Flex-Able [36th Anniversary Edition]

Personnel: Steve Vai (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, electric sitar, bell lyre, Linn drum programming, percussion); Pla Malocco, Bob Harris, Suzannah Harris, Laurel Fishman (vocals); Greg Degler (flute, clarinet, saxophone); Bob Harris (trumpet, vocals); Tommy Mars (keyboards, violin, vocals); Scott Collard (Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, keyboards); Paul Lemcke (keyboards); Larry Crane (vibraphone, piccolo xylophone, bell lyre); Peggy Foster (fretless bass); Stuart Hamm (bass, background vocals); Chris Frazier, Peter Zeldman, Chad Wackerman (drums); Billy James (drums, percussion).
Recorded on a Fostex 1/4-inch 8-track machine at 15 i.p.s. in Steve Vai's home studio between April and November 1983.
All songs written or co-written by Steve Vai.
Steve Vai recorded his debut album, Flex-able, at home on an eight-track studio and released it himself in 1984. Even though Vai is one of rock's most renowned guitar virtuosos, Flex-able isn't really a typical "shred" album; playing with Frank Zappa for several years rubbed off on Vai, and many of his compositions reflect both Zappa's musical influence and a skewed sense of humor that makes for some whimsically entertaining moments (i.e., "Little Green Men"). Make no mistake, there's still plenty of Joe Satriani-esque technical virtuosity on display, but since Vai has a few other tricks in his bag, Flex-able turns out to be much more enjoyable (and accessible to listeners other than guitar-technique fetishists) than the average '80s guitar shred-fest. ~ Steve Huey