American virtuoso guitarist Steve Wai (Wei) became famous as a talented composer. The performer is known as a vocalist, actor and producer. The total circulation of triple-issued Grammy-winning albums has exceeded 15 million copies.
Starting his professional career with his idol Frank Zappa, Stephen Siro Wai founded his own label in 1999. "Favored Nations" specializes in recording virtuoso performers.
Improvement time
The biography of the future celebrity began in 1960. The baby was born in Long Island on June 6. From an early age, the boy became interested in music. Parents fully approved of his interest: the family kept a lot of discs of Jimmy Hendrix and "Led Zeppelin".
The result was the creation of a group in which both Steve and his older sister Lilian played. He wrote his first composition for the team. The song was called "Hot Chocolate". The team’s repertoire included other works by the young composer.
The first serious experience was participation in the school group "The Ohio Express". Wai played keyboards in it. He decided to change his position after he heard a virtuoso solo on the guitar. The dream of a novice musician was the glory of the most famous guitarist in the world. The young man acquired the instrument the very next day. His teacher was the famous performer Joe Satriani.
Under the influence of a mentor, Wei learned not only to copy the manner of the masters. He realized that repeating the ear of known techniques for the development of his skill would not. Therefore, the novice guitarist began to develop his own unique style.
Education stopped with graduation. He continued his education at Boston College of Music at Berkeley. At the school, Steve led the group "Morning Thunder". He did not stop working on the fulfillment of a dream: he sorted the parts of the world's leading guitarists, looked for his tricks and moves.
Solo career
After recording his own arrangement of Zappa's Black Page composition in 1980, Steve ventured to show Frank's work. The skill of an eighteen-year-old guitarist shocked the musician. He invited Steve to join his team. Wai performed in it until 1984. This period he called the best in life, "the time of luck."
After parting with the idol, Steve took up a solo career. He recorded the albums Flex-Able Leftovers and Flex-Able. A year later, the young singer began touring with Alcatrazz. After recording the longplay, he went on to David Lee Roth. Together they created a pair of discs. After their release, Steve gained the celebrity he had dreamed about.
The multi-platinum album "Eat'em & Smile" provided the performer with a role in the film "Crossroads" in 1986. Guitarist Jack Butler became his hero, who gave his soul for the right to become the best. The culmination of the project was the competition of the protagonist with Butler. Photos of Steve began to appear frequently on magazine covers.
Guitar-producing companies suggested Wai play their instruments and become an endorser. However, the guitar, with which the musician still performs, was able to offer him only the company "Ibanez". He signed a contract with her. The series "Jem 777" released by the Japanese company was decorated with an autograph of a guitarist. All 777 guitars then turned into collectibles.
Simultaneously with work on the third solo album "Passion & Warfare" in 1990, there were performances with the team "Whitesnake". The disc took 18th position in the American Billboard. The ballad from it "For the Love of God" critics and fans called one of the best works of the artist. The music of the composer sounds in the films "Styles" and "Ghosts of Mars".
Confession
The following year, Wei received a Grammy for Sofa, a duet with Frank Zappa. Steve took part in the work on the new Universe 7-String guitar model. Tools gained recognition in the mid-nineties.
Wei has been producing for two years. He created the band "Vai". Together with her in 1993 the album "Sex & Religion" was recorded. Then the team ceased to exist and the solo career was continued.
Introduced to fans in 1993, the album "Alien Love Secrets" sold gigantic runs. In 1996, the release of "Fire Garden" was followed. For the first time, Steve performed as a vocalist.
In the Formula One video game, the song “Juice” sounds. As the title track is used in the menu of the new game development "WCW / NWO Revenge" Wei wrote the track "Erotic Nightmares". In the official track of the game were his other two tracks.
Since 1997, Steve took part in the grandiose project "G3". As part of a trio, he toured the world, giving concerts and conducting master classes.
In 2000, he presented several discs with melodies of the countries in which the musician toured. The Grammy nominated for his composition, Whispering A Prayer.
