Steve Vai Addresses Participation in Frank Zappa Hologram Tour

In a statement posted today, iconic guitarist Steve Vai addressed his participation in the planned Frank Zappa hologram tour that the Zappa Family Trust announced last week, explaining his interest in helping honor the memory and music of his late friend and collaborator.

As JamBase reports, Vai posted a note his Facebook page addressing the tour, saying, “When I was invited to contribute to 3-4 shows of a potential Zappa hologram tour I thought… this could be odd, but another part of me felt this could also be pretty special too.”

Vai notes that “a day doesn’t pass” where he doesn’t remember Zappa and that “nothing could, or ever will take his place in the hearts of the fans, his family and the musicians that have toured with him and loved him…and we all know that.”

“Of course it’s not Frank, and I’m not 20 years old anymore, but I am very happy, and honored that I was invited to contribute to bringing the spirit of Frank and his eternal music, with this new technology, to those fans who connected so deeply with him,” Vai continues, writing that he felt similarly about this project to when he was asked to play in Dweezil Zappa’s Zappa Plays Zappa shows, calling that a “fantastic experience.”

“To be on the stage playing his music again for the fans with some of his alumni, (many dear friends of mine) and to have his ghostly image residing over the proceedings was interesting and alluring enough for me to commit to helping kick off the tour,” Vai writes. “I believe that the fans understand it’s just an image and that holographic technology has its limitations, but it is an evolution in technology and with an open mind it could be embraced for a worthwhile experience.”

Read the full post here.