title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: In October 1991, Heart released "Rock the House Live!", which chronicled songs played on the "Brigade" tour in 1990. Grunge had taken a firm hold on music by this time, and combined with the lack of big hits the album peaked at only 107 on the Billboard charts.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: The album "Desire Walks On" was released in November 1993 and peaked on "Billboard" at number 48. It was far from a flop – it received gold certification in August 1995 – but also far from the multiplatinum status their string of 1980s albums had been.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: Heart owed Capitol records one more album. Since their Lovemongers shows had received such a positive response, they decided to record an "unplugged" album. They recruited many rock notables to contribute to the record, titled "The Road Home". John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin served as producer; Layne Staley of Alice in Chains and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden both contributed. The album only reached number 87 on the U.S. "Billboard" 200, and the group was dropped by Capitol.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: In 1995, Wilson requested that Heart go on hiatus. Wilson explained that she wanted to spend more time working with husband Cameron Crowe on film scores and start a family. At the time, Wilson was 41 and undergoing fertility treatments, which were difficult to schedule around a rock tour and appearances.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: Wilson had played "Beautiful Girl in Car" in Crowe's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", then had a small speaking part in "The Wild Life". She also contributed some guitar recordings for Crowe's 1989 film "Say Anything..." and the original song "All For Love". Wilson became more involved in "Jerry Maguire", Crowe's new film, and decided that she would write the film score.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: During her hiatus from Heart, Wilson was not entirely dormant as a performer; she played the occasional Lovemongers benefit, though she noted that her fertility treatments made performing increasingly difficult. In 1996, Wilson performed her first solo acoustic show in 30 years. Kelly Curtis arranged to have a recording of that show released as an album, "", in 1999. The music on the album is a mix of Heart songs, covers (including songs by Peter Gabriel, Joni Mitchell, and Paul Simon), and original new material. In November 1997, Nancy and Ann set out on a 12-date tour travelling by van on what they called the "Don't Blink" tour (joking that, "if you blinked, you missed it.")


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: The Lovemongers released a full-length album titled "Whirlygig" in 1997 and a collection of mostly self-penned Christmas songs titled "Here is Christmas" in 1998. "Here is Christmas" was re-released as a Heart album with the title "Heart Presents a Lovemongers' Christmas" in 2001.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: For Crowe's 2000 film "Almost Famous", Wilson composed the theme and produced two original songs: "Fever Dog" and "Lucky Trumble". She also helped as a technical consultant, coaching the actors on how to look and act like musicians on stage. Wilson was nominated for a Sierra Award for Best Score, a PFCS Award for Best Original Score, and an Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: In 2002, Heart embarked on a tour. The tour became a family affair, with four children and their nannies added to the mix of musicians, technical staff, and roadies. It was an eight-week tour and ended what had been a 10-year hiatus from touring for Wilson. The Summer of Love tour concluded in Seattle and that performance was released as the "Alive in Seattle" DVD, which achieved gold status without an associated album.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: Wilson provided the score for the films "Vanilla Sky" (2001) and "Elizabethtown" (2005). She was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Music for her work in "Vanilla Sky" as well as a Critics Choice Award for Best Composer for "Elizabethtown".


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: The sisters decided to record a new Heart studio album, "Jupiters Darling", the first since 1993. Wilson was co-producer, along with guitarist Craig Bartock, who had just joined the band. They wrote all the songs for the album except one. To enhance the guitar parts, Wilson got friends Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam's Mike McCready to contribute. The album, released by Sovereign Records, charted on the "Billboard" Top 100, but sold only 100,000 copies.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: In 2009, Wilson released "Baby Guitars", a solo album aimed at children, composed of instrumental lullabies written and recorded with Craig Bartock. On that same year, after completing a tour with Journey and Cheap Trick, Wilson began recording Heart's 14th studio album, "Red Velvet Car", with Ann. The album was released in 2010 and included two singles by Nancy: "Hey You", which reached the top 40 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart; and "Sunflower", which Nancy wrote for Ann's 60th birthday. The album peaked at number 10 on the "Billboard" 200 chart and three on the Rock Albums chart. With Nancy now aged 56, and Ann about to become a grandmother, the sisters had managed to have albums make it onto top-10 charts in four different decades. The band's subsequent tour sold out and charted on "Billboard" just behind those of Lady Gaga and Rihanna.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: After completing an international tour with Def Leppard in 2011, Heart was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On December 11, 2012, Heart was announced to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2013, along with Rush, Albert King, Randy Newman, Donna Summer, Public Enemy, Quincy Jones, and Lou Adler. Nancy and Ann also received a star for Heart on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in September 2012.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: Heart released its 15th studio album, "Fanatic", in October 2012; it debuted at number 24 on the " Billboard" 200, and hit number 10 on "Billboard's" Rock Album chart.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: Simultaneously, Wilson began assisting in compiling the band's first boxed set, "Strange Euphoria" (taken from the name of their music publishing company).


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: In 2016, Heart released their 16th studio album, titled "Beautiful Broken", which features Wilson singing lead vocals on the tracks "Two" and "One Word". At an August 26, 2016, show in Auburn, Washington, Wilson's teenaged sons were reportedly assaulted by Ann's husband, Dean Wetter. After the incident, Ann confirmed that Heart was on an "indefinite" hiatus.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: In late 2016, Wilson formed a band called Roadcase Royale with former Prince band member and R&B singer Liv Warfield, lead guitarist Ryan Waters (the musical director for Liv's solo work and Prince protégé), Heart keyboardist Chris Joyner, bassist Dan Rothchild, and drummer Ben Smith. They released their first single, "Get Loud", in January 2017. The band signed with Loud and Proud Records in July 2017 and released their debut full-length album "First Things First" on September 22, 2017.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: In February 2019, Heart announced that its hiatus had ended and that the band would embark on the Love Alive tour in the summer of 2019.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: Wilson dated bandmates Roger Fisher and Michael Derosier during the early years of Heart. In 1981, Wilson's friend Kelly Curtis introduced her to screenwriter Cameron Crowe; Wilson married him on July 27, 1986. After numerous failed fertility treatments, Wilson and Crowe conceived via an egg donor and surrogate, and the surrogate gave birth to twin sons, Curtis Wilson and William "Billy" James Crowe, in January 2000. The marriage ended in divorce in 2010, with the couple citing irreconcilable differences.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: In 2011, Wilson began dating Geoff Bywater, who worked in music production on television shows for Fox. They were engaged in 2012 and married on April 28, 2012, in Mill Valley, California.


title: Nancy Wilson (rock musician)

text: On the morning of August 27, 2016, Ann Wilson's husband, Dean Wetter, was arrested for physically assaulting Nancy Wilson's 16-year-old twin sons. The incident took place during a Heart performance at the White River Amphitheater in Auburn, Washington the previous night. The sisters' relationship was strained by the incident. Wetter pleaded guilty to two nonfelony assault charges in the fourth degree. Nancy Wilson later commented: "I'm an eternal optimist because I'm from a really strong, tight family, and I don't think any drama that's temporary is going to change our strong relationship. We just have to get through this first. It's been kind of a nightmare." In February 2019, Heart announced that its hiatus had ended and that the band would embark on the Love Alive tour in the summer.


title: Steve Vai

text: Steven Siro Vai (; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, composer, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, and played in Zappa's band from 1980 to 1983. He embarked on a solo career in 1983 and has released eight solo albums to date. He has recorded and toured with Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake, as well as recording with artists such as Public Image Ltd, Mary J. Blige, Spinal Tap, Alice Cooper, Motörhead, and Polyphia. Additionally, Vai has toured with live-only acts G3, Zappa Plays Zappa, and the Experience Hendrix tour, as well as headlining international tours.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai has been described as a "highly individualistic player" and part of a generation of "heavy rock and metal virtuosi who came to the fore in the 1980s". He released his first solo album "Flex-Able" in 1984, while his most successful release, "Passion and Warfare" (1990), was described as "the richest and best hard rock guitar-virtuoso album of the '80s". He was voted the "10th Greatest Guitarist" by "Guitar World" magazine, and has sold over 15 million records.


title: Steve Vai

text: Steve Vai, a descendant of Italian immigrants, was born in Carle Place, New York on June 6, 1960. He is the fourth son of John and Theresa Vai. Vai was raised Roman Catholic. He described his first experiences with music as, "at the age of five I walked up to [a] piano, hit a note, and noticed that to the right the notes go higher and to the left the notes go lower. In that very moment, I had a full-on epiphany. I was flooded with the instinctual realization of how music was created and how it worked from a theoretical standpoint—the whole language of music was very obvious. I also understood immediately, instinctually, and unequivocally something that has only deepened through the years that the creation of music is an infinite personal expression. I realized that I could do this, I could make music, and it could be whatever I want."<ref name="http://facebook.com/MakeWeirdMusic"></ref>


title: Steve Vai

text: It was a year later, at the age of six, that Vai experienced his first introduction to the guitar, remembering that, "I saw this nine-year-old boy playing the guitar in my grade school auditorium, and that was another epiphany that I had. It was my first recognition of the instrument. When I saw that guitar and I saw this kid playing it, I knew instinctually that I was going to play the guitar someday, and that it would be my instrument. Don't ask me how I knew, I just knew. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen."


title: Steve Vai

text: As a young child, Vai was influenced by the music his parents had listened to. One album in particular that he cites as his "musical awakening" was the original motion picture soundtrack to the 1961 film "West Side Story". At age eleven, Vai was introduced to the contemporary rock and progressive music of the era, and after hearing the guitar solo to Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker" at age twelve, decided to begin playing the guitar.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1973, Vai began to take guitar lessons from fellow New York native Joe Satriani, and played in local bands (The Ohio Express, Circus, and Rayge) throughout his high school years. Vai cites artists such as Jimmy Page, Brian May, Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, as well as jazz fusion guitarists Allan Holdsworth and Al Di Meola as some of his major influences in that time period.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1978, to further pursue his interest in music composition and theory, Vai attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts after graduating from Carle Place High School. While at Berklee, Vai began working for Frank Zappa as a transcriptionist, and in the middle of his fourth semester, moved to California to start his career as a session and touring artist for Zappa. Also while at Berklee, Vai met his future spouse Pia Maiocco, with whom he has been together since; they have two children. In 2003, Vai was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1978, Vai sent both a notated transcription of Frank Zappa's "The Black Page", and a recording of his college band, Morning Thunder, to Zappa. Impressed by this, Zappa responded by putting Vai on salary to transcribe his work, which included pieces from the "Joe's Garage" and "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" albums. After leaving Berklee College of Music and moving to California, Vai auditioned for and became a full-time member of Zappa's band, going on his first tour with Zappa in late 1980. Zappa often referred to Vai as his "little Italian virtuoso", and Vai is frequently listed in the liner notes of Zappa's albums as having performed "stunt" or "impossible" guitar parts.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai was a featured artist on the 1993 release "Zappa's Universe", and in 2006, Vai appeared as a special guest on Dweezil Zappa's Zappa Plays Zappa tour; both projects won Vai a Grammy Award.


title: Steve Vai

text: After moving on from Zappa's employ in 1983, Vai bought a house in Sylmar, Los Angeles, where he built his first professional studio. During this period, Vai formed two bands (The Classified and 777) as well as writing and recording a large amount of music that was not originally intended for release. Out of this material, Vai compiled his first studio album "Flex-Able". He created his own record label, Akashic Records (later Light Without Heat Records), which he used to take "Flex-Able" directly to distribution channels. "Flex-Able" was released in January 1984.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai began his rise to public acclaim in 1983 when, shortly before the release of "Flex-Able", his composition "The Attitude Song" was published in "Guitar Player" magazine. The song centered itself on a main guitar riff in the time signature 7/16, played over a rhythm section centered in 4/4. Each following section of the song showcased a number of specialized techniques (such as two-handed tapping, whammy bar acrobatics, sweep picking, alternate picking, multi-part harmonies, and odd phrasing) used in angular and exaggerated ways that were unique to the song at the time. Interest from the public eye grew more so when Vai's song "Blue Powder" (a demonstration for the Carvin X100b amplifier) was published in "Guitar Player" as well, which showed the virtuoso side of Vai's compositional process. Also in 1986, Vai was cast in the film "Crossroads" as the Devil's guitar player "Jack Butler". In the famous "duel scene" between Vai and Ralph Macchio's character, Vai wrote and performed all guitar parts with the exception of the slide guitar, which was performed by Ry Cooder.


title: Steve Vai

text: In between solo work, Vai replaced Yngwie Malmsteen in June 1984 as the lead guitarist of Alcatrazz, with whom he recorded the album "Disturbing the Peace". Vai left shortly after the subsequent tour to join David Lee Roth's band.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1985, Vai joined David Lee Roth's post-Van Halen band as lead guitarist, together with former Talas bassist Billy Sheehan on bass; and former Maynard Ferguson drummer Gregg Bissonette on drums. The foursome's debut album "Eat 'Em and Smile", released on July 7, 1986, was both a critical and commercial success, reaching number four on the "Billboard" 200 albums chart and selling over two million copies. "Guitar World" magazine editor Brad Tolinski commented on Vai's playing at the time, saying that "Steve Vai's guitar wizardry is so profound that in earlier times he would have been burned as a witch." Retrospectively, "Eat 'Em and Smile" is frequently evaluated as one of the greatest rock albums of the 1980s. The group's Eat 'Em and Smile Tour began in August 1986 and continued through February 1987.


title: Steve Vai

text: Roth's subsequent album "Skyscraper", released in 1988, was produced by both Roth and Vai. Like its predecessor, the album was a commercial success, reaching number six on the "Billboard" 200 chart. In 1989, following the successful Skyscraper Tour, Vai departed from the band. He was replaced by Cacophony guitarist Jason Becker.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1985, after having joined Roth's band, Vai designed the JEM guitar, a unique instrument that incorporated a series of groundbreaking designs that have since become staples in feature throughout the guitar industry. Vai began working with Ibanez in 1986 to develop the guitar, and the first production Ibanez JEM 777 guitars were released in 1987.


title: Steve Vai

text: From 1985 to 1990, Vai recorded "Passion and Warfare" at his home studio, his second studio solo album. After leaving Roth's band in 1989, Vai bought out of his Capitol Records contract and signed on with Relativity Records for the release of "Passion and Warfare", which was completed shortly after he began recording the guitar parts for Whitesnake's "Slip of the Tongue" album, where he replaced the injured Adrian Vandenberg.


title: Steve Vai

text: Upon its release in November 1989, "Slip of the Tongue" sold over three million copies worldwide, reaching number 10 on the "Billboard" 200 while Vai joined the band on their thirteen-month world tour.


title: Steve Vai

text: In May 1990, Vai released "Passion and Warfare" through Relativity Records, and following its release, the album had reached number 18 in the "Billboard" 200, selling over a million and a half copies worldwide. "Passion and Warfare" won Vai a number of awards such as "Guitar World" and "Guitar Player"'s "Best Album" and "Best Rock Guitarist" awards. "Passion and Warfare" has been cited as one of the most pertinent instrumental albums released.


title: Steve Vai

text: 1990 also saw the release of the Ibanez Universe seven-string guitar co-designed by Vai in conjunction with Ibanez. Vai left Whitesnake in 1990 to pursue his own musical avenues, and formed a band that included Devin Townsend on vocals, T. M. Stevens on bass, and Terry Bozzio on drums. The group released "Sex & Religion" on July 23, 1993, that was described as visceral in nature, combining a compositional and progressive metal rhythm section with Devin Townsend's vocal arrangements. After the following tour in support of the album, the group disbanded. Vai began working with Ozzy Osbourne in 1994, with whom he wrote and recorded the "Ozzmosis" album. Due to conflicts, the album was re-written and recorded with Zakk Wylde on guitar. In 1994, Vai won a Grammy award for his performance of "Sofa", from "Zappa's Universe".


title: Steve Vai

text: While recording his fourth studio album "Fire Garden", Vai took time to record and release the stripped down EP "Alien Love Secrets". A departure from the often highly compositional and heavily produced style of his previous projects, the seven-track EP was recorded in four weeks and released through Relativity/Epic Records on March 21, 1995. Vai cites this record as one of his favorites, saying "The recording and release of "Alien Love Secrets" marked another turning point in my personal evolution. I was more concerned with making the record that I wanted to make, and not worry about what some others thought I should be doing."


title: Steve Vai

text: On September 17, 1996, Vai released "Fire Garden", 19-track double album, through Epic, with the first half being primarily instrumental while the second half featured Vai on vocals. After the release of "Fire Garden", Vai joined his former teacher Joe Satriani, along with guitarist Eric Johnson, for the second installment of the ongoing G3 concert tours. On each G3 tour, three guitar-centric headlining acts are chosen to perform their own sets, and then collectively jam to fan favorite songs at the end of the show. "", a video of the 1996 tour was filmed in Columbus, Ohio and released on June 3, 1997.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1998, Vai independently released a performance footage DVD of "Alien Love Secrets". Also in 1998, Vai started the Make a Noise Foundation with his then-manager Ruta Sepetys. The goal of the foundation was to provide funding for musical education to those otherwise unable to attain it. Today, Vai often auctions items in his possession with proceeds going to the foundation.


title: Steve Vai

text: At the close of the decade, Vai provided guitar for Joe Jackson's Symphony No. 1, released in 1999 and winner of the 2001 Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album.


title: Steve Vai

text: In December 2001, Vai recorded two performances at The Astoria in London, with his band The Breed (composed of former David Lee Roth bandmate Billy Sheehan, guitarist/pianist Tony MacAlpine, guitarist Dave Weiner, and drummer Virgil Donati). This live show was released independently in DVD format as "Steve Vai: Live at the Astoria, London" in 2003, and was Vai's first of many successful live concert DVD projects. In 2004, Vai released twelve tracks from the DVD in an online only release.


title: Steve Vai

text: 2001 saw the limited release of "The Secret Jewel Box", a conceptual ten-CD box set containing unique material from various eras of Vai's career. Four compilation albums ("The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1"; "Mystery Tracks – Archives Vol. 3"; "Various Artists – Archives Vol. 4"; and "") included as part of the box set, were released to the public both in 2001 and the years following. Also in 2001, Vai's record label Favored Nations released "". The release, which Vai himself produced and engineered, won him his second Grammy award for Best Pop Instrumental Album in February 2002.


title: Steve Vai

text: While most widely recognized for his stature as a rock guitar player, Vai is also a musical composer fluent in the composition and arranging of orchestral music. In May 2004, Vai premiered "The Aching Hunger", a project commissioned by the Netherlands Programme Service and performed with the Netherlands' Metropole Orchestra. "The Aching Hunger" performances consisted of two parts: the first showcasing Vai's original contemporary orchestral compositions, and the second consisting of Vai (on guitar) playing newly arranged material from his catalog with the orchestra. This project yielded both the "Visual Sound Theories" DVD and the "Sound Theories Vol. I & II" album, which were recorded in 2005 during multiple "Aching Hunger" performances and released in June 2007. While "The Aching Hunger" and its following releases started Vai's public career as an orchestral composer, Vai had been composing since he began a music theory class (taught by Bill Westcott) in high school. In speaking of Westcott, Vai says "He taught me how to write, compose and appreciate music. There was no greater musical influence in my life."


title: Steve Vai

text: In 2005, Vai released "", the first installment in an ongoing three-part trilogy concept album. Each of the three installments to the series contain material (songs, lyrics, and both spoken and written narration) with particular relationships to the storyline, purposefully left out of order. Upon the release of the third installment, Vai intends to complete a fourth album of material, which will then be released with the previous three installments and completed storyline in order. In speaking of the storyline, Vai says "It's a human interest story, about the human condition. ... It's a story about this man who has a traumatic experience in his life, and it drives him insane. We see the story through his eyes. It also involves the town he lives in and this stranger that enters the town who's like a shaman; he builds this giant edifice, like a reflecting pond, and when people come to it they see aspects of their personalities and identities and discover things about themselves. There's some comedy involved, too, but it's pretty esoteric. It's about a lot of lofty principles, so it's not a bad idea to dish this all out slowly." The installments to the series will be released over periods of time, with the second, "The Story of Light", having been released in 2012.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 2006, Vai joined the Zappa Plays Zappa tour as a special guest, alongside additional Zappa band alumni Terry Bozzio and Napoleon Murphy Brock. In 2008, for his performance of "Peaches en Regalia" from the Zappa Plays Zappa tour, Vai won his third Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. Having always enjoyed the aspect of teaching and sharing his experiences in life and in the music business, Vai began a series of "Alien Guitar Secrets" masterclasses in 2006- a touring masterclass in which Vai holds open forum discussion about his own experiences in the music industry, explains the key principles to understanding success, plays to backing tracks (often inviting class attendees to jam with him), answers questions, articulates key points of guitar technique, and more importantly goes beyond the technique and into the more profound esoteric principles at play (see Notable contributions for more on this).


title: Steve Vai

text: In support of "Sound Theories Vol. I & II" and "Visual Sound Theories", Vai put together a new band for a five-month world tour of the United States, Europe, South America, and Australia. While evaluating unique options for the band (which included ideas for a horn section or percussion section), Vai began auditioning violin players to complement the new lineup. This new band, known as the String Theories band, featured previous The Breed members Jeremy Colson (drums) and Dave Weiner (guitar and sitar), along with new members Bryan Beller (bass), Alex DePue (violin), and Ann Marie Calhoun (violin). During a month of twelve- to fifteen-hour a day rehearsals, Vai and the band perfected the performance (which consisted of pieces from Vai's catalog, arranged by Vai to include the two violins). The tour began in June 2007 and ended in December the same year.


title: Steve Vai

text: Midway through the String Theories tour in 2007, Vai recorded a performance at the State Theatre in Minneapolis, which yielded the acclaimed 2009 live concert DVD and Blu-ray release of "Where the Wild Things Are". Certified gold in the United States and Canada, "Where the Wild Things Are" showcased the diverse musical range of the String Theories band, with pieces such as the visceral Grammy-nominated "Now We Run", to the dynamic ballad "Angel Food".


title: Steve Vai

text: 2007 also marked the 20th anniversary of the production of the Ibanez JEM guitar, a milestone which was commemorated with the 20th anniversary JEM model. Made of an acrylic body with three-dimensional "swirl painted" interior, this guitar can be seen in the beginning of the "Where the Wild Things Are" DVD. In 2008, Vai announced the release of his signature Ibanez Jemini distortion pedal, a twin distortion pedal with both a custom overdrive and lead distortion section.


title: Steve Vai

text: 2010 marked the twentieth anniversary of the production of the Ibanez Universe guitar, which was commemorated with a twentieth anniversary Universe model. A reissue of the early 1990s Universe 77 MC (multi-color swirl), the model included a new five-piece maple/bubinga Universe neck and original swirl-paint job by Darren Johansen (the painter of the original Universe 77 MC guitars).


title: Steve Vai

text: In February 2010, Vai announced the introduction of "VaiTunes", a platform used to release digital-only singles via iTunes and other digital media outlets. In April, Vai performed with Mary J. Blige, Orianthi, Randy Jackson, and Travis Barker for a rendition of the Led Zeppelin classic "Stairway to Heaven", on the hit television show "American Idol".


title: Steve Vai

text: October 2010 saw more movement from Vai as a composer, with the premiere of two original symphonies at the Steve Vai Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands, and performed by the North Netherlands Orchestra. Shortly after the festival, Vai embarked on the Experience Hendrix tour (along with Eric Johnson, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Susan Tedeschi, Billy Cox, Vernon Reid, Robert Randolph, Jonny Lang, Brad Whitford, and others) for a nationwide tour of the United States.


title: Steve Vai

text: In March 2011, Vai (in conjunction with the online education division of Berklee College of Music) set a Guinness World Record for the world's largest online guitar lesson. The lesson was held as a promotion for Berklee's online "Steve Vai Guitar Techniques" course, which Vai helped to construct. In April 2011, Vai (along with music and technology entrepreneur Andy Alt) announced the launch of GuitarTV, an online streaming website dedicated to bringing free guitar-related content to the community of guitar players around the world.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai's eighth studio album, "The Story of Light", was released in August 2012 as the second installment in the "Real Illusions" concept album trilogy. "The Story of Light" tour, which began on the month of the album's release, spanned 254 engagements in 52 countries, ending in September 2014. This tour yielded the 2015 release of Vai's fourth live DVD project "Stillness in Motion", filmed in October 2012 during his "Story of Light" tour at the Club Nokia in Los Angeles. Released on April 7, the double-disc set contained a copy of the "Stillness in Motion" concert footage and a special bonus feature disc called "The Space Between the Notes". The latter is a complete chronological timeline of the "Story of Light" tour, with a video or picture representation of each show of all of the 254 engagements attended.


title: Steve Vai

text: 2014 saw the announcement of a new, intensive guitar camp called the "Vai Academy", which was an evolution of the Alien Guitar Secrets masterclass. Each year the camp is held, Vai creates a syllabus with a particular theme and invites special guests to help him teach it. During the day, Vai and the special guests (of whom have included Guthrie Govan, Jeff Baxter, Vernon Reid, Eric Johnson, Sonny Landreth, and others) hold classes in which they add their insight and perspective to the theme. Each evening, Vai and the special guests jam with the campers. The themes have included 2014's Vai Academy- Song Evolution Camp, and 2015's Vai Academy: All About the Guitar.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai has announced an upcoming 2016 release commemorating the 25th anniversary of "Passion and Warfare". This release contains remastered songs from the album, as well as the inclusion of a new album of material written from the time between the recording of "Passion and Warfare" and his first solo album "Flex-Able". After the release, Vai held a world tour in which he played the entire "Passion and Warfare" album, along with material from the new release. The tour would continue during the first half of 2017.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 2016, Vai played an uncredited guitar solo on the track "Go!," from the album "Junk" by French electronic band M83. In April an May of the same year, Vai took part in the Generation Axe tour, alongside Tosin Abasi, Nuno Bettencourt, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Zakk Wylde. Starting in June, Vai embarked on the "Passion and Warfare" 25th Anniversary World Tour, where he played the album in its entirety for the first time.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai is a featured artist on the track "Do You Feel Love" from Jacob Collier's 2019 album "Djesse Vol. 2".


title: Steve Vai

text: On December 1, 2021, Steve Vai announced the release of his tenth studio album, entitled "Inviolate", alongside its lead single "Little Pretty". The album was released on January 28, 2022. Upon release, it debuted at No. 1 on the Current Hard Rock Albums chart (his first No. 1 album), No. 8 on Top Hard Rock Albums, and No. 40 on Top Album Sales. To support the album, Vai will embark upon a 54 date American tour of the same name. In 2021, Vai was also featured on a track called "Lost Children of the Universe" on the latest album by Star One, a project led by Arjen Anthony Lucassen.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 2022, Vai was featured on Polyphia's track "Ego Death". On November 10, 2022, Vai announced his latest album, 'Vai/Gash', alongside its lead single "In The Wind." The album, originally recorded in 1991 alongside the late singer Johnny “Gash” Sombrotto, will be released on January 27, 2023.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 2022 a 77min documentary was released to honor his first 30 years. This is the first documentary covering Vai's life from 1960 to 1990. (Co-written by Steve Vai.)


title: Steve Vai

text: The video covers Vai’s life growing up, attending Berklee College of Music, playing with several artists like Frank Zappa, Alcatrazz, the David Lee Roth band, and Whitesnake, the recording of both his solo albums Flex-Able and Passion and Warfare, plus Vai’s role in the movie Crossroads (1986 film), and how he helped create the Ibanez JEM guitar.


title: Steve Vai

text: "Juice", from "Alien Love Secrets", was featured on the 1996 video game "Formula One" for the PlayStation. Vai's guitar work also appeared in the 2002 video game "". David Lee Roth's "Yankee Rose" was featured on "Vice City"'s soundtrack, as well as "God Blessed Video" by Alcatrazz, as part of the Lazlow-led, 1980s rock/metal radio station "V-Rock." In 2004, Vai was featured on the soundtrack to the Xbox video game "Halo 2", performing a heavy rock guitar rendition of the "Halo theme", known as "Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix)". He also performed on the track "Never Surrender". He later featured in the second volume of the soundtrack, where he performed on the track "Reclaimer". Vai returned to re-record his "Halo" work for the "", which was released in 2014 and included as part of the anniversary edition of "Halo 2". In an interview shot during the development of "Halo 2 Anniversary", Vai reveals that his part in the "MJOLNIR Mix" was a last-minute inclusion in the song.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 2008, Vai's song "For the Love of God" and "Halo Theme (MJOLNIR Mix)" were featured as downloadable tracks for the game "Guitar Hero 3". A live version of "For the Love of God" was also available on the Rock Band Network service, as well as the song "Get the Hell Out of Here" from his 2002 compilation album "The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1" on March 4, 2010. "The Attitude Song" and a live version of "The Crying Machine" were both also added to the Rock Band Network. A re-recording of "Speeding" is featured in the 2010 video game "" for Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1986, Vai was cast in director Walter Hill's film "Crossroads" as the Devil's guitar player "Jack Butler." In the "cutting heads" scene between Vai's Jack Butler and Ralph Macchio's Eugene "Lightning" Martone, Vai wrote and performed all guitar parts with the exception of the slide guitar (which was performed by Ry Cooder). The main body of the final piece performed in the duel scene (the fast-paced neoclassical track "Eugene's Trick Bag") was based heavily on Niccolò Paganini's Capriccio number 5. The "Crossroads" duel appeared on the 2002 album "The Elusive Light and Sound Vol. 1".


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1987, Vai performed "Amazing Grace" in the film "Dudes". In 1991, Vai performed on the film "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey", as well as on 1992's "Encino Man", "PCU" (1994), and John Carpenter's "Ghosts of Mars" (where he played on the tracks "Ghosts of Mars" and "Ghost Poppin'").


title: Steve Vai

text: In 2010, Vai's record label Favored Nations produced and released the award-winning original motion picture "Crazy". An independent film, "Crazy" was inspired by the life and music of the guitarist Hank Garland.


title: Steve Vai

text: At the age of thirteen, after having purchased his first guitar and begun taking his first lessons from fellow New York native Joe Satriani, Vai became obsessed with the discipline of practice. Vai's practice routine, consisting of a rigid and structured regimen of ten-to-fifteen hour-a-day practice schedules, became the basis of his work ethic for the rest of his career. During his employment by Frank Zappa, Vai transcribed and played very rhythmically complex music, believing that if started slow and perfected, any piece of music could be played.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai's first solo album, "Flex-Able", began his career as a solo artist in 1984. During the period of time that the album was recorded, Vai was heavily influenced by his previous tenure in Frank Zappa's band. Originally not intended for release, "Flex-Able" expressed a certain creative "quirky" and "angular" freedom in the eclectic nature of Vai's writing style. "Passion and Warfare", Vai's second solo album, expressed a more mature and evolved "signature" style but retained a certain freedom of unfettered inspiration that would continue to influence Vai's future releases. In speaking of his inspiration, Vai has said that it comes to him in many forms (even from the flowers pushed up against a fence outside of his studio, which he transcribed and used in the ninth track "Weeping China Doll", from "The Story of Light". While expressing that he is not continuously inspired, Vai uses a concept he calls "musical meditation" to enter a state of consciousness that he calls "The Ultra Zone". When inside this un-critical frame of mind, Vai is able to achieve inspiration in the form of musical ideas (often in forms of melody or rhythm). For these moments of inspiration, Vai created what he calls the "Infinity Shelf", a drive of thousands of snippets of song ideas that he has collected over his entire career. These esoteric principles are taught by Vai during his Alien Guitar Secrets masterclasses, among a host of other information.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai's playing style utilizes specialized guitar techniques (such as two-handed tapping, alternate picking, legato, hybrid picking, sweep picking, whammy bar acrobatics, and circular vibrato) in his music, as well as a wide range of recording techniques.


title: Steve Vai

text: As a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa, Vai transcribed some of Zappa's most rhythmically complex music, using a range of conceptualizations for the notation of rhythmic music. Vai says "While transcribing the material, I was often confronted with situations that led me to reach into the intuitional areas of my imagination to come up with various notational devices and constructions that I had never seen before. I soon discovered that many contemporary composers were then (and are still) using these notations". These concepts can be seen throughout the "Frank Zappa Guitar Book", which were composed of Vai's guitar and drum transcriptions from various Zappa albums. Vai toured with Zappa from 1980 to 1983, performing selections of this technically demanding music with Zappa's band at the time.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai designed the Ibanez JEM guitar, a unique instrument that incorporated a series of groundbreaking designs that have since become staples in feature throughout the guitar industry, in 1985. In speaking of the development of the guitar, Vai says, "Stratocasters had whammy bars—which were fantastic—but they were very limited, were always going out of tune, and had single-coil pickups. Les Pauls had humbuckers—which gave you that real scream in the bridge position—but no whammy bar, and I didn't like the way they sat. Neither guitar had twenty-four frets. So I went to a guitar shop in Hollywood, where I had these elements implemented into a guitar (what would have been considered a Superstrat at the time). The guitar was designed with a sharper body shape, a large cutaway around the neck, twenty-four frets, a fully floating tremolo system, a specially wired five-way pickup selector switch, and an output jack angled on the side of the body (so that when you step on the cable, it doesn't pull out of your guitar). I knew of course that these features would eventually be taken and used in other guitars, so I did something completely preposterous: I said, 'Put a handle in it!' That way, during videos and photoshoots I could swing the guitar around."


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai had several custom prototypes of these guitars built (which were used on the "Eat 'Em and Smile" tour) by Joe "Jem" Despagni, a custom guitar luthier and friend of Vai's. Due to Vai's highly coveted position in Roth's band, many guitar companies were eager to propose endorsement opportunities. In response to these offers, Vai sent out the specifications of the JEM guitar, detailing that the company that returned the best guitar would be given the endorsement. Dissatisfied with the guitars returned and unwilling to compromise, Vai held out on a guitar endorsement until Ibanez approached him, sending him an instrument superior to that of the other companies and willing to follow his instructions. After the pre-production prototypes were perfected, the first production Ibanez JEM 777 guitars were unveiled at the NAMM Show in 1987. Since its original 1987 release, the JEM has become one of the longest-running and most successful signature series guitars in history, with its sister guitar, the Ibanez RG, being the second highest-selling guitar (behind the Fender Stratocaster) on the market.


title: Steve Vai

text: Another design by Vai was the Ibanez Universe, the first production seven-string guitar, which was released in 1989. The Universe incorporated many of the aspects that made the JEM a unique instrument (2 octave fretboard, full floating tremolo, humbucker/single coil/humbucker pickup configuration, angled output jack and deeper body cutaways), with an added low 'B' string, allowing for new low-range sonic possibilities. Used by Vai on much of "Passion and Warfare" and all of Whitesnake's "Slip of the Tongue", the Universe was a large stepping stone for the burgeoning Nu-metal genre (with bands such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, Fear Factory and Meshuggah having adopted the instrument and incorporating it into their signature sound).


title: Steve Vai

text: On April 4 of 2020 the Ibanez PIA was introduced, which Vai says is the modernisation and maturing of his original JEM. The PIA model (named after his wife Pia Maiocco), features an alder body and a 5-piece maple / walnut neck with 24 frets, rosewood fretboard with the usual floral inlays. The neck is styled in the classic Ibanez wizard III neck - 430mmR neck radius. The primary way model differs from the JEM for its softer body curves and a Petal Grip handle replacing the original Monkey Grip cutout. It also sports DiMarzio UtoPIA pickups in an HSH configuration, gold hardware and a Prestige locking vibrato unit.


title: Steve Vai

text: Having always enjoyed the aspect of teaching and sharing his experiences in life and in the music business, Vai began a series of "Alien Guitar Secrets" masterclasses in 2006- a touring masterclass in which Vai holds open forum discussion about his own experiences in the music industry, explains the key principles to understanding success, plays to backing tracks (often inviting class attendees to jam with him), answers questions, articulates key points of guitar technique, and more importantly goes beyond the technique and into the more profound esoteric principles at play. Vai details certain concepts he has discovered that have helped him in all areas of his life and career, both in playing guitar/ musically as well as spiritually. Vai accessibly shares these concepts with masterclass participants using examples from his own experiences, delving into the ongoing process of identifying the self-critical nature of one's own thoughts. Vai explains the techniques and exercises he uses to circumnavigate one's own insecurities and thoughts of self-doubt, and encourages masterclass participants to use these tools in their own lives. Often embarking on masterclass tours through Europe, South America, and Russia, Vai considers this ongoing series of classes as one of his most important contributions.


title: Steve Vai

text: Guitar effects manufacturer Eventide approached Vai in the mid-1980s to contribute unique ideas for their H3000 effects unit. Vai suggested many specific concepts, such as diatonic pitch change and multi-voice harmony, that were used in the unit and have since become standard algorithms in guitar effects processors.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1993, Vai's signature series high-output "Evolution" humbucker pickup set was released by DiMarzio. The Evolution pickups use DiMarzio's patented "Dual-Resonance" design. The "EVO 2" humbucker, a lower output model, was released in 2004.


title: Steve Vai

text: In 1997, Vai had begun working with the Carvin Corporation to design a signature series of Legacy amplifiers, which were used on his 1999 Epic Records release "The Ultra Zone". The original Legacy I model was released in 1999, with the most recent Legacy III being released in 2012.


title: Steve Vai

text: In the 1990s, Vai began touring in European and Asian countries (such as Russia and China) as well as South America, often having been the first American rock act in history to have performed in these areas. In 2014, Vai performed on the Chinese television station BTV's "Spring Festival Global Gala," a program broadcast to over two billion viewers. With the broadcasting of this event on January 26, 2014, Vai became the first rock artist ever broadcast on a Chinese television program.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai's personal studio, "The Harmony Hut", is a large edifice located in his backyard equipped with a full control room and performance room. The studio, built in 2011, is where Vai currently produces, records, and mixes his new material.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai has two main signature series Ibanez JEM six-string guitars (dubbed "EVO" and "FLO III") that he uses live and in the studio. "EVO", a prototype Ibanez JEM 7VWH, was received in 1993 while developing Vai's signature DiMarzio Evolution pickups (hence the name of the guitar), and "FLO III" is a basswood Ibanez Los Angeles Custom Shop JEM 7VWH equipped with a Fernandes Sustainer system and a DiMarzio PAF Pro pickup in bridge position. Since early 2022, Vai has been frequently using the 2nd prototype of the Onyx Black Ibanez PIA along with "EVO" and "FLO III", which he nicknamed "ONYX". "ONYX" is outfitted with a Sustaniac system and a lightly scalloped neck.


title: Steve Vai

text: His other favourite guitars include "BO", a JEM77BRMR prototype, also equipped with Fernandes Sustainer system and blue LED dot inlays, which was stolen in 2015, but later recovered; the original "FLO" guitar, a transformed original 77FP JEM to 7VWH specifications, also equipped with Fernandes Sustainer System and EVO 2 bridge pickup; "Bruno" aka "For the Love of God" Ibanez Universe UV77MC seven-string guitar with burnt finish and mirror pickguard (this guitar was used in the "For the Love of God" music video); "NILE", 1st Onyx Black PIA prototype used heavily on "Inviolate" album; and "XAVIA", a customised 2007 JEM 7VWH with heavily scalloped neck and Fernandes Sustainer system usually used as a backup for or in place of "FLO III". Vai uses his signature Carvin Legacy amplifier, as well as Morley Pedals, with whom he has his signature Bad Horsie and Bad Horsie II wah pedals, and Little Alligator volume pedal. Vai uses the Ibanez Jemini distortion pedal, a signature twin distortion pedal with separate overdrive and distortion sections.


title: Steve Vai

text: Before his endorsement with Ibanez, Vai was endorsed by Charvel guitars, most notably using a green and black San Dimas model. In addition, over the course of his career, Vai has used guitars made by various other companies, including Jackson, Fender, and Gavtone.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai's 2016 live guitar rig utilizes his signature Carvin Legacy amplifier (now on its third version), the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II XL, and an MFC-101 foot controller.


title: Steve Vai

text: Depending on the location and venue, Vai will use either his Legacy I or Legacy III heads, and Carvin Legacy 4x12 speaker cabinets loaded with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers. Vai uses EL-34 tubes by Groove Tubes in his Legacy amps.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai uses the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II XL as the only modulation effects unit in his guitar rig. Generally for live use he utilizes the unit for stereo effects such as delay, chorus, and phase, with a separate preset for the parameters of each different song in his setlist. The Axe-Fx MFC-101 foot controller is set up in conjunction with the unit, allowing Vai to switch effects on and off in a fashion reminiscent to that of standard stompboxes.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai's pedalboard consists of a wah-wah pedal (either his Morley Bad Horsie signature pedal, or a Dunlop Cry Baby 95q), an Ibanez Jemini twin distortion pedal, and DigiTech Whammy DT pitch shifting pedal. The centerpiece of the pedalboard is the Axe-Fx MFC-101 foot controller for the Axe-Fx II XL, which, as previously mentioned, controls the effects in a manner similar to switching on and off stompboxes. There are two expression pedals used for the Axe-Fx, one to act as a volume pedal, and the other to control the harmonizer built into the Axe-Fx unit.


title: Steve Vai

text: The signal from the guitar (usually one of the main guitars "EVO", "FLO III" or more recently, "ONYX") goes into either the Morley Bad Horsie or Dunlop 95q wah pedal. From there, it goes directly into the Ibanez Jemini twin distortion pedal, and then to the Digitech Whammy DT. From the output of the Whammy, the signal heads into the input of the Carvin Legacy amplifier head. Out of the effects loop of the Legacy, the signal heads directly into the Axe-Fx II XL, where it is split into stereo and the effects are applied (and controlled via the MFC-101 foot controller). Out of the output of the Axe-Fx, one signal is sent back to the original Legacy head return, and a second is sent to a second Carvin Legacy head return, bypassing the preamp stage completely and acting as a slave power amp. Vai utilizes his stereo setup on effects like delay, where he sets up two separate delay times (one slower and one faster) and allows them to alternate back and forth. The signal is then sent from the amp to the 4x12 Carvin Legacy speaker cabinets loaded with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers. Vai uses AKG microphones to mic his amps, and uses a separate Carvin power amp to power a direct guitar monitor cabinet instead of relying on the PA.


title: Steve Vai

text: Since the late 1990s, Vai has resided in Encino, Los Angeles with his family. Vai is married to Pia Maiocco, former bassist of the band Vixen (who can be seen in the 1984 film "Hardbodies"), with whom he has two children, Julian and Fire Vai. Vai is also a vegetarian and a beekeeper, regularly tending to the beehives kept on his Encino property.


title: Steve Vai

text: Vai started his recording career in 1980 with Frank Zappa, and has since recorded with a plethora of artists and bands. In 1983, Vai began his career as a solo artist with his release of "Flex-Able", and solidified his place as a virtuoso rock guitarist with his acclaimed 1990 release of "Passion and Warfare". His discography consists of nine studio albums, two EPs, two special albums, eight live albums, twelve soundtracks, twenty compilation albums, and six DVD releases.


title: Money

text: Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, a store of value and sometimes, a standard of deferred payment.


title: Money

text: Money was historically an emergent market phenomenon that possess intrinsic value as a commodity; nearly all contemporary money systems are based on unbacked fiat money without use value. Its value is consequently derived by social convention, having been declared by a government or regulatory entity to be legal tender; that is, it must be accepted as a form of payment within the boundaries of the country, for "all debts, public and private", in the case of the United States dollar. Contexts which erode public confidence, such as the circulation of counterfeit money or domestic hyperinflation, can cause good money to lose its value.


title: Money

text: The money supply of a country comprises all currency in circulation (banknotes and coins currently issued) and, depending on the particular definition used, one or more types of bank money (the balances held in checking accounts, savings accounts, and other types of bank accounts). Bank money, whose value exists on the books of financial institutions and can be converted into physical notes or used for cashless payment, forms by far the largest part of broad money in developed countries.


title: Money

text: The word money derives from the Latin word with the meaning "coin" via French . The Latin word is believed to originate from a temple of Juno, on Capitoline, one of Rome's seven hills. In the ancient world, Juno was often associated with money. The temple of Juno Moneta at Rome was the place where the mint of Ancient Rome was located. The name "Juno" may have derived from the Etruscan goddess Uni (which means "the one", "unique", "unit", "union", "united") and "Moneta" either from the Latin word "monere" (remind, warn, or instruct) or the Greek word "moneres" (alone, unique).


title: Money

text: In the Western world a prevalent term for coin-money has been "specie", stemming from Latin , meaning 'in kind'.


title: Money

text: The use of barter-like methods may date back to at least 100,000 years ago, though there is no evidence of a society or economy that relied primarily on barter. Instead, non-monetary societies operated largely along the principles of gift economy and debt. When barter did in fact occur, it was usually between either complete strangers or potential enemies.


title: Money

text: Many cultures around the world eventually developed the use of commodity money. The Mesopotamian shekel was a unit of weight, and relied on the mass of something like 160 grains of barley. The first usage of the term came from Mesopotamia circa 3000 BC. Societies in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Australia used shell money – often, the shells of the cowry ("Cypraea moneta L." or "C. annulus L."). According to Herodotus, the Lydians were the first people to introduce the use of gold and silver coins. It is thought by modern scholars that these first stamped coins were minted around 650 to 600 BC.


title: Money

text: The system of commodity money eventually evolved into a system of representative money. This occurred because gold and silver merchants or banks would issue receipts to their depositors – redeemable for the commodity money deposited. Eventually, these receipts became generally accepted as a means of payment and were used as money. Paper money or banknotes were first used in China during the Song dynasty. These banknotes, known as "jiaozi", evolved from promissory notes that had been used since the 7th century. However, they did not displace commodity money and were used alongside coins. In the 13th century, paper money became known in Europe through the accounts of travellers, such as Marco Polo and William of Rubruck. Marco Polo's account of paper money during the Yuan dynasty is the subject of a chapter of his book, "The Travels of Marco Polo", titled "." Banknotes were first issued in Europe by Stockholms Banco in 1661 and were again also used alongside coins. The gold standard, a monetary system where the medium of exchange are paper notes that are convertible into pre-set, fixed quantities of gold, replaced the use of gold coins as currency in the 17th–19th centuries in Europe. These gold standard notes were made legal tender, and redemption into gold coins was discouraged. By the beginning of the 20th century, almost all countries had adopted the gold standard, backing their legal tender notes with fixed amounts of gold.


title: Money

text: After World War II and the Bretton Woods Conference, most countries adopted fiat currencies that were fixed to the U.S. dollar. The U.S. dollar was in turn fixed to gold. In 1971 the U.S. government suspended the convertibility of the dollar to gold. After this many countries de-pegged their currencies from the U.S. dollar, and most of the world's currencies became unbacked by anything except the governments' fiat of legal tender and the ability to convert the money into goods via payment. According to proponents of modern money theory, fiat money is also backed by taxes. By imposing taxes, states create demand for the currency they issue.


title: Money

text: In "Money and the Mechanism of Exchange (1875)", William Stanley Jevons famously analyzed money in terms of four functions: a "medium of exchange", a "common measure of value" (or unit of account), a "standard of value" (or standard of deferred payment), and a "store of value". By 1919, Jevons's four functions of money were summarized in the couplet:


title: Money

text: This couplet would later become widely popular in macroeconomics textbooks. Most modern textbooks now list only three functions, that of medium of exchange, unit of account, and store of value, not considering a standard of deferred payment as a distinguished function, but rather subsuming it in the others.


title: Money

text: There have been many historical disputes regarding the combination of money's functions, some arguing that they need more separation and that a single unit is insufficient to deal with them all. One of these arguments is that the role of money as a medium of exchange conflicts with its role as a store of value: its role as a store of value requires holding it without spending, whereas its role as a medium of exchange requires it to circulate. Others argue that storing of value is just deferral of the exchange, but does not diminish the fact that money is a medium of exchange that can be transported both across space and time. The term "financial capital" is a more general and inclusive term for all liquid instruments, whether or not they are a uniformly recognized tender.


title: Money

text: When money is used to intermediate the exchange of goods and services, it is performing a function as a "medium of exchange". It thereby avoids the inefficiencies of a barter system, such as the inability to permanently ensure "coincidence of wants". For example, between two parties in a barter system, one party may not have or make the item that the other wants, indicating the non-existence of the coincidence of wants. Having a medium of exchange can alleviate this issue because the former can have the freedom to spend time on other items, instead of being burdened to only serve the needs of the latter. Meanwhile, the latter can use the medium of exchange to seek for a party that can provide them with the item they want.


title: Money

text: A "unit of account" (in economics) is a standard numerical monetary unit of measurement of the market value of goods, services, and other transactions. Also known as a "measure" or "standard" of relative worth and deferred payment, a unit of account is a necessary prerequisite for the formulation of commercial agreements that involve debt.


title: Money

text: Money acts as a standard measure and a common denomination of trade. It is thus a basis for quoting and bargaining of prices. It is necessary for developing efficient accounting systems.


title: Money

text: While "standard of deferred payment" is distinguished by some texts, particularly older ones, other texts subsume this under other functions. A "standard of deferred payment" is an accepted way to settle a debt – a unit in which debts are denominated, and the status of money as legal tender, in those jurisdictions which have this concept, states that it may function for the discharge of debts. When debts are denominated in money, the real value of debts may change due to inflation and deflation, and for sovereign and international debts via debasement and devaluation.


title: Money

text: To act as a "store of value", money must be able to be reliably saved, stored, and retrieved – and be predictably usable as a medium of exchange when it is retrieved. The value of the money must also remain stable over time. Some have argued that inflation, by reducing the value of money, diminishes the ability of the money to function as a store of value.


title: Money

text: According to Desjardins, "many economists and experts in the field agree" that the properties of money are that it is a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and a store of value.


title: Money

text: In economics, money is any financial instrument that can fulfill the functions of money (detailed above). These financial instruments together are collectively referred to as the money supply of an economy. In other words, the money supply is the number of financial instruments within a specific economy available for purchasing goods or services. Since the money supply consists of various financial instruments (usually currency, demand deposits, and various other types of deposits), the amount of money in an economy is measured by adding together these financial instruments creating a "monetary aggregate".


title: Money

text: Economists employ different ways to measure the stock of money or money supply, reflected in different types of monetary aggregates, using a categorization system that focuses on the liquidity of the financial instrument used as money. The most commonly used monetary aggregates (or types of money) are conventionally designated M1, M2, and M3. These are successively larger aggregate categories: M1 is currency (coins and bills) plus demand deposits (such as checking accounts); M2 is M1 plus savings accounts and time deposits under $100,000; M3 is M2 plus larger time deposits and similar institutional accounts. M1 includes only the most liquid financial instruments, and M3 relatively illiquid instruments. The precise definition of M1, M2, etc. may be different in different countries.


title: Money

text: Another measure of money, M0, is also used; unlike the other measures, it does not represent actual purchasing power by firms and households in the economy. M0 is base money, or the amount of money actually issued by the central bank of a country. It is measured as currency plus deposits of banks and other institutions at the central bank. M0 is also the only money that can satisfy the reserve requirements of commercial banks.


title: Money

text: Legal tender, or narrow money (M0) is the cash created by a Central Bank by minting coins and printing banknotes.


title: Money

text: Bank money, or broad money (M1/M2) is the money created by private banks through the recording of loans as deposits of borrowing clients, with partial support indicated by the "cash ratio". Currently, bank money is created as electronic money.


title: Money

text: In most countries, the majority of money is mostly created as M1/M2 by commercial banks making loans. Contrary to some popular misconceptions, banks do not act simply as intermediaries, lending out deposits that savers place with them, and do not depend on central bank money (M0) to create new loans and deposits.


title: Money

text: "Market liquidity" describes how easily an item can be traded for another item, or into the common currency within an economy. Money is the most liquid asset because it is universally recognized and accepted as a common currency. In this way, money gives consumers the freedom to trade goods and services easily without having to barter.


title: Money

text: Liquid financial instruments are easily tradable and have low transaction costs. There should be no (or minimal) spread between the prices to buy and sell the instrument being used as money.


title: Money

text: Many items have been used as commodity money such as naturally scarce precious metals, conch shells, barley, beads, etc., as well as many other things that are thought of as having value. Commodity money value comes from the commodity out of which it is made. The commodity itself constitutes the money, and the money is the commodity. Examples of commodities that have been used as mediums of exchange include gold, silver, copper, rice, Wampum, salt, peppercorns, large stones, decorated belts, shells, alcohol, cigarettes, cannabis, candy, etc. These items were sometimes used in a metric of perceived value in conjunction with one another, in various commodity valuation or price system economies. The use of commodity money is similar to barter, but a commodity money provides a simple and automatic unit of account for the commodity which is being used as money. Although some gold coins such as the Krugerrand are considered legal tender, there is no record of their face value on either side of the coin. The rationale for this is that emphasis is laid on their direct link to the prevailing value of their fine gold content. American Eagles are imprinted with their gold content and legal tender face value.


title: Money

text: In 1875, the British economist William Stanley Jevons described the money used at the time as "representative money". Representative money is money that consists of token coins, paper money or other physical tokens such as certificates, that can be reliably exchanged for a fixed quantity of a commodity such as gold or silver. The value of representative money stands in direct and fixed relation to the commodity that backs it, while not itself being composed of that commodity.


title: Money

text: Fiat money or fiat currency is money whose value is not derived from any intrinsic value or guarantee that it can be converted into a valuable commodity (such as gold). Instead, it has value only by government order (fiat). Usually, the government declares the fiat currency (typically notes and coins from a central bank, such as the Federal Reserve System in the U.S.) to be legal tender, making it unlawful not to accept the fiat currency as a means of repayment for all debts, public and private.


title: Money

text: Some bullion coins such as the Australian Gold Nugget and American Eagle are legal tender, however, they trade based on the market price of the metal content as a commodity, rather than their legal tender face value (which is usually only a small fraction of their bullion value).


title: Money

text: Fiat money, if physically represented in the form of currency (paper or coins), can be accidentally damaged or destroyed. However, fiat money has an advantage over representative or commodity money, in that the same laws that created the money can also define rules for its replacement in case of damage or destruction. For example, the U.S. government will replace mutilated Federal Reserve Notes (U.S. fiat money) if at least half of the physical note can be reconstructed, or if it can be otherwise proven to have been destroyed. By contrast, commodity money that has been lost or destroyed cannot be recovered.


title: Money

text: These factors led to the shift of the store of value being the metal itself: at first silver, then both silver and gold, and at one point there was bronze as well. Now we have copper coins and other non-precious metals as coins. Metals were mined, weighed, and stamped into coins. This was to assure the individual taking the coin that he was getting a certain known weight of precious metal. Coins could be counterfeited, but they also created a new unit of account, which helped lead to banking. Archimedes' principle provided the next link: coins could now be easily tested for their fine weight of the metal, and thus the value of a coin could be determined, even if it had been shaved, debased or otherwise tampered with (see Numismatics).


title: Money

text: In most major economies using coinage, copper, silver, and gold formed three tiers of coins. Gold coins were used for large purchases, payment of the military, and backing of state activities. Silver coins were used for midsized transactions, and as a unit of account for taxes, dues, contracts, and fealty, while copper coins represented the coinage of common transaction. This system had been used in ancient India since the time of the Mahajanapadas. In Europe, this system worked through the medieval period because there was virtually no new gold, silver, or copper introduced through mining or conquest. Thus the overall ratios of the three coinages remained roughly equivalent.


title: Money

text: In premodern China, the need for credit and for circulating a medium that was less of a burden than exchanging thousands of copper coins led to the introduction of paper money, commonly known today as "banknote"s. This economic phenomenon was a slow and gradual process that took place from the late Tang dynasty (618–907) into the Song dynasty (960–1279). It began as a means for merchants to exchange heavy coinage for receipts of deposit issued as promissory notes from shops of wholesalers, notes that were valid for temporary use in a small regional territory. In the 10th century, the Song dynasty government began circulating these notes amongst the traders in their monopolized salt industry. The Song government granted several shops the sole right to issue banknotes, and in the early 12th century the government finally took over these shops to produce state-issued currency. Yet the banknotes issued were still regionally valid and temporary; it was not until the mid 13th century that a standard and uniform government issue of paper money was made into an acceptable nationwide currency. The already widespread methods of woodblock printing and then Pi Sheng's movable type printing by the 11th century was the impetus for the massive production of paper money in premodern China.


title: Money

text: At around the same time in the medieval Islamic world, a vigorous monetary economy was created during the 7th–12th centuries on the basis of the expanding levels of circulation of a stable high-value currency (the dinar). Innovations introduced by economists, traders and merchants of the Muslim world include the earliest uses of credit, cheques, savings accounts, transactional accounts, loaning, trusts, exchange rates, the transfer of credit and debt, and banking institutions for loans and deposits.


title: Money

text: In Europe, paper money was first introduced in Sweden in 1661. Sweden was rich in copper, thus, because of copper's low value, extraordinarily big coins (often weighing several kilograms) had to be made. The advantages of paper currency were numerous: it reduced transport of gold and silver, and thus lowered the risks; it made loaning gold or silver at interest easier since the specie (gold or silver) never left the possession of the lender until someone else redeemed the note; it allowed for a division of currency into credit and specie backed forms. It enabled the sale of stock in joint stock companies, and the redemption of those shares in the paper.


title: Money

text: However, these advantages are held within their disadvantages. First, since a note has no intrinsic value, there was nothing to stop issuing authorities from printing more of it than they had specie to back it with. Second, because it increased the money supply, it increased inflationary pressures, a fact observed by David Hume in the 18th century. The result is that paper money would often lead to an inflationary bubble, which could collapse if people began demanding hard money, causing the demand for paper notes to fall to zero. The printing of paper money was also associated with wars, and financing of wars, and therefore regarded as part of maintaining a standing army. For these reasons, paper currency was held in suspicion and hostility in Europe and America. It was also addictive since the speculative profits of trade and capital creation were quite large. Major nations established mints to print money and mint coins, and branches of their treasury to collect taxes and hold gold and silver stock.


title: Money

text: At this time both silver and gold were considered legal tender, and accepted by governments for taxes. However, the instability in the ratio between the two grew over the 19th century, with the increase both in the supply of these metals, particularly silver, and of trade. This is called bimetallism and the attempt to create a bimetallic standard where both gold and silver backed currency remained in circulation occupied the efforts of inflationists. Governments at this point could use currency as an instrument of policy, printing paper currency such as the United States greenback, to pay for military expenditures. They could also set the terms at which they would redeem notes for specie, by limiting the amount of purchase, or the minimum amount that could be redeemed.


title: Money

text: By 1900, most of the industrializing nations were on some form of a gold standard, with paper notes and silver coins constituting the circulating medium. Private banks and governments across the world followed Gresham's law: keeping gold and silver paid but paying out in notes. This did not happen all around the world at the same time, but occurred sporadically, generally in times of war or financial crisis, beginning in the early part of the 20th century and continuing across the world until the late 20th century, when the regime of floating fiat currencies came into force. One of the last countries to break away from the gold standard was the United States in 1971.


title: Money

text: No country anywhere in the world today has an enforceable gold standard or silver standard currency system.


title: Money

text: Commercial bank money or demand deposits are claims against financial institutions that can be used for the purchase of goods and services. A demand deposit account is an account from which funds can be withdrawn at any time by check or cash withdrawal without giving the bank or financial institution any prior notice. Banks have the legal obligation to return funds held in demand deposits immediately upon demand (or 'at call'). Demand deposit withdrawals can be performed in person, via checks or bank drafts, using automatic teller machines (ATMs), or through online banking.


title: Money

text: Commercial bank money is created through fractional-reserve banking, the banking practise where banks keep only a fraction of their deposits in reserve (as cash and other highly liquid assets) and lend out the remainder, while maintaining the simultaneous obligation to redeem all these deposits upon demand. Commercial bank money differs from commodity and fiat money in two ways: firstly it is non-physical, as its existence is only reflected in the account ledgers of banks and other financial institutions, and secondly, there is some element of risk that the claim will not be fulfilled if the financial institution becomes insolvent. The process of fractional-reserve banking has a cumulative effect of money creation by commercial banks, as it expands the money supply (cash and demand deposits) beyond what it would otherwise be. Because of the prevalence of fractional reserve banking, the broad money supply of most countries is a multiple (greater than 1) of the amount of base money created by the country's central bank. That multiple (called the money multiplier) is determined by the reserve requirement or other financial ratio requirements imposed by financial regulators.


title: Money

text: The money supply of a country is usually held to be the total amount of currency in circulation plus the total value of checking and savings deposits in the commercial banks in the country. In modern economies, relatively little of the money supply is in physical currency. For example, in December 2010 in the U.S., of the $8853.4 billion in broad money supply (M2), only $915.7 billion (about 10%) consisted of physical coins and paper money.


title: Money

text: The development of computer technology in the second part of the twentieth century allowed money to be represented digitally. By 1990, in the United States all money transferred between its central bank and commercial banks was in electronic form. By the 2000s most money existed as digital currency in bank databases. In 2012, by number of transaction, 20 to 58 percent of transactions were electronic (dependent on country).


title: Money

text: Anonymous digital currencies were developed in the early 2000s. Early examples include Ecash, bit gold, RPOW, and b-money. Not much innovation occurred until the conception of Bitcoin in 2008, which introduced the concept of a decentralised currency that requires no trusted third party.


title: Money

text: When gold and silver are used as money, the money supply can grow only if the supply of these metals is increased by mining. This rate of increase will accelerate during periods of gold rushes and discoveries, such as when Columbus traveled to the New World and brought back gold and silver to Spain, or when gold was discovered in California in 1848. This causes inflation, as the value of gold goes down. However, if the rate of gold mining cannot keep up with the growth of the economy, gold becomes relatively more valuable, and prices (denominated in gold) will drop, causing deflation. Deflation was the more typical situation for over a century when gold and paper money backed by gold were used as money in the 18th and 19th centuries.


title: Money

text: Modern-day monetary systems are based on fiat money and are no longer tied to the value of gold. The control of the amount of money in the economy is known as monetary policy. Monetary policy is the process by which a government, central bank, or monetary authority manages the money supply to achieve specific goals. Usually, the goal of monetary policy is to accommodate economic growth in an environment of stable prices. For example, it is clearly stated in the Federal Reserve Act that the Board of Governors and the Federal Open Market Committee should seek "to promote effectively the goals of maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates."


title: Money

text: A failed monetary policy can have significant detrimental effects on an economy and the society that depends on it. These include hyperinflation, stagflation, recession, high unemployment, shortages of imported goods, inability to export goods, and even total monetary collapse and the adoption of a much less efficient barter economy. This happened in Russia, for instance, after the fall of the Soviet Union.


title: Money

text: Governments and central banks have taken both regulatory and free market approaches to monetary policy. Some of the tools used to control the money supply include:


title: Money

text: In the US, the Federal Reserve is responsible for controlling the money supply, while in the Euro area the respective institution is the European Central Bank. Other central banks with a significant impact on global finances are the Bank of Japan, People's Bank of China and the Bank of England.


title: Money

text: For many years much of monetary policy was influenced by an economic theory known as monetarism. Monetarism is an economic theory which argues that management of the money supply should be the primary means of regulating economic activity. The stability of the demand for money prior to the 1980s was a key finding of Milton Friedman and Anna Schwartz supported by the work of David Laidler, and many others. The nature of the demand for money changed during the 1980s owing to technical, institutional, and legal factors and the influence of monetarism has since decreased.


title: Money

text: The definition of money says it is money only "in a particular country or socio-economic context". In general, communities only use a single measure of value, which can be identified in the prices of goods listed for sale. There might be multiple media of exchange, which can be observed by what is given to purchase goods ("medium of exchange"), etc. In most countries, the government acts to encourage a particular forms of money, such as requiring it for taxes and punishing fraud.


title: Money

text: Some places do maintain two or more currencies, particularly in border towns or high-travel areas. Shops in these locations might list prices and accept payment in multiple currencies. Otherwise, foreign currency is treated as a financial asset in the local market. Foreign currency is commonly bought or sold on foreign exchange markets by travelers and traders.


title: Money

text: Communities can change the money they use, which is known as currency substitution. This can happen intentionally, when a government issues a new currency. For example, when Brazil moved from the Brazilian cruzeiro to the Brazilian real. It can also happen spontaneously, when the people refuse to accept a currency experiencing hyperinflation (even if its use is encouraged by the government).


title: Money

text: The money used by a community can change on a smaller scale. This can come through innovation, such as the adoption of cheques (checks). Gresham's law says that "bad money drives out good". That is, when buying a good, a person is more likely to pass on less-desirable items that qualify as "money" and hold on to more valuable ones. For example, coins with less silver in them (but which are still valid coins) are more likely to circulate in the community. This may effectively change the money used by a community.


title: Money

text: The money used by a community does not have to be a currency issued by a government. A famous example of community adopting a new form of money is prisoners-of-war using cigarettes to trade.


title: Money

text: Counterfeit money is imitation currency produced without the legal sanction of the state or government. Producing or using counterfeit money is a form of fraud or forgery. Counterfeiting is almost as old as money itself. Plated copies (known as Fourrées) have been found of Lydian coins which are thought to be among the first western coins. Historically, objects that were difficult to counterfeit (e.g. shells, rare stones, precious metals) were often chosen as money. Before the introduction of paper money, the most prevalent method of counterfeiting involved mixing base metals with pure gold or silver. A form of counterfeiting is the production of documents by legitimate printers in response to fraudulent instructions. During World War II, the Nazis forged British pounds and American dollars. Today some of the finest counterfeit banknotes are called "Superdollars" because of their high quality and likeness to the real U.S. dollar. There has been significant counterfeiting of Euro banknotes and coins since the launch of the currency in 2002, but considerably less than for the U.S. dollar.


title: Money

text: Money laundering is the process in which the proceeds of crime are transformed into ostensibly legitimate money or other assets. However, in several legal and regulatory systems the term money laundering has become conflated with other forms of financial crime, and sometimes used more generally to include misuse of the financial system (involving things such as securities, digital currencies, credit cards, and traditional currency), including terrorism financing, tax evasion, and evading of international sanctions.


title: Carolina Reaper

text: The Carolina Reaper is a cultivar of the "Capsicum chinense" plant. Developed by American breeder Ed Currie, the pepper is red and gnarled, with a bumpy texture and small pointed tail. In 2017, "Guinness World Records" declared it the hottest chili pepper in the world.


title: Carolina Reaper

text: The crossbreed is between a "really nastily hot" La Soufriere pepper from Saint Vincent and a Naga Viper pepper from Pakistan, and was named "Reaper" due to the shape of its tail. It has been described as having a fruity taste, with the initial bite being sweet and then immediately turning to "molten lava". The sensory heat or pungency detected when eating a Carolina Reaper derives from the density of capsaicinoids, particularly capsaicin, which relates directly to the intensity of chili pepper heat and Scoville Heat Units (SHU).


title: Carolina Reaper

text: The pepper was bred in a greenhouse in Rock Hill, South Carolina, by Ed Currie, proprietor of the Puckerbutt Pepper Company in Fort Mill. It was certified as the world's hottest chili pepper by "Guinness World Records" on August 11, 2017, surpassing the previous record set by the Trinidad Scorpion "Butch T". The official "Guinness World Record" heat level was 1,641,183 SHU in 2017, according to tests conducted by Winthrop University in South Carolina. The figure is an average for the tested batch; the hottest individual pepper was measured at 2.2 million SHU.


title: Carolina Reaper

text: In May 2017, Welsh breeder Mike Smith of St Asaph claimed to have surpassed the Carolina Reaper with his Dragon's Breath pepper, developed by Smith alongside Nottingham Trent University and reported to be 2.4 million SHUs; Smith applied to "Guinness World Records" for confirmation. Four months later, however, Currie claimed to have bred a stronger pepper known as Pepper X with 3.18 million SHUs.


title: Carolina Reaper

text: For growing, the pepper has been described as "a good all-rounder to try at home" by English ethnobotanist James Wong, who said that they require temperatures of at least and suggested growing in pots to restrict growth and produce fruit sooner. When fully ripe, two peppers occupy the palm of the hand.


title: Tommy Flanagan (actor)

text: Thomas Flanagan (born 3 July 1965) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for his role as Filip "Chibs" Telford in the FX crime drama television series "Sons of Anarchy" (2008–2014) and its spin-off "Mayans M.C." (2019), Cicero in "Gladiator" (2000), Morrison in "Braveheart" (1995), Tullk in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" (2017), and Williamson in "All About The Benjamins" (2002).


title: Tommy Flanagan (actor)

text: Flanagan was born in Easterhouse, Glasgow, the second of four children. His sister Sue is a nurse at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow. He was an altar boy. His facial scars are the result of a knife attack outside a nightclub where he had been working as a DJ. After leaving the club he was attacked by a gang, stabbed and slashed with a knife, leaving him with scars.


title: Tommy Flanagan (actor)

text: Flanagan and his wife, Dina, have a daughter. He was previously married to Rachel Flanagan, and casting director Jane Ford.


title: Tommy Flanagan (actor)

text: His first television roles were in "Screen One" (1992) and "Taggart" (1993). Flanagan worked in Robert Carlyle's Raindog Theatre for three years before being cast in "Braveheart" (1995). He has had roles in "Face/Off" (1997), "The Game" (1997), "Sunset Strip" (2000), "Gladiator" (2000), "All About the Benjamins" (2002), "" (2003), "Alien vs. Predator" (2004), "Sin City" (2005), "Smokin' Aces" (2006), "When a Stranger Calls" (2006), "The Last Drop" (2006), "" (2010), "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" (2017) and the TV mini-series "Attila".


title: Tommy Flanagan (actor)

text: He portrayed arms dealer Gabriel Schecter in the first episode of "24"s seventh season and appeared in the episode "Headlock" of "Lie to Me", aired in the U.S. on Monday 2 August 2010. He was one of the main cast members of "Sons of Anarchy", in which he plays an outlaw biker named Filip "Chibs" Telford. In October 2010, Flanagan was revealed as the spokesperson for the Scottish soft drink Irn-Bru. In July 2016, he appeared in the music video for the song "Rotting in Vain" by Korn.


title: Tommy Flanagan (actor)

text: In July 2018, it was announced that Flanagan was cast in one of the main roles, Alec McCullough, on the Netflix series "Wu Assassins".


title: Love (2015 film)

text: Love is a 2015 erotic drama art film written and directed by Gaspar Noé. The film marked Noé's fourth directorial venture after a gap of five years. It had its premiere at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and was released in 3D. The film is notable for its unsimulated sex scenes.


title: Love (2015 film)

text: Murphy (Karl Glusman) is an American film student living in Paris. On a rainy January morning, he receives a call at the small apartment he shares with Danish partner Omi (Klara Kristin) and their 18-month-old son, Gaspar. The surprise visitor is Nora, the mother of his ex-girlfriend Electra (Aomi Muyock), who asks if Murphy knows of her daughter's whereabouts. She hasn't heard from Electra in three months, and is worried, given her issues with depression and previous suicide attempts.


title: Love (2015 film)

text: For the rest of this day, Murphy recalls his relationship with Electra in a series of fragmented, nonlinear flashbacks. They depict their first meeting; their quick hook-up; and their lives over the next two years, which are filled with drug abuse, rough sex, and tender moments. Murphy and Electra eventually met and had a no-strings-attached threesome with Omi, then a young teenager, as a way to add some excitement to their love life.


title: Love (2015 film)

text: However, Murphy continued his sexual relationship with Omi, without Electra's knowledge. This eventually resulted in an unplanned pregnancy, due to a broken condom. Omi refused to terminate the pregnancy, as she was against abortion. Admitting the truth to Electra ultimately ended hers and Murphy's relationship, leading to the present-day set up of Murphy and Omi raising the child together. Electra's whereabouts and ultimate fate are left unresolved at the end of the film.


title: Love (2015 film)

text: Initially, Noé wanted the then married couple Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel, to play the leads, but they took issue with the explicit, unsimulated sex.


title: Love (2015 film)

text: "Love" is the screen debut of the film's two main actresses, Muyock and Kristin. Noé met them in a club. He found Karl Glusman for the role of Murphy through a mutual friend. The budget of the film was approximately €2.6 million. Principal photography took place in Paris. Noé has said that the film's screenplay was seven pages long.


title: Love (2015 film)

text: In a pre-release interview with "Marfa Journal", Noé implied that the film would have an explicitly sexual feel. He asserted that it would "give guys a hard-on and make girls cry".


title: Love (2015 film)

text: The film is notable for its unsimulated sex scenes. According to NPR, "roughly half of Gaspar Noe's "Love" consists of raw, unsimulated sex acts – presented in 3D, no less". In most cases, the sex scenes were also not choreographed.


title: Love (2015 film)

text: Gaspar Noé said that some of the sex scenes in the film are real while others are simulated. The director also preferred not to reveal which ones were simulated and leave the possibility to the spectators to detect the true from the false. "I think the experience of sex should be represented in all its power - instead of being caricatured as it is too often", he explained before specifying that he also did according to wants and needs of the actors: "I also composed with the limits of the actors. For Karl Glusman (Murphy), the representation of ejaculation was done in a natural way; actresses experience this differently and I respected their limits."


title: Love (2015 film)

text: The week before its debut at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, the film's U.S. distribution rights were acquired by Alchemy. It was selected to be screened in the Vanguard section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. The film also screened in The International Film Festival of Kerala, held in Thiruvananthapuram, India.


title: Love (2015 film)

text: On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 40% with an average rating of 5.1/10, based on 94 reviews. The website's critics consensus reads: ""Love" sees writer-director Gaspar Noé delivering some of his warmest and most personal work; unfortunately, it's also among his most undeveloped and least compelling." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 51 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".


title: The Little Mermaid

text: "The Little Mermaid" () is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a human soul. The tale was first published in 1837 as part of a collection of fairy tales for children. The original story has been a subject of multiple analyses by scholars such as Jacob Bøggild and Pernille Heegaard as well as the folklorist Maria Tatar. These analyses cover various aspects of the story from interpreting the themes to discussing why Andersen chose to write a tragic story with a happy ending. It has been adapted to various media, including musical theatre, anime, ballet, opera, and film. There is also a statue portraying the mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark, where the story was written and first published.


title: The Little Mermaid

text: The Little Mermaid lives in an underwater kingdom with her widowed father (Mer-King), her dowager grandmother, and her five older sisters, each of whom had been born one year apart. When a mermaid turns fifteen, she is permitted to swim to the surface for the first time to catch a glimpse of the world above, and when the sisters become old enough, each of them visits the upper world one at a time every 365 days. As each returns, the Little Mermaid listens longingly to their various descriptions of the world inhabited by human beings.


title: The Little Mermaid

text: When the Little Mermaid's turn comes, she rises up to the surface, watches a birthday celebration being held on a ship in honor of a handsome prince, and falls in love with him from a safe distance. Then a violent storm hits, sinking the ship, and the Little Mermaid saves the prince from drowning. She delivers him unconscious to the shore near a temple. Here, the Little Mermaid waits until a young woman from the temple and her ladies in waiting find him. To her dismay, the prince never sees the Little Mermaid or even realizes that it was she who had originally saved his life.


title: The Little Mermaid

text: The Little Mermaid becomes melancholy and asks her grandmother if humans can live forever. The grandmother explains that humans have a much shorter lifespan than a mermaid's 300 years but that they have an eternal soul that lives on in heaven, while mermaids turn to sea foam at death and cease to exist. The Little Mermaid, longing for the prince and an eternal soul, visits the Sea Witch who lives in a dangerous part of the ocean. The witch willingly helps her by selling her a potion that gives her legs in exchange for her beautiful voice, as the Little Mermaid has the most enchanting voice in the entire world. The witch warns the Little Mermaid that once she becomes a human, she will never be able to return to the sea. Consuming the potion will make her feel as if a sword is being passed through her body, yet when she recovers, she will have two human legs and will be able to dance like no human has ever danced before. However, she will constantly feel as if she is walking on sharp knives. In addition, she will obtain a soul only if she wins the love of the prince and marries him, for then a part of his soul will flow into her. Otherwise, at dawn on the first day after he marries someone else, the Little Mermaid will die with a broken heart and dissolve into sea foam upon the waves.


title: The Little Mermaid

text: After she agrees to the arrangement, the Little Mermaid swims up to the surface near the prince's castle and drinks the potion. The liquid feels like a sword piercing her body and she passes out on the shore, naked. She is found by the prince, who is mesmerized by her beauty and grace, even though she is mute. Most of all, he likes to see her dance, and she dances for him despite suffering excruciating pain with every step. Soon, the Little Mermaid becomes the prince's favorite companion and accompanies him on many of his outings but he does not fall in love with her at all. When the prince's parents encourage their son to marry the neighboring princess in an arranged marriage, the prince tells the Little Mermaid he will not because he does not love the princess. He goes on to say he can only love the young woman from the temple, who he believes rescued him. It turns out that the princess from the neighboring kingdom was the temple woman, as she was sent to the temple for her education. The prince declares his love for her, and the royal wedding is announced at once.


title: The Little Mermaid

text: The prince and princess celebrate their new marriage aboard a wedding ship, and the Little Mermaid's heart breaks. She thinks of all that she has sacrificed and of all the pain she has endured for the prince. She despairs, thinking of the death that awaits her, but before dawn, her sisters rise out of the water and bring her a dagger that the Sea Witch has given them in exchange for their long, beautiful hair. If the Little Mermaid kills the prince and lets his blood drip on her feet, she will become a mermaid once more, all her suffering will end, and she will live out her full life in the ocean with her family. However, the Little Mermaid cannot bring herself to kill the sleeping prince lying with his new wife, and she throws the dagger and herself off the ship into the water just as dawn breaks. Her body dissolves into foam, but instead of ceasing to exist, she feels the warm sun and discovers that she has turned into a luminous and ethereal earthbound spirit, a daughter of the air. As the Little Mermaid ascends into the atmosphere, she is greeted by other daughters, who tell her she has become like them because she strove with all her heart to obtain an immortal soul. Because of her selflessness, she is given the chance to earn her own soul by doing good deeds for mankind for 300 years, and will one day rise up into Heaven.