So much talent---whatta jerk!

[rich m]

Eddie Van Halen. what else to be said?

 

[The patriot]

I missed something here....

?????

Eric

 

[Power Wagon]

I must have too... . He has talent?



At what?

 

[Champane Flight]

Well said,PW.

Just at tattoos maybe.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

HUH?

 

[The patriot]

Rich, you gonna let us in on this, or what?

 

[tntway]

un-informed

somebody wanna clue us in, please...

 

[willyslover]

Rich. . did you swollow one to many of your pills. . ??

whatcha mean hear boy fess up

 

[Andy Perreault]

All I know is that Eddie's battling cancer. Not sure why he's being called a jerk. Van Halen should be credited for shaking us out of the corny disco era in the late 70's.

Andy

 

[Max340]

Originally posted by Power Wagon

I must have too... . He has talent?



At what?

Among other things, he is one of the best guitar players of the rock era. Citing Clapton and Hendrix as inspiration, he also has classical background/training.



Watching Eddie play is something not to be believed when considering speed and pure mechanical/technical mastery of the electric guitar. While the discussion is long and varied on who is the best, Van Halen invariably comes up as one of, if not the, best.



Among his credits, he is widely given credit for establishing the "hammer on" technique as a mainstream method. Van Halen will tell that he got it from watching Pete Townsend.



Yeah, Eddie is EXTREMELY talented. He also had a habit of smoking far too much, and drinking to excess. It is to his credit, and Valerie's, that they have not only kept a marriage together in the wild lifestyle he chose, but are raising a child as well. While I dislike his excesses, I also know he has admitted they are problems.



As you can see, I am of mixed thought on Edward Van Halen. Enjoy the music, dislike the lifestyle.



But to inexplicably take a shot at a person battling a potentially deadly disease takes cajones at very least. I think Rich owes some sort of explanation on this one.

 

[Andy Perreault]

I was in my first year of high school when Van Halen's first album came out. It made a difference in my life. I suddenly looked at music in a whole new way. I mean, I was surrounded by "Saturday Night Fever" stuff, and this was pure, raw, real rock! I will always be a fan of Van Halen, the men (Eddie and Alex) and the band.

Andy

 

[Champane Flight]

Much better....

There were much better guitarists out there at the time. As you can see the man at best was a mediocre player and songwriter,his music had no depth..... Escape from disco?I never went there. Bob Seiger,Jerry Garcia,the Stones and a few others saw to that.



I am very sorry for his health problems,but to call him very talented just ain't right... ... Famous maybe,talented no.....

 

[Archive]

Wan't he married to Valerie Bertinelli? Gotta admire him for that!

 

[EMDDIESEL]

He is STILL married to Valarie Bertinelli. And as for being untalented, thats wrong to say it. Sure the Dead, Bob Seger and the stones had good guitarists, but do any of them sound even remoteley like eddie?. It was a totally different style of music. You cant campare Van Halen to the Grateful dead or Rolling Stones!, thats like comparing Metallica to Britney Spears. They are 2 ENTIRELY different kinds of music. I was never a huge fan of Van Halen, but i did have a lot of respect for them and the way they changed Rock and Roll.

NOBODY sounds like Eddie, NOBODY. Kieth Richards could not play that fast if his life depended on it.

My point is, you cant say he is Untalented, he may not play what you like, but he is not untalented. I cant stand Led Zepplin, Grateful Dead, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and alot of other bands that are considered "Legends". But i dont think they are untalented, just not my type

 

[Andy Perreault]

Aw forget it!

I was going to post a lengthy, argumentive reply, but I can see this topic is going nowhere. All we're doing is going around in circles. Some like him, some don't, it's all a matter of opinion.

Me, I listen to everything from classical to heavy metal, the only exceptions being rap/hip-hop and "alternative" rock.

Go ahead and disagree with me, I won't be clicking on this topic anymore.

Andy

 

[Shovelhead]

All these great opinions... ... and we still haven't heard from the origionator of this thread.

Howzeaboutit... ... why is Eddie Van Halen a jerk?

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[tntway]

count me in

i'm with andy... 'nuff said.

 

[Dkevdog]

Say what you will, he sells a sh*t load of records and couldn't care less what you think about him as he laughs his way to the bank.

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Come on, lets feed the fire!! Who was better, David Lee Roth, or Sammy Hagar?

 

[Champane Flight]

Fast isn't really good.

Playing fast isn't IMHO good,it is just trying to impress someone or showoff. Thats what he does the best,it sure didn't impress me,"just noise"to my ears. If you like him fine. Just don't play him around me. Or say that he had allot of talent.



I seen guys out there who can sound just like Eddie,Jimmy,Pete,and a few others. Plus have their own sound,and they have never made it big. They have more talent in their little finger than Eddie will ever have in his life. Yet they will settle to being in a house band in some small club. Most of them are happy just being able to play.



Case in point:I knew a lead guitarist in the old days who was playing for a local band,been playing since he was five years old. When we heard Hendrix and saw him on stage,we all thought he was the greatest thing since whitebread. He said "He ain't that great",all of us fell about the place. "sure" we said "I suppose you can do better"! He picked up his guitar and did the same licks Jimmy did behind his head,with his teeth,backwards and so on. When he was done we all stood with mouths open!



I have seen em come and go,it's hard to say one guy is better than another,like you guys have stated "different strokes". But some just stand out as trying to make a fast buck. Eddie was one of them IMHO... ... .