Harman Patil (Editor)

Flex Able

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Released
  
January 1984

Artist
  
Steve Vai

Label
  
Epic Records

Recorded
  
April–November, 1983

Release date
  
January 1984

Producer
  
Steve Vai

Flex-Able httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen00bSte

Length
  
41:18 (without the bonus tracks) 55:04 (with the bonus tracks)

Flex-Able (1984)
  
Flex-Able Leftovers (1984)

Genres
  
Instrumental rock, Progressive rock, Progressive metal

Similar
  
Steve Vai albums, Instrumental rock albums

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 from many of his other albums, and is largely influenced by Frank Zappa. Flex-Able does not rely as much on 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'.

Contents

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 bending guitar neck.

Chronic insomnia steve vai album flex able leftovers


Track listing (Original LP release)

The album was originally released on vinyl in 1984.

All songs written by Steve Vai.

Side one

  1. "Little Green Men" – 5:39
  2. "Viv Woman" – 3:09
  3. "Lovers Are Crazy" – 5:39
  4. "Salamanders in the Sun" – 2:26
  5. "The Boy/Girl Song" – 4:02

Side two

  1. "The Attitude Song" – 3:23
  2. "Call It Sleep" – 5:09
  3. "Junkie" – 7:23
  4. "Bill's Private Parts" – 0:16
  5. "Next Stop Earth" – 0:34
  6. "There's Something Dead in Here" – 3:46

Track listing (Extend Re-Release)

The album was re-released on CD in 1988 by Akashic Records, with four bonus tracks from the Flex-Able 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.

All songs written by Steve Vai unless otherwise indicated.

  1. "Little Green Men" – 5:39
  2. "Viv Woman" – 3:09
  3. "Lovers Are Crazy" – 5:39
  4. "Salamanders in the Sun" – 2:26
  5. "The Boy/Girl Song" – 4:02
  6. "The Attitude Song" – 3:23
  7. "Call It Sleep" – 5:09
  8. "Junkie" – 7:23
  9. "Bill's Private Parts" – 0:16
  10. "Next Stop Earth" – 0:34
  11. "There's Something Dead in Here" – 3:46
Bonus From Flex-Able Leftovers EP
  1. "So Happy" (Steve Vai, Laurel Fishman) – 2:44
  2. "Bledsoe Bluvd" – 4:22
  3. "Burnin' Down the Mountain" – 4:22
  4. "Chronic Insomnia" – 2:05

Personnel

Musicians
  • Scott Collard – synthesizer, keyboards, Fender Rhodes
  • Larry Crane – lyre, xylophone, bells, vibraphone
  • Greg Degler – clarinet, flute, saxophone
  • Joe Despagni – sound effects
  • Laurel Fishman – vocals
  • Peggy Foster – bass
  • Chris Frazier – drums
  • Stuart Hamm – bass, sound effects, vocals, vocals (background)
  • Bob Harris – trumpet, vocals (as Irney Rantin)
  • Suzannah Harris (as Ursula Rayven) – vocals
  • Billy James – percussion, drums
  • Paul Lemcke – keyboards
  • Pia Maiocco – vocals
  • Tommy Mars – violin, keyboards, vocals
  • Lill Vai – sound effects
  • Steve Vai – synthesizer, bass, guitar, percussion, piano, electric guitar, keyboards, * sitar, vocals, bells, producer, engineer, drum machine, drum programming, design, mixing
  • Chad Wackerman – drums
  • Pete Zeldman – percussion, drums
    • Production
  • William Becton – composer
  • Aaron Brown – design, illustrations
  • John Matousek – mastering
  • Mark Pinske – assistant
  • Neil Zlozower – photography

    • Songs

    1Little Green Men5:39
    2Viv Woman3:10
    3Lovers Are Crazy5:39

    References

    Flex-Able Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA