Whereas it is not essentially stunning to listen to Steve Vai performed guitar on a brand new model of Van Halen’s basic “Leap,” he was nonetheless shocked when he bought the supply.
The legendary guitar virtuoso, who hung out in David Lee Roth’s band within the ’80s, performs the solo on a radical replace of the track that arrived this week as Coca-Cola’s official anthem for FIFA World Cup 2026.
“You recognize, it simply goes to point out you that you just by no means know what is going on to come back throughout your desk,” he tells UCR. “I get all these superb, fantastic little aspect tasks that are available. I assume it is simply a part of being within the enterprise for 46 years. A few of them are attention-grabbing, and a few of them aren’t actually acceptable for me.”
“However this one got here in for the World Cup. It is a large occasion and yearly they’ve a theme and often they write one,” he explains. “This 12 months, they determined to make use of ‘Leap,’ and so they requested if I might be all for doing the solo. So I believed, ‘Ah, World Cup, Coca-Cola, ‘Leap’ solo, it checks all of the containers, you already know? I am like, ‘Sure!’ After which I heard the observe, and I used to be like, ‘Wow, that is ‘Leap,’ nevertheless it’s not ‘Leap.” You recognize, they actually took daring steps and I simply suppose it got here out nice.”
How Steve Vai Approached His Taking part in on ‘Leap’
“I believed, ‘Effectively, it is bought to be completely different. What are you going to do?’ This, you already know, [is not] the identical track. I used to be very intrigued at what they had been doing. The observe went by means of quite a lot of completely different iterations and adjustments,” he particulars. “I used to be form of concerned from the purpose the place they’d the the essential rhythm tracks and stuff. I embellished it all over after which they added different issues and altered some stuff. So I went again and did it once more. I did that about 3 times till it was completed. “
Hear Steve Vai’s Contributions to the New Model of Van Halen’s ‘Leap’
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He’ll be all over. He and lifelong good friend Joe Satriani are about to go out on the street for the subsequent leg of tour dates with the SatchVai band — their first correct run in North America. The group first hit the touring path final 12 months, with a lineup that additionally options drummer Kenny Aronoff, guitarist Pete Thorn and bassist Marco Mendoza. Animals as Leaders will as soon as once more open the 2026 outing.
READ MORE: Joe Satriani and Steve Vai Announce 2026 Tour Dates
The guitar legend will even be enjoying extra reveals with the all-star ensemble BEAT, which highlights King Crimson’s period of music that includes guitarist and vocalist Adrian Belew, who’s on this present group as nicely. He is joined within the lineup by Vai, bass legend Tony Levin and Software drummer Danny Carey.
Vai expects that the touring work with Satriani and BEAT will preserve him wrapped up till Christmas after which he’ll be again residence to work on a flurry of tasks for 2027. However engaged on the continued SatchVai album has been preserving him busy as nicely. The pair lately launched “Dancing,” the latest single from the file.
“Joe’s a monster, you already know. It is helped me to push myself into, much more Vai-isms,” he says. “It is an amazing file. I feel the followers are going to actually hear that intertwining guitar elixir form of factor and the camaraderie and the melodies. So I am very enthusiastic about it.”
Watch Joe Satriani and Steve Vai’s ‘Dancing’ Video
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Gallery Credit score: Matthew Wilkening
