I have no particular attachment to lyrics. I love instrumental jazz, enjoy classical, and have been on a major kick of foreign rock lately because it's great to be able to appreciate voice as an instrument without having to understand the (frequently) trite lyrics.

Roll Tide establishes a theme and presents variations on it. It's structure is quite classical, as a lot of metal is. The issue I raise with Vai (& Satriani & Michael Angelo Batio) is that they are shredding for the sake of shredding. I don't stand opposed to shredding, but I feel that it's at its best as an interlude to a piece with harmony, melody, arc, etc.

A drum machine and two guitars is just not my idea of a good time (except for maybe Ratatat). I certainly appreciate the absolutely insane technical skill of these guys, I just often believe that they're squandering it.>> ^juliovega914:

I feel Nightwish's Crimson Tide stands to show that a song can be good listening without lyrics.
http://videosift.com/video/Nightwish-Crimson-Tide-Instrumental-Roll-Ti
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I feel Nightwish's Crimson Tide stands to show that a song can be good listening without lyrics.

http://videosift.com/video/Nightwish-Crimson-Tide-Instrumental-Roll-Tide

>> ^handmethekeysyou:

30 years in the music business and this guy still doesn't understand how to write a song. You know what I don't want to hear, 4 minutes of shredding. I will never hum this in the office. I will never be riding the subway and want to take out my ipod and listen to this nonsense. Just a snoozefest from beginning to end.

There's a difference? I still don't believe they're separate people.

My theory is that some time in the 70s, as a teenager, Joseph Steven Satrivaini had the most insane acid trip ever that actually caused him to split into two entities. Steve Vai is what would become of him if he continued as a drug user. Joe Satriani is what would become of him as a non-drug user. Turns out nothing is really affected by drug use other than physical appearance.>> ^shuac:
Someone's a Joe Satriani fan. Or Steve Vai.

Someone's a Joe Satriani fan. Or Steve Vai.

Tags for this video have been changed from 'guitar, steve vai, ry cooder, cuttin heads, end scene, spoiler' to 'guitar, ralph macchio, steve vai, ry cooder, cuttin heads, end scene, spoiler' - edited by EndAll

Tags for this video have been changed from 'guitar, steve vai, ry cooder, cuttin heads' to 'guitar, steve vai, ry cooder, cuttin heads, end scene, spoiler' - edited by EndAll

Both are equally viable methods of producing music. Yes there's a lot of easy techno remixes that took minimal effort to cash in on.. but there is PLENTY of that in the acoustic side as well. Just turn on the radio.

One of my better friends from HS ended up learning guitar. His motivations where people like Steve Vai and Satrioni, so I saw how much work that took. I can definitely appreciate the skill it takes.

Most of the electronic stuff I listen to though took some amount of blood, sweat, tears and love for the craft to produce as well.

Above comment from a Steve Vai fan. Enough said.

Tags for this video have been changed from 'Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio, steve vai, guitar, shred, crossroads, whammy bar' to '80s, Karate Kid, Ralph Macchio, steve vai, guitar, shred, crossroads, whammy bar' - edited by swampgirl

>> ^campcaptain:
yeah, I couldn't really believe it hadn't already been posted. Just didn't find this dead one when I searched.


In a couple of hours you can discard this one and use this embed to bring the original back to life...you should get a star if you haven't fixed a dead video lately.

Devin Townsend is one of the most fantastic singer I've ever heard. I only know him through his work with Steve Vai on Sex and Religion. I'm not really into heavier stuff, but that song was fantastic, love it!

Devin Townsend is one of the most fantastic singer I've ever heard. I only know him through his work with Steve Vai on Sex and Religion. I'm not really into heavier stuff, but that song was fantastic, love it!

Devin Townsend is one of the most fantastic singer I've ever heard. I only know him through his work with Steve Vai on Sex and Religion. I'm not really into heavier stuff, but that song was fantastic, love it!

Actually the ending piece that wins the duel is not Steve Vai's composition really, it's Paganini. The piece is ironic in some ways - Steve Vai represents Paganini and the classical school whilst Ralph represents Robert Johnson, yet Ralph wins by playing a Paganini piece that he must have learned in Juilliard.

Ralph does a great job at fake guitar playing in this movie, by the way. I wonder if he actually turned out to be a decent player after all the training he must have gone through.

*promote

I watched this movie the other day, really enjoyable, I didn't even realize it was the Karate Kid, though he did look oddly familiar.

Steve Vai as a young schmuck was enjoyable to watch as well