RIP EVH (Eddie Van Halen)

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boatman37

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RIP Eddie. Greatest guitarist ever and one of the greatest bands ever.

Look on youtube for Eruption by Eddie. 13 minute guitar solo. Unreal what he could do with a guitar!
 
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I wouldn't characterize him as the greatest guitar player, but he was one of the most innovative and creative players along the lines of Jimmi Hendrix and Jimmy Page.

Eddie often said his influence was Eric Clapton, who is one of the best guitarist. EVH explored areas of playing that elevated music and he has left his mark on the world and the music industry.
 
Definitely top 5 greatest ever....RIP Eddie. The first record blew my 14 year old mind and still does.
 
I met Eddie and David Lee years ago before a concert.... very cool guys and extremely humble.... RIP Eddie
 
Top 5 guitarists IMO and one of my top 5 favorite bands if not my favorite. I was too young in the 70's and early 80's to see them, but had a chance to get back stage, sit in sound check and sit row 1 section 2 at the Excel Energy Center in 2012 when they reunited with David Lee Roth, but without Michael Anthony. Wolfgang took his place but couldn't quite get to the vocal notes like Michael, however a fantastic bass player none the less.

One thing that stood out to me was Eddie asked us what we would like to hear during sound check. I shouted, "Light Up The Sky". He pointed at me and they all went into it. Roth never made it to sound check, and guess what, during Panama he lost his ear monitors and couldn't hear his place in the song. Great show tho! Here's some pics.

BTW these are poor quality (iPhone 6) but i'm not the type to have my phone constantly in my hand recording the show. I try to enjoy it.

RIP Eddie

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I saw them a bunch of times. Huge fan. I got to meet them years ago because a Doc I knew was friends with Sammy H. Awesome guys. I also lost my Elvis yesterday.
 
Eddie Van Halen is the first celebrity to die that really mean something to me. The first album I purchased was 1984.
Saw VH several times, and they were great. One of the times was when Eddie's hip was all messed up and he needed surgery, but hadn't gotten it yet. I was so impressed that he had to be in terrible pain, but was out there rocking for the fans. "Dreams" is one of my wife's favorite songs and we had it played at our wedding. I have it set as a ringtone for my wife's calls. Even went to Sammy's Cabo Wabo bar in Mexico. VH is also my son's favorite band (he's 14). RIP Eddie.
 
b_arrington said:
Even went to Sammy's Cabo Wabo bar in Mexico.
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I went there and had the burrito .... it didn’t end well so unfortunately that was a lasting memory of Sammy. David LEE Roth was Van Halen.... it was a shame they couldn’t make it work long term.
I often say where are those bands today... the creativity just doesn’t seem to be there with the youth today like Zeppelin, stones, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Queen and on and on
 
Blueone said:
I went there and had the burrito .... it didn’t end well so unfortunately that was a lasting memory of Sammy. David LEE Roth was Van Halen.... it was a shame they couldn’t make it work long term.
I often say where are those bands today... the creativity just doesn’t seem to be there with the youth today like Zeppelin, stones, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Queen and on and on
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I understand some people like DLR vs. Sammy. I like them both equally - different sounds, but all bands evolve over time.
 
b_arrington said:
I understand some people like DLR vs. Sammy. I like them both equally - different sounds, but all bands evolve over time.
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I prefer DLR over Sammy, but Samy's cool. Ever listen to Chickenfoot? Good straight rock!

I think I was at the concert when Eddie busted his hip. Wasn't that mid to late 90's?
 
OllieC said:
I prefer DLR over Sammy, but Samy's cool. I like Chickenfoot. Good straight rock!

I think I was at the concert when Eddie busted his hip. Wasn't that mid to late 90's?
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Yep, likely late 90's.

My biggest disappointment was when I got tickets to seem them in the early / mid 90's in the Meadowlands with my brother. Somehow I managed to get VIP pre-show passes too. I was totally amped to see them early. My brother fucked up and by the time we got inside the show was 1/2 over let alone missing the VIP part.
 
Another time I met Eddie and David was at a venue....I was in high school and my buddy and I worked at the local hockey arena selling popcorn and sodas in the stands during the ice capades....we did it because we could get into concerts for free before the public. Everybody played there from Elton John to ACDC to Nugent.
One day when Van Halen was setting up the stage we are standing out in front watching and Eddie and David both walked up and stood beside us and said "So what do you think?"... it was crazy we were just kids and stood there and talked for a while...mostly listened... They were just starting out then.... I met them again in person probably 15 years later and they hadn't changed a bit....very down to earth
 
graduated in '87 but never got to see them in concert. I was a fan of theirs back then but wasn't the concert type. We have very little money so things like that weren't very common for us. I do remember a childhood friend of mine whose grandparents lived across the street from me. He graduated a year before me and I was always amazed at his guitar playing as early as about 12 years old. He reminded me of EVH and even looked a little like him and he was self taught too. Fast forward a few years and Vaughn (childhood buddy) was in a band with 3 others that I went to school with (1 being Keith Nelson from Buckcherry). It was funny because people at their shows would comment about how great Vaughn was as a guitarist and how we all thought he would make it big. Turns out Keith is the one that made it. I have never heard this mentioned but I think Vaughn taught Keith alot. After Buckcherry made it Keith called Vaughn and told him to move to LA and Keith would have him in a big band within a week. Vaughn turned him down even though his wife told him to go ahead. EDIT: asked my wife and his sons name is not Wolfgang...lol. Not sure where I heard that or thought that). Can't help but think how Vaughn is taking this. But I read in a report one day with Keith and he mentioned his first concert ever was VH that his aunt took him too. I still remember Keith wearing that VH tour shirt in about 8th grade (about 1982ish). Not sure if Keith ever met EVH but I'd think he probably has. Just thinking how cool it would have been to be an up and coming guitarist and getting to meet somebody like EVH.

Oh, and I definitely prefer Diamond Dave over Sammy but they did have a few good songs I like with Sammy
 
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It’s been very dismal around my house since yesterday definitely one of my sons favorite idols , EVH regular player in our house and my son learned every one of his songs to a T before moving on to Eric Johnson ,Stevie ray Joe Sat and beyond here’s his cover of eruption when he was 13 he’s 17 now and getting ready to shove off to college next year for music RIP EVH
 
In middle school I had a cool bus driver. He would play our cassettes on the bus radio during the ride home. The opening of “Runnin with the Devil” sounds like a car horn; pre-teen me would try to cue it up to see if the driver though someone was honking at him. Never did.

After playing the song my ultra-Christian neighbor (that legit invited me to summer bible school - and my mom sent me) was horrified. She tried to give be a dressing down about the wicked nature of that music and I should change my ways. They were big Al and Tipper Gore fans, I think. I just liked the music.
 
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