Some reasons why Eddie Van Halen is the best rock guitar player, ever

[ChrisL]

Fuck yeah! I

these ones too.

 

[ChrisL]

I don't like Van Halen after DLR left. I don't like Sammy Hagar. I won't even listen to those songs by Van Halen with Sammy. I hate them.

IMO, DLR was a huge part of the identity of Van Halen.

 

[Bfgrn]

1) When Eddie was a kid, he took piano lessons for 5 years before his teacher realized he couldn't read music.
Eddie and his brother Alex both won piano competitions different years.
(Eddie accidently developed ears for music as a child)

2) People who followed Van Halen were saying Eddie was the best guitar player in the world, before Van Halen released their first album.

3) Eddie Van Halen would turn his back to the audience , so people couldn't see how he played.

4) Eddie Van Halen customized his guitars and amps, adding a humbucker bridge pickup, which major guitar manufacturers repeated.

5) Eddie Van Halen dipped his guitar pickups to reduce feedback, which major guitar manufacturers repeated.

The man doesn't know minor chords. His version of the Kinks You Really Got Me is a hack job.

He knows them, he has a style that is his. You don't like it but that isn't his problem.

There are a whole lot of guitarists that are talented. The great ones have their own style.

EVH is a good technician. That doesn't make him an artist. There are songs by Van Halen I like. But his version of the Kinks 'You Really Got Me' is garage band quality at best. Dave Davies is not as technically proficient as EVH, but his artistic talents far surpass EVH. EVH would never be able to artistically compose the great guitar work in songs like 'Tired of Waiting'...a masterpiece.

It's just basic beginners' barre chords and a couple of triads siding back and forth over drone notes on the high strings.

You are focusing on the technical, not the artistry. Dave Davies guitar carries the song and actually creates "tired"...it is absolutely masterful.

What you are forgetting is it was created, not copied. Music is not NASCAR...it is not a race.

 

[Bfgrn]

I don't like Van Halen after DLR left. I don't like Sammy Hagar. I won't even listen to those songs by Van Halen with Sammy. I hate them.

IMO, DLR was a huge part of the identity of Van Halen.

No question about it, the little girls went wild.

 

[ChrisL]

I don't like Van Halen after DLR left. I don't like Sammy Hagar. I won't even listen to those songs by Van Halen with Sammy. I hate them.

IMO, DLR was a huge part of the identity of Van Halen.

No question about it, the little girls went wild.

I just think he's funny actually! His crazy antics and outfits. Great showmanship.

 

[Bfgrn]

 

[Wolfstrike]

 

[Bfgrn]

I don't like Van Halen after DLR left. I don't like Sammy Hagar. I won't even listen to those songs by Van Halen with Sammy. I hate them.

IMO, DLR was a huge part of the identity of Van Halen.

No question about it, the little girls went wild.

Great babes on the videos too!

 

[JWBooth]

EVH is pretty darn good, and something of a virtuoso, but so was Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, but for the most part, I would rather listen to the work of David Gilmour or Eric Johnson.

 

[ChrisL]

Awesome.

 

[ChrisL]

I don't like Van Halen after DLR left. I don't like Sammy Hagar. I won't even listen to those songs by Van Halen with Sammy. I hate them.

IMO, DLR was a huge part of the identity of Van Halen.

No question about it, the little girls went wild.

Great babes on the videos too!

I'll let you be the judge of that!

 

[Zander]

Great guitar players are literally a dime a dozen.........

 

[ChrisL]

I like Ain't Talkin Bout Love too. Awesome song.

 

[Bfgrn]

The best guitar player and artist no one talks about...

 

[Zander]

Eddie was groundbreaking back in 1979-80. We were driving around in our 1960's era muscle cars listening to"running with the devil", "jamie's crying" and "eruption" on 8-track tapes,while smoking bad weed, drinking cheap beer....... and it was mind blowing!!! To my 17 year old mind, Van Halen was light years ahead of the other guitarists that were making music at the time. in my mind, for 3 or 4 years Van Halen was the biggest band in the world....and in that space in time- Eddie was the greatest guitarist in the world.

Good times!!

 

[westwall]

Clapton hasn't played anything worth listening to since 1969.

Once I got accustom to Zappa, especially his interplay with Colaiuta and Barrow; there's just nothing else like it on the planet. There's no one, none of the people I admired, nobody mentioned in this thread would even attempt a solo that could run 5-10 minutes.

I posted it here before, but start with "Inca Roads" and then you get the Shut Up N Play Yer Guitar solos, Wet T shirt, System of Edges that were all the Inca Road solos from different nights.

It's all about who you like anyway

Yes, what you like is a huge influence for sure. Peter Green was always one of my favorites and yes, he would play very long solo's.

Here are a couple my favorite songs from Peter Green. I got interested in him when I found out he was the founder of Fleetwood Mac. They had a great bluesy sound that I love.

I first heard of him when he replaced Clapton in John Mayalls Bluesbreakers back in 1967 or '68. Can't remember the exact date.

 

[westwall]

The best guitar player and artist no one talks about...

Pete will freely admit that he is not a great guitar player. He IS however one of the great showmen. He is also a musical genius and The Who has been, and will always be, my favorite band. I was watching That Metal Show and they had Geddy Lee on from Rush and when asked which band and which instrument he would like to have been in his answer was "Bass guitar in The Who". Asked about which song he wished he'd written he answered "Won't Get Fooled Again".

I can't find fault with any of that!

 

[Zander]

Van Halen - one of their deep cuts..

 

[Wolfstrike]

 

[Wolfstrike]