So much carry-over influence from his time with Frank Zappa. I love this album. Most of the stuff was based on his works-in-progress from the mid 80's, so I guess that would make sense.
I love that even though it’s Steve’s opener, he really lets Mohini blow the top off the opening. Showing he’s far more comfortable sharing the spotlight than early days. We know he’s a guitar god and he’s a benevolent one
Don't forget his release Flexible Leftovers! And yes, Mohini is becoming the pre-eminent young bassist on the scene today, her development has been astounding, and I love her merging of Indian musical culture with Western music. I would love to see her play with John McLaughlin, a match made in heaven, maybe with her incredible drum collaborator Gino Banks!
Definitely hear a lot of Zappa influence in this song! Especially Zappa's "Jazz In Hell" album/period. I'll have to check out the rest of Mr. Vai's album. Thank you for bringing it to my attention Mr. Doug!
Yep definitely Zappa influence can be heard there and I also noticed Vai got some influence from his own old track Attitude Song as well, which you can hear at one point in there, which is kind of like his original "weird experimental song". Very similar progression and rhythm can be heard there, but in a new way. Very cool song indeed and very unusual as well.
Steve's album "The Ultra Zone" is another masterpiece. If you liked this track, check out "Voodoo Acid" from The Ultra Zone. Steve plays EVERYTHING on that track as well as on the majority of the other tracks on the album. It may serve you (and us) well to do a full album review of The Ultra Zone.
He did kind of a similar thing on the song, "little Green men." "Kill the guy with the ball" is another weird beginning you'll love. He plays it on guitar through a eventide h4000 and an expression pedal for the effect.
Steve Vai has a very creative mind that can take you anywhere, and I do mean anywhere musically, For me he is one of the most creative and unusual guitarists in the World and has been for 4 decades, he goes to places that most people have to be off their faces to reach but this is all in Steves head all the time. I remember first hearing him with Dave Lee Roth and being blown away, he still blows me away with his music.
So true. He has the mind of a true composer and his rock sensibilities make him quite unique, I think. He probably could've picked any instrument a would've still been a successful musician if he dedicated as much time to it as he did with the guitar.
This sounds like some late 70's fusion (you said it was composed around 1980 while working with Zappa?) crossed with Manhattan Transfer scat vocals and there are some Zappa touches thrown in for good measure. Absolutely AMAZING record!!!
Modern Primitive is one of my favorites now after initially disliking most most of the tracks. This album has so much personality & every track is a gem. Steve Vai rocks!
Also, could you do more Frank Zappa? Some suggestions: "G-Spot Tornado" (an entirely digital piece, made on the Synclavier) "Black Napkins" (a fan-favorite Zappa guitar solo) "The Adventures of Greggery Peccary" (an elaborate 21-minute piece featuring various instrumentation, including orchestral and rock, and humorous narration by Zappa throughout) Would also be entertaining if you did Zappa's "rock opera" Joe's Garage, though it is long (three discs) and politically incorrect. But he has a great band on that album--including Vinnie Colaiuta on drums and Warren Cuccurullo on guitar--and some very fun and colorful music. Also, it features Zappa's longest-running singer (and band member?) Ike Willis, and I'm not sure if you've done any Zappa recordings with Ike yet. You can find Ike on a number of other Zappa albums throughout the 1980s, as well.
Good to hear you enjoyed the Mohini Dey story. She is remarkable, as you will find out in your research of her. Indian music is quite difficult in it's timing, etc.
Gonna drop this comment here in the hopes that it gets some attention. I would really love and I mean REALLY LOVE to see Doug reacting to One Winged Angel by Nobuo Uematsu. Ever since he did that DMC reaction, Pandora's box has been opened here and I want more video game reactions! Please Doug :D Pretty please!
Nobuo Uematsu is a universally treasured figure in video game music, doesn’t matter what genre you are in to, everyone can agree he is a legend. Even though you can’t pick a bad one from him, One Winged Angel is a fantastic intro
Nothing more fun than a Doug video where the end of the song finds Doug leaning back in his chair, eyes bulging, in a general state of shock with what he just heard.
I need to listen to this album some more. The section where you went what the hell was that had such a Zappa feel to it. And you need to listen to more Zappa. There can never be enough. Rock on, Doug.
We went to see Steve Vai live in Nashville recently. If there was ever a case for aliens hiding here on earth, Men in Black style, then Steve would be it. The command over the guitar that that man possesses is absolutely insane.
Steve has some wild songs like windows to the soul, freak show excess, lights are on from this very album, lotus feet, velorum, moon and i, and my favourite ever "melissa's garden".
This Steve Via offering was very well timed for me Mr. Doug... I'll be seeing him in, of all places, Bar Harbor, Maine tomorrow night. Small theater called Criterion Theater... very intimate and should be amazing fun.
lol, I do love this song!! I think that you've heard this before the recording of your review!!! Your response is instantaneous. No break!! I love the review!! just say you reviewed it previously !!!!
Without having done any research, I'm sure that Steve is playing a guitar synth for the vocal samples. That one sound is probably made with a talk box or vocoder.
Just came to drop buckets of admiration and praise for Mohini. Steve is, well, Steve. Mohini has such great phrasing and chops, can play funk and/or metal with ease, and sometimes both at same time, plus her tone is spectacular. And of course Doug is, well, Doug....The best!
The different voices are obviously sampled, treated and mangled. Not sure if he is playing those on a guitar synth or if it’s the keyboard player. It’s clealy a wonderful collage of voices. Incredible!
Mohini's latest project is called MaMoGi which is another prog rock jazz fusion band as well which I suspect you'll thoroughly enjoy, be sure to check that out!
It was a treat to see your great reactions to this, Doug. Steve would be humbled. He's a great guy as well as a phenomenal musician. You MUST experience one of his live shows if you have not! ...Such a musically fulfilling experience. When I first heard 'Bop" it just pulled the emotion right out of me, viscerally. I cried. People think I'm a damn weirdo for that, but Steve Vai and John Coltrane just get the best of me that way.. possibly Allan Holdsworth, too. Cheers, my man. Keep bringing us your reactions and commentary. You are a joy to watch and listen to!
Weird was catching up on Steves Catalog and listened to this album for the first time today, and then this came out. Awesome, glad I listened first, that way this became more of an exploration
Hey man. Only just discovered this channel when you reacted to The Brain Dance by Animals as Leaders. Been working my way through your channel since. Love these videos
Lots of Zappa influences , some of those processed sounds remind me of an early Computer Sampler that Frank used in a Documentary about his own career and music .
For one example of Mohini Dey's playing on video see "Road to the Himalayas" also featuring guitarist Evgeny Pobozhiy. Or even more so her solo at the Lugano Jazz Festival (2018).
I've been a long time Mohini Dey fan! It's about time she starts to get a bit of notoriety. She is one of the best bass players on the planet, of any gender. This song reminds me of some of the stuff off of the fusion album by Polish jazz singer, Ursula Dudziak, called "Future Talk". With her husband, Michael Urbaniak on violin.
Steve Vai is the pinnacle of what every guitarist with ADHD hopes to achieve. The man's brain keeps finding the tastiest key change possible while (and this is the hard part) somehow making sense of it all.
Hello Doug! I recommend you to listen to one of the finest italian Progressive band BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO, in particular: "Io Sono Nato Libero" (1973) Trad. "I Was Born Free"
And for more Steve Vai: "Erotic Nightmares" (from Passion and Warfare, a dynamic and colorful arrangement of many different guitar parts and sounds) "Fire Garden Suite" (a Dream Theater-ish piece) "Under It All" (an ambitious, high-concept piece) "The Moon and I" (features an inspired extended guitar solo) And if you want a Zappa-inspired track by Steve, try "The Story of Light," which evokes Zappa's piece "Night School."
everytime I watch a doug video I feel smarter lol. It also makes me wish I had the cash to get him to listen to a concept album by the warning called queen of the murder scene, written by 3 teenage mexican sisters, musically and lyrically it is spectacular and dark.
I can hear in this song Zappa, Devin Townsend and some good "jazz school" influence. I really like this song, it may be used as a score for movies. Except that, Doug, your reaction is fantastic (as always). Fun fact: 23rd July pass 30 anniversary of Steve Vai album Sex and Religion (debiut for Devin Townsend as a singer)
Holy crap! I have been following Mohini Dey since she was like 10 or 11. I had no Idea that Steve did anything with her. Awesome! Those are not lyrics, it's more like "progressive scat"! Never heard anything quite like this.
Great reaction Doug to a great track!!! Definitely a large Frank Zappa influence on this track to my ears. And yes the Snarky Puppy vibe is in there too! Wow! Thanx for sharing. We need more from this album.
Does anyone know if their is a vocoder/bebop vocalisation effects pedal for guitar. Keyboards have them built in but I would love to be able to play my jazz with this type of sound effect.
Incredible piece. Lots of synthesizer....lots and lots. Not saying it needs more guitar/bass/drums. I'd like to hear it in a setting with woodwinds and/or brass, maybe some percussion (definite pitch). Synthesizers? Well.....
