Introducing the Steve Vai Jemini Distortion Pedal
Current mood: amused
Category: Music
The long awaited IbanezJemini Steve Vai Signature Distortion Pedal is now widely available at your local music retailer, and Steve has created a much-anticipated demonstration video showing how the pedal works and sounds!
Says Steve of the pedal: “You're stomping all over my brilliant idea, but that's OK, you're supposed to. The goal was to create a schizophrenic type distortion pedal that allows you to have two different settings with two different sounding distortion pedals, all wrapped up in a psyco-delic bullet proof package. Now you can get your dirty little groove on in public... legally. Stomp on!”
Check out the demonstration video in high quality on our special Vai.com homepage. We encourage you to share this great video with your friends and post it to your blog or MySpace page through Steve's official YouTube channel.
Currently
listening
:
Fire Garden
By
Steve Vai
Release date: 1996-09-17
Steve Vai Russia/Ukraine Masterclass Tour
Category: Music
Steve will be holding a series of masterclasses in Russia and The Ukraine in October.
Dates are as follows:
Oct. 14: Clinic and Autograph Session in Novosibirsk Oct. 16: Clinic and autograph session in Ekateriburg Oct. 18: Clinic and autograph session in St. Petersburg Oct. 20: Clinic and autograph session in Saktyvkar Oct. 22: Clinic and autograph session in Samara Oct. 24: Clinic and autograph session in Ryazan Oct. 25: Clinic and autograph session in Moscow Oct. 26: Clinic in Donetsk Oct. 27: Autograph session in Donetsk Oct. 28: Clinic and autograph session in Kiev
We will announce venue information some time next week on Steve's Tour Dates section, so check back soon!
World renowned for their amazing shredding abilities, three legendary guitar artists make their virtual debut in Activision's Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock. The Guitar Virtuoso Track Pack continues the ultimate rock experience with three fresh master tracks set to storm living rooms across the globe on July 24.
Get blown away with guitar slinger Steve Vai's reflective "For the Love of God," experience influential guitarist Joe Satriani's soulful hit, "Surfing with the Alien," and feel the avant-garde compositions of underground rock's eccentric guitarist, Buckethead, as he shreds "Soothsayer," at hyper-speed.
The Guitar Virtuoso Track Pack will allow rockers to further expand and customize their Guitar Hero play lists and get a taste of this quintessential rock trio beginning July 24 when it's available for download on Xbox LIVE® Marketplace for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®Store for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.
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Steve Vai - "Naked Tracks"
Naked Tracks Vol. 1-5, is a series of recording packages that contain mixes of Steve's songs without the lead guitars. They are offered as "play along tracks." Included are select backing tracks from Passion and Warfare, Sex & Religion, Alien Love Secrets, Fire Garden, The Ultra Zone, Alive In An Ultra World, Real Illusions: Reflections and others.
Steve comments on the package: "Through the years, whenever I would mix my records I would usually do a mix of specific songs without the lead guitar. This allowed me to play along with the track or make loops to jam to, and because I figured perhaps someday maybe others would like to do the same. Voila! We have arrived at someday.
"Playing to these naked tracks, or creating loops of various sections, to endlessly meander over, is a phenomenal way to discover unique musical ideas from within yourself.
"When we are playing an instrument and our mind enters that exclusive elusive mental real estate of our own personal muse, it can result in a form of musical meditation.
"This series of play-along CDs is designed to help create an atmosphere of focus so you can shred yourself into a personally-induced inspirational nirvana.
"For the most part, the tracks in this series are presented in their original form with the lead guitar removed. In some cases I looped the solo sections to give you an opportunity to stretch out. I suggest you import these files into a sequencer program of sorts, (ProTools, Band, etc.) and create loops of various parts of the songs to jam over. It's an excellent way to develop your inner musical ear.
"All 5 disks will be offered together in one package at various retail stores, through Vai.com, or can be downloaded by various tracks or volumes at any of the online digital stores (such as the iTunes Music Store.)"
Keep checking Vai.com in the coming weeks for the Naked Tracks mini-site with information about each track, as well as links to download the tracks, or order the 5-CD package...
K'm-Pee-Du-Wee - Live In Poland
Performing in countries through Eastern Europe is an adventure. We usually travel over night to the next city after the previous gig. In this situation we were coming from a gig in Vilnius, Lithuania and driving overnight for a day off in Katowice Poland. The day after that we had a show scheduled for Zabrze, Poland.
The video goals on the Real Illusions tour (among some other colorful celluloid exploits) was to capture a unique kind of performance for each song on the Real Illusions CD. Since K'm-Pee-Du-Wee was already released on a G3 DVD from Japan, I wanted to offer a different type of performance video other than a live concert setting for that song. Never having been to Katowice Poland (oddly enough), I thought it would be a cool idea to just show up and set up a little trio combo somewhere outside of the hotel in the street, unannounced, and just jam on K'm-Pee.
The band and crew were real sports about it. Mikey Mesker shot some entertaining footage and although the equipment we used to perform with looked a little anemic, it was mic'ed properly and heavily EQ-ed so the sound we captured is actually pretty good.
We just jammed through the song a few times and I cut it together. I think it turned out charming with some striking moments. The citizens of downtown Katowice took very little interest in what we were doing.
We will also be making all of Steve's official promo videos available through iTunes, along with select cuts from the Live At The Astoria London DVD, and all videos from the Alien Love Secrets DVD.
CRAZY SCREENS AT THE NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY, APRIL 25 AT 5:30PM
CRAZY, A FILM INSPIRED BY THE LIFE OF GUITAR LEGEND HANK GARLAND, SCREENS AT THE NEWPORT BEACH FILM FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY, APRIL 25 AT 5:30PM
A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE AND Q&A WITH DIRECTOR RICK BIEBER AND WAYLON PAYNE – WHO STARS AS GARLAND – WILL FOLLOW
CRAZY, WHICH ALSO STARS ALI LARTER, JUST WON "BEST SCREENPLAY" AWARD AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S METHOD FEST
Los Angeles, CA, April 23, 2008: CRAZY, an independent feature film inspired by the tragic life and groundbreaking music of legendary 1950s-era guitarist Hank Garland, is an official selection at Newport Beach Film Festival (4/24-5/1) in Newport Beach, CA. Launched in 1999, the Festival has since became a major cultural attraction in Southern California, drawing over 40,000 people to Orange County for its film presentations and events. CRAZY screens at 5:30PM on Friday, April 25 at the Edwards Island Cinemas (999 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660).
Immediately after the screening, cast member and recording artist Stacy Earl will sing, accompanied on guitar by Evans Forde, who appears in the film as Nashville music legend Chet Atkins. Their set will be followed by a Q&A with director Rick Bieber and Waylon Payne, who stars as Garland. LA.com recently wrote of his performance, "The brash and brilliant musician is well played by charismatic actor Waylon Payne." In addition to acting, Payne is a country artist with deep musical roots. He was named for his godfather, Waylon Jennings, and is the son of GRAMMY-winning country singer Sammi Smith and Jody Payne, longtime guitarist for Willie Nelson. There will be a second screening of CRAZY on Monday, April 28 at 1PM (but without any special after-program).
Rick Bieber also co-wrote the script for CRAZY with Jason Ehlers and Brent Boyd. Their work was just honored with the Daily News Award for Best Screenplay at the Los Angeles area's 10th Annual Method Fest in Calabasas, CA, where it had its west coast festival premiere. Ray Scherr and guitar hero Steve Vai (who also performs a cameo as Hank Williams) are the film's Executive Producers under the Favored Nations Films mantle.
Waylon Payne, acclaimed for his debut film role as Jerry Lee Lewis in the Oscar-winning film Walk The Line, headlines CRAZY opposite Ali Larter (Heroes, Legally Blonde, Varsity Blues, etc), who plays Hank's beautiful but deeply troubled wife Evelyn Garland. Cast members also include: Scott Michael Campbell, who plays Garland's friend and fellow Nashville guitar ace Billy Byrd; Lane Garrison as Hank's brother and manager Billy Garland; music artist Stacy Earl, who performs as country singer Goldie Hill; and Ryan Cross, who plays jazz bassist Joe Benjamin.
CRAZY chronicles Hank Garland's rise to fame in the Nashville music scene, from playing on hits for icons including Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison through his brief but influential solo career as a visionary jazz artist. Garland's flame-out was as spectacular as his success. In 1961, a near-fatal car accident, his tempestuous marriage and personal life and repeated clashes with the "Nashville Mob," who then controlled the country music establishment, led to a series of electro-shock treatments that tragically ended his playing career. Though he ceased performing, Garland lived until 2004, and was involved in CRAZY's development.
CRAZY is also an official selection at upcoming 2008 festivals including: Charleston International Film Festival (5/1-4); Jacksonville Film Festival (5/15-18); Big Island Film Festival (5/15-18); New Jersey International Film Festival (5/31-6/15); Boston International Film Festival (6/6-14); Maui International Film Festival (6/11-15); Long Island International Film Expo (7/9-17) and the Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival (7/16-28).
New Vai track on "Musicians For Minneapolis" Benefit CD
Steve has contributed a previously unreleased song to the new Musicians For Minneapolis - 57 Songs for the I-35W Bridge Disaster Relief Effort Benefit CD. This special 3-CD collection of tracks features contributions from a multitude of artists including Sparklehorse, Los Lobos, Calexico, Howe Gelb, Simple Kid, DJ Spooky, Les Claypool, Bobby Bare Jr., Lee Scratch Perry, George Clinton, Joe Bonamassa, and Steve Vai.
The compilation is dedicated to the survivors and those who lost their lives on the I-35W Bridge, August 1st, 2007 - and to their families and friends, the rescue teams and volunteers. All proceeds from the sale of this compilation CD go to the Minnesota Helps - Bridge Disaster Fund. Electro-Voice (the producer of this CD) hopes to sell out of the first pressing of 5,000 copies and raise $100,000 - in time for the Aug. 1 anniversary of the collapse.
Steve's track "Without Me" is a soaring ballad originally recorded during the Ultra Zone sessions, and features Philip Bynoe on bass, Mike Mangini on drums and Mike Keneally on keyboards. Says Steve of the track:
"This piece of music is contributed to this project out of respect and love for the great city of Minneapolis, and with sympathy and support to the families who were affected by the August 1st, 2007 bridge disaster. We are perpetually rebuilding everything, from our cities to our souls. God Bless."
Musicians For Minneapolis is already on sale at a number of Twin Cities independent record stores, and everywhere through CDBaby.com. You can read more about the project at the EV Musicians For Minneapolis website.
In tandem with the release of Musicians for Minneapolis: 57 Songs for the I-35W Bridge Disaster Relief Effort Electro-Voice will also be launching a celebrity memorabilia charity auction for the same cause, which includes an Ibanez guitar signed by Steve Vai, two signed Les Paul guitars from Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitar phenom Zakk Wylde, a Dean bass signed by all members of Megadeth, and a custom Minarik Dick Dale flame guitar, among other items to be listed in upcoming days at www.electrovoice.com/musicansforminneapolis.
Ann Marie Calhoun, our friend and violinist in Steve Vai's String Theories band, is now in the Top 3 finalists for the My Grammy Moment Contest - and the winner will be featured performer on the GRAMMYs playing with the Foo Fighters!
Now it is time for you to vote again and choose Ann Marie as the one musician that will emerge to be the featured instrumentalist of the performance! You can vote once a day from now until 9 PM PST on February 10th for each video, and the winner will be announced at the show. Beginning at 12:00 AM EST on February 10th, the day of the telecast, users can also text their vote!
Visit the YouTube My Grammy Moment page to vote. Click on the "Vote for the Top 3" link and click the "thumbs up" icon to vote for Ann Marie (YouTube username: theboggster). When the thumbs up icon turns green, your vote has been registered!
As you may have read on the Vai.com Message Boards, the Foo Fighters have teamed up with the GRAMMYS to create a contest called "My Grammy Moment" where string and woodwind players are invited to submit a 60 second video of them performing "The Pretender". From this group of submissions, 42 will be chosen as quarter finalists, and the public can vote on their favorites performers.
Our dear friends Ann Marie Calhoun from Steve's String Theories band, and Scheila Gonzalez from the Zappa Plays Zappa band have both entered and have made it to the quarter finals!
Of the 42 quarter finalists, only around 10 will appear on the GRAMMYS playing with the Foo Fighters on February 10th, and you can help Annie and Scheila get there by voting for them!
Simply visit www.youtube.com/mygrammymoment, and click on the "VOTE NOW" link. Click the "Next Video" link until Ann Marie and Scheila's videos appear and then give them a thumbs up! Ann Marie's video appears under the username "theboggster" and Scheila's appears under the username "ZPZSAX".
You can vote as many times as you like - so go crazy!
amused
