RIP Eddie Van Halen

Francorelli

Forum fella
Really sad news. Eddie was such a legend and a true innovator. He redefined the landscape of heavy rock guitar. The early Van Halen albums have been staples on my playlist for years. RIP Eddie.
 

chazt

Forum !
Really sad news. Eddie was such a legend and a true innovator. He redefined the landscape of heavy rock guitar. The early Van Halen albums have been staples on my playlist for years. RIP Eddie.
Yes. A legendary innovator. Absolutely correct. He took rock guitar to its next evolutionary phase. RIP, EVH.
 
D

Deleted member 476

Guest
RIP EVH. Saw VH long ago for their 5150 tour. Still a memorable show, all these years later.

Hope you're shredding it with Hendrix already, Eddie.
 
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donnie_arko

Forum GOD!
I've been a guitarist for over 20 years and although EVH's name has been I've been aware of for a long time I never quite came to appreciate how fantastic he was until quite recently, and that was when someone linked something for guitarists from famous bands who were also excellent session musicians and I came to appreciate how completely over the top for melody, technique and expression his few bars of a guitar solo in Michael Jackson's Beat It. Coming up with a guitar solo of such quality is near enough impossible at the best of times, but writing one for someone else's music is even more difficult!

In terms of influence and ability, he took the instrument on like Hendrix did before him and he really shaped the decade of guitar playing (and beyond) he'll be missed for sure.

RIP Eddie.
 

Francorelli

Forum fella
I came to appreciate how completely over the top for melody, technique and expression his few bars of a guitar solo in Michael Jackson's Beat It. Coming up with a guitar solo of such quality is near enough impossible at the best of times, but writing one for someone else's music is even more difficult!
I love the account of how Eddie turned up at the studio, asked the engineer if he could rearrange the middle section of the song, then improvised over it and completed the solo in two takes.

He did it for free and was uncredited on the album. He was even concerned that Michael Jackson would be upset that he'd rearranged the tune. He needn't have worried, Jackson was delighted.
 

Matsilainen

Forum GOD!
A true innovator and a legend. The final Van Halen album was as good as any of the other ones, and just another testament to Eddie’s talent and the magic of that group. He is among the handful of people who have permanently changed the whole landscape of the guitar as an instrument. And his keyboard riffs were just as catchy, as well. Gone too soon, like all the good ones.
 
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