I am and it does. Sorry. I’m simply left unimpressed by Mr Van Halen’s work. Any influence he might have had on other guitarists in the 80s or 90s leaves me similarly unimpressed, as none of them are much good, either. There has been nothing new and interesting that has left me with my jaw hanging in so long. It’s just sad.
Mark Knopfler had potential with his use of the guitar to accent and augment the vocals, like Muddy Waters, but he’s just rehashing the same crap now. Vaughan was just getting better, but that shows the folly of trying to get to the hotel quickly. Just like Buddy Holly–and try moving your hands fast enough to do all your strumming on the downstroke like him.
Well, obviously not everyone loves Eddie, but he was innovative, anyway. I admit that some of the solos got a bit repetitive after three or four albums, but what he did, essentially, was to take the instrument and find an entirely new way to play it. I also admit that many of the guitarists influenced by VH were lame and relied too heavily on the tapping and hammering thing. And no, I don’t have a CD collection full of 80’s hair rock, in case you’re wondering.
Don’t get me wrong–I thought the '80s had a lot to offer in Pure Pop, a style I have always appreciated, although you can’t beat '60s French Pop for the purest expression of ephemeral music. I have just always been bored by the lightweight “rock” ranging from Journey and Boston through Aerosmith and Van Halen. It’s just so, how can I say it?, GIRLY! When my daughter started to like Aerosmith for their (gaaaak!) BALLADS! and Metallica for its work WITH AN EFFING SYMPHONY! I knew that I would never hear GOOD rock on the radio again. Especially when my boss, who is twelve years younger than me, started playing a station that just seems to play those bands.
I think history will show Eddie Van Halen to be a guitarist with a highly original style who unfortunately spawned a lot of mediocre imitators. He, along with Hendrix and Chuck Berry, are probably the most imitated guitarists ever.
Besides they style thing, I think you’d have to admit that at least on a technical level, EVH is masterful.
Navarro is awesome! Although 'Nothing Shoking" isnt shocking anymore.
“Damnit Ted just admit it!!”
I second the nomination for Vai/Cooder Crossrads solos.
For those who love ‘widdly diddly’ stuff, but also need some passion behind the music, as well as speed, check out Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain from 1971.
What an amazing band - if only disco had followed on from them, instead of the lightweight nonsense it ended up becoming.
Thanks, I’m in Birmingham. By the way Dick Dale will be at the Nick near the end of Nov. If you want to hear someone SHRED a guitar check him out, back in the early days he used to literally set his amps on fire because of the heat build up in the tubes from his powerful playing, plus he uses strings from .016 - .060, it’s no wonder he melts picks.
P.S. The velcro Pygmies really are cheesy, but it could be worse they could Vallejo “are you happy to see me or is that a Vallejo in your pocket” (for local folks that is a short joke by the way)
Later…
