understand you had two major surgeries , ( a torn bicep tendon and a ruptured flexor tendon in your thumb ). STEVE VAI : About four years ago , I started having some shoulder pain and went through the conventional attempts to heal it . Physical therapy didn ' t work ; it got worse . After they took a look , it looked like a hand grenade went off in
there . I think probably when I play the guitar ; I ' m in a particular position that might have had something to do with it over the past 50 years . I had the first surgery , and it went well ; they fixed three of the tendons . It takes about a year to heal from something like that . Also when I had the first surgery , I had a trigger finger , which it ' s not a very uncommon kind of thing . And it was a very simple surgery on my left thumb . A trigger finger just starts actually triggering . It has to do with the cables that run through your arm and they get frayed , and then it just froze up . But otherwise , I ' m 62 and I seem to be in really good health .
IE : Talk about the composing and recording of the new album Inviolate , I understand you were actually working on a solo acoustic
album with vocals before this album ? How didyoushiftgearsfromittothisalbum ? SV : Before the lockdowns , I was working on the third installment in the series of records — a quadrilogy , actually — that I was writing called Real Illusions . And I started to find time on my hands . And I use it the best I could to reach to the fans . I launched a couple of live streams , and
one of them was called Alien Guitar Secrets , where we talk about guitar and this kind of thing ; another was called Under It All , where I discuss more esoteric principles and stuff . I uploaded a piece that I filmed in my studio of a song called “ The Moon and I ” of me just playing acoustic guitar and singing , which I ' d never done before . And I was very surprised at the response . So I thought , well , I got the time , and I always wanted to record a solo acoustic vocal record . And I had this material , “ Knappsack ” and “ Candlepower ,” and I thought , “ I ’ m going to make a pretty focused instrumental guitar record and get on tour .” I was really itching to tour ; I just love being out there on the road . And I wanted to get a record together so I can go out and support it . So that ' s when I put all my focus on completing Inviolate . And the songs started
Continued on page 28 newreleases November 4
Caleb Landry Jones Gadzooks Vol . 2 Dean Fertita Tropical Gothclub Ezra Collective Where Iʼm Meant To Be First Aid Kit Palomino Jason Collett Head Full Of Wonder Old Fire Voids Phoenix Alpha Zulu Special Interest Endure Spoon Lucifer On The Moon Yonatan Gat American Quartet
November 11
Bruce Springsteen Only The Strong Survive Gold Panda The Work Hyd Clearing Jimmy Edgar LIQUIDS HEAVEN L . S . Dunes Past Lives Louis Tomlinson Faith In the Future
November 19
Caitlin Rose CAZIMI Neil Young & Crazy Horse World Record Nickelback Get Rollin ' Richard Dawson The Ruby Cord Röyksopp Profound Mysteries III Weyes Blood And In The Darkness , Hearts Aglow
November 25
Caitlin Rose CAZIMI Honey Dijon Black Girl Magic
First Aid Kit
L . S . Dunes
10 illinoisentertainer . com november 2022