FOREWORD
I found this interview in some Japanese website. Unfortunately, once again,
I lost the web-address, so I can't put a link to it as reference. I don't know
whether they have the original interview in English or not, because this is
a report done by a Japanese Music magazine. It's kinda weird knowing that they
did this conversation in English, and then translate it into Japanese and now
I translate it again to English. (^_^ ;) I hope I don't make too many mistakes.
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In the first two questions, Steve Vai explained about the concept of his new album "The Ultra Zone" and how he came up with the title. Below are third to fifth questions : |
| Question To your Japanese fans,
your collaboration with B'z is a topic that we cannot avoid. How did you
get along with them? Please tell us things, details of what happened. Answer I have heard about Tak being an outstanding guitarist from Japan since a long time ago. When I was doing another album "Merry Axemas", I had thought about asking him to contribute some works in it. We couldn't do it then because our schedules clashed. Afterwards, even after I got to meet him in person so many times, I still had absolutely no idea about the kind of popularity B'z has as a group. This time, for the purpose of making this album, I was looking for various artists to collaborate with me. I have many loyal fans in Japan, so I thought it'd be great if I can find artists from Japan to do this with me. At that time, the name B'z was immediately brought up to my attention. So I got to listen to their music for the first time. I was astonished ! Because their music came out so good and so powerful to my ear. Even when B'z tends to lean more to the pop-side, Tak's way of guitar playing is most exciting. We don't have this in America. America's pop music, when they have guitar solos, it's always done in a very boring way, it's completely lacking imagination. Anyway, I got to be interested in the way he plays his guitar and writes his songs. Of course, there's also the wonderful music production too. So the next step, it was only natural for me to work together with the person who can sing in the group (laugh). Naturally, I got to meet Koshi and worked things out together with him. At the beginning, I didn't know what exactly I should expect from these people. Because both of them are excellent, whether in terms of music or as a person. It was so much fun. In my house's lawn, there are beehives (*Steve Vai's passion beside his music is bees and honey!). Bees and B'z are pronounced almost the same way. So I showed it to them. Gave some honey to Koshi. We had some Indo (*Indonesia?) meals together. We wrote excellent song for my album. I also gave Tak an amplifier. In short, we had a wonderful time. |
| Question So was the recording
process with B'z also a pleasant experience? Answer It was completely a pleasure for me. I don't work with other artists often. And I don't like working with people who do not appreciate my music from the bottom of their hearts. Because if they can truly appreciate my music, then it'd be much easier for us to work together, right? There are some people who work with me and we have already had an understanding ground together. It's a totally different thing with B'z. They are so famous. I'm very happy that they like my music too. They are also very nice people. Even now, I would occasionally exchange e-mails with Koshi. When my latest album was released, I sent it to him right away. He was the first person who got to listen to it in Japan. |
| Question So even though various
guitarists have guest-appearances in your albums before, to have this kind
of pleasant surprise is your first time? Answer It sure is. To find other guitarists who can level up to my guitar playing standard is actually harder than everyone thinks. In music, if you are not up to certain level then it won't work at all for me. But when I heard Tak's guitar, I thought this will definitely work. |
| Other following questions are about songs in the album, Steve's impression on Asia and Japan respectively, his touring schedule in 2000 and his message to fans. |
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