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alive in an ultra world

it was some time in 1994 when i first heard about steve vai. his name was used in the same sentence as “frank zappa“, followed by nouns like “virtuoso” and adjectives like “unconventional”. i just had to check him out. i bought “passion & warfare“, which was a good introduction to his music. (i would have not been ready to digest the denser material then available: the zappaesque “flex-able” and the peculiar “sex & religion“). from the cover, to the music, to the insert notes, everything about that album fascinated me. i was hooked.

steve’s music colors my life. i consider him the musical version of byron, for his ability to dissect the human soul and reveal its very core. his music has been the backdrop for hookups and breakups; it has inspired me; it has carried me through difficult runs.

i’d been toying with the idea for a while, and a couple of weeks ago i finally consummated it: i found a partner in crime 🙂 and we both went to a tattoo shop and got inked. ha! i now carry the “vai” symbol under the skin on my left arm. sweet!

{ 11 comments… add one }
  • Chris March 9, 2007, 8:51 pm

    You rebel, you;)

    That’s a cool tat. Your line about “backdrop for hook ups and break ups” was a great one. Seems like it should be in a contemporary novel or something.Chris

  • Ben March 9, 2007, 8:57 pm

    It’s good to be passionate about the soulful things in life. Music and trailrunning are two of my passions, as well, and I can do both at the same time…splash through mud puddles on twisty single-track while being encompassed by my music. Isn’t life grand?!

    Happy trails,
    Ben

  • Darrell March 12, 2007, 4:32 am

    Very cool! I’ve been rolling the idea around for 7 or 8 years but just can’t commit to a design. The wheels start turning again…

  • Kenji March 12, 2007, 12:32 pm

    as steve himself would say, “peace” 🙂

  • olga March 12, 2007, 7:40 pm

    Sweet symbol!

  • OCRunnerGirl March 12, 2007, 10:44 pm

    Nattie…I love it! Welcome the the world of being inked. I’m due for another. Thanks for sharing the picture. It looks good on you!

  • Bob Gentile March 13, 2007, 1:33 pm

    Nice Tattoo, congrats!…

    I have my one & only on my calve 🙂 took me a while to make a decision but did it about –geesh 5 years now–wow time fly’s–have a pic of it on my blog.

    Have a great week

    Bob

  • stephruns March 15, 2007, 12:56 am

    Great tattoo! I’m currently also thinking about getting one, something that connects me to running. I’m not sure yet what this could be though….

  • Robb March 19, 2007, 10:20 pm

    I love Steve Vai. My oldest son plays an Ibanez similar to Steve’s. Cool.

    Steve Vai & co. do a nice job on Eric Clapton’s “CrossRoads” DVD set.

  • Mondo Gitane December 19, 2007, 8:23 am

    Steve Vai is pure crap. And a cool runner won’t listen to crap while training… try the Fleshtones instead.

  • Hella Sound April 17, 2008, 3:54 am

    Just discovered your site!

    Wow. Steve Vai is some deep, deep stuff. I’ve been playing guitar for *cough* 20 years and he does things I still don’t understand.

    I think the first time I heard him was the little talking wah-wah trick for DLR’s “Yankee Rose”–not his most musical work maybe, but it sure made an impression on me.

    Cool!

    The stuff we’re doing at Hella Sound is nowhere as technical as Vai’s work, but we will have rock music for running shortly–come check us out!

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