Vai-A Con Dios

It's been a while since I have written anything in these pages. I've been doing a lot of "behind the scenes" development of the site (for many new features coming soon). I've also been searching for a publishing company to make the "Rhubarb Diaries" a reality. Now all I have to do is keep writing!!

As I've mentioned before, when inspiration finds it's way to you, you go with it. There are times when I have these incredible brainstorms while driving in the car ... or in that moment before falling asleep at night.  It could be a chance occurrence ... an alignment of the planets ... or something more surreal ... that takes a flicker of an idea and turns it into a beacon of creativity.

Music has always been something that has proved inspirational - and once again, it happened.

It was something I'd not expected to find. I happened to be watching a video on YouTube - a video montage of the new school that Richard's kids are at now. But through some seemingly inconsequential mouse clicks, I found myself staring at this ...

Steve Vai in action. Need I say more?

"Vaya Con Dios" means "Go With God" in Spanish. There have been many "guitar gods" throughout the years, and Steve Vai would certainly be on that list for many.

But what makes this clip all the more important to me - outside of the sheer emotion of his playing here - is that it got me thinking, reflecting, pondering ... the mental association of Vai with Frank Zappa (may he rest in peace) ... which lead me to Terry Baldwin - my best friend in college and perhaps one of the biggest Zappa/Vai fans I can think of on the planet.

Isn't it amazing how, through a series of mental associations, images, tones, and the patterns they create and emotions they evoke , that we can go places in our mind that we've not experienced in years? And just like the time has stood still ...

There are many tales of Terry - many of which I am sure will end up here. Suffice it to say right now that the 5 minutes or so of this clip took me back to ... great places.

Terry, if you're out there reading this - hang loose, bro ...