Eddie Van Halen
- Thread starter General Zaroff
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ParsonsMatt
Alas, Tyranny
You can't really overrate EVH. If it weren't for him, there wouldn't be a lot of the guitarists we worship today. Probably no Vai, no Satch, certainly no Dime.
PÑoenix
Phagist Phanboy
^True. However, I believe he is overated in terms of playing ability and composition relative to the guitarists of today. No doubt though he was a great inspiration for many of the "greats" of our generation; he was an awesome guitarist in his time.
panzerfaust666
German Asshole
meh not really. He just put a bit more energy into the good 'ol blues. and furthermore he wasnt the first to tap either, he just popularized it.Nothing special about him.
Exactly.
Like it or not, it was Eddie who kick-started the whole shred guitar thing. He wasn't the first to do anything he was doing, but he was by far and away the most important.
His tone wasn't bad either.
panzerfaust666
German Asshole
the whole shred guitar thing? nah not at all.PErhpas t the mainstream, but that means nothing. Frank Zappa was far before him, that was crazy shit too. Listen to John mclaughlin and Allan Holdsworth, thats also shred.Eddie was just mainstream, but nothing special.
And that's what I'm saying. No, he wasnt the first but he was the one that inspired countless millions of kids to pick up guitars and start playing. He wasn't weird or out there like Zappa was, and he wasn't inaccessible to the average person like Holdsworth was.
Besides, in 1978 he was pretty revolutionary to a lot of people, in the same way Hendrix was back in the 60s. In the context of that time he was an exceptional guitarist. Compared to today's players he's nothing special, but that's because what he did that was special has been emulated and improved upon so much that it's become a conventional part of guitar playing.
It's all very well naming players that could do what he did, before he did, but none of them could hold a candle to EVH in terms of influence and admiration. Is it no coincidence that the 80s brought an influx of shred guitarists once eruption had been released?
It is a shame what's become of him since though. $25k for a signature guitar? No thanks.
Besides, in 1978 he was pretty revolutionary to a lot of people, in the same way Hendrix was back in the 60s. In the context of that time he was an exceptional guitarist. Compared to today's players he's nothing special, but that's because what he did that was special has been emulated and improved upon so much that it's become a conventional part of guitar playing.
It's all very well naming players that could do what he did, before he did, but none of them could hold a candle to EVH in terms of influence and admiration. Is it no coincidence that the 80s brought an influx of shred guitarists once eruption had been released?
It is a shame what's become of him since though. $25k for a signature guitar? No thanks.
Whether you like his music or not words like overrated or not special are ignorance at its finest. The two most important guitar players in rock music... and that includes metal boys.... are Hendrix and VanHalen, by their importance alone they are special and earned their rateing. They didnt sit around 24/7 learning the riffs and licks of a hundred other guitar players, downloading tab from the internet or learning from tab books, spend years in music school studying, useing a machines to slow down the music so they could "figure it out", subscribing to guitar player, or buying every educational video around... they created the licks and riffs. Not only that I've yet to hear any songs with the astonishing self developed double stop rythmn technique Hendrix displayed in so many excellent songs. The eruption solo, forget about it, that was like out of the clear blue and Eddies riffs are still second to none, go learn the opening riff to 5150 and tell me where that came from. Eddie was a riff and groove king. Even as of 1990 there were few guitar players shellin out the total package as Eddie was, regardless this little shred or riff here and that one there that came from him or Yngwie (#3). Ever since its been a mix n match plus natural evolution of sounds and techniques brought to the table by Hendrix, VanHalen, and Malmsteen. Sure Zappa, MacLaughlin, DiMeola and possibly the yet obscure Holdsworth were on the ball but sorry I was listening to the Zappa, MacLaughlin, Morse and DiMeola through that time, they carried plenty of Wow factor but Eddie blew the doors off the building and Eddie ROCKED ! MacLaughlin and Zappa shed but much was highly abrasive with questionable feel. DiMeola smoked them all but feel was still lacking. Eddie had it all, riffs, groove, shred, tone, creativity and delivered it with a smile. Sorry but your wrong, any level headed, non egotistical guitar man knows the value of Eddie VanHalen and neither overrates him nor underrates him but accepts him for his hand in helping to level the mountain that Jimi knocked down.
make note the humble respect Eddie gives Les Paul who came decades before him.... suppose he should have stood there and said "Les... your overrated and nothing special"
make note the humble respect Eddie gives Les Paul who came decades before him.... suppose he should have stood there and said "Les... your overrated and nothing special"
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PÑoenix
Phagist Phanboy
I still stand by my point.
Axle
All hail Lord Shagrath
ParsonsMatt
Alas, Tyranny
Les ISN'T over rated. Les is a better guitarist than Eddie, in my opinion. There aren't hordes of people saying that Les is the GREATEST GUITARIST EVER OMG NO ONE WILL EVER BE BETTER THAN HIM.
Kurt Cobain inspired the whole "garage rock" and nu-metal crap, should we respect him as one of the greatest guitarists ever?
Who said they couldn't stand his music?
Rather we should hate him for a wide variety of reasons, one of which is known as "Smells Like Teen Spirit."
I want to thank the man who invented shotguns.
I dont know that there is hords of people saying that about Eddie any more than many other guitar players of preference.
Confused at VanHalen and Cobain comparision
So who did all the finger tapping prior to Eddie ? Not that I place his value on that, just that you said it. Dont tell me about someone doing the occasional tap. Who put heavy solos, together like Eddie did prior to '78 ? We all know about the fusion guys, but they played differently and different music. VH's work was extrememly revolutionary in rock in 77 and spured a entirely new sound in hardrock and guitar playing, he held his own all through the 80's. Its not that complicated really.
feratu
D. D. DeVille
- May 20, 2008
- 4
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Pђoenix;7259622 said:
EVH is rated appropriately IMO. Although he doesn't possess the Yngwie-type ability to pick a scale at hyper speeds, his playing is practically inimitable. Sure there's lots of players with lots of chops, but how many of them can play Mean Streets or I'm on Fire and make it sound like the record? Eddie's playing in the late 70's/ early 80's was all about finesse. Sure everyone "copied" him in the 80's, but how many people really sounded like him? Really no one, and thats with everyone in the free world trying to cop his licks note for note.
People underestimate how hard it is to play that shit (hell even eddie seems to have lost the ability to play like that since 84-85). I'd love to see the Necrophagist guys try to play Spanish Fly like Eddie did, cause they just can't. Sure everyone CLAIMS they can play Eruption, but I've never heard anyone do a really GOOD version of it (and the song is basically just EVH warming up, not knowing the tape was rolling). And all this is beside the point that he was probably the most influential guitarist ever, so no, I don't think he's overrated.
Axle
All hail Lord Shagrath
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