Here's your Steve Vai

[Rick_Lamoreaux]

I just saw this posted by Gus at guitarbt today. It was originally posted back in August.


Steve Vai Requests Removal of his Backing Tracks:

Today I got this email from his lawyer:


Dear Sir:

Please be advised that this law firm represents songwriter, musician and entertainment personality Steve Vai and Mr. Vai’s wholly owned publishing company, Sy Vy Music (ASCAP). On behalf of Steve Vai and SyVy Music, I have been informed that your company (directly or through an affiliate) has been producing, distributing and selling backing tracks embodying copyrighted musical compositions, which are owned and controlled worldwide by Sy Vy Music and written by Steve Vai. Further, based on information and belief, I have been informed that no mechanical licenses or synchronization licenses have been obtained by Guitarbt.com and no permission has been granted to use the name Steve Vai in connection with the sale of these backing tracks, whether in the United States and in other countries.

Please be advised that any previous, current, or future exploitation by Guitarbt.com (directly or through an affiliate) of any products embodying Steve Vai's musical compositions, name or likeness is a violation of applicable laws and therefore I advise that you cease and desist production and sales immediately.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to be a complete statement of the rights of my client or a waiver or release with respect to the subject matter herein contained. All rights and remedies available to my client in law and/or equity I hereby expressly reserve.

Very truly yours,

Some Lawyer dude.



It was going to happen sooner or later...

[Guitarpima]

Oh well, so much for learning Steve Vai songs. LOL!
I never liked him since he butcher the original "Fool For Your Lovin".

[ZappaFan]

The world is still going mad isn't it ? There is an easy answer to this kind of stuff, stop buying his albums and stop buying anything endorsed by him ....... if these guys want to be petty over a few backing tracks then they can shove it. I could understand maybe if guitarbt were selling the backers or people used the backers for money making purposes, but we know thats not the case.

Maybe it's about time the users of the Internet, without whom none of these companies and artists would make a bean, stood there ground and said 'hold on a cotton picking minute' this is what we want from 'our Internet'. They surely aren't hurting sales, quite the opposite, the proliferation of this type of material can only spread the word about the artists and therefore increase sales of albums and endorsed goods.

Maybe Vai is just getting a bit edgy as his albums sales have dropped ....... due to him being a total knob and the credit crunch threatening the production of frilly 1970's shirts !!!

I have only ever bought one Vai album and to be honest I was disappointed with that. It shall henceforth be used as a coaster for my coffee cup !!! :-)

[Stew]

I think it was quite some time ago Vai warned guitarbt because he wanted to sell his own created backing tracks for guitarists on itunes. Shep said the backing tracks were exceptional which is fair enough i guess but I am a bit shocked that they have intimated guitarbt "sell" the BTs which they don't or am I missing something?

Anyway apart from some tracks off PAW album I cannot stand anything of his work now and would never want to learn any of it anyway so stuff him.

[bigdoug]

he looks a right twat anyway.

[Stew]

check his video on his site for the effects pedal he goofs around with video effects to have a twin sit next to him and calls himself a w4nk3r lol.

WrBLnB3ze5Y

[Six]

I read this on guitarbt a couple of weeks ago and immediately thought "What a wanker!"
You'd think he'd be proud of the fact that people want to emulate him and play his tunes, but no, not unless it's going to make even more money for him. So much for 'doing it for the love of it', he's a business man through and through, to hell with the people, to hell with the fans... to hell with Steve Vai as far as I'm concerned. I have bought a few of his albums in the past but I won't be wasting my money on him in the future... his last album was crap anyway!

[Rob]

do you really think its him who's put the blocks on guitarbt? I doubt it, maybe his people but I would think he knows nothing, I just can't see him trawling websites for ilegal use of his name/music whatever. It will be the management/agent scum not him, I'm not a fan but this is just my opinion

[Guitarpima]

You may have something there Rob. We'll see.

[Rick_Lamoreaux]

If he were smart he would know everything that his lawyer does in his behalf...

[Rob]

If he were smart he would know everything that his lawyer does in his behalf...

he will have advisors surely, he has to trust someone!!

[Stew]

He will have his finger on teh pulse you bet!!! His lawyers/advisors may do the groundwork but ultimate decision to send a letter or open lawsuit would be his.

[zombo]

He a dickson anyway I don't like him the video Stew put up is full of himself I designed it me me me I hate braggers!!

[pakeystrat]

Just go on to guitarBT and download the lot of the Bt's. That'll screw 'em lol
If we all did that, guitarBt could remove them if they wanted

WAIT................that might cause a lot of panic downloading and we might break the internet

Not fussy on Vai stuff much anyway lol

If it is Vai thats initiated this, HE'S A TWAT !!!!!!! :goodnight:

[mullyman]

Other than the stuff he did with David Lee Roth I've had zero interest in him. I'll give the guy credit that he has amazing technique, but other than that I'd rather listen to someone farting through a cell phone. And this video posted here, Jesus, what a self absorbed prick. Every time I see him purse his lips and suck in his cheeks I just want to reach through the screen and smack the shit out of him.
MULLY
I do agree though that it's probably more management/lawyers having this done

[bloodandtears]

lmao.. the guy can play.. and make fun of himself..

+1 for the opinion that vai just writes/plays.. and leaves it all to his bro to manage..

[Rick]

difficult to call really, i don't like steve vai's music anymore but to be honest maybe he thinks he is being ripped off and if you look at it from that point of view, IE he wrote, performed and owns it then he is being ripped off.
I have a saying i frequently use in my trade with the customers which goes simply "which part of your job do you do for free?"
then looking at it the other way if you want to download a vai backer then you are obviously a fan and more over will go and support the dude when he's plays live, you probably have a stack of his discs already possibly even a siggy guitar or 2 etc etc.
so you will have already have dumped a shed load of cash in the guys backsack.

[wahwah]

I think that Vai is a very shrewd businessman with his own studio complex and all the trappings of a squillionairre guitar hero. But I think he has go it SO wrong here regardless of whether it's him or his people. People who regard him highly are simply wanting to play his stuff and be heard...which is all free publicity for him!? To my mind it's like making a paper aeroplane and being sued by Boeing for stealing the design. Good point earlier about the trillions who use the internet saying what they want. That would shake things up a bit.

BTW, not a big fan but I'm mindful of the fact that he's done some very good things and his style is all him. :thumb:

[Steve Zane]

do you really think its him who's put the blocks on guitarbt? I doubt it, maybe his people but I would think he knows nothing, I just can't see him trawling websites for ilegal use of his name/music whatever. It will be the management/agent scum not him, I'm not a fan but this is just my opinion
You have a point Rob!

[Stew]

You have a point Rob!
thing is Steve we are living in litigatious world now. I reckon if "his people" did anything wihtout his say tehn he would then go after them for ruining his reputation with internet population, surely lawyers would have taken that possibility into account. So way I see it he must know about it.