Steve Vai On His New Album “Inviolate,” His Long Island Roots & Playing With David Lee Roth
Over the course of a more-than-40-year career, Steve Vai has routinely transformed what would appear to be outrageously impossible into something very, very possible… and still also pretty outrageous. Within his exploratory solo career, Vai has continually challenged notions of traditional guitar playing and composition. And that is without factoring in his successful stints in the bands of Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, Whitesnake, Alcatrazz or Public Image Ltd. In other words, Vai is the rare artist who has found commercial success, made meaningful art and and maintained a loyal fanbase.
Vai’s newest and 10th solo album Inviolate is a nine-song opus that pushes the boundaries of instrumental guitar music. My personal favorite, “Avalancha,” finds Vai playing alongside drummer Jeremy Colson and bassist and long-time Vai musical accomplice Billy Sheehan. “Teeth Of The Hydra” is a Latin-fusion-tinged composition that Vai wrote and recorded with a one-of-a-kind custom guitar he coined “the Hydra.” “Knappsack” finds Vai taking a more streamlined approach, as Vai composed and recorded the song following his shoulder surgery, when his right arm was in a sling — or as his surgeon Dr. Knapp called it, a “knappsack”; thus, Vai was able to use only his left hand when performing the piece. “Candle Power” features a drum track from fellow Zappa alumnus Terry Bozzio. Simply put, lots of interesting things are happening (and top-notch people are playing) on Inviolate.
In November 2021, I had the pleasure of speaking with Steve Vai via Zoom, as embedded below. Beyond Inviolate, we talked about his creative process, his Long Island roots, and his time with David Lee Roth. More on Vai and his upcoming tour dates can be found by clicking here, here and here.
About the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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