Filmmaker Alan Berry has released a 77-minute documentary covering the life of legendary guitarist Steve Vai from 1960 to 1990., watch it below.
Steve Vai The Documentary: His First 30 Years (1960-1990) contains hundreds of Vai-centric facts and stories that even the most ardent fan will not have known. Complete with a Vai-esque quirky sense of humor, the video covers Vai’s life growing up, attending Berklee College, playing with several artists like Frank Zappa, Alcatrazz, the David Lee Roth band and Whitesnake, the recording of both his solo albums Flex-Able and Passion And Warfare, plus his role in the movie Crossroads and how he helped create the JEM guitar.
Vai previously commented on the film, stating, Alan Berry (The Tapes Archive) is a filmmaker and has created an informative, quasi-animated, and at times hilarious short film on the first 30 years of my career.”
Vai is a virtuoso guitarist, visionary composer, and consummate producer who sculpts musical sound with infinite creativity and technical mastery. At age 12, he started taking guitar lessons from Joe Satriani. At 18, he began his professional musical career transcribing for, and then playing with, the legendary Frank Zappa. Vai’s full discography encompasses more than 70 albums, including many with Zappa, others from his stints with David Lee Roth (just after Roth left Van Halen) and Whitesnake — at the peak of its popularity — along with live releases, collaborations, compilations, and orchestral works.
In over 40 years in the industry, Vai has sold over 15 million records, received three Grammy Awards, and recorded with countless music legends. Vai has also toured extensively and recorded live projects with G3 (collaborating with different touring lineups including Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Eric Johnson, Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Lukather) and Generation Axe, a touring project Vai formed with Zakk Wylde, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi. Vai is the author of Vaideology: Basic Music Theory For Guitar Players (Hal Leonard),his inaugural music theory book designed to help both beginners and veteran guitar players.