The Vinnie Vincent Forum - Where Freedom Rocks!

I'm a bit new to VV fandom so not sure if I've missed it, but I haven't seen any articles regarding Vinnie's development as a guitarist. Most are post KISS. I'm interested in:

1) What lessons/styles he studied as a kid.
2) Did he learn to read music?
3)Vocal lessons?
4) Did he practice with a metronome to develop his speed?

Obviously he practiced a LOT. So, no need to give that answer. Anybody got details? Thanks!

Alien DNA!

No idea, but I guess it's really down to having some musical skill naturally in the first place, along with crazy practice.

But, I know of people that can just play like crazy without practicing or knowing how or why they all things. They just can play anything, by ear even. Makes me ill. Lol.

I was digging around on the board yesterday and came across a post by someone about "Bill," Vinnie's first guitar teacher. But, the post was about ANOTHER post in which Vinnie apparently answered in detail about his first lessons and Bill, his first guitar teacher. Don't know how to find the original post, though. It may have been on his official board years ago. I don't know.

And Wikipedia says Vinnie was born to musician parents and then next day he was in the band Treasure. lol

On Vinnie's "Old Forum" without giving him much information....I simply asked him if he remembered a certain "Gentleman's" name.....It opened up a "Flood Gate" of Emotional Memories for Him and backed up what my source had told me....Ya see, Vinnie as a Kid....hung out gazing at Guitar's and took lessons at a place called Peter Dadarrio Music, which has had "various locations" over the years in Bridgeport, Trumbull and now Stratford. Vinnie was into Beatles Music early on and had asked his Guitar Teacher and his name slips my mind for now, to teach him all their songs, when Vinnie's Parents eventually couldn't continue to afford to pay for his Lessons....the Gentleman saw the Love & Talent in this Kid and told Vinnie not to worry about the Money, you just continue to come for your lessons !

VV was also into jazz hummastra. Just about every music actually.

BigEd wrote: ↑Thu Sep 21, 2017 9:24 pm On Vinnie's "Old Forum" without giving him much information....I simply asked him if he remembered a certain "Gentleman's" name.....It opened up a "Flood Gate" of Emotional Memories for Him and backed up what my source had told me....Ya see, Vinnie as a Kid....hung out gazing at Guitar's and took lessons at a place called Peter Dadarrio Music, which has had "various locations" over the years in Bridgeport, Trumbull and now Stratford. Vinnie was into Beatles Music early on and had asked his Guitar Teacher and his name slips my mind for now, to teach him all their songs, when Vinnie's Parents eventually couldn't continue to afford to pay for his Lessons....the Gentleman saw the Love & Talent in this Kid and told Vinnie not to worry about the Money, you just continue to come for your lessons !

Thanks, BigEd. So, I guess you were the one who asked the question. Does Vinnie's reply exist anywhere? I'd love to read it.

doublev2 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:34 am VV was also into jazz hummastra. Just about every music actually.

Thanks doulbev. He also showed some classical chops on Ya Know-I'm Pretty Shot (terrible title for a solo piece by the way.) Wondering if he took classical lessons, too.

I think a good expo question would be to ask how the title ya know I'm pretty shot came about.

I'm working with my Source on getting an "Old Picture" of Vinnie's Guitar Teacher and yes "Hummarstra" this man's name was Bill....also Vinnie was a (Big Fan) of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, that may explain the wide range of Harmonies he used or that you can hear in songs especially like "I'll see you in my Dreams" !

doublev2 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 22, 2017 3:22 am I think a good expo question would be to ask how the title ya know I'm pretty shot came about.

I will venture a guess.
It was at the end of a long day of recording, Vinnie had a gut string guitar in his hands and was plucking on it while discussing the day's work, the band suggested to Vinnie that he should record some of that stuff. Vinnie replies, "Y'KNOW, I'm pretty shot... but I'll give it a go"
There you have it. STRAIGHT FROM THE IMAGINATION OF THE UNDISPUTED SEX SYMBOL OF THE VVFF !!!!

poserboy71 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:46 am

doublev2 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 22, 2017 3:22 am I think a good expo question would be to ask how the title ya know I'm pretty shot came about.

I will venture a guess.
It was at the end of a long day of recording, Vinnie had a gut string guitar in his hands and was plucking on it while discussing the day's work, the band suggested to Vinnie that he should record some of that stuff. Vinnie replies, "Y'KNOW, I'm pretty shot... but I'll give it a go"
There you have it. STRAIGHT FROM THE IMAGINATION OF THE UNDISPUTED SEX SYMBOL OF THE VVFF !!!!

I had to go to youtube and watch some Pootie Tang clips lmao. Just watched the belt fight clip. But, I digress.

There have been a lot of well know guitarists who have offered Skype lessons and charged a good chunk of dough. I wonder if Vinnie ever considered that? I would pay for that for sure.

I don't know if I'll be able to ask Vinnie anything at the expo, but I'm gonna try to ask him the aforementioned questions if I can.

To me, the best guitar lesson in the world is the REH metal tech video!

I wonder how much he would charge for a Skype

He'd be recorded and then played on YouTube, so no chance I think.

About his chops development, it's interesting to hear Toliklisy's material. We can hear VV's evolution : always very precise (Treasure) and close to Beck sometimes, and after the Warrior demos, something happened with his picking style. A Back on the Streets demo has a solo that's not very fast (was it '81?). I think he started with something new in '82, when he began to play with Kiss. That had something to do with his right hand (chickenpicking) and the Jackson guitars.
If the Guitarmaggedon sessions were recorded in '89 (or after?), that's a period of 7 or 8 years during which he played in the style we know. That's not a long time. Imagine what it could have been if he would have kept practising, recording or playing until now... But maybe he did, as he just told the Atlanta convention guy...