125-757: Steven Siro Vai ( / ˈ v aɪ / VYE ; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa , and played in Zappa's band from 1980 to 1983. He embarked on a solo career in 1983 and has released eight solo albums to date. He has recorded and toured with Alcatrazz , David Lee Roth , and Whitesnake , as well as recording with artists such as Public Image Ltd , Mary J. Blige , Spinal Tap , Alice Cooper , Motörhead , and Polyphia . Additionally, Vai has toured with live-only acts G3 , Zappa Plays Zappa ,
250-416: A Broken Heart" and produced the song. Marx had nothing to do with their follow-up CD, since he was becoming more of a mainline singer than songwriter. Vixen spent the next year touring the world, supporting acts such as Ozzy Osbourne , Scorpions , and Bon Jovi , as well as headlining their own shows. The band returned to the studio in late 1989/early 1990 to record their follow-up album, Rev It Up , which
375-419: A Facebook post that she had definitely left Vixen, to devote more time to family and prioritize her solo career. The band later released a statement on their official Facebook page stating they plan to continue without Gardner and that a new studio album has been in the works for what would have been a 2019 release. On January 22, they announced that Lorraine Lewis of Femme Fatale , Vixen's contemporaries during
500-551: A Grammy Award but who did contribute to a winning recording. These certificates are known as Participation Certificates or Winners Certificates. Those eligible for a certificate can apply for one in the weeks after the Grammy ceremony. A special Grammy Award of merit is occasionally awarded to recognize "ongoing contributions and influence in the recording field". It has come to be known as the Grammy Legend Award and
625-507: A Walk of Fame star, they realized that many leading people in their business would not earn a star on Hollywood Boulevard . They determined to rectify this by creating awards given by their industry similar to the Oscars and the Emmys . After deciding to go forward with such awards, a question remained what to call them. One working title was the 'Eddie', to honor Thomas Edison , the inventor of
750-518: A band that included Devin Townsend on vocals, T. M. Stevens on bass, and Terry Bozzio on drums. The group released Sex & Religion on July 23, 1993, that was described as visceral in nature, combining a compositional and progressive metal rhythm section with Devin Townsend's vocal arrangements. After the following tour in support of the album, the group disbanded. Vai began working with Ozzy Osbourne in 1994, with whom he wrote and recorded
875-538: A featured artist on the track "Do You Feel Love" from Jacob Collier's 2019 album Djesse Vol. 2 . On December 1, 2021, Steve Vai announced the release of his tenth studio album, entitled Inviolate , alongside its lead single "Little Pretty". The album was released on January 28, 2022. Upon release, it debuted at No. 1 on the Current Hard Rock Albums chart (his first No. 1 album), No. 8 on Top Hard Rock Albums, and No. 40 on Top Album Sales. To support
1000-427: A fourth album of material, which will then be released with the previous three installments and completed storyline in order. In speaking of the storyline, Vai says "It's a human interest story, about the human condition. ... It's a story about this man who has a traumatic experience in his life, and it drives him insane. We see the story through his eyes. It also involves the town he lives in and this stranger that enters
1125-463: A large amount of music that was not originally intended for release. Out of this material, Vai compiled his first studio album Flex-Able . He created his own record label, Akashic Records (later Light Without Heat Records), which he used to take Flex-Able directly to distribution channels. Flex-Able was released in January 1984. Vai began his rise to public acclaim in 1983 when, shortly before
1250-442: A lawsuit filed by Kuehnemund over ownership of the name ruled in her favor ending that version of the band. Kuehnemund reunited the band with the classic lineup in 2001 but disagreements caused Kuehnemund to quickly recruit a new version of the band with three new members; this lineup lasted until 2011. Kuehnemund died in 2013. From then on Gardner, Ross, and Petrucci reformed the band with Gina Stile on guitar. As of June 21, 2024,
1375-697: A live version of "The Crying Machine" were both also added to the Rock Band Network. A re-recording of "Speeding" is featured in the 2010 video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock for Xbox 360 , Wii and PlayStation 3 . Grammy Award The Grammy Awards , stylized as GRAMMY , and often referred to as the Grammys , are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in
SECTION 10
#17327980418611500-460: A manner that preserves the integrity of the academy and their member community. Although registered media companies may submit entries, they have no vote. The eligibility period for the upcoming 66th Annual Grammy Awards is October 1, 2022 – September 15, 2023. The 2024 Grammy Awards , unveiled by Recording Academy chief Harvey Mason Jr., are set to be held on February 4, 2024. In many categories, certificates are presented to those ineligible for
1625-622: A musical composer fluent in the composition and arranging of orchestral music. In May 2004, Vai premiered "The Aching Hunger", a project commissioned by the Netherlands Programme Service and performed with the Netherlands' Metropole Orchestra . "The Aching Hunger" performances consisted of two parts: the first showcasing Vai's original contemporary orchestral compositions, and the second consisting of Vai (on guitar) playing newly arranged material from his catalog with
1750-426: A nationwide tour of the United States. In March 2011, Vai (in conjunction with the online education division of Berklee College of Music) set a Guinness World Record for the world's largest online guitar lesson. The lesson was held as a promotion for Berklee's online "Steve Vai Guitar Techniques" course, which Vai helped to construct. In April 2011, Vai (along with music and technology entrepreneur Andy Alt) announced
1875-477: A new all-female rock band named Vixen with a new lineup. Alex Henderson, writing for AllMusic , said they started in 1981 in Los Angeles, California, but Kuehnemund herself denied this. In 1984, an early version of the band with Kuehnemund, singer Janet Gardner , bassist Pia Maiocco, drummer Laurie Hedlund, and rhythm guitarist/singer-songwriter Tamara "Tammy" Ivanov appeared in the movie Hardbodies , as
2000-705: A pre-telecast "Premiere Ceremony" in the afternoon before the Grammy Awards telecast. On April 6, 2011, the Recording Academy announced a significant overhaul of many Grammy Award categories for 2012. The number of categories was cut from 109 to 78. The most substantial change was eliminating the distinction between male and female soloists and between collaborations and duo/groups in various genre fields (pop, rock, rhythm and blues [R&B], country, and rap). Additionally, several instrumental soloist categories were discontinued; recordings in these categories now fall under general categories for best solo performances. In
2125-481: A private online listening service. After nominees have been determined, final voting ballots are sent to NARAS voting members, who may then vote in the general field and cast ten votes in various genre categories spread to three of the eleven fields. Members are encouraged, but not required, to vote only in their fields of expertise. Ballots are tabulated secretly by the independent accounting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu . After vote tabulation, winners are announced at
2250-504: A proper release for these recordings because every member from that lineup has either retired from music or is pursuing non-musical careers. At the end of 2012 Jan Kuehnemund was planning to reunite the classic Vixen lineup with Janet Gardner, Share Ross, and Roxy Petrucci, who had since reunited in JSRG with guitarist Gina Stile. However, in January 2013, days before they were about to make the official announcement of their reunion, Kuehnemund
2375-533: A recording of his college band, Morning Thunder, to Zappa. Impressed by this, Zappa responded by putting Vai on salary to transcribe his work, which included pieces from the Joe's Garage and Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar albums. After leaving Berklee College of Music and moving to California, Vai auditioned for and became a full-time member of Zappa's band, going on his first tour with Zappa in late 1980. Zappa often referred to Vai as his "little Italian virtuoso", and Vai
2500-891: A rendition of the Led Zeppelin classic " Stairway to Heaven ", on the hit television show American Idol . October 2010 saw more movement from Vai as a composer, with the premiere of two original symphonies at the Steve Vai Festival in Groningen , the Netherlands, and performed by the North Netherlands Orchestra . Shortly after the festival, Vai embarked on the Experience Hendrix tour (along with Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd , Susan Tedeschi , Billy Cox , Vernon Reid , Robert Randolph , Jonny Lang , Brad Whitford , and others) for
2625-401: A tentative 2020 release year. However, this album's release stalled, with its recording and writing sessions being continual and infrequent throughout 2021 and 2022. On February 8, 2022, bassist Share Ross announced she was taking a hiatus from the band and announced Julia Lage as her replacement, who is the wife of guitarist Richie Kotzen . Lage, a Brazilian, is Vixen's first member not from
SECTION 20
#17327980418612750-484: A three-month tour of North America called "Beat". A reinterpretation of the 1980s King Crimson albums Discipline , Beat and Three of a Perfect Pair . In 2022, a 77 minutes long documentary was released to honor his first 30 years. This is the first documentary covering Vai's life from 1960 to 1990. It was co-written by Steve Vai. The video covers his life growing up, attending Berklee College of Music , playing with several artists like Frank Zappa , Alcatrazz ,
2875-432: A transcriptionist, and in the middle of his fourth semester, moved to California to start his career as a session and touring artist for Zappa. Also while at Berklee, Vai met his future spouse Pia Maiocco . They have been together since they met and have two children. In 2003, Vai was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee . In 1978, Vai sent both a notated transcription of Frank Zappa's " The Black Page ", and
3000-652: A video or picture representation of each show of all of the 254 engagements attended. 2014 saw the announcement of a new, intensive guitar camp called the "Vai Academy", which was an evolution of the Alien Guitar Secrets masterclass. Each year the camp is held, Vai creates a syllabus with a particular theme and invites special guests to help him teach it. During the day, Vai and the special guests (some of whom have been Guthrie Govan , Jeff Baxter , Vernon Reid, Eric Johnson, Sonny Landreth , and others) hold classes in which they add their insight and perspective to
3125-526: A work is entered, review sessions are held that involve over 150 recording industry experts, to determine that the work has been entered in the correct category. The resulting lists of eligible entries are then circulated to voting members, each of whom may vote to nominate in the general fields ( Record of the Year , Album of the Year , Song of the Year , and Best New Artist ) and in up to nine out of 30 other fields on their ballots. The five recordings that earn
3250-593: Is defunct. Initially, in a June 2018 interview, Petrucci said that the band's new album was to come out in 2019. During 2018, Gardner's last contribution as lead singer was when Vixen went to a studio for the first time in more than 10 years and recorded two tracks for the Live Fire album, "You Ought to Know by Now" and an acoustic version of "Edge of a Broken Heart". The former is their own cover of Ray Kennedy 's "You Oughta Know by Now", originally on his 1980 self-titled album. On January 16, 2019, Gardner confirmed in
3375-606: Is frequently listed in the liner notes of Zappa's albums as having performed "stunt" or "impossible" guitar parts. Vai was a featured artist on the 1993 release Zappa's Universe , and in 2006, Vai appeared as a special guest on Dweezil Zappa 's Zappa Plays Zappa tour; both projects won Vai a Grammy Award . After moving on from Zappa's employ in 1983, Vai bought a house in Sylmar, Los Angeles , where he built his first professional studio. During this period, Vai formed two bands (The Classified and 777) as well as writing and recording
3500-491: The Ozzmosis album. Due to conflicts, the album was re-written and 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 studio album Fire Garden , Vai took time to record and release the stripped down EP Alien Love Secrets . A departure from the often highly compositional and heavily produced style of his previous projects,
3625-635: The 13th Annual Grammy Awards in 1971. The concept of a separate Grammy Awards for Latin music recorded in Spanish or Portuguese began in 1989, as it was deemed too large to fit on the regular Grammys ceremony. The Recording Academy then established the Latin Recording Academy in 1997, and the separate Latin Grammy Awards were first held in 2000. The Latin Grammys honor works recorded in Spanish or Portuguese from anywhere around
3750-518: The 66th Annual Grammy Awards , set to take place in 2024. Three new categories were announced, bringing the total number to 94, the highest since the peak of 109 in 2010. In addition, both Producer of the Year, Non-Classical and Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical , were moved to the General Field, the first time new categories had been added to this field since the concept of the Big Four
3875-678: The Academy Awards (for films), the Emmy Awards (for television), and the Tony Awards (for theater). The first Grammy Awards ceremony was held on May 4, 1959, to honor the musical accomplishments of performers for the year 1958. After the 2011 ceremony, the Recording Academy overhauled many Grammy Award categories for 2012. The 67th Annual Grammy Awards , featuring a total of 94 categories, will be presented on February 2, 2025. After over fifty years being broadcast on CBS , it
Steve Vai - Misplaced Pages Continue
4000-667: The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, and the Park Sheraton Hotel in New York City, New York, with 28 Grammys awarded. The number of awards given grew, at one time reaching over 100, and fluctuated over the years with categories added and removed. The second Grammy Awards , also held in 1959, was the first ceremony to be televised, but the ceremony was not aired live until
4125-691: The Crypto.com Arena (known as the Staples Center from 1999 to 2021) became the permanent home of the award ceremonies. The Grammy Museum was built across the street from the Crypto.com Arena in LA Live to preserve the history of the Grammy Awards. Embedded on the sidewalks on the museum streets are bronze disks, similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame , to honor each year's top winners, Record of
4250-630: The David Lee Roth band, and Whitesnake , the recording of both his solo albums Flex-Able and Passion and Warfare , plus Vai's role in the movie Crossroads , and how he helped create the Ibanez JEM guitar. "Juice", from Alien Love Secrets , was featured on the 1996 video game Formula One for the PlayStation . Vai's guitar work also appeared in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City . David Lee Roth's " Yankee Rose "
4375-494: The Grammy Living Legend Award at different ceremonies. As of 2018, fourteen solo musicians and one band have received this award. The Grammy Salute to Industry Icons Award honors those who have made innovative contributions to the music industry. Recipients include: Before 1971, Grammy Award ceremonies were held in different locations on the same day. Originally New York City and Los Angeles were
4500-652: The Los Angeles Kings , Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Sparks to play an extended length of road games. With 32 Grammy Awards, Beyoncé is the artist with the most Grammy wins. U2 , with 22 Grammy Awards, holds the record for most awards won by a group. When Pearl Jam won a Grammy for the Best Hard Rock Performance in 1996, the band's lead singer Eddie Vedder commented on stage, "I don't know what this means. I don't think it means anything." In 2008, Glen Hansard , leader of
4625-613: The Where the Wild Things Are DVD. In 2008, Vai announced the release of his signature Ibanez Jemini distortion pedal , a twin distortion pedal with both a custom overdrive and lead distortion section. 2010 marked the twentieth anniversary of the production of the Ibanez Universe guitar, which was commemorated with a twentieth anniversary Universe model. A reissue of the early 1990s Universe 77 MC (multi-color swirl),
4750-530: The debut album from Wu-Tang Clan . The nomination review committees would be disbanded in 2021 following criticism of the lack of nominations for The Weeknd 's album After Hours . At the 38th Annual Grammy Awards , artist Mariah Carey was nominated for six awards for her album Daydream , including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for her single " One Sweet Day ". Although critics believed Carey would be "cleaning up" that year, Carey ultimately lost in all her nominated categories that night, much to
4875-525: The music industry . They are regarded by many as the most prestigious and significant awards in the music industry worldwide. They were originally called the Gramophone Awards , as the trophy depicts a gilded gramophone . The Grammys are the first of the Big Three networks ' major music awards held annually, and are considered one of the four major annual American entertainment awards with
5000-446: The phonograph . Eventually, the name was chosen after a mail-in contest whereby approximately 300 contestants submitted the name 'Grammy', with the earliest postmark from contest winner Jay Danna of New Orleans, Louisiana, as an abbreviated reference to Emile Berliner 's invention, the gramophone . Grammys were first awarded for achievements in 1958. The first award ceremony was held simultaneously in two locations on May 4, 1959,
5125-413: The rock field, the hard rock and metal album categories were combined. The Best Rock Instrumental Performance category was also eliminated. In R&B , the distinction between best contemporary R&B album and other R&B albums has been eliminated, consolidated into one Best R&B Album category. In rap , the categories for best rap soloist and best rap duo or group have been merged into
Steve Vai - Misplaced Pages Continue
5250-746: The 2015 release of Vai's fourth live DVD project Stillness in Motion , filmed in October 2012 during his Story of Light tour at the Club Nokia in Los Angeles. Released on April 7, the double-disc set contained a copy of the Stillness in Motion concert footage and a special bonus feature disc called The Space Between the Notes . The latter is a complete chronological timeline of the Story of Light tour, with
5375-536: The Beat Tour (playing 1980s era King Crimson), and the Experience Hendrix Tour, as well as headlining international tours. Vai has been described as a "highly individualistic player" and part of a generation of "heavy rock and metal virtuosi who came to the fore in the 1980s". He released his first solo album Flex-Able in 1984, while his most successful release, Passion and Warfare (1990),
5500-483: The Best New Artist award in 2009 and her other three awards in 2012 and 2017. At age 18, Eilish is the youngest artist to have won all four awards. As of 2024, an additional two awards were added to the "General Field". Other awards are given for performance and production in specific genres and for other contributions such as artwork and video. Special awards are also given for longer-lasting contributions to
5625-678: The COVID-19 Delta cron hybrid variant. The ceremony was also moved from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas due to the former having scheduling conflicts with sports games and concerts nearly every night through mid-April. The gold-plated trophies, each depicting a gilded gramophone , are made and assembled by hand by Billings Artworks in Ridgway, Colorado . In 1990,
5750-541: The Grammy Awards. The recording with the most votes in a category wins, and it is possible to have a tie (in which case the two [or more] nominees who tie are considered winners). Winners are presented with a Grammy Award; those who do not win receive a medal for their nomination. In both voting rounds, Academy members are required to vote solely based on quality, without consideration for sales, chart performance, personal friendships, regional preferences or company loyalty. Gifts may not be accepted. Members are urged to vote in
5875-456: The Irish rock group The Frames , stated that the Grammys represent something outside of the real world of music "that's fully industry based". He said he was not particularly interested in attending that year's ceremony, even though he had been nominated for two awards. Maynard James Keenan , lead singer of progressive rock band Tool , did not attend the Grammy Awards ceremony to receive one of
6000-451: The Recording Academy and that voting members are active creative professionals involved in the recording process, such as performers, songwriters, producers, and engineers. Nomination review committees, composed of anonymous industry figures, were established following the 37th Grammy Awards , which attracted criticism for the slate of Album of the Year nominations. The winner, Tony Bennett 's live album MTV Unplugged , competed against
6125-586: The Recording Academy for introducing a policy of charging nominees $ 1200 for a plus one, saying the policy "makes it ever more obvious who is valued, and more specifically what (that would be lots of money, for the folks in the back)." A Billboard article clarified that the new policy was a tiered system, ranging from $ 375 to $ 2000 for a ticket to attend the pre-telecast ceremony. The Grammys also have been criticized for snubbing awards to some nominated artists. The organization's awards journey states that nominees and winners are determined solely by voting members of
6250-524: The String Theories band, with pieces such as the visceral Grammy-nominated " Now We Run ", to the dynamic ballad "Angel Food". 2007 also marked the 20th anniversary of the production of the Ibanez JEM guitar, a milestone which was commemorated with the 20th anniversary JEM model. Made of an acrylic body with three-dimensional "swirl painted" interior, this guitar can be seen in the beginning of
6375-449: The United States later that year, and in 1998 Gardner, Stile, and Petrucci recorded the album Tangerine , which eventually became Stile's only album and Gardner's last during their respective tenures in the band. After the release of the new album, Roxy's sister Maxine Petrucci was brought in to play bass on a US tour during 1998, but they were sued successfully for trademark infringement by Kuehnemund. According to her, she realized that
SECTION 50
#17327980418616500-430: The United States. On October 2, 2023, the band released a new single "Red", co-written by Fred Coury , Carly Robyn Green and Peter Amato. This was their first release to feature Lewis on vocals and Lage on bass. On May 26, 2024, Lewis announced on her social media channels that she was no longer with Vixen as "The band has taken a different direction." The next day, May 27, the band announced it had already found
6625-458: The Year, Best New Artist, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year. Since 2000, the Grammy Awards have taken place outside of Los Angeles only three times. New York City 's Madison Square Garden hosted the awards in 2003 and in 2018 , while the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas hosted in 2022 . The annual awards ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena requires the local sports teams such as
6750-457: The age of five I walked up to [a] piano, hit a note, and noticed that to the right the notes go higher and to the left the notes go lower. In that very moment, I had a full-on epiphany. I was flooded with the instinctual realization of how music was created and how it worked from a theoretical standpoint—the whole language of music was very obvious. I also understood immediately, instinctually, and unequivocally something that has only deepened through
6875-659: The album had reached number 18 in the Billboard 200, selling over a million and a half copies worldwide. Passion and Warfare won Vai a number of awards such as Guitar World and Guitar Player' s "Best Album" and "Best Rock Guitarist" awards. Passion and Warfare has been cited as one of the most pertinent instrumental albums released. 1990 also saw the release of the Ibanez Universe seven-string guitar co-designed by Vai in conjunction with Ibanez. Vai left Whitesnake in 1990 to pursue his own musical avenues and formed
7000-656: The album in 1991, but it remained unpublished after Sombrotto's death in a motorcycle accident on September 7, 1998. Vai and Sombrotto had bonded over a shared love of motorcycles. The album cover features a photo of Sombretto, showing the extensive burn scars he sustained in a 1977 motorcycle crash. The album released on January 27, 2023. Having previously covered her composition, "Mullach a tSí" for The Story of Light in 2012 and performing together in Vicar Street in Dublin, Vai collaborated with Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin for
7125-513: The album, Vai embarked upon a 54-date American tour of the same name. In 2021, Vai was also featured on a track called "Lost Children of the Universe" on the latest album by Star One , a project led by Arjen Anthony Lucassen . In 2022, Vai was featured on Polyphia 's track "Ego Death". On November 10, 2022, Vai announced his latest album, Vai/Gash , alongside its lead single "In The Wind". Vai and singer Johnny "Gash" Sombrotto had recorded
7250-458: The band consisted of Jan Kuehnemund (lead guitar), Janet Gardner (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Share Ross (bass guitar), and Roxy Petrucci (drums). The band's eponymous first album was released in 1988, and reached No. 41 on the Billboard 200 . Their second studio album Rev It Up was released in 1990, and reached No. 52 on the Billboard 200. Their third studio album Tangerine
7375-507: The band currently consists of Petrucci, Britt Lightning, Julia Lage, and newly announced lead singer Rosa Laricchiuta. Vixen was formed in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1980 by guitarist Jan Kuehnemund after playing in the band Lemon Pepper in high school later changing the name to Genesis, which broke up in 1974. Nancy Shanks was her bandmate during that time and two drummers were featured, Marlene Peterson and Laurie Hedlund. Six years later she formed
7500-525: The band's awards, explaining that: I think the Grammys are nothing more than some gigantic promotional machine for the music industry. They cater to a low intellect and they feed the masses. They don't honor the arts or the artist for what he created. It's the music business celebrating itself. That's basically what it's all about. The Grammys have also been criticized for generally awarding or nominating more commercially successful albums rather than critically successful ones. In 1991, Sinéad O'Connor became
7625-503: The band. He was replaced by Cacophony guitarist Jason Becker . In 1985, after having joined Roth's band, Vai designed the JEM guitar, a unique instrument that incorporated a series of groundbreaking designs that have since become staples in feature throughout the guitar industry, such as the inclusion of 24 frets on a guitar with humbuckers, single-coil middle pickup and a locking tremolo system. Vai began working with Ibanez in 1986 to develop
SECTION 60
#17327980418617750-507: The box set, were released to the public both in 2001 and the years following. Also in 2001, Vai's record label Favored Nations released No Substitutions: Live in Osaka . The release, which Vai himself produced and engineered, won him his second Grammy award for Best Pop Instrumental Album in February 2002. While most widely recognized for his stature as a rock guitar player, Vai is also
7875-412: The day by Penelope Spheeris for her film The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years . All members except Kuehnemund appeared in the film. In 1988, the band was signed to EMI Manhattan , and they began recording their self-titled debut album Vixen , which was released on August 31. Singer-songwriter Richard Marx co-wrote with Fee Waybill and arranged their signature hit, "Edge of
8000-658: The end of the show. G3: Live in Concert , a video of the 1996 tour was filmed in Columbus, Ohio and released on June 3, 1997. In 1998, Vai independently released a performance footage DVD of Alien Love Secrets . Also in 1998, Vai started the Make a Noise Foundation with his then-manager Ruta Sepetys . The goal of the foundation was to provide funding for musical education to those otherwise unable to attain it. Today, Vai often auctions items in his possession with proceeds going to
8125-701: The exception of the slide guitar, which was performed by Ry Cooder . In between solo work, Vai replaced Yngwie Malmsteen in June 1984 as the lead guitarist of Alcatrazz , with whom he recorded the album Disturbing the Peace . Vai left shortly after the subsequent tour to join David Lee Roth 's band. In 1985, Vai joined David Lee Roth's post- Van Halen band as lead guitarist , together with former Talas bassist Billy Sheehan on bass; and former Maynard Ferguson drummer Gregg Bissonette on drums. The foursome's debut album Eat 'Em and Smile , released on July 7, 1986,
8250-479: The exclusion of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Therefore, the field and some categories were renamed as Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music. Since 2012, small adjustments have been made to lists of categories and genre fields. The number of categories has risen from 78 in 2012 to 84 since 2017. In 2020, amid the George Floyd protests , several urban, rap, and Latin music categories were renamed. In 2022,
8375-413: The first half being primarily instrumental while the second half featured Vai on vocals. After the release of Fire Garden , Vai joined his former teacher Joe Satriani , along with guitarist Eric Johnson , for the second installment of the ongoing G3 concert tours. On each G3 tour, three guitar-centric headlining acts are chosen to perform their own sets, and then collectively jam to fan favorite songs at
8500-463: The first musician to refuse a Grammy, boycotting the ceremony after being nominated for Record of the Year , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , and Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Performance . O'Connor would go on to win the latter award. She said her reasoning came from the Grammys' extreme commercialism. In 2024, Rhiannon Giddens described the financial strain of attending the ceremony for middle and working class musicians. She criticized
8625-476: The first two Vixen albums, Vixen and Rev It Up . Vixen also won the sixth annual Independent Music Awards Vox Pop vote for Best Hard Rock/Metal Song for "I Try". Sanz-Agero confirmed in a 2011 interview that a second album featuring the 2001 lineup was in the works and that a track called "I Understand" existed along with other new recordings and outtakes from the Live & Learn sessions. There has yet to be
8750-509: The foundation. At the close of the decade, Vai provided guitar for Joe Jackson's Symphony No. 1 , released in 1999 and winner of the 2001 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album . In December 2001, Vai recorded two performances at The Astoria in London, with his band The Breed (composed of former David Lee Roth bandmate Billy Sheehan, guitarist/pianist Tony MacAlpine , guitarist Dave Weiner , and drummer Virgil Donati ). This live show
8875-583: The glam metal heyday and also an all-female band from its refoundation in 2013 until its dissolution later in 2019, became their new singer, starting with a performance on February 9 in Clearwater, Florida . Lewis met Petrucci and Ross during her past collaborations with them in Rocktopuss and L.A. Nookie, a local cover band, respectively. She later explained in May that the band's upcoming album would have had
9000-461: The greatest rock albums of the 1980s. The group's Eat 'Em and Smile Tour began in August 1986 and continued through February 1987. Roth's subsequent album Skyscraper , released in 1988, was produced by both Roth and Vai. Like its predecessor, the album was a commercial success, reaching number six on the Billboard 200 chart. In 1989, following the successful Skyscraper Tour , Vai departed from
9125-534: The guitar parts for Whitesnake 's Slip of the Tongue album, where he replaced the injured Adrian Vandenberg . Upon its release in November 1989, Slip of the Tongue sold over three million copies worldwide, reaching number 10 on the Billboard 200 while Vai joined the band on their thirteen-month world tour. In May 1990, Vai released Passion and Warfare through Relativity Records, and following its release,
9250-410: The guitar, and the first production Ibanez JEM 777 guitars were released in 1987. From 1985 to 1990, Vai recorded Passion and Warfare at his home studio, his second studio solo album. After leaving Roth's band in 1989, Vai bought out of his Capitol Records contract and signed on with Relativity Records for the release of Passion and Warfare , which was completed shortly after he began recording
9375-693: The host cities. Chicago joined as a host city in 1962 and Nashville became a fourth location in 1965. The 1971 ceremony at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles was the first to take place in one location. In 1972, the ceremony was then moved to Madison Square Garden 's Felt Forum in New York City, then moved in 1973 to Nashville's Tennessee Theatre . From 1974 to 2003, the Grammys were held in various venues in New York City and Los Angeles, including New York's Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall ; and Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium , Staples Center and Hollywood Palladium. In 2000,
9500-589: The launch of GuitarTV, an online streaming website dedicated to bringing free guitar-related content to the community of guitar players around the world. Vai's eighth studio album, The Story of Light , was released in August 2012 as the second installment in the Real Illusions concept album trilogy. The Story of Light tour, which began on the month of the album's release, spanned 254 engagements in 52 countries, ending in September 2014. This tour yielded
9625-439: The live classical album The Three Tenors in Concert 1994 , Seal 's second eponymous album , and the twelfth albums from Bonnie Raitt and Eric Clapton , both longtime musical mainstays. Not nominated that year were several albums that would later be recognized as classics, including Nas 's debut album Illmatic , Oasis 's debut album Definitely Maybe , Hole 's album Live Through This , Jeff Buckley 's Grace , and
9750-428: The model included a new five-piece maple / bubinga Universe neck and original swirl-paint job by Darren Johansen (the painter of the original Universe 77 MC guitars). In February 2010, Vai announced the introduction of "VaiTunes", a platform used to release digital-only singles via iTunes and other digital media outlets. In April, Vai performed with Mary J. Blige , Orianthi , Randy Jackson , and Travis Barker for
9875-532: The most votes in each category become the nominees, while in some categories (craft and specialized categories) review committees determine the final five nominees. There may be over five nominees if a tie occurs in the nomination process. Although members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences generally are invited to screenings or are sent DVDs of films nominated for Oscars, NARAS members do not receive nominated recordings, but instead receive access to
10000-423: The music business, Vai began a series of "Alien Guitar Secrets" masterclasses in 2006- a touring masterclass in which Vai holds open forum discussion about his own experiences in the music industry, explains the key principles to understanding success, plays to backing tracks (often inviting class attendees to jam with him), answers questions, articulates key points of guitar technique, and more importantly goes beyond
10125-463: The music industry. Because of the large number of award categories (94 as of 2024), and a desire to feature several performances by various artists, only awards with the most popular interest – typically about 10 to 12, including the four general field categories and one or two categories in the most popular music genres (i.e., pop, rock, country, and rap) – are presented directly at the televised award ceremony. Most other Grammy trophies are presented in
10250-493: The name of Vixen in honor of Jan Kuehnemund. They played several gigs in 2014 in the U.S., Spain, and Canada. In October 2014 drummer Roxy Petrucci said in an interview that Vixen was working on a new album, featuring one song dedicated to Jan Kuehnemund. In March 2017, Vixen parted ways with lead guitarist Gina Stile and chose Britt Lightning to succeed her. Lightning had previously played in Jaded, another all-female band that
10375-477: The new Best Rap Performance category. The roots category had the most eliminations. Up through 2011, there were separate categories for regional American music forms, such as Hawaiian, Native American, and Zydeco/Cajun music. A consistently low number of entries in these categories led the Recording Academy to combine these music variations into a new Best Regional Roots Music Album , including polka , which had lost its category in 2009. In same-genre fields,
10500-437: The new lineup. This new band, known as the String Theories band, featured previous The Breed members Jeremy Colson (drums) and Dave Weiner (guitar and sitar), along with new members Bryan Beller (bass), Alex DePue (violin), and Ann Marie Calhoun (violin). During a month of twelve- to fifteen-hour a day rehearsals, Vai and the band perfected the performance (which consisted of pieces from Vai's catalog, arranged by Vai to include
10625-456: The number of awards was increased from 86 to 91. Performance categories were added for the Americana and alternative music genres alongside new categories for video game score and spoken word poetry albums. A songwriter category (non-classical) and a song for social change category were also added and several categories were adjusted slightly. In 2023, several key changed were announced for
10750-421: The on-screen band Diaper Rash. They were a quintet at that time, playing in a pop rock style. In 1985, the band moved to the inner areas of Los Angeles to join the city's rock scene. Lineup changes happened during the following years until the "classic lineup" of Kuehnemund, Gardner, Roxy Petrucci , and Share Pedersen was formed. This lineup of Vixen was interviewed in 1987 along with many other rock artists of
10875-694: The orchestra. This project yielded both the Visual Sound Theories DVD and the Sound Theories Vol. I & II album, which were recorded in 2005 during multiple "Aching Hunger" performances and released in June 2007. While "The Aching Hunger" and its following releases started Vai's public career as an orchestral composer, Vai had been composing since he began a music theory class (taught by Bill Westcott) in high school. While reflecting on his time with Westcott, Vai said "He taught me how to write, compose and appreciate music. There
11000-687: The original Grammy design was reworked, changing the traditional soft lead for a stronger alloy less prone to damage, making the trophy bigger and grander. Billings developed Grammium, a zinc alloy which they trademarked. Trophies engraved with each recipient's name are not available until after the award announcements, so "stunt" trophies are re-used each year for the ceremony broadcast. By February 2009, some 7,578 Grammy trophies had been awarded. The "General Field" are four awards which are not restricted by music genre. To date, three artists have won all four awards, two won all four at once: Christopher Cross (1981) and Billie Eilish (2020). Adele won
11125-559: The past" and out of touch with "new media" and trends among music listeners such as music sharing , stating: The major nominations for the 54th annual awards clearly show that the recording academy has been working overtime to be all-inclusive, but more significantly, they also reveal a deep chasm between its goals and the listening habits of the general population...The focus is still on the old music industry model of cash-cow hits, major label investments and commercial radio... In an article for Time , journalist Touré also responded to
11250-569: The release of Flex-Able , his composition " The Attitude Song " was published in Guitar Player magazine. The song centered itself on a main guitar riff in the time signature 7/16, played over a rhythm section centered in 4/4. Each following section of the song showcased a number of specialized techniques (such as two-handed tapping , whammy bar acrobatics , sweep picking , alternate picking , multi-part harmonies , and odd phrasing ) used in angular and exaggerated ways that were unique to
11375-427: The rest of Vixen left her out and usurped her right to represent them. In 1999, Share Ross joined her husband's band, The Dogs D'Amour , who reformed after a long hiatus. She appeared on their 2000 albums Happy Ever After and Seconds , playing bass, keyboards, and backing vocals, later leaving that band. Share and her husband, Bam, also had their own band, Bubble, which was very popular in L.A. In 2001, Vixen
11500-459: The second volume of the soundtrack, where he performed on the track "Reclaimer". Vai returned to re-record his Halo work for the Halo 2 Anniversary Original Soundtrack , which was released in 2014 and included as part of the anniversary edition of Halo 2 . In an interview shot during the development of Halo 2 Anniversary , Vai reveals that his part in the "MJOLNIR Mix" was a last-minute inclusion in
11625-599: The second, The Story of Light , having been released in 2012. In 2006, Vai joined the Zappa Plays Zappa tour as a special guest, alongside additional Zappa band alumni Terry Bozzio and Napoleon Murphy Brock . In 2008, for his performance of "Peaches en Regalia" from the Zappa Plays Zappa tour, Vai won his third Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance . Having always enjoyed the aspect of teaching and sharing his experiences in life and in
11750-498: The seven-track EP was recorded in four weeks and released through Relativity/ Epic Records on March 21, 1995. Vai cites this record as one of his favorites, saying "The recording and release of Alien Love Secrets marked another turning point in my personal evolution. I was more concerned with making the record that I wanted to make, and not worry about what some others thought I should be doing." On September 17, 1996, Vai released Fire Garden , 19-track double album, through Epic, with
11875-420: The shock of critics and Carey herself. In 2011, Los Angeles Times journalist Randall Roberts criticized the exclusion of Kanye West 's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy from Album of the Year nominations for the 54th Grammy Awards . He described West's album as "the most critically acclaimed album of the year, a career-defining record". Roberts went on to criticize the Grammy Awards for being "mired in
12000-525: The snub and expressed general displeasure with the awards, stating "I don't pretend to understand the Grammys. I have never been able to discern a consistent logic around who gets nominated or who gets statues. I comprehend the particular logic of the Oscars, but not the big awards for music. My normal state of confusion around what drives Grammy decisions was exponentialized this week when, to the shock of many, Kanye's masterpiece My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
12125-642: The song at the time. Interest from the public grew even greater when Vai's song "Blue Powder" (a demonstration for the Carvin X100b amplifier ) was published in Guitar Player as well, which showed the virtuoso side of Vai's compositional process. Also in 1986, Vai was cast in the film Crossroads as the Devil's guitar player "Jack Butler". In the famous "duel scene" between Vai and Ralph Macchio 's character, Vai wrote and performed all guitar parts with
12250-584: The song. In 2008, Vai's song " For the Love of God " and "Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix)" were featured as downloadable tracks for the game Guitar Hero 3 . A live version of "For the Love of God" was also available on the Rock Band Network service, as well as the song "Get the Hell Out of Here" from his 2002 compilation album The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1 on March 4, 2010. "The Attitude Song" and
12375-473: The technique and into the more profound esoteric principles at play (see Notable contributions for more on this). In support of Sound Theories Vol. I & II and Visual Sound Theories , Vai put together a new band for a five-month world tour of the United States, Europe, South America, and Australia. While evaluating unique options for the band (which included ideas for a horn section or percussion section), Vai began auditioning violin players to complement
12500-466: The theme. Each evening, Vai and the special guests jam with the campers. The themes have included 2014's Vai Academy- Song Evolution Camp, and 2015's Vai Academy: All About the Guitar. Vai has announced an upcoming 2016 release commemorating the 25th anniversary of Passion and Warfare . This release contains remastered songs from the album, as well as the inclusion of a new album of material written from
12625-616: The time between the recording of Passion and Warfare and his first solo album Flex-Able . After the release, Vai held a world tour in which he played the entire Passion and Warfare album, along with material from the new release. The tour would continue during the first half of 2017. In 2014, Steve Vai with Roman Miroshnichenko 's rock-band and the 80-piece Russian Philharmonic performed in Russia. Next year, double disc DVD “Stillness in Motion: Vai Live in L.A.Stillness In Motion"
12750-566: The title track of her 2023 album, Seven Daughters of the Sea . In early 2024, Vai, Satriani, and Eric Johnson embarked on a limited-run "Reunion" tour of the original G3 lineup. Subsequently, Vai and Satriani continued touring as a double-bill. After more than 50 years of professional and personal friendship, the pair wrote and recorded their first single "The Sea Of Emotion, Pt.1", released on March 29, 2024. In September 2024, Vai joined Adrian Belew , Tony Levin and Tool drummer Danny Carey on
12875-481: The tour. They released two new albums in 2006, a live album, recorded at a live show in Sweden, called Extended Versions , and a studio album, Live & Learn . In 2004, VH1 approached the four members of the "classic lineup" to appear on their show Bands Reunited . The show was recorded in August 2004 and broadcast in the U.S. in November 2004. Following the broadcast EMI's American label Capitol re-released
13000-430: The town who's like a shaman; he builds this giant edifice, like a reflecting pond, and when people come to it they see aspects of their personalities and identities and discover things about themselves. There's some comedy involved, too, but it's pretty esoteric. It's about a lot of lofty principles, so it's not a bad idea to dish this all out slowly." The installments to the series will be released over periods of time, with
13125-567: The track " Go! ," from the album Junk by French electronic band M83 . In April and May of the same year, Vai took part in the Generation Axe tour, alongside Tosin Abasi , Nuno Bettencourt , Yngwie Malmsteen , and Zakk Wylde . Starting in June, Vai embarked on the Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour, where he played the album in its entirety for the first time. Vai is
13250-428: The traditional and contemporary blues categories and the traditional and contemporary folk categories each were consolidated into one per genre due to the number of entries and the challenges in distinguishing between contemporary and traditional blues and folk songs. In the world music field, the traditional and contemporary categories also were merged. In the classical field, its main category Best Classical Album ,
13375-662: The two violins). The tour began in June 2007 and ended in December the same year. Midway through the String Theories tour in 2007, Vai recorded a performance at the State Theatre in Minneapolis , which yielded the acclaimed 2009 live concert DVD and Blu-ray release of Where the Wild Things Are . Certified gold in the United States and Canada, Where the Wild Things Are showcased the diverse musical range of
13500-564: The world that has been released either in Ibero-America , the Iberian Peninsula , or the United States. The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards were postponed from its original January 31, 2021, date to March 14, 2021, due to the music industry impact of COVID-19 pandemic . The 64th Annual Grammy Awards were also postponed from its original January 31, 2022, date to April 3, 2022, due to health and safety concerns related to
13625-403: The years that the creation of music is an infinite personal expression. I realized that I could do this, I could make music, and it could be whatever I want." It was a year later, at the age of six, that Vai experienced his first introduction to the guitar, remembering that, "I saw this nine-year-old boy playing the guitar in my grade school auditorium, and that was another epiphany that I had. It
13750-504: Was announced on October 30, 2024, that the Grammys would move to ABC , Disney+ and Hulu as part of a ten-year broadcast deal between the Recording Academy and The Walt Disney Company . Harry's House Midnights The Grammys had their origin in the Hollywood Walk of Fame project in the 1950s. As recording executives on the Walk of Fame committee compiled a list of significant recording industry people who might qualify for
13875-416: Was both a critical and commercial success, reaching number four on the Billboard 200 albums chart and selling over two million copies. Guitar World magazine editor Brad Tolinski commented on Vai's playing at the time, saying that "Steve Vai's guitar wizardry is so profound that in earlier times he would have been burned as a witch." Retrospectively, Eat 'Em and Smile is frequently evaluated as one of
14000-501: Was described as "the richest and best hard rock guitar-virtuoso album of the '80s". He was voted the "10th Greatest Guitarist" by Guitar World magazine’s readers, and has sold over 15 million records. Steve Vai, a descendant of Italian immigrants , was born in Carle Place, New York on June 6, 1960. He is the fourth son of John and Theresa Vai. Vai was raised Roman Catholic . He described his first experiences with music as, "at
14125-425: Was diagnosed with cancer. This forced them to delay the announcement indefinitely, until possibly when Kuehnemund was fully recovered and cancer-free. The plan for a full-fledged reunion became impossible on October 10, 2013, when, after nine months battling her cancer, Jan Kuehnemund died at the age of 59. In December 2013 the three surviving classic lineup members with Gina Stile on guitar, decided to carry on under
14250-500: Was discontinued because most recipients in the category had also won in other classical categories for the same album. Classical recordings are now eligible for the main Album of the Year category. A few minor name changes were also made to better reflect the nature of the separate categories. The Recording Academy determined that the word "gospel" in the gospel genre field tends to connote images and sounds of traditional soul gospel to
14375-540: Was established. The total number of fields was consolidated from 26 to 11 to ensure that all voting members would be able to exercise their allocated ten genre votes, as some members were prevented from doing so previously due to some fields only containing one category. Members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), both media companies and individuals, may nominate recordings for consideration. Entries are made and submitted online. When
14500-513: Was featured on Vice City' s soundtrack, as well as "God Blessed Video" by Alcatrazz, as part of the Lazlow -led, 1980s rock/ metal radio station "V-Rock." In 2004, Vai was featured on the soundtrack to the Xbox video game Halo 2 , performing a heavy rock guitar rendition of the " Halo theme ", known as "Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix)". He also performed on the track "Never Surrender". He later featured in
14625-426: Was my first recognition of the instrument. When I saw that guitar and I saw this kid playing it, I knew instinctually that I was going to play the guitar someday, and that it would be my instrument. Don't ask me how I knew, I just knew. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen." As a young child, Vai was influenced by the music his parents had listened to. One album in particular that he cites as his "musical awakening"
14750-436: Was no greater musical influence in my life." In 2005, Vai released Real Illusions: Reflections , the first installment in an ongoing three-part trilogy concept album. Each of the three installments to the series contain material (songs, lyrics, and both spoken and written narration) with particular relationships to the storyline, purposefully left out of order. Upon the release of the third installment, Vai intends to complete
14875-550: Was not nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year." He went on to compare understanding the Grammy Awards to Kremlinology and commented on The Recording Academy's exclusion of more "mature" hip hop albums as Album of the Year nominees, noting that it occasionally opts to nominate "pop-friendly" hip hop albums instead. Pia Maiocco Vixen is an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota , in 1980. During its most commercially successful period from 1987 to 1992,
15000-527: Was reformed by Kuehnemund with a lineup consisting of herself, Janet Gardner, Roxy Petrucci, and new bassist Pat Holloway. This lineup toured the US as part of the Voices of Metal tour. Halfway through the tour, disagreements with management caused the band to split-up, with only Kuehnemund remaining. Kuehnemund quickly recruited Jenna Sanz-Agero (Jenna Piccolo) , Lynn Louise Lowrey, and Kathrin "Kat" Kraft to complete
15125-600: Was released in 1998. Their fourth studio album Live & Learn was released in 2006. Part of the Los Angeles, California, glam metal scene, the band has been described as "the female Bon Jovi ." Several singles released by the band from 1988 to 1990 reached the Billboard Hot 100 , including the Top 40 singles "Edge of a Broken Heart" at No. 26, and "Cryin'" at No. 22. While the band originally disbanded in 1992, it reformed from 1997 to 1998 by Gardner and Petrucci but
15250-484: Was released in July 1990. A year of touring followed, including headlining their own shows and supporting acts such as KISS and Deep Purple . After the tour concluded in mid-1991, the group disbanded in 1992 due to musical differences. In 1997, drummer Roxy Petrucci reformed Vixen, with Janet Gardner and recruited Gina Stile on lead guitar and Rana Ross, previously from Phantom Blue , on bass guitar. This lineup toured
15375-692: Was released independently in DVD format as Steve Vai: Live at the Astoria, London in 2003, and was Vai's first of many successful live concert DVD projects. In 2004, Vai released twelve tracks from the DVD in an online only release. 2001 saw the limited release of The Secret Jewel Box , a conceptual ten-CD box set containing unique material from various eras of Vai's career. Four compilation albums ( The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1 ; Mystery Tracks – Archives Vol. 3 ; Various Artists – Archives Vol. 4 ; and Vai: Piano Reductions, Vol. 1 ) included as part of
15500-416: Was released with a bonus disc premiering “The Space Between the Notes", a revelatory video diary consisting of more than three and a half hours of footage, lensed around the world on-stage, off-stage and behind-the-scenes, rehearsal and the show moments of Steve's joint performance with Roman Miroshnichenko and orchestra during Vai’s "Story of Light" World Tour. In 2016, Vai played an uncredited guitar solo on
15625-923: Was the original motion picture soundtrack to the 1961 film West Side Story . At age eleven, Vai was introduced to the contemporary rock and progressive music of the era, and after hearing the guitar solo to Led Zeppelin 's " Heartbreaker " at age twelve, decided to begin playing the guitar. In 1973, Vai began to take guitar lessons from fellow New York native Joe Satriani , and played in local bands (The Ohio Express, Circus, and Rayge) throughout his high school years. He spoke of when his friend John Sergio gave him Joe Satriani's number to Steve for him and his friend Frankie Munn to get guitar lessons. In 1978, to further pursue his interest in music composition and theory, Vai attended Berklee College of Music in Boston , Massachusetts after graduating from Carle Place High School . While at Berklee, Vai began working for Frank Zappa as
#860139