Vai with Sheehan

[Blix]

I've bought most of vai's albums..eat em and smile was the only one I liked.I thought his playing was great.I remember an interview with Vai where he said he didn't like the album because he didnt have control of the music,DLR did and there were too many creative restraints..I find that funny since its the only work of his I like...kinda like DLR and EVH..glad to hear positive memories about the Eat em and smile tour..wish I could have seen that one..

Vai, as many others does his best work when not being 100% in charge, I dig that.

Vai is one of the very few guitar gods from the 80's that still is working hard and does his best to stay on top. He's the man.

 

[rsm]

The very first professional "show" that I ever saw Sheehan was with Talas, his band out of Buffalo. I think I was 16, had never played a note yet myself, and I stood 10 feet away from him and KNEW this guy was going on to much bigger and better things.

I last saw Vai in Buffalo about 4 years ago and was disappointed that Billy didn't play with him! Not that I had really expected it, but I was hoping, since it was his home town. Maybe some day....

Was this Ladies Night in Buffalo, by any chance?

 

[jerrycasemusic]

Thing I love about him is that Vai is one the the very few shred guys who has developed his own really unique style that is instantly recognizable and original. Sure there are hints of Frank and Ed and others in this style - we all have our colours.

I have seen few players in my life who have that kind of control of his instrument, the notes, technique, amp response and control of feedback, stage antics, etc - all of it.

Love him or hate him - you gotta respect the talent. It's kind of nuts.

 

[derekd]

Wait DLR did two albums after VH with Vai.

Goodness, yes, and they are amazing examples of musicianship of that time. Blows away most everything recorded then. When I put those cds on, I am still amazed at what those guys did.

I saw both shows, also.

 

[mickey69]

i saw the DLR eat 'em and smile tour back in '86, it was a great tour...the interplay between vai and sheehan was so fun...i think DLR called it a "tractor pull", which was funny, i still remember Vai making his guitar say "I-O-WA" w/ his wahwah....thought that was pretty cool!!!!
i remember when they did the classic VH tunes, that i thought Vai did a good job of playing the EVH solos pretty well....he is a great player, that's for sure.....

and i did see VH just months earlier on the 5150 tour also....i'm not sure if i would say one was better than the other, although i think i enjoyed the DLR show, b/c i decided to sit up in the stands and just enjoy the show, we were standing on the floor for the VH show...and on the floor the VH vocals were LOUD and boomy!!!!

saw the 5150 tour, but missed the DLR show that year. i really wish there were a proper DLR DVD ala Live Without A Net available... bummer.

 

[critter74]

i wish i couldve seen that!
how about billy and paul on the first mr. big stuff?

I saw Mr. Big open for Rush on the Presto tour. I never really dug Mr. Big but I'm glad I got to see it.

 

[monwobobbo]

ae the Eat Em and smile tour and agree it was great. as for billy well i grew up in Rochester NY and saw Talas many times when they were a bar band. Billy just killed on bass.

 

[blood5150]

EEAS is one of the top 5 rock albums of the 1980's IMO.

Vai's solo on Big Trouble... wow.




I also really dug the vibe he created on HINA from Skyscraper...





And to me Hot Dog and a Shake was his sequel to Hot for Teacher...again Vai's solo.....

 

[roadfilm]

I saw the Eat Em and Smile tour in Ames, Iowa. Killer show. I was right up front within the first 8 rows and this idiot right behind me decides to hurl his beer mid song right at Roth hitting him square on. Well needless to say Dave wasn't to happy and stopped the band (I'll never forget the look on Vai's face) yelling who's the MoFo who threw that F'n beer!!! He spots the guy who like I said is right behind me and tells him what a MoFo he is and How I'll (Dave) will be F'n your girlfirend tonight then they slam back into the song they were playing. Great rocknRoll moment.

 

[Matt L]

Listening to Skyscraper right now......great stuff.

 

[DRS]

Saw the Eat em and Smile Tour in Vancouver. Excellent! Roth rode a giant inflated microphone around the stage while wearing a giant foam cowboy hat. Talk about symbolism. The musicianship and fun was astounding. Ironically, I'd seen VH earlier that summer with Hagar for the 5150 tour and while the playing was great, only Sammy managed to put on a forced smile. Eddie looked like someone ran over his dog. Alex snarled from behind the kit. Mike looked nervous.

 

[Hammered]

I just listened to a few tracks on the DLR/Vai album.
HOLY ****. Amazing everything.
Why isn't everyone talking about this?

In '86 everyone was talking about it . Saw Talas open for VH in Oakland 1980 , they were no match for VH but they were really good and went over well

 

[monty]

I just listened to a few tracks on the DLR/Vai album.
HOLY ****. Amazing everything.
Why isn't everyone talking about this?

If TGP was around back then, trust me we'd be talking about it.

 

[jerrycasemusic]

In '86 everyone was talking about it . Saw Talas open for VH in Oakland 1980 , they were no match for VH but they were really good and went over well

Yeah bro, this was HUGE when it happened. Bigger for those of us who knew who Sheehan and Vai were before. I was SO pumped when I heard the first rumours of this string lineup. It was like the perfect pairing.

 

[tildeslash]

I listened to both albums last night.
I could not sleep.

Thank you DLR and Vai - you guys did an amazing job.

Now time to buy some books with TABs so I can learn how to play some of these songs - or atleast steal some licks.

 

[Dasein]

Saw the Eat em and Smile Tour in Vancouver. Excellent! Roth rode a giant inflated microphone around the stage while wearing a giant foam cowboy hat. Talk about symbolism. The musicianship and fun was astounding. Ironically, I'd seen VH earlier that summer with Hagar for the 5150 tour and while the playing was great, only Sammy managed to put on a forced smile. Eddie looked like someone ran over his dog. Alex snarled from behind the kit. Mike looked nervous.

The 5150 tour in BC place was great - I was on the barricade in front of Eddie all night and he was in good form smiling like a MF. The show before (in Seattle) Ed was smiling (but a little messed up). 1988's Monsters of Rock show in Seattle sucked - Ed was grumpy and the band was completely uninspired. The F.U.C.K tour in BC Place with Alice in Chains similarly sucked for reasons you stated - Ed was an angry drunk.

Missed EEAS tour but Skyscraper in Vancouver had Dave in good form with Vai, Greg, Matt, & Brett

 

[custom53]

I saw the "Eat 'em and Smile" tour just to see DLR and Vai.. But after they started I could take my eyes off Sheehan.. Amazing player.. He matched Vai note foe note the entire show..

 

[Dasein]

Billy w/ Mr Big in some ways was an even better fit. Very musical.

 

[Omega]

I saw both the EEAS and Skyscraper tours. The EEAS was particularly mind-blowing. They came out with a 1-2-3-4 punch that was incredible:

Shyboy
Tobacco Road
Unchained
Panama

The rest was great also, the whole show. There are a few youtube's of the show out there.

 

[Defendant]

I don't really enjoy hearing Billy these days -I listened to Winery Dogs and all I could think was how much cooler the record would have been with a different bass player.

Long time since I've listened to Vai, too.

But Eat 'em and Smile is a killer record even now.

And when I first heard it I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. I spent hours and hours with that transcription book learning the tunes.