. These include two-handed tapping, alternate picking, legato, hybrid picking, sweep picking, and whammy bar tricks. He also uses many different recording techniques.

Vai says that artists like Jimmy Page, Brian May, Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck, and Jimi Hendrix influenced him. He also learned from jazz fusion guitarists Allan Holdsworth and Al Di Meola.

Notable Contributions

Work with Frank Zappa

As a music writer for Frank Zappa, Vai wrote down some of Zappa's most rhythmically complex music. He created new ways to write down music that he had never seen before. These ideas can be found in the "Frank Zappa Guitar Book." Vai toured with Zappa from 1980 to 1983, playing this challenging music.

JEM, PIA, and Universe Guitars

In 1985, Vai designed the Ibanez JEM guitar. This guitar had new features that became very popular in the guitar industry. Vai wanted a guitar that combined the best parts of other guitars. He wanted 24 frets, a special tremolo system, and unique pickups. He also added a "handle" to the guitar so he could swing it around during shows.

Vai had custom versions of these guitars built by his friend Joe "Jem" Despagni. Many guitar companies wanted to work with Vai. He sent them the JEM guitar's design, saying he would work with the company that made the best guitar. Ibanez made a guitar that was better than the others and followed his instructions. The first Ibanez JEM 777 guitars were shown in 1987. The JEM has become one of the most successful signature guitars ever. Its sister guitar, the Ibanez RG, is the second best-selling guitar after the Fender Stratocaster.

Another guitar Vai designed was the Ibanez Universe. This was the first mass-produced seven-string guitar, released in 1989. The Universe had many features from the JEM, but with an added low 'B' string. This allowed for new low sounds. Vai used the Universe on Passion and Warfare and Whitesnake's Slip of the Tongue. The Universe was important for the rise of the Nu-metal music style.

On April 4, 2020, the Ibanez PIA was introduced. Vai says it's a modern version of his original JEM. The PIA (named after his wife, Pia Maiocco) has softer body curves and a "Petal Grip" handle instead of the "Monkey Grip." It also has special DiMarzio UtoPIA pickups.

Alien Guitar Secrets Masterclasses

Steve Vai has always enjoyed teaching and sharing his experiences. In 2006, he started "Alien Guitar Secrets" masterclasses. In these touring classes, Vai talks about his experiences in the music industry. He explains how to succeed, plays music with backing tracks, and sometimes invites students to jam with him. He also teaches about guitar techniques and deeper ideas about life and music. Vai shares concepts that have helped him in his career and personal life. He helps people understand how to overcome self-doubt. Vai often tours Europe, South America, and Russia with these classes. He believes these classes are one of his most important contributions.

Eventide H3000 Ultra-Harmonizer

In the mid-1980s, the guitar effects company Eventide asked Vai for ideas for their H3000 effects unit. Vai suggested many ideas, like changing pitch and creating multiple harmonies. These ideas were used in the unit and became common in guitar effects processors.

DiMarzio Pickups

In 1993, Vai's signature "Evolution" humbucker pickups were released by DiMarzio. These pickups use a special "Dual-Resonance" design. A lower output model, the "EVO 2" humbucker, was released in 2004.

Carvin Legacy Amplifier

In 1997, Vai started working with the Carvin Corporation to design his signature Legacy amplifiers. He used these amps on his 1999 album The Ultra Zone. The first Legacy I model came out in 1999, and the most recent, Legacy III, was released in 2012.

Touring

In the 1990s, Vai began touring in European and Asian countries like Russia and China, as well as South America. He was often one of the first American rock artists to perform in these areas. In 2014, Vai performed on China's BTV Spring Festival Global Gala, a show watched by over two billion people. This made Vai the first rock artist ever broadcast on Chinese television.

Equipment

Vai's personal studio, The Harmony Hut, is in his backyard. It has a full control room and performance room. Built in 2011, this is where Vai produces and mixes his new music.

Vai has two main signature Ibanez JEM six-string guitars he uses live and in the studio. They are called "EVO" and "FLO III." "EVO" is a prototype from 1993, and "FLO III" has a Fernandes Sustainer system. Since early 2022, Vai has also often used a black Ibanez PIA prototype he calls "ONYX." "ONYX" has a lightly scalloped neck and a Fernandes sustainer system.

His other favorite guitars include "BO," a JEM77BRMR prototype that was stolen but later found. "FLO" is an original JEM transformed to match his other guitars. "Bruno" is an Ibanez Universe UV77MC seven-string guitar with a burnt finish. "NILE" is the first Onyx Black PIA prototype used a lot on the Inviolate album. "XAVIA" is a customized JEM 7VWH with a heavily scalloped neck.

Vai uses his signature Carvin Legacy amplifier. He also uses Morley Pedals, including his signature Bad Horsie and Bad Horsie II wah pedals, and a Little Alligator volume pedal. He uses the Ibanez Jemini distortion pedal.

Before working with Ibanez, Vai used Charvel guitars. He has also used guitars from Jackson, Fender, and Gavtone. Vai usually uses 9-42 Ernie Ball Strings.

Guitar Setup and Sound

Vai's live guitar setup in 2016 uses his signature Carvin Legacy amplifier. He also uses the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II XL and an MFC-101 foot controller.

Depending on the place, Vai uses either his Legacy I or Legacy III amplifier heads. He uses Carvin Legacy 4x12 speaker cabinets with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers. Vai uses EL-34 tubes in his Legacy amps.

Vai uses the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II XL for all his sound effects. For live shows, he uses it for stereo effects like delay, chorus, and phase. He has different settings for each song. The Axe-Fx MFC-101 foot controller lets him turn effects on and off like regular pedals.

Vai's pedalboard includes a wah-wah pedal (either his Morley Bad Horsie or a Dunlop Cry Baby 95q), an Ibanez Jemini twin distortion pedal, and a DigiTech Whammy DT pitch shifting pedal. The Axe-Fx MFC-101 foot controller is the main part of his pedalboard. He uses two expression pedals for the Axe-Fx: one for volume and one for the harmonizer effect.

The guitar's sound goes into the wah pedal, then the Ibanez Jemini distortion pedal, and then the Digitech Whammy DT. From there, it goes into the Carvin Legacy amplifier head. The sound then goes into the Axe-Fx II XL, where it is split into stereo and effects are added. One signal goes back to the Legacy amp, and another goes to a second Carvin Legacy head. Vai uses his stereo setup for effects like delay, where he sets two different delay times. The sound then goes from the amp to the Carvin Legacy speaker cabinets. Vai uses AKG microphones to record his amps.

Personal Life

Since the late 1990s, Vai has lived in Encino, Los Angeles with his family. He is married to Pia Maiocco, who was the bassist for the band Vixen. They have two children, Julian and Fire Vai. Steve Vai is also a vegetarian and a beekeeper. He takes care of beehives on his property in Encino.

Band History

This list does not include guest appearances.

Early Bands

• The Ohio Express (1971–1972)
• Circus (around 1973 to 1976)
• Rayge (around 1973 to 1976)
• Bold As Love (1977)

Berklee Bands

• Axis (1978–1979)
• Morning Thunder (1979)

Professional Bands

• Frank Zappa (1980–1982)
• The Out Band (around 1983)
• The Classified (1984)
• 777 (1984)
• Alcatrazz (1984–1985)
• David Lee Roth (1985–1989)
• Whitesnake (1989–1990)
• Beat (2024–present)

Solo Band (1992–94)

... & Religion album

• Vocals: Devin Townsend
• Guitar: Steve Vai
• Bass: TM Stevens
• Drums: Terry Bozzio

"... & Religion" Tour

• Vocals, Guitar: Devin Townsend
• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Bass: Scott Thunes
• Keys: Will Riley
• Drums: Abe Laboriel, Jr., then Toss Panos

1995

• Guitar: Steve Vai
• Bass: Tony Pimental, then Scott Thunes
• Keys: Will Riley
• Drums: Chris Frazier

This band toured Russia twice, South America and the US (opening for Bon Jovi).

1996–99

• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Guitar, Vocals and Keys: Mike Keneally
• Fretted & Fretless Bass, Vocals: Philip Bynoe
• Drums: Mike Mangini

2000

• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Guitar, Vocals and Keys: Mike Keneally
• Guitar: Dave Weiner
• Fretted & Fretless Bass, Vocals: Philip Bynoe
• Drums: Mike Mangini
• Keyboards (South American Tour): Eric Goldberg
• Drums (South American Tour): Chris Frazier

2001–02 – "The Breed"

• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Bass, Vocals: Billy Sheehan
• Guitar, Vocals and Keys: Mike Keneally, then Tony MacAlpine
• Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Sitar: Dave Weiner
• Drums: Virgil Donati

2003–05 – "The Breed"

• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Bass, Vocals: Billy Sheehan
• Guitar, Vocals and Keys: Tony MacAlpine
• Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Sitar: Dave Weiner
• Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion: Jeremy Colson

2007 – "String Theories"

• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Fretted & Fretless Bass: Bryan Beller (Philip Bynoe on the South American leg)
• Violin and Keys: Ann Marie Calhoun
• Violin and Keys: Alex DePue
• Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Sitar: Dave Weiner
• Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion: Jeremy Colson

2012 – "The Story of Light Band"

• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Fretted & Fretless Bass, Vocals: Philip Bynoe
• Acoustic & Electric Harp: Deborah Henson-Conant
• Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Sitar: Dave Weiner
• Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion: Jeremy Colson

2013 – "The Story of Light Band, Australia, New Zealand and Asian Leg"

• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Fretted & Fretless Bass, Vocals: Philip Bynoe
• Acoustic & Electric Guitars: Dave Weiner
• Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion: Jeremy Colson
• Keyboards: Michael Arrom

2015 – "Stillness in Motion: Live DVD Band"

• Guitar, Vocals: Steve Vai
• Fretted & Fretless Bass, Vocals: Philip Bynoe
• Acoustic & Electric Guitars: Dave Weiner
• Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion: Jeremy Colson
• Sitar: Fire Vai

2016 - “Passion & Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour”

• Guitar, Vocal: Steve Vai
• Fretted & Fretless Bass, Vocals: Philip Bynoe
• Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Keyboards: Dave Weiner
• Acoustic & Electronic Drums & Percussion: Jeremy Colson

Discography

Steve Vai started recording music in 1980 with Frank Zappa. Since then, he has recorded with many artists and bands. In 1983, he began his solo career with Flex-Able. He became known as a guitar hero with his 1990 album Passion and Warfare. His music includes nine studio albums, two EPs, two special albums, eight live albums, twelve soundtracks, twenty compilation albums, and six DVD releases.

Studio albums:

• Flex-Able (1984)
• Passion and Warfare (1990)
• ... & Religion (1993)
• Fire Garden (1996)
• Flex-Able Leftovers (1998)
• The Ultra Zone (1999)
• Alive in an Ultra World (2001)
• Real Illusions: Reflections (2005)
• The Story of Light (2012)
• Modern Primitive (2016)
• Inviolate (2022)
• Vai/Gash (2023)

Grammy Awards

Steve Vai has won three Grammy Awards out of 15 nominations for his solo and group work:

• 1993: Steve Vai - Best Rock Instrumental Performance for "Sofa" from Zappa's Universe
• 2002: Steve Vai and others - Best Pop Instrumental Album for No Substitutions: Live in Osaka
• 2008: Steve Vai and others - Best Rock Instrumental Performance for the "Peaches en Regalia" song from a Zappa Plays Zappa tour

See also

In Spanish: Steve Vai para niños

• List of rock instrumentals
• Steve Vai songs