EVH, I don't get it...

[petejt]

Pretty amazing considering the 70's is perceived as a weak era musically.

Seriously?
The 1980s had a lot of flashiness and overdone hysteria, with some talent here and there amongst the mess. The 1990s was tired and boring most of the time. The 2000s and beyond were/are just ripping off whatever happened in previous decades. The 1950s and 1960s were revolutionary but still under the strain of general conservatism.
I always thought the 1970s was a very strong musical decade, compared to the rest of the 20th century.

 

[mentoneman]

milestones:

surrounded by slack key hawaiian music and learned ukulele in kindergarden uke class

led zep IV /stairway introduced me to rock via my sister's record collection and the first song i learned on acoustic gtr
also tried to learn dream on

doobie brothers minute by minute was my first personal rock album i won at boblo island amusement park near michigan while on vacation with my family in 78, for popping a balloon with a dart; during that fateful trip went to strawberries record shop in boston and bought kiss alive II, and i learned tapping from ace freeley shock me solo, on my ukulele after i found my sister's boyfriend's pick on the front porch of our house and realized i could bounce it on the strings and make notes with it

my cousin played eruption on vinyl when i was 12 later that year and i thought it was a harpsichord and kinda pretty, but i also remember thinking he was doing that ace freeley thing but way faster.

def lep high and dry-specifically let it roll was the first rock song i tried to learn on my first electric gtr in 81
nugent's great white buffalo was second

zachman came to my house in hawaii 82 with his boogie mark IIb combo with altec speaker and fetron preamp tube, and his mutron wah, and blew my mind playing uli and vh and journey solos so loud the pictures and mirror on my wall fell off.
showed me some eddie licks and what an electric guitar was supposed to sound like. picked up all vh lps and he also hipped me to holdsworth.

smoked killer hawaiian and listened to journey escape, hendrix axis bold as love, and ufo strangers in the night back to back and became a guitar lifer that day.

watched mark kalewahea burn note for note super solos of the day (ozzy/ufo/y&t/scorpions/tyger of pan tang) in his band sabre and inspired me to be better

yngwie hot on your heels hit the radio in hawaii, then graham bonnett world premiered alcatrazz on hawaiian radio, and turned up the fire big time.
saw mark k open for alcatrazz at university of hawaii ballroom in 84 and watched my two heroes tear the place down.

 

[jabps]

Pretty amazing considering the 70's is perceived as a weak era musically.

Seriously?
The 1980s had a lot of flashiness and overdone hysteria, with some talent here and there amongst the mess. The 1990s was tired and boring most of the time. The 2000s and beyond were/are just ripping off whatever happened in previous decades. The 1950s and 1960s were revolutionary but still under the strain of general conservatism.
I always thought the 1970s was a very strong musical decade, compared to the rest of the 20th century.

That's why I said "perceived" as many people, critics etc...generally pan that era. I didn't say that I agreed with it. I only agree with the fact that there was a rut in guitar playing. In fact the whole paragraph before that I pretty much profess my love of 70's rock music.

 

[Superunknown]

So which VH album you guys recommend I buy first?

Eddie is one of my biggest influences. I have spoke and hung with Guthrie alot and when i talk to him he speaks about his clapton/cream influence like i think about Eddie. Hell, my screen name is all about him. To me when speaking of rock guitar, there are 2 guys that completely took the book, threw it out the window, and then wrote an encyclopedia on how you play rock guitar. Hendrix, then everyone expanded on him, and then out of nowhere some 20 something year old reinvents the wheel. I mean dude, eruption!?!!?! the GREATEST GUITAR SOLO OF ALL TIME!!!!! This is all opinion of course but it is how i feel at least.

as for starting album. dude start at the beginning with Van Halen 1. Put yourself in a mindset of the times, it came out in 78. just imagine if you can a world without Vai,Yngwie,Gilbert,Guthrie,Shawn Lane etc. Your riding down the road listening to the radio (doobie brothers, santanna, ted nugent, foghat etc) and out of nowhere you hear running with the devil, ice cream man, eruption, im the one. It would have been like an atomic bomb going off in your car!!!! sadly i wasnt born yet to have experinced that but to me eddie was, is, and always will be the king! its american rock and roll at its finest, and did i mention that he redefined guitar soloing FOREVER with a mere 1:42 guitar solo. just sit back and think about it!!

now if you dont "get it" or like it thats ok too, but if you want to get it check out van halen 1 then 1984. GREAT SONGS!! not just playing, now if you want un apologetic Ed just ripping ass wide open go with fair warning.


Eddie changed my life forever, and will always hold a place at the top of the heap of my favorite and most influential players.

A Wood

+1....

 

[rupe]

RR > EVH

 

[thegame]

Sort of EVH related :

Has anyone here read Sammy's new book ? I'm interested if he's still claiming to have been abducted by aliens. For him to claim EVH is a lunatic is kind of calling the kettle black.

 

[goldwing68nv]

here,this sums it up...EVH created the song "Eruption" from Van Halen 1 album...with that "single" song in mind,EVH did more in 1 minute and 42 seconds than 99.9% of guys out there will EVER do in their ENTIRE LIFE



the REAL Van Halen......the DLR era 1978-1984...period!!!

 

[Greazygeo]

I dunno.....started playing in 1980. Just never really got into VH. The tunes were pretty generic and the playing never sounded very good or interesting. The looseness I keep reading about is most likely just the alcohol. I do really like Alex's drumming and drum mixes.

My guys are Uli Roth and RR. Listen to Virgin Killers that disc is awesome (imo) and was out in 75-76. Catch your Train, smokin track!!

 

[70strathead]

I dunno.....started playing in 1980. Just never really got into VH. The tunes were pretty generic and the playing never sounded very good or interesting. The looseness I keep reading about is most likely just the alcohol. I do really like Alex's drumming and drum mixes.

My guys are Uli Roth and RR. Listen to Virgin Killers that disc is awesome (imo) and was out in 75-76. Catch your Train, smokin track!!

I had read somewhere that Ed was cited as being influenced by Roth and even mentioned that solo in catch your train. Ed obviously heard The whammy dive bombs from the In trance LP in 76'. I also think Blackmore was a Huge influence ..the bit in You fool no One solo off of Burn is almost identical to the triplet patterns in eruption begininng, but different key. You can hear Ed in the fast lick on Lazy solo too. Roth was so unrecognized back then but the serious guys were well aware of him.

 

[Coopster]

Sort of EVH related :

Has anyone here read Sammy's new book ? I'm interested if he's still claiming to have been abducted by aliens. For him to claim EVH is a lunatic is kind of calling the kettle black.

I read a chunk of it today at the bookstore. I want to buy it, I just kind of cruised through a few chapters and it sucked me in. 20/20 being hindsight and all, I'm more likely to believe Sammy's side of the story than Ed's, at least right now.

I know there's lots of Sammy hate out there but, honestly, he's the only one that managed to keep a career going out of any of the first two iterations of the band.

 

[van hellion]

RR > EVH

with all respect to RR, EVH did more than play guitar awesome, he wrote killer hook based songs that resonated with chicks who were laying on the beach just as much as dudes who wanted to rock out. Add in all of Eddies gear contributions to modern guitar and its just an unfair comparison. I mean look at it like this, in 2011 in any frat/sorority party (usually one of the most non music related environments to say the least) your gonna get a GUARANTEE party and chicks screaming along when they hear the keyboard intro to Jump, and thats almost 30 years after it topped the charts. It fits in the same category as a "dont stop believing" or "jessies girl" on party hits. Lets take it to another level, he played on FRIGGIN BEAT IT!! The dude just broke down all barriers between shred guitar and popularity.

Not to say that eddie "invented" all this stuff but he definately took it to another level.

ask a random chick or friend who isnt into music who ritchie Blackmore is, or who Randy Rhaods is. Then ask them who eddie van halen is. There in lies your answer, EVH brought over the top guitar soloing into pop culture, thats in addition to his ground breaking technique, his chart topping songwriting skills, and his inventions and contributions to the guitar gear community.


i know, i know, im biased. but to me its just a no brainer, the dude is THE MOST IMPORTANT guitar player post hendrix, in history.

Only thing that would make it more obvious was if he had died an early death, if that would have happened he would be revered like a lennon, cobain, or hendrix. Hell he is already almost there and thats with spending his latter years as a screw loose alcoholic.

all hail king edward!!!!

A Wood

 

[Greazygeo]

RR > EVH

with all respect to RR, EVH did more than play guitar awesome, he wrote killer hook based songs that resonated with chicks who were laying on the beach just as much as dudes who wanted to rock out. Add in all of Eddies gear contributions to modern guitar and its just an unfair comparison. I mean look at it like this, in 2011 in any frat/sorority party (usually one of the most non music related environments to say the least) your gonna get a GUARANTEE party and chicks screaming along when they hear the keyboard intro to Jump, and thats almost 30 years after it topped the charts. It fits in the same category as a "dont stop believing" or "jessies girl" on party hits. Lets take it to another level, he played on FRIGGIN BEAT IT!! The dude just broke down all barriers between shred guitar and popularity.

Not to say that eddie "invented" all this stuff but he definately took it to another level.

ask a random chick or friend who isnt into music who ritchie Blackmore is, or who Randy Rhaods is. Then ask them who eddie van halen is. There in lies your answer, EVH brought over the top guitar soloing into pop culture, thats in addition to his ground breaking technique, his chart topping songwriting skills, and his inventions and contributions to the guitar gear community.


i know, i know, im biased. but to me its just a no brainer, the dude is THE MOST IMPORTANT guitar player post hendrix, in history.

Only thing that would make it more obvious was if he had died an early death, if that would have happened he would be revered like a lennon, cobain, or hendrix. Hell he is already almost there and thats with spending his latter years as a screw loose alcoholic.

all hail king edward!!!!

A Wood

Well Randy had 2 years in the "spotlight".....would have been nice to have alittle more material to hear.

As far as non-players knowing him vs EVH, what does that have to do with anything? I'd think that more know Slash for that matter....Did VH actually have something top the charts? I really don't know.

I bet there are alot of frat parties rockin to Crazy Train, seems to have passed the test of time. They play that tune at tons of sporting events....

like what you like....i just don't find any substance there.

 

[Greazygeo]

I dunno.....started playing in 1980. Just never really got into VH. The tunes were pretty generic and the playing never sounded very good or interesting. The looseness I keep reading about is most likely just the alcohol. I do really like Alex's drumming and drum mixes.

My guys are Uli Roth and RR. Listen to Virgin Killers that disc is awesome (imo) and was out in 75-76. Catch your Train, smokin track!!

I had read somewhere that Ed was cited as being influenced by Roth and even mentioned that solo in catch your train. Ed obviously heard The whammy dive bombs from the In trance LP in 76'. I also think Blackmore was a Huge influence ..the bit in You fool no One solo off of Burn is almost identical to the triplet patterns in eruption begininng, but different key. You can hear Ed in the fast lick on Lazy solo too. Roth was so unrecognized back then but the serious guys were well aware of him.

Yeah, I'd think he would have had to have been influenced by them at some point. How could you not like at least some of it? So many cool Purple / Rainbow / Scorps tunes!

 

[67Mopar]

I just don't consider KISS as being relevant to anything truly musical. I do like Ace Frehley's solo album though... Gotta love those open tunings! KISS were the "Harlem Globe Trotters" of rock music. Fun to watch - but that was about it.

 

[jabps]

I just don't consider KISS as being relevant to anything truly musical. I do like Ace Frehley's solo album though... Gotta love those open tunings! KISS were the "Harlem Globe Trotters" of rock music. Fun to watch - but that was about it.

But their impact was undeniable. That was my point. Even though I enjoy some of Kiss's music there is no way anyone can deny that they changed the face of music in terms of business but more importantly in terms of live productions, and to a minor degree musically albeit simply in the form of making people wanna play. The same point...even if you don't like Ed...you cannot deny his impact on music and the guitar playing community. Look, I personally have never cared for Zeppelin, I think Page is hack but for me to not recognize that JP essentially wrote some of the greatest music ever would be silly. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm taking personal preference out of the equation and respecting the whole...whether I like it or not.

 

[van hellion]

RR > EVH

with all respect to RR, EVH did more than play guitar awesome, he wrote killer hook based songs that resonated with chicks who were laying on the beach just as much as dudes who wanted to rock out. Add in all of Eddies gear contributions to modern guitar and its just an unfair comparison. I mean look at it like this, in 2011 in any frat/sorority party (usually one of the most non music related environments to say the least) your gonna get a GUARANTEE party and chicks screaming along when they hear the keyboard intro to Jump, and thats almost 30 years after it topped the charts. It fits in the same category as a "dont stop believing" or "jessies girl" on party hits. Lets take it to another level, he played on FRIGGIN BEAT IT!! The dude just broke down all barriers between shred guitar and popularity.

Not to say that eddie "invented" all this stuff but he definately took it to another level.

ask a random chick or friend who isnt into music who ritchie Blackmore is, or who Randy Rhaods is. Then ask them who eddie van halen is. There in lies your answer, EVH brought over the top guitar soloing into pop culture, thats in addition to his ground breaking technique, his chart topping songwriting skills, and his inventions and contributions to the guitar gear community.


i know, i know, im biased. but to me its just a no brainer, the dude is THE MOST IMPORTANT guitar player post hendrix, in history.

Only thing that would make it more obvious was if he had died an early death, if that would have happened he would be revered like a lennon, cobain, or hendrix. Hell he is already almost there and thats with spending his latter years as a screw loose alcoholic.

all hail king edward!!!!

A Wood

Well Randy had 2 years in the "spotlight".....would have been nice to have alittle more material to hear.

As far as non-players knowing him vs EVH, what does that have to do with anything? I'd think that more know Slash for that matter....Did VH actually have something top the charts? I really don't know.

I bet there are alot of frat parties rockin to Crazy Train, seems to have passed the test of time. They play that tune at tons of sporting events....

like what you like....i just don't find any substance there.

i agree RR didnt leave the world with a fair amount of time in the spotlight. who knows what he would have accomplished.

but what im talking about with non players knowing him, is exactly the same thing as slash. its impact man, and the original poster was talking about not "getting" EVH well, understanding the impact he and his music made is part of getting it. im talking on a big picture type of thing.

as for chart toppers, yeah man everything from "1984" to "for unlawful carnel knowledge" (the obvious hit on that one being "right now") there was plenty of time Ed and his band have been on top.


Frat parties rocking crazy train, abso-fuckin-lutely! the majority of the guys and gals knowing the name of the guitarist shredding it up i dont think so. yet again going to Ed's impact and bringing the guitar and guitar soloing to the regular common joe blow. Its not that other songs didnt have it, cuz they did, its the fact that the world knew eddies name, and knew it was synonymous with GUITAR, and GUITAR SOLOING And that is what we are talking about here, the guitar player ya know? his importance, and where tto start if you "dont get it" but maybe you want to, like the original poster said he wanted. EVH became an icon to non musicians, much like slash. I hope you get what my point is now.

and to you, like what you like, and i bet i like alot of what you like too. BUT in my opinion only, Ed was a revolutionary. And as for substance, well there is so much substance on his albums that i still for the life of me cant get my head around his phrasing and internal sense of groove. But again, just my opinion

A Wood

 

[van hellion]

I just don't consider KISS as being relevant to anything truly musical. I do like Ace Frehley's solo album though... Gotta love those open tunings! KISS were the "Harlem Globe Trotters" of rock music. Fun to watch - but that was about it.

But their impact was undeniable. That was my point. Even though I enjoy some of Kiss's music there is no way anyone can deny that they changed the face of music in terms of business but more importantly in terms of live productions, and to a minor degree musically albeit simply in the form of making people wanna play. The same point...even if you don't like Ed...you cannot deny his impact on music and the guitar playing community. Look, I personally have never cared for Zeppelin, I think Page is hack but for me to not recognize that JP essentially wrote some of the greatest music ever would be silly. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm taking personal preference out of the equation and respecting the whole...whether I like it or not.

awesome way to think my friend

A Wood

 

[Digital Jams]

milestones:

surrounded by slack key hawaiian music and learned ukulele in kindergarden uke class

led zep IV /stairway introduced me to rock via my sister's record collection and the first song i learned on acoustic gtr
also tried to learn dream on

doobie brothers minute by minute was my first personal rock album i won at boblo island amusement park near michigan while on vacation with my family in 78, for popping a balloon with a dart; during that fateful trip went to strawberries record shop in boston and bought kiss alive II, and i learned tapping from ace freeley shock me solo, on my ukulele after i found my sister's boyfriend's pick on the front porch of our house and realized i could bounce it on the strings and make notes with it

my cousin played eruption on vinyl when i was 12 later that year and i thought it was a harpsichord and kinda pretty, but i also remember thinking he was doing that ace freeley thing but way faster.

def lep high and dry-specifically let it roll was the first rock song i tried to learn on my first electric gtr in 81
nugent's great white buffalo was second

zachman came to my house in hawaii 82 with his boogie mark IIb combo with altec speaker and fetron preamp tube, and his mutron wah, and blew my mind playing uli and vh and journey solos so loud the pictures and mirror on my wall fell off.
showed me some eddie licks and what an electric guitar was supposed to sound like. picked up all vh lps and he also hipped me to holdsworth.

smoked killer hawaiian and listened to journey escape, hendrix axis bold as love, and ufo strangers in the night back to back and became a guitar lifer that day.

watched mark kalewahea burn note for note super solos of the day (ozzy/ufo/y&t/scorpions/tyger of pan tang) in his band sabre and inspired me to be better

yngwie hot on your heels hit the radio in hawaii, then graham bonnett world premiered alcatrazz on hawaiian radio, and turned up the fire big time.
saw mark k open for alcatrazz at university of hawaii ballroom in 84 and watched my two heroes tear the place down.

Something like this should be playing as you walk into the RRHF, James Earl Jones making guys like Mentoneman brush away history of guitar so thick you can feel it while the smell of cheap perfume, smokes, and stale beer fill the air.


So let it be written.........................

 

[67Mopar]

I just don't consider KISS as being relevant to anything truly musical. I do like Ace Frehley's solo album though... Gotta love those open tunings! KISS were the "Harlem Globe Trotters" of rock music. Fun to watch - but that was about it.

But their impact was undeniable. That was my point. Even though I enjoy some of Kiss's music there is no way anyone can deny that they changed the face of music in terms of business but more importantly in terms of live productions, and to a minor degree musically albeit simply in the form of making people wanna play. The same point...even if you don't like Ed...you cannot deny his impact on music and the guitar playing community. Look, I personally have never cared for Zeppelin, I think Page is hack but for me to not recognize that JP essentially wrote some of the greatest music ever would be silly. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm taking personal preference out of the equation and respecting the whole...whether I like it or not.

I understand. That sure was a great time in music... I think Sweet is SO underrated as an influence. I can hear Sweet's influence on many of the 80's bands. Randy Rhoads was IMO the greatest arena rock guitar player ever! Well, maybe second best?

Michael Schenker IS THE MAN! I'm all over the map here...

 

[67Mopar]

milestones:

surrounded by slack key hawaiian music and learned ukulele in kindergarden uke class

led zep IV /stairway introduced me to rock via my sister's record collection and the first song i learned on acoustic gtr
also tried to learn dream on

doobie brothers minute by minute was my first personal rock album i won at boblo island amusement park near michigan while on vacation with my family in 78, for popping a balloon with a dart; during that fateful trip went to strawberries record shop in boston and bought kiss alive II, and i learned tapping from ace freeley shock me solo, on my ukulele after i found my sister's boyfriend's pick on the front porch of our house and realized i could bounce it on the strings and make notes with it

my cousin played eruption on vinyl when i was 12 later that year and i thought it was a harpsichord and kinda pretty, but i also remember thinking he was doing that ace freeley thing but way faster.

def lep high and dry-specifically let it roll was the first rock song i tried to learn on my first electric gtr in 81
nugent's great white buffalo was second

zachman came to my house in hawaii 82 with his boogie mark IIb combo with altec speaker and fetron preamp tube, and his mutron wah, and blew my mind playing uli and vh and journey solos so loud the pictures and mirror on my wall fell off.
showed me some eddie licks and what an electric guitar was supposed to sound like. picked up all vh lps and he also hipped me to holdsworth.

smoked killer hawaiian and listened to journey escape, hendrix axis bold as love, and ufo strangers in the night back to back and became a guitar lifer that day.

watched mark kalewahea burn note for note super solos of the day (ozzy/ufo/y&t/scorpions/tyger of pan tang) in his band sabre and inspired me to be better

yngwie hot on your heels hit the radio in hawaii, then graham bonnett world premiered alcatrazz on hawaiian radio, and turned up the fire big time.
saw mark k open for alcatrazz at university of hawaii ballroom in 84 and watched my two heroes tear the place down.

Something like this should be playing as you walk into the RRHF, James Earl Jones making guys like Mentoneman brush away history of guitar so thick you can feel it while the smell of cheap perfume, smokes, and stale beer fill the air.


So let it be written.........................

So let it be done.........