Type: Instrumental, Lyrics are included with the album
Genre: Rock
Review
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, All Music Guide
Steve Vai (Bells), John Matousek (Mastering), Tommy Mars (Vocals), Pai Maiocco (Vocals), Chris Frazier (Drums), Billy James (Percussion), Steve Vai (Drum Machine), Stuart Hamm (Vocals), Lill Vai (Sound Effects), Steve Vai (Synthesizer), Scott Collard (Fender Rhodes), Tommy Mars (Keyboards), Stuart Hamm (Bass), Billy James (Drums), Steve Vai (Percussion), Irney (Bob Harris) Rantin (Vocals), Steve Vai (Mixing), Steve Vai (?), Bob Harris (Trumpet), Larry Crane (Vibraphone), Tommy Mars (Violin), Pete Zeldman (Percussion), Stuart Hamm (Vocals (Background)), Greg Degler (Flute), Paul Lemcke (Keyboards), Steve Vai (Engineer), Steve Vai (Guitar (Electric)), Neil Zlozower (Photography), Steve Vai (Piano), Steve Vai (Keyboards), Larry Crane (Lyre), Greg Degler (Clarinet), Scott Collard (Keyboards), Scott Collard (Synthesizer), Chad Wackerman (Drums), Stuart Hamm (Sound Effects), Greg Degler (Saxophone), Ursula Rayven (Vocals), Steve Vai (Bass), Laurel Fishman (Vocals), Aaron Brown (Design), Steve Vai (Guitar), Pete Zeldman (Drums), Aaron Brown (Illustrations), Suzannah Harris (Vocals), Steve Vai (Drum Programming), Larry Crane (Xylophone), Larry Crane (Bells), Peggy Foster (Bass), Steve Vai (Sitar), Steve Vai (Producer), Joe Despagni (Sound Effects), Bob Harris (Vocals), Steve Vai (Vocals), Mark Pinske (Assistant), Steve Vai (Design)
The 1984 original cover printed on the vinyl and initial UK and European CD versions.
Flex-Able is an album by Steve Vai. This was his first as a solo artist, and was created in Stucco Blue, a shed converted into a studio in Vai's old back garden. It is very different than many of his other albums, and is largely influenced by Frank Zappa. Thus, some people[who?] feel it is only an album for die-hard Vai fans. Flex-Able is not as based around massive guitar arrangements and shred moments as the rest of his output from the 1990s onwards, with the exception of 'Leftovers' which is a compilation of bonus tracks and remasters from his sessions at 'Stucco Blue'.
The cover of the May 2009 issue of Guitar World features a photograph of Vai in a pose similar to the album's cover, including the broken guitar neck.[1]
The album was re-released on CD in 1988 by Akashic Records, with four bonus tracks from the Leftovers EP; and again remastered and reissued by Epic Records in 1997, with the same track listing as the Akashic reissue. There is also one European reissue on Curcio Records (released in 1992 in Italy) that features the same cover on the vinyl and just the first eleven tracks. [1]
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