Vai and others to record a version of Stairway To Heaven

[JohnIce]

I think it's good that Orianthi gets some publicity, as she actually belongs to that small and prestigeous club of female players who don't a) suck, or b) sound competent but generic. I found her on myspace years ago and she's made significant improvements since then, she keeps practicing and learning and seems to have a very humble approach to guitar playing. That could take her far because she's got an ear for catchy melodies aswell.

She's not totally original but she's young and she's clearly working on it. The song with Vai sounds like Vai because he helped write and record it. If you had a chance to make a song with Vai and he had a suggestion on a melody, would you stop him? Orianthi hasn't been in the game for very long and she's still a fan to some extent.

Anyway, Randy Jackson is a solid player as it's been said. And having listened a bit to some sessions that Travis Barker has done, I think he's actually more reserved and tasteful than he gets credit for. He's definately got a distinct playing style, but that doesn't mean he overplays. Mary J. Blige is a sick vocalist, but yeah, she will most likely oversing this just as she did on One with U2. The shredder mentality. But as far as RnB shredders go, at least she has a nice voice Put Myles Kennedy on this and it would've kicked all kinds of arse but it seems they're going for a different kind of approach.

 

[right_to_rage]

Fine I'll give Randy Jackson a shot, dog.
I choose to relax and just let this hindenburg do what it does

 

[JohnIce]

Well... what are we all waiting for?



In my opinion, it was a bit meh... nothing spectacular, neither Vai nor Orianthi had tone to write home about (although I've always thought Orianthi's live tone is lacking, I mean, buy a reverb, lady!), and Vai seems to be going for some kind of rock geezer approach (possibly because he didn't want to kill anyone with his usual guitaristics), but he's not my go-to guy for pentatonic licks. Travis Barker's pop-punk beat is different... I'll leave it at that

Overall not horrible, but bland, I think.

 

[xtrustisyoursx]

MJB and barker were definitely the weak points. Dear Mr. Barker, IT'S CALLED DYNAMICS, PLZ USE THEM MORE, THNX. And MJB just seemed either unrehearsed or just unable to sing that style.

 

[Bungle]

This.

-OH GOD, MJB doing crazy and unnecessary "yodeling" around the song.

And this! Case in point, MJB on U2's "One"...

 

[Ckackley]

The only parts that really bothered me were Mary J Blige's vocals and the piano. Take out the piano all together and get a better singer and it might have been cool. As already mentioned the tones pretty well sucked, but I wasn't expecting much from a TV broadcast.
It's like John said- meh ...

 

[JohnIce]

I think the pianist is Ron Fair, chairman of Geffen Records. Either way, I think the overall mix is kinda sucky. The piano and Orianthi are too loud, the bass is incredibly weak sounding etc.

 

[Default_M]

That was fucking dreadful. Really messy and overall just felt amateurish.

 

[Cheesebuiscut]

The only parts that really bothered me were Mary J Blige's vocals and the piano. Take out the piano all together and get a better singer and it might have been cool. As already mentioned the tones pretty well sucked, but I wasn't expecting much from a TV broadcast.
It's like John said- meh ...

This, mary J did not fit the song in the slightest thats what slapped me around for a while when I tried to pay attention to the rest of it.

 

[Ckackley]

This, mary J did not fit the song in the slightest thats what slapped me around for a while when I tried to pay attention to the rest of it.

That's a really good description. She was distracting to the rest of what was happening.

 

[NickB11]

I think that Mary J Blige or whatever was not very good at all, I think they could have picked someone better. I was excited when I saw the "In Studio" footage as it seemed alot better than how it came out. Oh and Orianthi is pretty good, but please, let Vai rock the solo. You couldn't even hear what she was playing live, the notes had no clarity at all...just my 2 cents

 

[ittoa666]

-Orianthi is just as hot as her PRS

We all know that Steve's all over that.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Well... what are we all waiting for?



In my opinion, it was a bit meh... nothing spectacular, neither Vai nor Orianthi had tone to write home about (although I've always thought Orianthi's live tone is lacking, I mean, buy a reverb, lady!), and Vai seems to be going for some kind of rock geezer approach (possibly because he didn't want to kill anyone with his usual guitaristics), but he's not my go-to guy for pentatonic licks. Travis Barker's pop-punk beat is different... I'll leave it at that

Overall not horrible, but bland, I think.

Kinda made me felt that I shouldn't have started a topic about it....

 

[shadowlife]

That was fucking dreadful. Really messy and overall just felt amateurish.

That pretty much sums up my feelings as well. In fact, it was even worse than i was expecting.

 

[beneharris]

We all know that Steve's all over that.

i've always thought vai seems a bit gay...


yeah the song wasn't good. i kinda feel like with people who have that much talent (basically vai and orianthi) they hsould have nailed that.

i had noooo idea orianthi was good at guitar. i always thought people just thought she was hot. i stand corrected.

 

[JohnIce]

i've always thought vai seems a bit gay...


yeah the song wasn't good. i kinda feel like with people who have that much talent (basically vai and orianthi) they hsould have nailed that.

i had noooo idea orianthi was good at guitar. i always thought people just thought she was hot. i stand corrected.

She was going to be Michael Jackson's new guitar player, following people like EVH, Greg Howe and Jennifer Batten. So she's good. By far my least favourite of the bunch, but she's ok. I just wish her lead tone wasn't so dry, seems like she doesn't use any reverb or delay at all, which doesn't quite go with her style of playing in my opinion.

Btw, Steve is married. If you've ever seen him wearing a chain necklace with a ring on it (he seems to wear it all the time, so you've probably seen it), that's his wedding ring. He doesn't like it on his finger when he plays, or something to that effect.

 

[matt397]

Wow srsly all I could hear was MJB's insipid yodelling an whining. oh ya an that loud ass piano. both guitar tones were dry an boring an generally lost behind the piano and "yo dawg" randy jacksons bass. I could honestly think of about 10 other people that would of been a better choice of singer for this. none of which would be RnB singers. I think I would of been more entertained if they got william hung, the guy that did that cover of she bang by ricky martin to do the vocals

 

[Louis Cypher]

Meh.... won't ever get those few mins back... what the fcuk though is Vai doing on American Idol? thought he of all people would have more integrity than to be involved with Cowell attempts at world domination... am waiting for the Cribs episode Cowell does from his secret underground volcano lair! haha!!

 

[JohnIce]

...am waiting for the Cribs episode Cowell does from his secret underground volcano lair! haha!!

If Simon Cowell had his own secret underground volcano lair... he'd suddenly be fucking awesome!

 

[liamh]

After watching the performance, I still stand by this post:

Dump Blige and hire Sade Adu and then you're talking.