Passion and Warfare

Amazon.com
The second solo album from Steve Vai shows the guitarist coming into his own as a composer, matching his prodigious talent as a performer. The result is an entertaining mix. The hilarious "Audience is Listening" complements more reflective pieces such as "For the Love of God." The high-powered "Animal" and "Greasy Kid's Stuff" are balanced by "Blue Powder" and "Alien Water Kiss." Unlike most guitar-god solo recordings, Passion & Warfare avoids the sort of technical noodling that is uninteresting to everyone except other guitarists, opting instead for a collection of high-quality music that is full of compositional experimentation without ever getting out of control. --Genevieve Williams

Passion and Warfare,Steve Vai,Relativity,Guitar Virtuoso,Hard Rock,Heavy Metal,Instrumental Rock,Rock

Average customer rating: If you had to choose one CD Vai, this is it. Breathtaking Reality Bites A rock guitar classic Commercial highpoint

Passion and Warfare Steve Vai Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music Shred | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: Alien Love Secrets Fire Garden Surfing with the Alien Sex & Religion The Ultra Zone ASIN: B000002BWP Release Date: 1997-06-24

Tracks:

1. Liberty
2. Erotic Nightmares
3. The Animal
4. Answers
5. The Riddle
6. Ballerina
7. For The love Of God
8. The Audience Is Listening
9. I Would Love To
10. Blue Powder
11. Greasy Kid's Stuff
12. Alien Water Kiss
13. Sisters
14. Love Secrets

Amazon.com

The second solo album from Steve Vai shows the guitarist coming into his own as a composer, matching his prodigious talent as a performer. The result is an entertaining mix. The hilarious "Audience is Listening" complements more reflective pieces such as "For the Love of God." The high-powered "Animal" and "Greasy Kid's Stuff" are balanced by "Blue Powder" and "Alien Water Kiss." Unlike most guitar-god solo recordings, Passion & Warfare avoids the sort of technical noodling that is uninteresting to everyone except other guitarists, opting instead for a collection of high-quality music that is full of compositional experimentation without ever getting out of control. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

If you had to choose one CD Vai, this is it........2007-06-02

If you are buying your first Vai CD, and you had to choose only one to start with, this IS the one.

This release features a very wide range of Steve's styles, from ballads like "Sisters" to dirty grooves like "The Animal" to epic guitar masterpieces like "For the Love of God".

But perhaps the most interesting track is "The Riddle". This song explores an endless terrain of guitar emotions and the composition is extremely full. The closer you listen to it, the more tracks and guitar sounds you start hearing, a definite headphone must!

Some material on here, like The Riddle is conjured up from Steve's imagination and "dreams" of out-of-body experiences with aliens, pixies, and more.

Another interesting note is that Steve actually fasted (went without food) for several days before recording the track For The Love of God, as an expression of dedication to his spiritual devotion through music itself, one could say.

This is not just technical guitar prowess - this is a very deep exploration of all the possibilities on a guitar, and it pushes the envelope of instrumental imagination. It is this particular release that made me realize that Steve Vai is not a guitar player, he is a living breathing extentsion of the instrument itself. You will not be disappointed!

Breathtaking.......2007-02-20

I've owned this masterpiece for many years, and just "rediscovered" it over the weekend, after letting it gather dust for awhile. I used to listen to it almost daily. My boyfriend had never heard it before and he fell in love with it instantly. This instrumental album says more than anything with lyrics, as Vai's guitar picks you up and takes you on an evocative journey from one emotion to another, in every corner of the spectrum. "For the Love of God" makes me want to weep, as I've always envisioned a movie about betrayal and loss playing through my head when I hear it. "Greasy Kid Stuff" is another stand-out piece, evoking images of a chase from land, to sea, to air. These are just two small samples of the treasure to be found on this disc, where the maestro makes his guitar giggle, talk, and wail with the depths of human emotion. I just plain FEEL everything in full technicolor when this album is playing. This is not an album one hears; it is one that is experienced. The only flaw I've ever been able to find with it is that it's not 80 hours long.

Reality Bites.......2007-02-02

It must be so frustrating for Vai, one of the greatest guitarist's ever, to see his work get basically financially and critically spat on while tool boxes like C.C. Deville (Poison), Mick Mars (Motley Crue), and J.J. French (Twisted Sister) go Triple Platty on multiple albums. Life can be as brutal as a Kip Winger dance routine. How this guitar guru isn't clinically depressed is beyond me.

A rock guitar classic.......2007-01-13

An absolute classic. Anyone who negatively criticises this album certainly doesn't understand the concept of melody or harmony. In the guitar world there's good noodling and bad noodling - this is a masterpiece, the perfect balance of technique, melody and soul. The end of the shred genre came about with the 90s pop/punk movement - those who "sucked and were proud of it"...
It was actually a good thing - it filtered out alot of fret w*nkers as the guitar scene was very watered down.. Vai wannabes, Satch, Van Halen wannabes... the list goes on - BUT the good players also got a rap in the process. Nevertheless the true players are still going strong and have never sold out regardless. Vai is one of them...
If you don't understand this album I urge you to give it another listen or two. Every note counts..

Commercial highpoint.......2006-07-22

The stocks of this ex Frank Zapppa/Alcatrazz/David Lee Roth six stringer were never highter. his street cred due to the Zappa connection was considerable to those in the know, who had followed him sinse the Flexible days. He had paid his dues in Alcatrazz and had a very public profile due to his association with Diamond Dave at the height of his solo powers. The time was right to strike and Vai did so with an eclectic mix of blistering runs, experimental bleeps and tweets and cool cameo numbers. Vai could of just put out a shred album and it would of sold - heck he could of put out acoustic versions of Estonian carpenters songs and it would of sold. He didn't quite go that far, but he did the brave thing and put out an album that wasn't a run of the mill guitar shred album. This is Vai coaxing all sorts of noises out of his Ibanez seven string, the sort of wailing, acrobatic playing that you would barely think possible, let along commercially viable.

So for guitar nuts this is almost an essential purchase. If you only buy on Vai album just to check out what all the fuss is about make it this one, the mans mainstream high point and for good reason. That's not to say the man didn't come in for some criticism at the time. Australias' Hot Metal magazine wrote him off, the reviewer stating 'the whole Steve Vai high priest of guitar' schtick was vomit inducing. And he was rightly hassled for things like 'thanks Ibanez, thanks God' but then maybe Hot Metal rightly had it's nose out of joine since Vai had refused to be interviewed for the magazine unless they'd guarantee him the cover! In the end they got around him by getting an interview from a freelance journalist.

Anyway, the music on this disc is just about all off on a tangent, perhaps the most accessable points coming when Vai allows some human connectivity to come into the mix on the amusing throw away tune The Audience is Listening. Elsewhere tunes such as The Riddle define for the listener much of what is exactly right and exactly wrong with Vai records. And prospective buyers should probably try to listen to at least a sample of this track to determine if this stuff is for them.

Extra credit to Vai for the fact that he appears to have made sure that everyone got credit where it was due - individually crediting musicians on each and every track. and the guy obviously took full responsibility for this album rising or falling, utilising his multi instrumentalist skills and also producing the whole shebang.

Most of my mates at the time bought this album. But often they played it is another matter. On this release Vai's positive image and talent got people to see past the fact that he wasn't really playing proper songs, just cataloguing his skills. On most of his other releases the lack of humanity became all consuming.

Average customer rating: If you had to choose one CD Vai, this is it. Breathtaking Reality Bites A rock guitar classic Commercial highpoint

Passion and Warfare Steve Vai Manufacturer: Relativity ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music Shred | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Alien Love Secrets Fire Garden Surfing with the Alien Sex & Religion The Ultra Zone ASIN: B000003BVM Release Date: 1990-05-17

Tracks:

1. Liberty
2. Erotic Nightmares
3. Animal
4. Answers
5. Riddle
6. Ballerina 12/24
7. For the Love of God
8. Audience Is Listening
9. I Would Love To
10. Blue Powder
11. Greasy Kid's Stuff
12. Alien Water Kiss
13. Sisters
14. Love Secrets

Amazon.com

The second solo album from Steve Vai shows the guitarist coming into his own as a composer, matching his prodigious talent as a performer. The result is an entertaining mix. The hilarious "Audience is Listening" complements more reflective pieces such as "For the Love of God." The high-powered "Animal" and "Greasy Kid's Stuff" are balanced by "Blue Powder" and "Alien Water Kiss." Unlike most guitar-god solo recordings, Passion & Warfare avoids the sort of technical noodling that is uninteresting to everyone except other guitarists, opting instead for a collection of high-quality music that is full of compositional experimentation without ever getting out of control. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

If you had to choose one CD Vai, this is it........2007-06-02

If you are buying your first Vai CD, and you had to choose only one to start with, this IS the one.

This release features a very wide range of Steve's styles, from ballads like "Sisters" to dirty grooves like "The Animal" to epic guitar masterpieces like "For the Love of God".

But perhaps the most interesting track is "The Riddle". This song explores an endless terrain of guitar emotions and the composition is extremely full. The closer you listen to it, the more tracks and guitar sounds you start hearing, a definite headphone must!

Some material on here, like The Riddle is conjured up from Steve's imagination and "dreams" of out-of-body experiences with aliens, pixies, and more.

Another interesting note is that Steve actually fasted (went without food) for several days before recording the track For The Love of God, as an expression of dedication to his spiritual devotion through music itself, one could say.

This is not just technical guitar prowess - this is a very deep exploration of all the possibilities on a guitar, and it pushes the envelope of instrumental imagination. It is this particular release that made me realize that Steve Vai is not a guitar player, he is a living breathing extentsion of the instrument itself. You will not be disappointed!

Breathtaking.......2007-02-20

I've owned this masterpiece for many years, and just "rediscovered" it over the weekend, after letting it gather dust for awhile. I used to listen to it almost daily. My boyfriend had never heard it before and he fell in love with it instantly. This instrumental album says more than anything with lyrics, as Vai's guitar picks you up and takes you on an evocative journey from one emotion to another, in every corner of the spectrum. "For the Love of God" makes me want to weep, as I've always envisioned a movie about betrayal and loss playing through my head when I hear it. "Greasy Kid Stuff" is another stand-out piece, evoking images of a chase from land, to sea, to air. These are just two small samples of the treasure to be found on this disc, where the maestro makes his guitar giggle, talk, and wail with the depths of human emotion. I just plain FEEL everything in full technicolor when this album is playing. This is not an album one hears; it is one that is experienced. The only flaw I've ever been able to find with it is that it's not 80 hours long.

Reality Bites.......2007-02-02

It must be so frustrating for Vai, one of the greatest guitarist's ever, to see his work get basically financially and critically spat on while tool boxes like C.C. Deville (Poison), Mick Mars (Motley Crue), and J.J. French (Twisted Sister) go Triple Platty on multiple albums. Life can be as brutal as a Kip Winger dance routine. How this guitar guru isn't clinically depressed is beyond me.

A rock guitar classic.......2007-01-13

An absolute classic. Anyone who negatively criticises this album certainly doesn't understand the concept of melody or harmony. In the guitar world there's good noodling and bad noodling - this is a masterpiece, the perfect balance of technique, melody and soul. The end of the shred genre came about with the 90s pop/punk movement - those who "sucked and were proud of it"...
It was actually a good thing - it filtered out alot of fret w*nkers as the guitar scene was very watered down.. Vai wannabes, Satch, Van Halen wannabes... the list goes on - BUT the good players also got a rap in the process. Nevertheless the true players are still going strong and have never sold out regardless. Vai is one of them...
If you don't understand this album I urge you to give it another listen or two. Every note counts..

Commercial highpoint.......2006-07-22

The stocks of this ex Frank Zapppa/Alcatrazz/David Lee Roth six stringer were never highter. his street cred due to the Zappa connection was considerable to those in the know, who had followed him sinse the Flexible days. He had paid his dues in Alcatrazz and had a very public profile due to his association with Diamond Dave at the height of his solo powers. The time was right to strike and Vai did so with an eclectic mix of blistering runs, experimental bleeps and tweets and cool cameo numbers. Vai could of just put out a shred album and it would of sold - heck he could of put out acoustic versions of Estonian carpenters songs and it would of sold. He didn't quite go that far, but he did the brave thing and put out an album that wasn't a run of the mill guitar shred album. This is Vai coaxing all sorts of noises out of his Ibanez seven string, the sort of wailing, acrobatic playing that you would barely think possible, let along commercially viable.

So for guitar nuts this is almost an essential purchase. If you only buy on Vai album just to check out what all the fuss is about make it this one, the mans mainstream high point and for good reason. That's not to say the man didn't come in for some criticism at the time. Australias' Hot Metal magazine wrote him off, the reviewer stating 'the whole Steve Vai high priest of guitar' schtick was vomit inducing. And he was rightly hassled for things like 'thanks Ibanez, thanks God' but then maybe Hot Metal rightly had it's nose out of joine since Vai had refused to be interviewed for the magazine unless they'd guarantee him the cover! In the end they got around him by getting an interview from a freelance journalist.

Anyway, the music on this disc is just about all off on a tangent, perhaps the most accessable points coming when Vai allows some human connectivity to come into the mix on the amusing throw away tune The Audience is Listening. Elsewhere tunes such as The Riddle define for the listener much of what is exactly right and exactly wrong with Vai records. And prospective buyers should probably try to listen to at least a sample of this track to determine if this stuff is for them.

Extra credit to Vai for the fact that he appears to have made sure that everyone got credit where it was due - individually crediting musicians on each and every track. and the guy obviously took full responsibility for this album rising or falling, utilising his multi instrumentalist skills and also producing the whole shebang.

Most of my mates at the time bought this album. But often they played it is another matter. On this release Vai's positive image and talent got people to see past the fact that he wasn't really playing proper songs, just cataloguing his skills. On most of his other releases the lack of humanity became all consuming.

Average customer rating: Steve Vai is the Albert Einstein of guitar

Passion & Warfare/the Ultra Zone ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000HWXTAE Release Date: 2006-11-07

Album Description

Two individual hit albums packaged together and housed in a slipcase sleeve. This handy-dandy two-fer features two great albums from the axe-meister himself, Steve Vai. Passion & Warfare was released in 1990 and features 14 tracks. The Ultra Zone, released in '99 and features 13 tracks. That's 27 shredders in all! RCA.

Customer Reviews:

Steve Vai is the Albert Einstein of guitar.......2007-01-22

I love this CD compilation. Anybody who loves heavy metal would love this music.

Rock Music:

1. Peel Sessions [EP]
2. Prick
3. Priest...Live! [Live]
4. Retaliation [Explicit Lyrics]
5. Saigon Kick
6. Serious Business
7. Skid Row
8. Slaughter of the Soul
9. Slowly We Rot
10. Soar

Rock Music

rock music

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