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It's as if I were to say that Gilmour is a slow and outdated guitarist, therefore he has never composed anything good, what would you think?

The truth is that superficial listening gives rise to equally superficial judgments; when you say that Vai has never composed a great piece, you show that you really know little or nothing about him.

Regarding the fact that he has an oversized ego and is extremely narcissistic, I admitted it, but he is deeply mistaken if he wants to portray him merely as a hyper-technical expert; I repeat, he must be listened to thoroughly and attentively, otherwise, one falls into the usual cliché that a Vai and a Cooley are worth the same, which is completely absurd and inconceivable.

davidbowie your analysis of Vai is extremely superficial, just like that of many others who criticize him like you do. Listen to Rusty Cooley, watch some of his videos on the internet; he is technically incredibly fast but totally useless, abhorrent in his eagerness to show how many alternate picks he can do at the speed of light. Vai, as Luca Lj says, can also play slow; there are even very intimate pieces of his, but you have to listen to him properly, not stop at a few pieces heard here and there. This applies to any musician, of course.

in my opinion, it's not even worth responding to him

You have no idea how much I agree with you!

I was referring specifically to the greats like Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi, or Bach; it is undeniable that technique plays a crucial role in this realm, just as it does in Michelangelo or Raphael. Without technique, they would not have been able to express their art, but it is also clear that for them, technique was a tool through which to convey their immense talent, or rather, their genius. Clearly, we're talking about electric guitar here, and it should be noted that often this instrument has been used and is used to make noise; just think of thrash metal, for example. In this light, I believe that someone like Steve Vai, with an electric guitar, has brought forth something remarkable, perhaps with all the limitations of an unchecked ego and exacerbated narcissism, but I think he has managed to express at least a good part of his talent.

I share with you my thoughts on the quality of this work by Madman. Clearly, the first two albums, and in particular "Diary of a Madman," hold significantly greater value, especially due to the presence of the unparalleled Randy Rhoads, one of the greatest electric guitar talents of all time! However, "Bark at the Moon" has often been unjustly criticized; the songs are good, the band is solid, and Jake and Lee undoubtedly play well on this album, though less so on the following one. Good review.

You know, David Bowie, your thought is quite common and from a certain perspective you have your reasons. However, going beyond "Vai" and making a much more general argument, to demonize technique means to demonize great classical music or, in other fields, a Michelangelo or a Dante. I do not believe that technique in itself is the death of art, but it certainly must be a means to express, each at their own level and in their respective roles, their talent and not an ultimate end; otherwise, it devalues the very term "art."

Regarding the narcissistic aspect of the album, I agree with you; Vai has an ego just as unrestrained as Malmsteen's, even though he externalizes it differently!