Steve Vai on Generation Axe, five guitar gods about to blast into Hong Kong, and his time with Frank Zappa

Known as Generation Axe, the supergroup of ridiculously technically proficient guitarists was put together by Vai, the legendary guitar shredder who, in addition to an acclaimed solo career, has played with everyone from Frank Zappa to David Lee Roth to Whitesnake to Public Image Limited. Vai plus the other four – neoclassical metal pioneer Malmsteen; Wylde, formerly Ozzy Osborne’s guitarist; Abasi of prog-metal band Animals as Leaders; and Bettencourt, formerly of glam metal outfit Extreme – each perform with the same backing band, on their own and in a variety of combinations, including all together.

Vai says he’d had the idea for Generation Axe for years, but it didn’t come to fruition until he was approached by music executive and former Police manager Miles Copeland with the idea of putting on a guitar festival, and decided he could go one better than that. “I wrote down my favourite players in each genre: rock, metal, fusion, blues,” he says. “Luckily my first choices all bought into it.”

The biggest challenge, he adds, is everyone’s availability. Although the tour brings together a group of people who are all used to being in charge, the atmosphere on tour is one of friendly rivalry rather than competition.

“Guitar players are extroverts,” he says. “Every one of us is on one level half crazy and on another level incredibly confident in what we do and our own ability to deliver. Anyway, I can’t compete with those guys – I couldn’t play as fast as Yngwie Malmsteen or with his tonality. But there’s a mutual respect among us – we’ve all done it, and we all know what it takes.”