Steve Vai Recalls Why Audience ‘Freaked Out’ Over Robert Fripp’s G3 Performances, Explains Why He Won’t Take Vintage Gear on the Beat Tour
“I would watch him construct these audio tapestries that never repeated themselves.”
Reflecting on what it’s like to learn the complex 1980s King Crimson material for the upcoming Beat tour, Steve Vai also remembered how the audiences reacted to Robert Fripp’s participation in the G3 tour.
As the supergroup also featuring Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, and Danny Carey are preparing to get out on the road, everyone wants to know what it’s like for Steve to learn this incredibly challenging music. After all, he has this heavy burden of responsibility to take the role of one of the most unique guitar players of all time. But despite the challenges, we’re certain that Vai will be up to the task.
While appearing on the ProgCast podcast recently, Steve Vai discussed what it’s like to play Robert Fripp’s parts and participate in the Beat project. Saying that he’s incredibly excited for the upcoming tour, the guitar virtuoso added (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar):
“King Crimson is a jam band in a sense also. They have all of the specifics, but there’s great swaths of open space. I’ve been so fortunate that father Robert is being so communicative and helpful for me. And that’s such a blessing, too.”
“I get good insights on things, and he’s very supportive, as is Adrian, of what someone like myself can bring to the project in the form of improv.”
One of the exciting parts is also the use of guitar synths. Now, these have changed a lot over the years and the technology makes things a lot simpler these days. However, Robert Fripp always preferred his good old stuff, like Roland G-808 and G-303 guitars which are designed to work as controllers for Roland’s synth units. With that said, Vai also remembered Fripp’s use of synths during the legendary G3 tours with him and Satriani.
“And the exciting thing for me is I’ve always dabbled slightly with guitar synths,” Steve continued. “And when Robert was on tour with us, with G3, I would sit and marvel at how he would open the show with his soundscapes. I mean, it was so creative and so interesting. And he would invite me to come and sit alongside of him.”
“He was so open. And I think he used to play also on ‘For the Love of God’ on some things. It was just such a great period, very open and creative period.”
“But I would watch him construct these audio tapestries that never repeated themselves, and at times were so intense that the audience would be freaked out. [Laughs] So that piqued my interest again in the guitar synths.”
“And he was a pioneer of it, he really was. Those things that they were doing on those early Crimson records were unique.”
However, despite his love for synths, Steve isn’t all keen on taking the old-school stuff with him on the road for the Beat tour. After recalling how he used some of the synths over the years, he was asked whether he’ll bring vintage Roland synth guitars, he replied:
“I’m trying to avoid that because it’s so antiquated, it requires a major surgery. And I think there’s better ways. There’s certain pieces of contemporary Roland gear that allows for the migration of patches.”
“And my goal is to… In many of these songs where Robert’s synth sound is necessary — a prime ingredient of the music. ‘Sheltering Sky,’ there’s a couple of others… I want to honor and respect that. But I want to bring more to it somehow, without compromising the integrity of the of what’s there.”
