Passion and Warfare

Infobox Album |
Name = Passion and Warfare
Type = Album
Artist = Steve Vai


Released = July, 1990
Recorded = 1989 & 1990
Genre = Experimental rock, instrumental rock
Length = 52:43
Label = Relativity/Epic
Producer = Steve Vai
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0jdsa93gb230 link]
Last album = "Flex-Able Leftovers"
(1984)
This album = "Passion and Warfare"
(1990)
Next album = "Sex and Religion"
(1993)

"Passion and Warfare" is a 1990 instrumental album from guitarist Steve Vai. It has been certified 2 times Platinum. It was written based on a series of dream sequences that Vai had when he was younger, and in the guitar music book of the album, Vai sums it up as 'Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a party that Ben Hur threw for Mel Blanc'. It was all recorded in 'The Mothership' studio at his home in the Hollywood Hills, a convert|1600|sqft|m2|sing=on building where his guitar parts for Whitesnake's album Slip of the Tongue were also recorded. (Whitesnake singer David Coverdale has small talking parts on "Passion and Warfare".) Vai has many strange recording techniques, and for one of Passion and Warfare's tracks, "For the Love of God", he fasted for ten days and recorded this song on the fourth day of the fast to create the correct mindset he felt would give feeling to his playing in the song. The track Blue Powder was actually recorded in 1986 as a showcase track for Carvin amplification and given away with Guitar Player magazine in flexi-disc format (the drum performance was subsequently re-recorded for the album). [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20040612234644/theultrazone.com/articles3.cfm The Ultra Zone - Articles (archived)] ] [ [http://www.musiciansfriend.com/document?doc_id=93685&g=guitar&src=3SOSWXXA Musician's Friend Exlusive Interview with Steve Vai] ]

The gear used to record this album was: Ibanez JEM and Universe guitars, Charvel Greenie Meanie, Marshall JCM900 amplifiers, Boss DS-1 pedals, ADA-MP-1 preamp, Eventide H3000 harmonizer, Lexicon etc.

Track listing

All songs written by Steve Vai.
# "Liberty" – 2:02
# "Erotic Nightmares" – 4:13
# "The Animal" – 3:55
# "Answers" – 2:41
# "The Riddle" – 6:22
# "Ballerina 12/24" – 1:45
# "For the Love of God" – 6:02
# "The Audience Is Listening" – 5:30
# "I Would Love To" – 3:40
# "Blue Powder" – 4:44
# "Greasy Kid's Stuff" – 2:57
# "Alien Water Kiss" – 1:10
# "Sisters" – 4:07
# "Love Secrets" – 3:35

Personnel

* Steve Vai - guitar, keyboards and other various instruments
* Stuart Hamm - bass
* Chris Frazier - drums
* Tris Imboden - drums
* David Rosenthal - keyboards, backing vocals
* Bob Harris - keyboards, backing vocals
* Pia Vai - keyboards, backing vocals

Additional musicians

* Nancy Fagen - vocals
* Jamie Firlotte - vocals
* David Coverdale - backing vocals
* Rudy Sarzo - backing vocals
* Adrian Vandenberg - backing vocals
* Pascal Fillet - backing vocals
* Laurel Fishman - backing vocals
* Lillian Vai - backing vocals
* Pam Vai - backing vocals
* Joel Kaith - backing vocals
* Corky Tanassy - backing vocals
* Jamie Kornberg - backing vocals
* Lauren Kornberg - backing vocals
* Corinne Larue - backing vocals
* Famin' - backing vocals
* Darla Albright - backing vocals
* Laura Gross - backing vocals
* Rupert Henry - backing vocals
* Suzanna Harris - backing vocals
* Julian Vai - backing vocals

References