I think Eddie Van Halen is my new favorite guitarist

[irondeth21]

I can't believe it took me till I was 25 to realize just how amazing he was/is. The first 4 van halen albums are rock master pieces. I always dug Eddie and had VH 1&2 since I was 14, but I think I just appreciated his tricks and tapping and what he did for the guitar. Now I really understand why everyone thinks he is the greatest, he is a rhythm monster, his tone is amazing, he has some of the best phrasing I've ever heard, he wrote badass songs that were catchy and heavy at the same time, and he made it look easy. I can't believe VH1 came out in 78, I mean he was worlds ahead of the guys at that time, no disrespect to them but holy shit man! I know there are guys that could shred faster and do crazier tapping, but none of them wrote anything nearly as catchy as Eddie, or as memorable!

Sorry for the rant, but I wanna hear some props for Eddie.

VH2 was my favorite, example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uiqgwUs ... re=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0XdzSMz ... re=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkJOZOOX ... re=related

 

[turmoil]

i'm in the same boat as you sir! when i first started listening to rock and heavy metal i skipped all the "classic" stuff and went straight to the heaviest and latest. I only really started listening to and appreciating the oldies, especially VH, within in the past year or so. sounds pretty n00bish but better late than never

 

[155]

yeah he is a great player, but what a arrogant dickhead

 

[Lord Toneking]

Been a VH fan my whole life Seen only a few players that can play like 'him'. He just plays with that certain style...or "swing" as Pete Thorn calls it that is very hard to duplicate imo. Get all the tab you want....but good luck nailing that 'swing'

Definately an innovator

 

[MARK1970]

I agree with you. You can appreciate him even more when you learn his songs on guitar. I just finished learning "So This Is Love.' I have to work on the solo a little but I am about 90% there.

 

[thiswaythatway]

I always liked this guy better.

 

[Juggernaut]

I always liked this guy better.

yup.

 

[Motorpud]

I always liked this guy better.

Me too, easy

 

[tonmazz]

I always liked this guy better.

Me too, easy

Love them both. Why? Because Randy was everything Eddie wasn't and Eddie was everything Randy wasn't. At the time everyone was copying Eddie and IMO Randy went out of his way not to and did his own thing. I recall reading an article where Eddie says that very thing and commented on his originality. Both are unique and make me want to play the guitar.

 

[gkinsingapore]

I had just turned 16 when 1984 came out and after discovering that we went back from there until we got to VH1. It blew our collective brains out and we spent that whole summer in my mates backyard drinking beer and listening to VH on a little portable turntable.

Yes, Eddie is a dick, but since that summer he's always been my favourite guitar player.....

 

[gbsmusic]

I always liked this guy better.

Me too, easy

Love them both. Why? Because Randy was everything Eddie wasn't and Eddie was everything Randy wasn't. At the time everyone was copying Eddie and IMO Randy went out of his way not to and did his own thing. I recall reading an article where Eddie says that very thing and commented on his originality. Both are unique and make me want to play the guitar.

You hit this perfect!! Well said!

 

[Jimmie]

I always liked this guy better.

Me too, easy

Love them both. Why? Because Randy was everything Eddie wasn't and Eddie was everything Randy wasn't. At the time everyone was copying Eddie and IMO Randy went out of his way not to and did his own thing. I recall reading an article where Eddie says that very thing and commented on his originality. Both are unique and make me want to play the guitar.

You hit this perfect!! Well said!

Eddie may have brought shredding to the industry - but it was Randy who made them dark and dangerous by infusing the tension into the tone that we all love and enjoy in today's music. My only hope is that Randy would have been allowed to stay on the planet a bit longer to further craft those Charlie Parker-ish riffs. He would have changed the world even more than he did in his short yet beautiful existence on the planet.

 

[Rogue]

I can't believe it took me till I was 25 to realize just how amazing he was/is. The first 4 van halen albums are rock master pieces. I always dug Eddie and had VH 1&2 since I was 14, but I think I just appreciated his tricks and tapping and what he did for the guitar. Now I really understand why everyone thinks he is the greatest, he is a rhythm monster, his tone is amazing, he has some of the best phrasing I've ever heard, he wrote badass songs that were catchy and heavy at the same time, and he made it look easy. I can't believe VH1 came out in 78, I mean he was worlds ahead of the guys at that time, no disrespect to them but holy shit man! I know there are guys that could shred faster and do crazier tapping, but none of them wrote anything nearly as catchy as Eddie, or as memorable!

Sorry for the rant, but I wanna hear some props for Eddie.

This is what happened to me with Hendrix. I grew up listened to VH and RR era guys, then into Satch, Vai era guys. I appreciated Hendrix for what he did for music but I didn't "get it". A little later in life, somewhere between 25-30, I had my Hendrix epiphany moment. It's a generational thing, I suppose....and a sign of age.

Yeah, Eddie may be a dick, but he sure did something special with a guitar.

 

[amiller]

I guess I'm in the minority. I dug EVH from the first time I heard him. I was in a "record" store...hehehe...looking for songs that my band could add to our setlist. One of the clerks put on a song called Eruption by some new band named VH and I stopped in my "tracks." What the hell is that!? I was totally blown away. I forgot all about why I was there and walked out with a copy of the "album."

 

[reverymike]

Eddie hasn't always been a dick. Even today, I think it depends on what day you catch him.

Everytime I've met him, he's been cool as shit.

 

[stephen sawall]

Randy is great.
I remember Tommy Gun telling me about giving Ed a black eye.

 

[MARK1970]

I guess I'm in the minority. I dug EVH from the first time I heard him. I was in a "record" store...hehehe...looking for songs that my band could add to our setlist. One of the clerks put on a song called Eruption by some new band named VH and I stopped in my "tracks." What the hell is that!? I was totally blown away. I forgot all about why I was there and walked out with a copy of the "album."

I had a similar experience in late 81. I heard of VH before , but never really listened. I use to listen to KLOS and KMET. VH was always on. I bought VH I in late 81. Once I heard Eruption, I was blown away. Aside from the guitar skills, his sound he had back in 78 still smokes most if not all guitar tones today. Eruption had me making cardboard cut-outs for a couple of years, before I bought my first guitar.

Randy Rhoads was another guitarist I really like. He just had some really beautiful solos. I only wish he was around today. The only thing I did not like about RR was his sound. That sounded like it was from the early 70s.

 

[Anonymous]

At the time everyone was copying Eddie and IMO Randy went out of his way not to and did his own thing.

Randy basically copied sections of Eddie's solo on the first Ozzy tour and admitted as much in interviews later...

Steve

 

[amiller]

...The only thing I did not like about RR was his sound. That sounded like it was from the early 70s.

That's funny...when I first heard RR I really loved his playing AND his tone. However, as I really started to listen closer to guitar tones in general over the years my tastes changed. RR still did some killer stuff but I'm not a fan of his tone anymore.

Both players a legend!

 

[fickle]

I always liked this guy better.

Me too, easy

Love them both. Why? Because Randy was everything Eddie wasn't and Eddie was everything Randy wasn't. At the time everyone was copying Eddie and IMO Randy went out of his way not to and did his own thing. I recall reading an article where Eddie says that very thing and commented on his originality. Both are unique and make me want to play the guitar.

YES!!! Add Neil Schon, and early Vai and they are all my favorite players.