The Infinite Steve Vai: An Anthology

Two CD collection. It was Frank Zappa, who first hired a 21-year-old Vai as his new lead guitarist in 1981, who referred to Vai as his 'stunt guitarist', and nobody since has come up with a better description of his style. This is a great retrospective overview of the past, present and future of the progressive metal guitar. Vai spent much of his career as a hired gun, adding his technical expertise to the likes of Frank Zappa, Alcatrazz, Public Image Ltd., David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. The anthology contains great tracks from his first two solo releases, 1984's Flex-Able and 1990's Passion And Warfare, especially such ditties as "The Attitude Song," "The Animal," and the very Zappa-ish "Salamanders In The Sun." This 1984-2001 anthology sums up a killer career.