American guitar virtuoso Steve Vai (Wei) became famous as a talented composer. The performer is known as a vocalist, actor and producer. The total circulation of the three Grammy-winning albums has exceeded 15 million copies.
Having started his professional career with his idol Frank Zappa, Steven Shiro Wai founded his own label in 1999. Favored Nations specializes in recording virtuoso performers.
Improvement time
The biography of the future celebrity began in 1960. The child was born in Long Island on June 6. From an early age, the boy became interested in music. His parents fully approved of his interest: the family kept a lot of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin CDs.
The result was the creation of a group in which both Steve and his older sister Lillian played. He wrote his first composition for the collective. The song was called "Hot Chocolate". The team's repertoire also included other works by the young composer.
The first serious experience was participation in the school group "The Ohio Express". Wai played keyboards in it. He decided to change the position after he heard a virtuoso guitar solo. The fame of the most famous guitarist in the world became the dream of a novice musician. The young man acquired the instrument the very next day. The famous performer Joe Satriani became his teacher.
Under the influence of his mentor, Wei learned not only to copy the manner of the masters. He realized that repetition of the well-known methods of developing his skill would not give him. Therefore, the aspiring guitarist set about developing his own unique style.
Education stopped with the end of school. He continued his education at the Berkeley College of Music in Boston. At the school, Steve led the Morning Thunder group. He did not stop working to fulfill his dream: he analyzed the parts of the world's leading guitarists, looked for his own techniques and moves.
Solo career
After recording his own arrangement of Zappa's "Black Page" in 1980, Steve ventured to show the work to Frank. The skill of the eighteen-year-old guitarist shocked the musician. He invited Steve to his team. Vai performed in it until 1984. He called this period the best in his life, “the time of luck”.
After parting with his idol, Steve took up a solo career. He has recorded the albums Flex-Able Leftovers and Flex-Able. A year later, the young performer began touring with Alcatrazz. After recording the LP, he moved on to David Lee Roth. Together they created a couple of discs. After their release, Steve found the celebrity he dreamed of.
The multi-platinum album "Eat'em & Smile" secured a role for the performer in the film "Crossroads" in 1986. His hero was the guitarist Jack Butler, for the right to become the best who gave his soul. The culmination of the project was the contest between the protagonist and Butler. Steve's photos began to appear frequently on the covers of magazines.
Guitar producing companies offered Vai to play their instruments and become an endorser. However, the guitar, with which the musician still performs, could only be offered to him by Ibanez. He signed a contract with her. The series "Jem 777" released by the Japanese company was adorned with the guitarist's autograph. All 777 guitars were later turned into collector's items.
Simultaneously with the work on the third solo album "Passion & Warfare" in 1990 there were performances with the team "Whitesnake". The disc took 18th position on the American Billboard. The ballad from it "For the Love of God" was called by critics and fans one of the best works of the performer. The composer's music sounds in the films "Hipsters" and "Ghosts of Mars".
Confession
The following year, Way received a Grammy for Sofa, a duet with Frank Zappa. Steve took part in the work on the new "Universe 7-String" guitar. The tools gained acceptance in the mid-nineties.
Wei has been producing for two years. He created the group "Vai". Together with her in 1993 the album "Sex & Religion" was recorded. Then the team ceased to exist and a solo career was continued.
Introduced to fans in 1993, the disc "Alien Love Secrets" sold out in gigantic numbers.1996 was followed by the release of the album "Fire Garden". For the first time, Steve performed as a vocalist.
In the video game "Formula One", the song "Juice" is played. As a title track used in the menu of the new game development "WCW / NWO Revenge" track "Erotic Nightmares" written by Wei. His other two compositions appeared on the official track of the game.
Since 1997 Steve has been taking part in the ambitious G3 project. As part of a trio, he toured the world, giving concerts and conducting master classes.
In 2000, he presented several discs with melodies of the countries in which the musician toured. His composition "Whispering A Prayer" was nominated for a Grammy.
Family and vocation
The soundtrack for Halo 2 in 2004 was the hard rock "Halo Theme" and the song "Never Surrender". The track "Reclaimer" was recorded by Steve himself. In 2008, the guitarist contributed Halo Theme (Mjolnir Mix) and For the Love of God to Guitar Hero 3.
With the release of Wei's new album in 2005, "Real Illusions: Reflections", a six-month tour of the project participants is associated. Firm "Ibanez" by this moment released anniversary picks and a three-neck guitar.
The personal life of the virtuoso also developed successfully. Ex-bass-guitarist of the group "Vixen" Pia Maiocco became his chosen one. Steve's future wife starred with him in the film "Crossroads". In the union, two children were born, Julian and Fire.
The musician founded the Make a Noise Foundation. He continues to be creative, works on new discs, gives master classes.
Unexpectedly for the fans, the guitarist became interested in breeding bees. The technical complexity has become the reason that he prefers to play his works himself. Other musicians cannot cope with frequent changes in rhythm, size and tempo, the complexity of harmony and non-standard scales.
At concerts, Steve often performs with exotic instruments with multiple necks. He was the first to use a seven-string model for playing rock music.
