Steve Vai said there was no truth to the suggestion that he’s taking part in a sequel to 1986 movie Crossroads, in which he played the Devil’s guitarist Jack Butler.
It was reported this week that original scriptwriter John Fusco and star Ralph Macchio were working on an updated version, and Vai was quoted as saying his character wanted revenge after his undoing in the first instalment.
But in a new interview with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM he explained why he thought the rumor had begun to circulate, and stated that, if he was asked to take part, his answer would be “No thanks.”
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“Well, that is a very funny rumor that I’ve been reading too. No,” Vai said. Asked if he meant there was nothing to it, he repeated: “No.”
He continued: “I think what happened was – and I’ll just say this – I was contacted by somebody that said, ‘Hey, you’re going to be at NAMM. I know Ralph Macchio, and I spoke to him, and we thought it would be nice for you guys to meet.’
“I haven’t seen him since I made the movie. And all through the years I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘Hey, I saw Ralph and he said to say hello,’ and I would say, ‘Well, when you see Ralph, you tell him I said hello.’
“So there’s a potential that we’ll be able to kind of get together and chat during NAMM. And I think that got leaked, and you know how rumors are – it turned into, ‘there’s a rematch.’”
When colleague Joe Satriani joked, “I can’t wait,” Vai replied: “Yeah, no thanks!“
Steve Vai Wonders How to Beat Classic ‘Crossroads’ Movie Scene
The 1986 production, loosely based on the life story of early blues icon Robert Johnson, bombed on original release before finding a cult audience via home video. Vai’s guitar battle with Macchio’s character Eugene Martone is the climactic moment.
Asked if he had no interest whatsoever in a sequel, he explained: “[T]hat movie was a $30 million production or whatever it was, and required a tremendous amount of direction and work.
“And how do you do something like that now? Like, how do you make a scene that stands up to…? You know, you need a movie studio.”
Watch t the Climactic Guitar Battle Scene in ‘Crossroads’
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Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff
