[Closed] Music Heresy (Van Halen content)

Different people in liking different things shocker!

failed to hear anything that warranted crowning him as one of the greatest musicians (or even just guitarists) ever

I can only assume you know nothing about playing guitar?

I can only assume you know nothing about playing guitar?

I can only assume you know nothing about playing guitar?

You'd be wrong. I am asking an objective question. If you wish to point me in the direction of stuff that will change my mind, feel free.

These people that are praising him all know the impact he's had on the world of guitar music. He brought the melodic, overdriven solos to rock music and is basically responsible for all the 80s rock/metal sounds that came after him. He even made a range of amps so he could achieve his tone.

That said, I don't really like that style of music, and find some of his solos honestly excruciating and hard-to-digest, in much the same way as I don't enjoy edgy Jazz.

If you wish to point me in the direction of stuff that will change my mind, feel free

This was revolutionary.

Get yourself over to Youtube and look for 'Mean Street', 'Romeo Delight' and 'I'm the One' to begin with then go from there. You can probably find them as isolated guitar tracks.

Although remembered for the tapping/shredding stuff which spawned a million imitators, it's Eddie's rhythm playing that ultimately stands out.

Superficial has it.

I might add that "Beat It" has possibly the most famous guitar solo in music history.

EDIT:

And his guitar had 'go faster' stripes as well.

It wasnt just that he was very good at playing the guitar, but also the innovation and experimentation in playing and equipment design that he brought to it.

That said, as a band, Van Halen were a load of preening toss.

Massive oversimplification but - looking at his stuff now, it's like loads of other stuff. But that's because he invented that stuff, and so many others were influenced/inspired by him.

He invented trying to copy Jimi Hendrix. Cool 😆

See also: the "brown" sound. Running his amps at lower voltage

He invented trying to copy Jimi Hendrix.

No, he invented trying to copy Jimmy Page and that bloke off of Genesis

Phil Collins?

Phil Collins?

Steve Hackett

When other people operating at the same level heap praise, the rest of us should really take notice.

Bernie Marsden - "Donington Park, 1984 - AC/DC were headlining and Van Halen, Ozzy, Gary Moore and Y&T were also all on the bill. I was there as a guest that year, seeing and hanging out with some mates, Gary Moore being my closest friend on the bill.
Gary had played his set and had been received royally as the true guitar hero he was. I told him I really wanted to go and watch Van Halen from the side of the stage, and told him to come and join me. Neither of us had seen Eddie playing live before, but I was so excited to see him play, gushing about his ability. Gary was obviously aware of the Van Halen records, and slightly reluctantly agreed to join me. I told him that I thought Eddie was the modern equivalent of Eric Clapton - his guitar style was being absorbed and obsessed over by a whole new generation of guitarists. Just like Eric did for us. Gary didn’t seem so sure!
We took our places side stage and within a few moments Gary was transported. His mouth opening wider in awe, “Bern, I had no idea he was THIS good!”
That’s how good Eddie Van Halen was, folks - take it from Gary Moore.
Thank you EVH - you reinvented what it was to be a guitar hero
BM"

I think perhaps a lot of what we think of today as "rock gods" or "legends" are so revered because they were pioneers rather than because they were any good (not that I'm suggesting they weren't any good, rather that's kind of a secondary criteria).

Take Hendrix for instance. To my modern ears and (relatively) modern tastes I think he's kinda 'meh' but at the time he was revolutionary. No-one was doing anything remotely like what he was doing and the world must have gone "bloody hell!" at the time.

If you didn't witness it happening at the time then it's difficult to look back and really understand what a difference anyone has made to the landscape. It's just the same in literature, TV, films.

Thank you. This is the sort of thing I was looking for.

When other people operating at the same level heap praise...

They always do that when someone snuffs it, haven't you noticed?

Van Halen were a load of preening toss

With DLR I'd agree, but less so with Sammy Hagar IMO 🙂

Cougar comes along being all sensible n that. Hmph

The fact that every other rock guitarist after VH1 had to sound like EVH meant that he sounded normal.
Because he invented a new normal.

You are just looking back and hearing everyone else.

Like LZ 1. There was nothing quite like that on vinyl before it. But an awful lot afterwards.

I feel this way about The Smiths.

LS I was about 10 rows back stage right.
I did wave😂
It was a done deal after VH.

But an awful lot afterwards

Awful being the operative..etc 😉

Cougar comes along being all sensible n that. Hmph

Cougar comes along and says what I'd already said. Hmph.

For NBT

LS,

I was there too back in 84, we buggered off shortly after AC/DC took to the stage, (we'd seen them a couple of months earlier at Wenley Arena) so we could get to the car park early.

It was indeed 'a done deal' after Van Halen had finished, I remember having the impression at the time that they'd proved all the naysayers wrong and completely 'owned' the event.

Most of the crowd was still made up of the denim and leather heavy metal brigade, who were rather sceptical and gave Van Halen stick at the begining. By the end of the set there had been a changing of the guard, come to think of it it proved to be a real transitional moment for rock and metal in the UK, opening the door for Metallica, Faith no More and more progressive and alternative rock based sounds.

So whilst not a massive Van Halen fan myself, I'd have to say it was probably the most significant festival gig I've been to.

Unfortunately I was seven years old in '84, so proper VH (not Van Hagar) are on my very long list of 'bands I never got to see'. Some lineup though!

As a crap guitarist can I say that I get such pleasure from ambling through some of his work and marvelling at the construction of his songs. The only one I enjoy in the same way is Andy Summers. Both really doing smart stuff in a pop/rock music format.
Of course if you don't like it then it doesn't matter how clever it is. Just accept it's not for you and move on.

Hmmmm i'd say Metallica and FNM etc. became popular in spite of bands like VH. They were a product of an alternative rock scene that pre-dates VH and came to prominence as rock/metal fans turned away from hairspray and spandex.

When other people operating at the same level heap praise, the rest of us should really take notice.

What a load of guff. What other people think is entirely subjective regardless of ability.

Personally find it really really dull, triggers nothing in me.

Same with Hendrix.

But its my personal taste and thats what makes stuff like music really great.

Very apt thread SaxonRider, as I'd wondered this myself.

I think perhaps a lot of what we think of today as “rock gods” or “legends” are so revered because they were pioneers rather than because they were any good

And as usual, Cougar talks most sense. I understand Van Halen was a great musician and pioneering in what he did; I just think tracks like Jump are unutterable tosh that haven't aged at all well.

OTOH Jimi Hendrix still sounds great to me, so each to their own I guess.

I love Jump! It’s a brilliantly happy song. I know that’s not cool (especially with the miserable sods on here) but the look of sheer joy on EVH’s face every time he played it makes me smile whenever I see it. It’s ****ing rad and you know it 😀🎸🤟

That said, as a band, Van Halen were a load of preening toss.

Wash your mouth out.

VH1 was wall to wall excellence.

I love Jump! It’s a brilliantly happy song. I know that’s not cool (especially with the miserable sods on here)

Me too.

EVH laid the foundation for 80s rock and metal guitar players who took their playing to the next level which left Eddie sounding a little generic until you remember he was doing his thing in the 1970's 10 years before everyone he influenced made 'his' sound the generic 80's rock tone.

That is why I think he was both a pioneer and a legend

responsible for all the 80s rock/metal sounds that came after him.

That’s damning with praise right there. 80’s mainstream rock was terrible.

The Jimi thing is different as he basically took the blues somewhere new. Nobody has picked up where he left off in my opinion. The book Crosstown Traffic explains it a lot better and is also a great history of the blues and rock.

Van Halen reminds me of Steve Vai and the other fella who’s name I can’t even attempt. Technically proficient, but utterly soulless. Just guitar ****ing. Does nothing for me at all. I wouldn’t say VH had much influence on metal either. Mainstream rock yeah, the heavy shit, not so much.

Van Halen reminds me of Steve Vai and the other fella who’s name I can’t even attempt

Joe Satriani? Or Yngwie Malmsteen?

Joe Satriani? Or Yngwie Malmsteen?

Both are guitar ****ery, but it’s Yngwie who’s name I always butcher.

It seems to be generally accepted that he was a great guitarist ( but people say that about Jonny Marr!) However the music the band made was poor IMO

back in the day when I was a metal fan we referred to bands like his as "heavy plastic" - ie a poor copy of the real thing

sometimes referred to as poodle rock because of the haircuts

I love how there's so many armchair rock guitarists on here saying that EVH wasn't all that, when many actual rock guitarists disagree

This from two minutes on the Beeb website, I'm sure a deeper trawl of Twitter and the like would find much more

Queen guitarist Brian May remembered how "those truly magical fingers opened a door to a new kind of playing".

He wrote on Instagram: "This wonderful man was way too young to be taken. What a talent - what a legacy - probably the most original and dazzling rock guitarist in history."

Simmons tweeted: "My heart is broken. Eddie was not only a Guitar God, but a genuinely beautiful soul. Rest in peace, Eddie!"

Also on Twitter, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea wrote that Van Halen had a "beautiful creative heart".

Oh man, bless his beautiful creative heart. I love you Eddie Van Halen, an LA boy, a true rocker. I hope you jam with Jimi tonight. Break through to the other side my brother. ❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/XpcTlPJq9A

— Flea (@flea333) October 6, 2020
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Sammy Hagar, who replaced Roth as Van Halen frontman when he split from the band in 1984, shared a picture of himself alongside Van Halen, with the caption: "Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family."

Geezer Butler, founder member of Black Sabbath, described Van Halen as a "true gent and true genius".

"Just when I thought 2020 couldn't get any worse, I hear Eddie Van Halen has passed. So shocking - one of the nicest, down to Earth men I have ever met and toured with," he wrote.

Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family. pic.twitter.com/MQMueMF2XO

— Sammy Hagar (@sammyhagar) October 6, 2020
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The Twitter account of rock group Pantera tweeted that Van Halen was a "tremendous influence" on their music.

Their post said: "RIP Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen were a tremendous influence on both Vinnie & Dime & Pantera. Hopefully they are all rocking out together now!"

"Heaven will be electric tonight," wrote singer Lenny Kravitz, who remembered Van Halen as a "legendary guitar and musical innovator".

Both Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue and Pearl Jam's Mike McCready likened him to Mozart, with the latter saying he had "changed everything and played with soul".

Not armchair rock guitarists, just different tastes I think. I also don’t like Bryan May’s playing or Queen. Love Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons, John Fruscianti, Eddie Hazel, Joshua Homme and Tim Sult.

To be fair, when someone famous dies you don’t see many tweets stating ‘He was a right **** and I thought his playing was pure cheese’

To be fair, when someone famous dies you don’t see many tweets stating ‘He was a right ****

Im saving that for you. 😉