Metal Bootleg Fan Mixed: Steve Vai 1997 Magazine Interview

Steve Vai once played in Jakarta Hard Rock Cafe back in 1997. This is a HAI Magazine issue where an interview with the guitar virtuoso was happening back in March 1997. One of interviewer was Indonesian guitar master, Eet Syachranie. Here a loose translation from Bahasa Indonesia article to English. The background context is, Steve Vai just released his Fire Garden album.

Title: "I am Playing Guitar for Trend"
Steve Vai Interview in Jakarta - March 1997
HAI Magazine

Q: In Fire Garden album, you seems a little bit of calm, compared to your past albums?
Steve Vai: Calm? Well, I try to give in more variations. There indeed more ballads in Fire Garden, guitar ballad especially. But when you heard Aching Hunger, Dam You or Blowfish, I think I am not very 'calm' per se.

Q: Can we call a blues and R&B atmosphere in Fire Garden?
Steve Vai: Yeah, well,.... once a while in Little Alligator you can hear a bluesy tunes.

Q: And a bit of funky?
Steve Vai: Yeah, when I was younger, I dislike blues. Kind of boring. I like something impressive. But when I grow in age, I begin to 'appreciated blues'.

Q: You guitar playing more toward Frank Zappa rather than Satriani?
Steve Vai: When I was a kid I learn from Joe. We stayed in the same area and same school. He gave guitar lesson. And Frank (Zappa).... I always like his guitar playing, but I try to not follow (his guitar playing) more.

Q: Fire Garden Suite is an interesting composition, and a nice piano voice... you play the piano on that track?
Steve Vai: Thank you, yes I composed that and played that in sequencer.

Q: What sequencer you are using?
Steve Vai: I used VISION sequencer

Q: Tell us about Alien Love Secrets. It's sounds tough, isn't it?
Steve Vai: Well.... I actually begin working on that together with Fire Garden. Taking a lot of time, including composing arrangements which taken lots of expenses. So in between Fire Garden, I recorded Alien Love Secrets, which taken five weeks. It is also my favorite album.

Q: Did you use Eventide H3000S Harmonizer?
Steve Vai: Oh yeah, sometimes.... In Fire Garden I focused more for song melody and structure, not much in effects.

Q: Song Ya Yo Gakk, your kid (Julian Vai) isn't it?
Steve Vai: (LOL), Yes. He was two years old at the time, he like to sing ya..yo..gakk. I didn't know what it supposed to mean. One day I recorded it and put it to computer. I made a vocal tracks and begin writing music. It's take a lot of time to make it through....

Q: Do you want him to be a musician as well?
Steve Vai: Yes, if he wanted to. Musician's life is hard. But if you like music, that's just great. As a father I hope to teach him and give examples to do something good, be the best.

Q: Album Sex & Religion seems more rock n' roll. You seems like to give a '70s rock n roll feel in song Sex & Religion, something 'Brian May'... is it true?
Steve Vai: Yes. That album was aggressive. About the song, when I was teenage I fancy Brian May. I influenced by him a lot. He is unique guitarist and a special one.

Q: Solos in song Rescue Me Or Bury Me is great. You write that (before hand) or...?
Steve Vai: No, I play it directly (on the recording session...I guess, translator)

Q: That's very cool man...!
Steve Vai: Thank you. I appreciated you like it. I work hard for it and you are the first person to comment on it. I still sing that song.

Q: How about Ozzy Osbourne to you?
Steve Vai: Oh... working with him was fun. He is cool (it must be interesting to ever know Steve Vai's original word here...translator). He like to tell a lot of stories. Ozzy has a good musical instinct , and know what exactly he want.

Q: I heard Ozzy likes something horror, or satanic, did he?
Steve Vai: (Smile)...Ah.. no. Funny indeed. He is completely harmless, except on stage..lol. My work with him perhaps the funniest among others.

Q: Are you annoyed with the antichops on this '90 year? (I think referring to alternative scenes arising on that year..translator)
Steve Vai: Trend come and go. Sometimes there is a trend that demand greater skill in music, or writing complexes music, as jazz comes from blues. Or when progressive rock and fusion arise. And then a trend that demand only basic musical skill. I never learn to play guitar by trend. I love guitar and like to be musician and song writer.

Signature: HAI, To the readers of "HAI", God Bless You, Steve Vai.