Anybody here listen to both? There are some very Vai moments on this album. Perhaps it's that whole guitar technique/tones&effects thing that was around at that time. Everybody is influenced by something after all.

iloveannie said:

I listen to both. I listen to a lot of Frank Zappa with Steve playing guitar and I used to listen to David Lee Roth's "Eat 'Em and Smile" quite often back in the day. I thought Steve's "Passion & Warfare" album had some incredible guitar on it! Hell, Steve Vai was the person who made me realize I shouldn't be embarrassed to like Prince.

The Rainbow Children is heavy on the jazz influence and Steve Vai, being heavily influenced by Zappa, frequently dabbles in similar sounds. That's probably why you hear a connection.

.....

I was gonna mention Zappa but for anyone familiar with Vai they would've known the connection between those two Never clicked with Zappa though. Let's face it, if some people think Prince's music can, at times, be challenging then they really need to avoid Frank's lol!

I am both a huge Prince and Vai fan. Funny that you hear "Vai moments" on the Rainbow Children. Personally, I don't hear any Vai influence in Prince's music. As far as I know Prince never mentioned Vai as one of his guitar heroes. I think Steve's music is more complicated, experimental and technical. The reason why I love them both so much is that they're both geniuses.

Actually I'd guess it's the other way around. I remember hearing Passion & Warfare for the first time and thinking how Steve's music had lots of similar elements as Prince's.

A title like Sex & Religion is just a less creative way of saying Lovesexy. The duality of their personalities--creative adventurous artists that also are very flashy & shallow at times. They're juvenile & wise at the same time. They play most of the instruments on their albums. Their albums are more complex than most peoples'.

Listen to Aching Hunger on Fire Garden. The drum is straight out of Thieves in the Temple. The references to Eden & sex are soo Prince. Could just be coincidence, but I've never doubted Vai loves Prince.

But to address TRC, definitely yes I hear it. Vai uses the Vadar voice at times, like when he says "walking the fine line between Pagan & Christian." And of course both of them use an 80's style of guitar playing & tone (that I'd like to see them move away from, it's 2007, guys!)

And I'm sure Prince is aware of Steve's amazing abilities. Actually there's a moment in the guitar solo of Lion of Judah that reminded me of Vai. It was the first time I felt Prince sounded like Steve & not the other way around.
[Edited 9/26/07 12:44pm]

From a ticketmaster online chat with Steve Vai:

( http://www.stevelukather....aspx?id=45 )

TM: "What do you think of Prince as a guitar player?"

SV: "I was given a bootleg of jamming at Paisley Park and there was song Tender Surrender--I turned it on and he was jamming to one of my songs. I was stunned into silence. He was playing great on it."

*SNIP* sorry, didnt see that it wasn't an SV before the other quote. I should have read the quote, then I would have realized it couldn't have been Vai.
[Edited 9/26/07 14:51pm]
[Edited 9/26/07 14:52pm]

alexandernevermind said:

Come on, Steve!

oh nevermind that was Steve Lukather.
[Edited 9/26/07 14:48pm]

steve lukather is an irredeemably awful guitar player, him being asked what he thinks of prince as if he's some sort of upper-level statesman of guitar, who is automatically apparently superior to prince, makes me sick. hes a soulless session musician bozo who should be restricted to playing mixed-down trebley solos on shania twain outros
[Edited 9/26/07 15:04pm]

theghostoftonym said:

theghostoftonym said:

I don't think he was asked...I think he just made comments on the question that was originally asked of Steve Vai.

Enjoy Vai's work on Eat 'Em and Smile and subsequent tour.

Trivia time : what was the first (and maybe only time ) did Steve Vai combine with Joe Satriana on a song? Name song and who was the main artist.

Steve Vai is extreamly over rated, technicaly hes fantastic but thats about it, his music so so

i hope that stirs up some controversy