Passion and Warfare
Studio album by
Steve Vai
ReleasedMay 22, 1990 (1990-05-22)
StudioThe Mothership
Genre
Length53:15
LabelRelativity
ProducerSteve Vai
Steve Vai chronology
Flex-Able Leftovers
(1984)		 Passion and Warfare
(1990)		 Sex & Religion
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Passion and Warfare is the second studio album by guitarist Steve Vai, released on May 22, 1990, through Relativity and Epic Records.[2] It has been certified Gold by the RIAA.

Background

Passion and Warfare 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 1,600-square-foot (150 m2) building in which his guitar parts for Whitesnake's 1989 album Slip of the Tongue were also recorded. Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale has small spoken parts on the album; Coverdale, Adrian Vandenberg and Rudy Sarzo are credited with backing vocals. Vai states that planning the album started as early as 1982, but was shelved after joining the David Lee Roth band and not picked up again until parting ways with Roth in 1989.[3]

"The Audience Is Listening" video received regular airplay on MTV.[4]

Recording methods

Vai utilized many unusual recording techniques on the album. For what would come to be one of his most popular songs to date, "For the Love of God", he fasted for ten days and recorded the song on the fourth day of the fast.[5] "Blue Powder" was originally recorded in 1986 as a showcase track for Carvin, using their X-100B amplifier, and given away with Guitar Player magazine in flexi disc format. Vai was introduced to Carvin by his mentor Frank Zappa, who had also used the X-100B. The drums were subsequently re-recorded for the album.[6] The equipment used to record Passion and Warfare was: Ibanez JEM and Universe guitars; Charvel Green Meanie guitar; Marshall JCM900 and Carvin X-100B amplifiers; ADA MP-1 preamplifier; Boss DS-1 distortion pedal; Eventide H3000 harmonizer; Lexicon 480L. Like many other releases by Vai, the album is largely instrumental, with only spoken word pieces being featured in terms of vocals, which are performed by many guests.

Legacy

The song "For the Love of God" is available for download for the 2007 video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, and was voted the 29th best solo of all time by a readers' poll in Guitar World magazine.[7]

In 2016, Vai embarked on the Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary World Tour, where he played the album in its entirety for the first time.[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Steve Vai

No.TitleLength
1."Liberty"2:03
2."Erotic Nightmares"4:15
3."The Animal"4:01
4."Answers"2:56
5."The Riddle"6:24
6."Ballerina 12/24"1:43
7."For the Love of God"6:03
8."The Audience Is Listening"5:30
9."I Would Love To"3:41
10."Blue Powder"4:44
11."Greasy Kid's Stuff"2:58
12."Alien Water Kiss"1:10
13."Sisters"4:07
14."Love Secrets"3:40
Total length:53:15
25th Anniversary Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
15."Lovely Elixir"3:30
16."And We Are One (Solo #2)"2:03
17."As Above"2:15
18."So Below"2:14

Personnel

  • Steve Vai – guitar, Eventide H3000, keyboard (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 11), bass (tracks 1, 8, 9, 11), arrangement, engineering, production
  • David Rosenthal – keyboard (tracks 2, 9, 13), background vocals
  • Pia Maiocco (credited as Pia Vai) – keyboard on one chord (track 4)
  • Bob Harris – keyboard (track 10), background vocals
  • Chris Frazier – drums (tracks 1–5, 8, 10, 11, 13)
  • Tris Imboden – drums (tracks 7, 9)
  • Stuart Hamm – bass (tracks 2–5, 7, 10, 13)
  • Nancy Fagen – "vocals & hysteria" (track 8)
  • Jamie Firlotte – boy vocals (track 8)
  • David Coverdale – background vocals
  • Rudy Sarzo – background vocals
  • Adrian Vandenberg – background vocals
  • Pascal Fillet – background vocals
  • Laurel Fishman – background vocals
  • Lillian Vai – background vocals
  • Pam Vai – background vocals
  • Joel Kaith – background vocals
  • Corky Tanassy – background vocals
  • Jamie Kornberg – background vocals
  • Lauren Kornberg – background vocals
  • Corinne Larue – background vocals
  • Famin' – background vocals
  • Darla Albright – background vocals
  • Laura Gross – background vocals
  • Rupert Henry – background vocals
  • Suzanna Harris – background vocals
  • Julian Angel Vai – background vocals
  • Pascal Fillet – mixing
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart performance for Passion and Warfare
Chart (1990) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[9] 25
Canadian Albums (RPM)[10] 27
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[11] 32
European Albums (IFPI)[12] 36
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 3
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[14] 28
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[15] 12
Spanish Albums (AFYVE)[16] 42
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 27
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 35
UK Albums (OCC)[19] 8
US Billboard 200[20] 18
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[21] 18

Certifications

Certifications for Passion and Warfare
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[22] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[23] Gold 50,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[24] Gold 132,500[14]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[25] Gold 7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[26] Silver 50,000[27]
United States (RIAA)[28] Gold 850,000[29]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Passion and Warfare - Steve Vai". AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  2. ↑ Graham, Jonathan (May 10, 2019). "Forgotten Guitar: Steve Vai's 1990 Appearance on MTV’s 'Headbangers Ball'". Guitar World. Future US. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  3. ↑ Vai, Steve. "Notes: "Passion and Warfare"". vai.com.
  4. ↑ ""The Audience Is Listening"". youtube.com.
  5. ↑ "Interview:Musician's Friend Exclusive Interview with Steve Vai, Part II" Archived 2016-07-01 at the Wayback Machine. Musician's Friend. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  6. ↑ Tolinski, Brad (July 1990). "Steve Vai's Field of Dreams". Guitar School. Archived from the original on 2004-06-12. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  7. ↑ Guitar World Staff (2008-10-28). "100 Greatest Guitar Solos: No. 29 "For the Love of God" (Steve Vai). Guitar World. NewBay Media. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  8. ↑ Fanelli, Damian. "Steve Vai Announces 'Passion and Warfare' 25th Anniversary World Tour". Guitar World.
  9. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Steve Vai – Passion And Warfare". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  10. ↑ "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 52, No. 11, July 28 1990". RPM Magazine. Library and Archives Canada. 59 (11). 28 July 1990. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  11. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Steve Vai – Passion And Warfare" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. worldradiohistory.com: VIII. 9 June 1990. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "Top 3 Albums in Europe – Finland" (PDF). Music & Media. worldradiohistory.com: VII. 23 June 1990. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  14. 1 2 Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  15. ↑ "Charts.nz – Steve Vai – Passion And Warfare". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  16. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  17. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Steve Vai – Passion And Warfare". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  18. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Steve Vai – Passion And Warfare". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  19. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  20. ↑ "Steve Vai Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  21. ↑ "Steve Vai Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  22. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia’s Music Charts 1988–2010. Mount Martha, Melbourne, Victoria: Moonlight Publishing.
  23. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare". Music Canada. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  24. ↑ "Japanese album certifications – スティーヴ・ヴァイ – Passion and Warfare" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 8 May 2021. Select 1995年07月 on the drop-down menu
  25. ↑ Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Maurienne House. ISBN 978-1-877443-00-8.
  26. ↑ "British album certifications – Steve Vai – Passion And Warfare". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  27. ↑ "Steve Vai's Nielsen SoundScan Gold Award – Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare". Nielsen SoundScan. Equipboard, Inc. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  28. ↑ "American album certifications – Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  29. ↑ Bessman, Jim (15 August 1992). "Retail – Relativity Goes After High Profile" (PDF). Billboard. worldradiohistory.com. p. 38. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
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