Vai and others to record a version of Stairway To Heaven

[-One-]

:|
I'm afraid to hear this. I'm sure there's going to be a GIANT snare presence, and Travis will fuck it up. I'm just sure :|

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Looks like everyone's a skeptic. I guess it was expected, this is treading on sacred ground. Then again, even Mr Jimmy Page felt free to desecrate his own work. Ok, I'm willing to look away from the Beijing Olympics rendition of Whole Lotta Love, but I (along with many Led Zeppelin fans) probably will never forgive what he and Sean-Puff-Daddy-P-Diddy-Diddy-Combs did to Kashmir.

One of the points I was trying to make, is just because her style is imitated from Vai, doesn't mean she can't get musical ideas that Vai can't.

Besides, wouldn't you want a guitarist who could keep up with your unique style in the studio, and still offer something?

Who's saying that Vai is writing all the guitar parts and Orianthi is just playing along. It could very well be the other way around.

Even with every guitarist drawing their influences and wearing them up their sleeve (I'm fine with that actually), every one of them still has a unique voice to offer.

I guess that's what seperates the bedroom/youtube guitarist to a true artist. They stop being content with being nothing more of a musical shadow or chameleon of their heroes and focusing on writing their own material and developing their own voice.

Sure Orianthi has been heavily influenced by Vai as well as Santana, but her voice still sticks out.

 

[splinter8451]

This might turn out pretty cool.

Off topic: I really want more pics of that Jem... looks hot. Hottest thing in that pic.

 

[right_to_rage]

Vai should get whatever this is over with, finish the next album or two, wait for Chickenfoot to finish up, and start that band with Joe Satriani that he was always talking about.

Randy Jackson on bass?! Ughhh

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Randy Jackson did do a stint playing bass for Journey so it's not all that bad. In fact, his resume is very good.

As for Vai, on that same newsletter:

I'll be working on the new record until May. I have a title and a full layout of all the songs. In May I have to stop whatever I'm doing and lock myself up somewhere to start composing for the Symphony project in Holland in October 2010. I suppose it will take me 4 months of 16 hour undisturbed days to complete the compositions. This is another reason why I am working to release a VaiTunes track once a month if possible.

You'll be hearing more about this orchestra project but for now I would just like to give you some of the working titles for the compositions. And as you know, things can change.
Pastel Vignettes
Brutal Beauty
The Middle of Everywhere

I'm so thrilled about this orchestra project I can hardly contain myself. I already started to sketch out some of the compositions.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Randy Jackson on bass?! Ughhh

He's not just some talking head on American Idol. His credits are fucking impressive.

I think he was a fantastic choice, much better than "insert popular mainstream rock bassist" would have been.

 

[Valserp]

things thinking in my head:

-Song is already perfect as it is....
-I hate it when artist takes advantage of older songs to stay relevant in the music business
-OH GOD, MJB doing crazy and unnecessary "yodeling" around the song.
-I love Steve Vai, I worship Steve Vai.....DON'T SCREW THIS UP STEVE!!!
-Orianthi is just as hot as her PRS
-Not really looking forward to Steve adding fluttering to the song...
-Maybe it might be good..
-The song is already perfect as it is.....

'nuff said.

 

[EliNoPants]

I read about this. I'll be looking forward to hear it.

am i the only one who finds it hilarious that the dude is prancing around, while the girl is in pretty much Hetfield stance half the time?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

am i the only one who finds it hilarious that the dude is prancing around, while the girl is in pretty much Hetfield stance half the time?

It's not a dude, it's Vai.

 

[EliNoPants]

It's not a dude, it's Vai.

fair enough...you win this round

 

[All_¥our_Bass]

It's either gonna be fucking amazing, or it'll utterly suck.

 

[amonb]

No. Just no.

This is the musical equivalent of a film starring Maria Conchita Alonso, Rutger Hauer and Powers Boothe. The respect is there, but you know it ain't gunna be pretty.

 

[Prydogga]

Meh, it's only a song, if it sucks, big deal. I for one think it could be good. I love both Vai and Orianthi, but in such different ways (Oh noes a comment about a girl guitar player!)

 

[CooleyJr]

Oh god... Not another version. PLEASE!
1 was enough

 

[BrainArt]

Oh god... Not another version. PLEASE!
1 was enough

Jokes aside: I agree with Prydogga on this one.

 

[Prydogga]

Of course you do.

 

[BrainArt]

Of course you do.

Even more so with the Orianthi deal.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Oh god... Not another version. PLEASE!
1 was enough

Sorry, I couldn't help it. Rolf Harris =

 

[Ckackley]

Let 'em cover it. If it sucks it'll disappear into the realm of youtube and online fodder. If it's good then it might introduce a new generation to a great song and a great band. As far as adding Orianthi in , would anyone have made a comment if Vai's rhythm guitarist (can't remember his name off hand) came along? I know I like having another guitarist around for a change in perspective and different ideas. No matter how good Vai is he doesn't have all the answers. He's probably also throwing some PR to Orianthi just to be cool. He and Santana pretty much launched her entire career. Also, as others have said Jackson is one solid ass bass player. He seems to play very in the pocket and not walk all over everything. Barker and Blige are the ones that make me spock an eyebrow. lol

 

[Esp Griffyn]

I think people are going a bit overboard on the concept of musicians "defiling" a sacred song by covering it or whatever, its just a song, and imo the original was not great anywhere. I'm not a Led Zep fan by any stretch of the imagination, so I think these guys could do well to breathe some life and colour into what is otherwise for me a dull composition.

Look at it this way; if they just tried to recreate the original as faithfully as possible, they'd just end up with a carbon copy of their reference piece. They might as well go ahead and try and bring something new to the table, I don't really see the point in going to all the trouble of this project if they wern't going to try and so something a bit different.

Any old Dog and Bollock cover band can knock out a Led Zep song and make it sound like the scratchy, hoary old original, but put a guy like Vai in charge and there could be some pretty interesting results.