Widdley Woooo!!

Something of an obvious choice as best guitar album of the 90's, at least among those in the know, it's amazing how few people are familiar with the importance of this album in shaping the rock fusion scene as a whole and the future career of many a solo instrumentalist over the ensuing decades since it's release, not least that of Steve himself.PAW launched Vai's solo career after years of him building a reputation as the side-kick no self respecting spandex rock band could be without. After recording and touring with such luminaries as Frank Zappa, former Rainbow front-man Graham Bonnet, former Van Halen front-man David Lee Roth and David (here's one for ya) Coverdale's Whitesnake, Vai sent shock waves through the music industry by shifting millions of units of PAW to audiences around the world who'd never previously been considered as falling within the jazz rock fusion demographic - giving rise to the Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani led revival of such music in the mainstream charts.Latterly Vai's over the top, pro-tools heavy production style has become somewhat stale and predictable, but a look at back at both this and his pre-Roth solo album Flex-Able are always a treat for anyone with an emotional investment in (and I hate this phrase) intelligent, new wave, progressive rock.From a technical point of view, what Vai achieved with relatively limited equipment on this project is, by anyone's standard's, staggering. The vast sonic landscapes and alien discordant melodies of such highlights as 'Greasy Kids Stuff' and 'The Riddle' all stemming from Vai's intimate knowledge of and close working relationship with early prototypes of the Eventide Ultra Harmonizer outboard effects processor, a device no self respecting recording studio today can be without.Countered perfectly by the accessible pop sensibilities of 'I would love to' and 'Sisters' the song craft alone on PAW makes worthy its recognition among musicians the world over as a watershed moment in the history of recorded music.