Steve Vai

Chewing the Gristle with Greg Koch

The legendary Steve Vai and Greg delve deep into Steve's early history, talking about LA, Zappa, and a whole lot more! Steve Vai's influence on the guitar world is profound, from his early work pioneering the design of "super strats" like his Ibanez signature models, to his ever-changing approach to tone and his insightful perspective on music theory. Settle in for this gristle-infused interview with the great Steve Vai!

1:04 - Steve’s new house in Los Angeles, neighborhood block parties, and Steve’s old ‘Mothership’ home studio
5:00 - Steve’s choice to stay in LA versus moving to another music city
6:27 - Steve’s early days in LA - what brought him there, the support of parents, and whether or not pursuing professional musicianship was ever a choice for Steve and Greg
19:46 - Working with and learning from Frank Zappa
25:36 - How’s Zappa’s approach to improvisation influenced Steve
36:17 - How ‘gain’ has changed over the years, the new guitar pedals from Universal Audio, and new ‘joint shifting’ technique
49:26 - Thoughts on Steve’s new music / guitar theory book, and thoughts on music education in the 21st century
58:44 - How Steve’s been spending time during the pandemic, and thoughts on the future
Total Length: 68:26

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