Steve Vai’s technical mastery of the guitar is such that, like a gunslinger of old, he used to challenge the audience at Frank Zappa gigs to bring along music scores for him to sight read live on stage. Naturally enough Vai’s reputation spread and his solos soon became one of the benchmarks that aspiring guitarists measure themselves against.

A brief spell in 1985 with Alcatrazz (replacing Yngwie Malmsteen), followed by a couple of years with David Lee Roth, who had by that time split, very publicly, from Eddie Van Halen. His iconic status also led to a collaboration with Ibanez with whom has designed several signature guitars.

Steve Vai's guitar work on that album is really amazing, and for the most part totally unconventional. What a monster.

What’s What With … Steve Vai
You may not know the name Steve Vai. But unless you think that heavy metal is just the stuff you don’t want in your drinking water, you’ve undoubtedly heard his screamingly fast guitar work, since he’s played with the likes of Ozzy Osbourne,David Lee Roth, Frank Zappa, and Whitesnake. Since leaving that world of overindulgence in the ’80s, Vai has maintained a successful solo career with more than a dozen albums; he appears tonight at the Keswick and on Saturday at the Borgata. I caught up with this six-string soldier before sound check. — Victor Fiorillo

Every teenage boy wants to pick up the guitar and play it. Why?
It’s not just teenage boys. It’s all boys, adults too. It’s a very expressive instrument, more so than others. You can play it loud and extremely aggressive — it can be more aggressive than any other instrument, but it can also be more tender. It’s very sexy.

Do you have some ridiculous number of guitars?
No, I don’t collect. I used to collect hot sauce, which is a really cool hobby. They come in very colorful bottles, and I can get it anywhere in the world. But I think that I’ve satiated my bottle desire.

There’s a certain image that goes along with rock and roll, an image that you clearly projected when you were onstage with Whitesnake, but I hear you’re actually a pretty humble, down-to-earth guy.
Back in the ’80s, being a rock star was very chic. The clothes you wore and the way you acted and the stage performance and persona was what we did back then. I embraced that. It was fun, really great. I like experimenting with fashion. All my clothes are custom-made, and I change like three times in the show. It’s part of the performance. I don’t pine for the days of yore when rock stars were rock stars. And I don’t consider myself a rock star. I am a thoroughly trained musical person that creates compositions with the instrument.

You have a very impressive worldwide following, but some of the musicians you used to work with play bigger houses, have bigger names. Does it make you jealous?
When I left those rock bands and decided to make the music I wanted to make, I thought I would have no audience at all. And the fact that I can travel the world and find an audience in virtually any place I go, including communist China, that’s an extraordinary privilege. I’m a guy with virtually zero radio airplay, never in Rolling Stone, don’t have MTV, VH1 or any television, and yet I can play all over after 27 years. I look at that and say “Man, you better be grateful, Vai.”

I heard that you’re a beekeeper, and we’ve been hearing a lot about this shortage of honeybees. What’s with that?
About a year ago I had to move my hives to an orange grove in Valencia because I was doing a remodel of the house. After we finish our garage, I’ll get a bunch of colonies back. But it’s all very concerning. Honeybees are responsible for so much of the food we eat. It’s very mysterious the way they just vanished. They didn’t die. They vanished. I have my theories.

Have you been stung a lot?
No, honeybees are pretty mild. Now, yellowjackets grew up in a rough neighborhood — you’ve got to watch them. Each hive is different. The temperament of each hive is based on the queen. I’ve had some very aggressive hives that kicked the **** out of me, but I get Italian queens now, and they’re bred for mild nature and productivity. I can go to my Italian hive and it will be gigantic — they make tons of honey.

I’ve never been stung, so I’m deathly afraid.
If you can avoid it, you’re probably better off.

Are you going to see your former bandmate David Lee Roth perform with Van Halen?
I’d like to if I can get tickets. It’s a hard ticket to get.

I think you know the right people who can help you out.
No, I don’t want to ask anybody for tickets. But I’ll probably go. I’m a fan of Edward’s [Eddie Van Halen]. He’s an historical legendary guitar player who changed the face of rock guitar playing, and I can count on one crippled hand the amount of people who have done that. And I am not one of them. (on 9/27/07 ,Interviewed)

Learn how to play "Big Trouble" note by note. From David Lee Roth's Album EAT 'EM AND SMILE

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