Members deanmass Posted January 29, 2012 Members Share Posted January 29, 2012 Oh come on! Be honest, he's not in the top 50 rock guitarists of all time?!?! Edward Van Halen?? Seriously?? I mean really and truly his worst enemy would put him in the top 5 without hesitation. So would your mom, ask her. (I'm not saying this as a joke, I would like you to please ask your mother if Eddie Van Halen would be in her personal list of the top 50 rock guitarists of all time) My opinion, nothing more..Top 75, not top 50. Other than the tapping, the rest of it has been done, the tone, the speed, all of it. The tapping was even being done by others, better, but, they were as huge. What happened to Stanley Jordan? Michael Hedges? EVH is a Rock God, Guitar Hero, but I can come up with 50 I think are better, more impactful, less appreciated. Again, my opinion, and I suck as a guitarist, I am only now at 45 trying to really learn. so for whatever it is worth. Agree to disagree. It also does not mean I am not a fan. I saw them live a couple times ( they sounded like {censored}, but all the arena concerts pretty much sounded that way then ( 80's) or at least the ones I went to. I guess if you narrow it to rock, and then hard rock, then metal, yeah, but again, where do those lines go? The guy still shreds. No argument there. And, I asked my mom. She said 'what does he play'. My mom fronted a bar/wedding band for 20 years, so she has heard her share of tunes. She knew who he was once I refreshed her, but she said 'eh, I like Clapton....' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deanmass Posted January 29, 2012 Members Share Posted January 29, 2012 OH- BTW....He is not Top 50 or Top 100 even.....I think he is the Milk Toast King of Blues Rock... I am not a Clapton fan either. Haters Gonna Hate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tele0507 Posted January 29, 2012 Members Share Posted January 29, 2012 he is my top 20 - close to 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HeatherAnnePeel Posted January 29, 2012 Members Share Posted January 29, 2012 Define "greatest". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deanmass Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I think my last post made Scolfax have a Seizure ( hopefully not..) Remember ,Opinions are like elbows...everyone has 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JTEES4 Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I am not and never have been a EVH fan....but to say he is not in the top 50 is ludicrous. When he did his thing, at that moment it was amazing.....regardless of how pedestrian it seems today. As with anyone....you have to put it into context at that exact time. Same with the Beatles. Some sounds like just OK...then you dig deeper and realize some of the amazing stuff that was done with 4 tracks. Amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Beckman Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 If he did not do the things he did, or hendrix did not do the things he did, who knows what we would be listening to and playing today. Some songs are simple, some are not. That is anyone's ability. I would say he is on of the most influential guitarists of all time. I can't say who is better, or not. What is better: harder to copy or better writing ability, or more palatable to most ears? EVH and Rhoads were the two reasons I picked up a guitar in the first place. Can people play their stuff now, yep. For me, some of the harder stuff to copy are Yngwei, and Vai, but their composition is not so palatable for most people. I think the best traits a guitarist can have is the ability to play great music, that you want to listen to, and not just the ability to play hard things. Many nobodies can play harder music. Just look at those young North Korean girls, or the endless youtube videos of guys playing the hardest pieces the 100 greatest guitarists can come up with. The true magic for me is to just for someone to come up with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted January 30, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 Well, I'll put it to you this way, I started really paying attention not only who the badass guitarists were, but also who the entire world as a collective thought the badass guitarists were. And I can tell you from about 1980 to 1990, Eddie Van Halen was more noticed, more talked about by fans, music lovers, guitarists, musicians, and the media than all other guitar players on Earth put together at the time, and that included the likes of page Hendrix and Clapton. Those guys definitely has their impact, but by the time the world started noticing Eddie, it was already mostly over for those other guys. People like what they like. You don't have to like Eddies playing or appreciate his music, but to deny the impact and influence he had over the rock listening and playing world is just silly. He has influenced more people than any group of twenty musicians that came after him put together. The world has not seen anything like it since. The only real Iconic guitarist, who MAY be close to a household name isn't even close to having the influence and impact Eddie had in those days and that is slash. Slash is more known outside of people who pay attention to rock, more for his image than his music. It was different with Eddie. His name was thrown around on an almost momentarily bases by masses in those days. Remember the question is who is the greatest rock guitarist. Mention.img people like Stanly Jordan and trying to compare them with Eddie is outside the scope of this topic. Greatest rock guitarist of all time? Yes I'd say quite so. I saw the way the world went nuts for that guy like I've never seen them go nuts for a single musician since. I can't name ONE musician that has become as big of a household name, or as talked about, or as copied, or as revered as Eddie was in his day. Once again, we are talking about rock guitarists. We are not talking about Lady Gaga, or Jlo or Andre Botticelli, etc. Eddie so completely dominated back then, the world is likely to never see the same impact again in history. Ever. Eddie Van Halen. Greatest Rock Guitarist of all time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 Eddie Van Halen. Greatest Rock Guitarist of all time. Amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deanmass Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 Honestly, when I read this, I picture this: I don't count how many bars the solo is in Panama. Amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I hope that means that you looked at the post scolfax quoted again and realized that you are coming off like a dolt. Michael Hedges is in your top 50 ROCK guitarists? that guy played (or plays, is he dead or something?) new agey sleepy time music. I thought it was cool 15 or 20 years ago, but only as a novelty. Rock guitarist. ROCK. Re-read the thread title. That said, I think clapner sucks too. I have no idea why people fall on the ground for that lightweight. I like american music played by americans, not the british verion of american music (except the stones, or course. The stones RULE!). So, scratching Michale Hedges off of your top 50 rock guitarists, who is left? Where does Joe Negri rank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PrawnHeed Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 The problem I have is that there is not a single piece of his work which I can actually listen to all the way to the end. I didn't listen to it then and cannot listen to it now. My mother has never heard of him. Nor have my kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 Honestly, when I read this, I picture this: hehe +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilMinstrel Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I hope that means that you looked at the post scolfax quoted again and realized that you are coming off like a dolt. Michael Hedges is in your top 50 ROCK guitarists? that guy played (or plays, is he dead or something?) new agey sleepy time music. I thought it was cool 15 or 20 years ago, but only as a novelty. Rock guitarist. ROCK. Re-read the thread title. That said, I think clapner sucks too. I have no idea why people fall on the ground for that lightweight. I like american music played by americans, not the british verion of american music (except the stones, or course. The stones RULE!). So, scratching Michale Hedges off of your top 50 rock guitarists, who is left? Where does Joe Negri rank? One of my favorite guitar teachers. I miss that guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilMinstrel Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 Well, I'll put it to you this way, I started really paying attention not only who the badass guitarists were, but also who the entire world as a collective thought the badass guitarists were. And I can tell you from about 1980 to 1990, Eddie Van Halen was more noticed, more talked about by fans, music lovers, guitarists, musicians, and the media than all other guitar players on Earth put together at the time, and that included the likes of page Hendrix and Clapton. Those guys definitely has their impact, but by the time the world started noticing Eddie, it was already mostly over for those other guys. People like what they like. You don't have to like Eddies playing or appreciate his music, but to deny the impact and influence he had over the rock listening and playing world is just silly. He has influenced more people than any group of twenty musicians that came after him put together. The world has not seen anything like it since. The only real Iconic guitarist, who MAY be close to a household name isn't even close to having the influence and impact Eddie had in those days and that is slash. Slash is more known outside of people who pay attention to rock, more for his image than his music. It was different with Eddie. His name was thrown around on an almost momentarily bases by masses in those days. Remember the question is who is the greatest rock guitarist. Mention.img people like Stanly Jordan and trying to compare them with Eddie is outside the scope of this topic. Greatest rock guitarist of all time? Yes I'd say quite so. I saw the way the world went nuts for that guy like I've never seen them go nuts for a single musician since. I can't name ONE musician that has become as big of a household name, or as talked about, or as copied, or as revered as Eddie was in his day. Once again, we are talking about rock guitarists. We are not talking about Lady Gaga, or Jlo or Andre Botticelli, etc. Eddie so completely dominated back then, the world is likely to never see the same impact again in history. Ever. Eddie Van Halen. Greatest Rock Guitarist of all time. Everything you posted about the adulation of the masses could been said about Jack White between 99-2009, or Kurt Cobain between about 92-2000 regardless of his death. I post only because I disagree on principle. I can't deny that between 78-81 he was definitely worthy of the praise, but Uli Roth was still better and more innovative at the time, for one. So were a myriad of others. Ed would probably be more revered now if he'd overdosed in '84. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 ^ yeah but did white or cobain have the guitar players running round trying to figure out what they were doing? not going to question about the adulation of the masses- i don't like either but i'm not going to pretend they weren't popular, because obviously they were. but eddie had both the masses and the guitarists. that's not to say plenty of guitarists didn't also love kurt or jack, of course- obviously they did. But they weren't running round saying, "how the hell does he do THAT?!?!" (were they? ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilMinstrel Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 ^ yeah but did white or cobain have the guitar players running round trying to figure out what they were doing? not going to question about the adulation of the masses- i don't like either but i'm not going to pretend they weren't popular, because obviously they were. but eddie had both the masses and the guitarists. that's not to say plenty of guitarists didn't also love kurt or jack, of course- obviously they did. But they weren't running round saying, "how the hell does he do THAT?!?!" (were they? ) Jack certainly has had an effect on all these people chasing vintage tone by way of boutique amps anyway. Obviously not the same thing at all, but virtuosity is also not all that big a deal in this day and age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 Jack certainly has had an effect on all these people chasing vintage tone by way of boutique amps anyway. Obviously not the same thing at all, but virtuosity is also not all that big a deal in this day and age. I agree that music went to {censored} when curt cobain became the culture's definition of a "guitar god". But, antiquated as I am, I will continue to pursue and value virtuosity. I care about as much about Jack White's cool guitar as his cool hat. Cobain's singing sucked, his playing sucked, his lifestyle sucked and I never could get used to wearing sweaters all the time like a woman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 Jack certainly has had an effect on all these people chasing vintage tone by way of boutique amps anyway. Obviously not the same thing at all, but virtuosity is also not all that big a deal in this day and age. well, sure but i mean the superstrat basically exists because of EVH, so i guess you could call that one even if you're talking about both players' influence on the gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilMinstrel Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 well, sure but i mean the superstrat basically exists because of EVH, so i guess you could call that one even if you're talking about both players' influence on the gear. I don't think so. He definitely helped Kramer and Charvel in that regard, though in the UK guys were already putting humbuckers in their strats. It's all over the place in the early NWOBHM genre. If anything, it would have happened but probably would have been more Fender driven. That said, I'm glad Eddie did have the effect that he did, I love superstrats. Floyds, not quite as much, but superstrats, awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave_Mc_2 Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 it might have happened anyway, but ed still gets the credit, kind of thing. i mean you can (more or less) say that about any innovator (to varying degrees of accuracy). I still say coming up with a new idea for a type of guitar (granted, more like bolting existing parts from separate guitars together, but still) is worth at least as much (in terms of innovation) as just using older pawn shop type gear which most other players had ignored (possibly for good reason). I'd say the same about the style of playing, too- rehashing an older style of playing/writing and producing songs which has gone out of fashion is hardly as innovative as coming up with a new style. not saying everything eddie played was 100% original and innovative, of course, because even innovators are building on the past, but yeah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 One of my favorite guitar teachers. I miss that guy. He's still alive! :poke: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dparr Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 The problem I have is that there is not a single piece of his work which I can actually listen to all the way to the end. I didn't listen to it then and cannot listen to it now. My mother has never heard of him. Nor have my kids. I'm the same way. To me, he's a great guitarist who plays mostly juvenile songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilMinstrel Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 He's still alive! :poke: I know that. I just haven't seen him since I graduated from Pitt 3,000 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steadfastly Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 NO. Likely, Steve Vai or Brian May. I would even put Jimmi Hendrix about Van Halen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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