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Posted Jan 26th 2010 at 4:26 am in Open Thread | 298550124 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fbighollywood.breitbart.com%2Fbighollywood%2F2010%2F01%2F26%2Fopen-happy-birthday-thread-eddie-van-halen%2FOpen+Happy+Birthday+Thread%3A+Eddie+Van+Halen2010-01-26+12%3A26%3A38Big+Hollywoodhttp%3A%2F%2Fbighollywood.breitbart.com%2F%3Fp%3D298550
Name this movie: An ace CIA operative, condemned as a rogue and now hunted by the Company, bashes and crashes his way through colorful foreign settings, pursued by heavily armed hit men, while back at Langley headquarters an inscrutable deputy director and one of his top lieutenants are arousing the...






124 Comments
all hail Eddie VanHalen!
One of the top 10 best guitarists of all time.
In terms of influence? Certainly top ten. His two-handed technique defined metal in the 1980s, but in terms of talent and ability, those who emulated him eventually outstripped him in terms of ability and diversity of style. Unfortunately, after about 1987 he stopped really being innovative. Still, those other guitarists (Satriani and Vai immediately come to mind, though there are others) couldn't have done what they did without Eddie paving the way. He opened hard rock and metal to more technical playing styles, and made it cool and worthwhile for guitarists to pick up the complexities of music theory rather than just bashing out power chords.
Van Halen was great, but I miss Stevie Ray Vaughn… could play lead and rhythm at the same time and behind his back without missing a beat.
Forgot to mention something… check this out:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/sotuwatchp...
Plug in your zip code and check out where the libtards will meet… nothing happening in my hood… thank God.
Forgot to mention something… check this out:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/sotuwatchp...
Plug in your zip code and check out where the libtards will meet… nothing happening in my hood… thank God.
[...] here: Open Happy Birthday Thread: Eddie Van Halen This entry is filed under America – Blogs, Big Hollywood. You can follow any responses to this [...]
4arepublic,
I went to the SotU address meet up site. There werent any get togethers near me, the closest was 48 mi. I swear this is what it was listed as :
Everything to assist our commander in chief our President and first lady Obamatized.
If that isnt scary, I dont know what is.
"Let me be clear"… it is very scary.
Happy Birthday, Eddie!
I'm gonna have my Pandora's Van Halen Radio station CRANKED later today!
PANAMA!
Thought that was Valerie Bertinelli….:)
has there ever been a couple that looked more like siblings?
I liked the comparison between Precious and Blind Side. But how are the character's Ms. Rain and Leigh Anne Tuohy different? They both took someone into their home at their own expense. Both Precious and Michael Oher had to deal with government social services.
Yet critics call one movie liberal and the other conservative.
**Bill and Ted Air guitars**
EXCELLENT!
Obamatized = Lobatimized
// Unfortunately, after about 1987 he stopped really being innovative ///
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge ("Right Now" is considered the apex of VH's singles collection, and a piano riff in a rock/metal band is NOT TYPICAL) and Balance (Feelin' and Aftershock are most CERTAINLY innovative) belies that contention. The band stopped being creative when Eddie hit the sauce & began firing lead singers on a constant basis, culminating with his firing of one of the most important backup vocalists in rock history, Michael Anthony, & replacing with his son Wolfie.
EVH has been the epitome of innovation, ranging from hard rock ("In n' out", "Unchained") to rock/blues ("Black and blue", "Finish what ya started") to rock n' roll (most of the rest) to just plain different ("Little Guitars", which was pre '87) and all throughout he's redefined what a guitarist is: a musician, as he ushered in the keyboard/synthesizer era of the 80s ("Why can't this be love", "Jump") while being the owner of the most popular guitar solo song in history, "Eruption".
Too bad that he's made VH little more nostalgia band, doing little more than touring & playing 20 year old songs. That's what alcohol can do, I suppose. Ah, but it was great while it lasted.
Hey, Eddie, eat a few double cheeseburgers. Geez!!
Mick and Bianca…and Donny and Marie.
Happy Birthday, Eddie! makes me wish i still had the album around that had "Spanish Fly" on it…
Beat me to it….
Can I just say…? I enjoy the Wal-Mart commercial with the screaming clown way too much.
i was gonna say mick & bianca, but the donnie & marie comment was even better!
Overrated. Not even in my top ten of all time.
Had Randy Rhoads not been killed in a plane crash, Eddie would probably be a footnote in late 70's/early 80's music. Rhoads was able to do everything EVH could do with the two hand tapping and the other parlor tricks, and Rhoads (unlike EVH) was also able to play in a classical style.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLi_S-x8pwg
Gifted beyond measure and reason. I read once that so many tried to copy his technique that he started doing all his playing in the shadows or with his back turned to the audience. Not sure how much truth there is to that, however he was a huge pioneer.
And now he's done what so many like him have done – wasted it all on being wasted.
Van Halen was one of my favorite bands growing up. Eddie was Godzilla on a guitar. Saw them in concert quite a few times and every time Eddie whipped out Eruption the place went wild.
Happy birthday Eddie.
Check out the new version of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Barack Hussein Obama" at: http://www.myspace.com/rogerweber
You'll get a laugh!
HAHAHAHAHAHA…..Listen, RR was GREAT! but to think EVH would "probably be a footnote in late 70's/early 80's music" is just insane and laughable. You can like one guy more than the other but….C"MON!!!! Not be able to play in a classical style??? WTF? Yes, and "Andres Segovia sucked balls because he couldn't play it effin' heavy dude!!"
Hey, everyone LOVED Quiet Riot in the late 70's, right??????? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
What? Silly 'rock stars' is it now? What a waste of time.
"24" last night – terrible.
Happy birthday Eddie! You were partially responsible for my musical tastes. Van Halen's greatest hits was the first CD I ever owned.
I used to listen Eddie play "Eruption" over and over and over and over again. I was a fangirl I'll admit. Still am a fangirl…..if you get a minute mosey on over to http://www.myspace.com/ericstadler and take a listen to my friend Eric…he rocks!
Overrated and not in your personall Top Ten? Eddie has plenty faults…being a world class delta bravo seems to be one of them…but in terms of quantity, quality, innovaton, influence and durability, Ed should be at least be considered as a top ten rock guitarist. Maybe not an "all time" top ten, but in his genre…I think it's a no brainer. BTW, loved Randy Rhoads, but there's no way he would've overshadowed Eddie to the point of making him an historical footnote…Ed and Van Halen owned the rock world from roughly '83 to '85 (everything from their debut album in '78 thru Diver Down in '82 led up to the mega-album "1984") and continued to turn out quality stuff thru the "Carnal Knowledge" album in '91.
I used to like VH and Eddie but then I found out how big a DICK he is. Not sure whether it is the booze or the cancer but there is a reason Michael left the band. Sammy Haggar has always been listed as one of the nicest guys in rock and when you screw him over for David Lee Roth, well you have cemeneted any hopes of being labeled anything but a Dick in my book.
Happy Birthday Eddie! I've always loved your music but in recent years I have watched you drool over vintage guitar replicas and I've seen you fawn over Les Paul, and you are a class act my friend. Happy Trails to You!
Really?
Edward Happy Birthday!!!! One of the first albums I bought was the first Van Halen album in 1979.
This morning I was listening to you guys performing "One Way to Rock" from "Right Here, Right Now".
Thank you sir!!!
that whooshing sound you just heard was the joke going right over your head.
(and btw- if anybody throws in the Carpenters, we all know they were siblings too…)
please see my above comment regarding "Spanish Fly". find a copy of that track, listen to it, and come back when you're not quite so uninformed…
Anyone interested, come vote in our poll — we're trying to get a picture of how everyone grades Obama and the Republicans:
http://commentarama.blogspot.com/2010/01/commenta...
Anyone interested, come vote in our poll — we're trying to get a picture of how everyone grades Obama and the Republicans:
http://commentarama.blogspot.com/2010/01/commenta...
Happy Birthday to the third greatest guitarist ever, after Jimi Hendrix and Randy Rhoads
Love Van Halen. I grew up listening to them. When the 1984 album came out, I was just a little kid, three or four, and our neighbors had the album. They'd blast that thing as loud as they could every single morning, and it'd wake up the entire block, but nobody cared 'cause it was such a great album. I knew all the words to "Jump" before I knew my own address.
Eddie rules. Van Halen's 1984 was one of my fondest memories of my teenage years.
Having no dog in the Van Halen discussion…I continue to watch 24, but it's not as good as it was. I don't give a rip about the suicidal FBI (or ex-FBI) agent, anymore than I do about the blond chick at CTU who apparently used to be in jail on a murder rap. I am sick of personal sidebars unless they personally involve Jack Bauer in some way. Just get on with the terrorist-stopping already!
warped minds think alike!
I essentially agree. Psycho Renee? Don't care much for this angle. Blond CTU and her hillbilly ex boyfriend – junk subplot, badly written and cast. The foreign president and his family problems? Less than zero interest. Russian gangsters – horrid dialog, laughable casting. Clown show. Chloe – just going through the motions.
This was a filler episode at best. Still too early to give up, but they need to get it together fast.
*Just was watching DVD of Season 7 (only for the extras b/c Season 7 was abysmal) – The writers went thru hell on S7 b/c they felt traumatized by the lackluster Season 6 and felt the need to re-invent the series. It is clear by their comments that they do not seem to had realized at the time that Season 7 was so very bad. Now, with Season 8 airing, it looks like they may have realized how bad Season 7 was b/c they made an effort to wrap up S7 storylines quickly in S8, but they still seem to be faltering…..so far.
We'll see.
Happy birthday, Eddie!
Me, too!
Van Halen = fun music!
Back before there was such a thing as Ticketmaster, my friends and I waited outside the Tulsa Convention Center for three full days in order to grab some primo seats to VH's first headline tour (Van Halen II). Out of the hundreds of shows I've been to, this was THE BEST. They opened up with "Light Up The Sky", with David Lee Roth bounding across the stage and into the crowd to kick off show. It just got more intense from there. Happy Birthday Eddie!! Thanks for the memories!!!! (God, I feel old)
The story I heard was that Eddie was miffed that his guitar hero, Michael Schankar of UFO, used to play with his back to the audience back in the early '70's.
No idea how true that story is, after all, rock journalist make the MSM look pure as the driven snow.
What a MANE! Rawr!
Eddie Van Halen is the most influential guitarist of the last 30 years. In my opinion, he tops any list. Before 1978 there were Page, Hendrix, Clapton, etc. and afterward it was Eddie. I say this as a rather committed blues guitarist.
Anyone that leaves him out of the top three of all time needs their head examined.
Oh, where to begin?
First off, Van Halen (both the guitarist and band) hasn't been musically relevant in close to 30 years. The last album truly worthy of being called "Van Halen" was "Fair Warning", which came out in 1981(!).
As to performance skills, another commenter above best described Mr. Van Halen's skills as "parlor tricks". Unless your name is Stanley Jordan, putting both hands on a guitar neck should be a criminal offense.
I'll leave out comments regarding behavior, as I've never met the man. However, the stories of him being one of the single most unpleasant people in music are too numerous to completely discount…
First CD? Oy, as recently turning 40 feels even older.
Like many, VH were the soundtrack of my middle & high school years, bleeding into college then to Balance, AKA the Sammy-era's Fair Warning (dark, though nowhere near as awesome). However, echoing a sentiment above, I stopped caring about Capt. Narcissism's band the day they cut Michael Anthony loose. Sure, fun side-band it may be, but long live Chickenfoot!!!
Ed a footnote? I was a guitarist in the same clubs playing the same genre as the others in the late 70's. I knew Randy, Ed, George Lynch, Terry Kilgore etc. and can say, having played alongside them that Ed led the pack and was first in every respect. Ed picked up the two hand technique from Terry, who had bastardized it from Harvy Mandel. Randy mimicked a few of Ed's tricks, as did George but both went on to clearly define their own styles and sounds. While Randy was schooled and quite adept at classical tecnique, not much of that technique found it's way into QR or Ozzy's outfit. I doubt seriously that had Randy lived he would have been any competition at all to an up and coming Yngwie Malmsteen in the neo-classical rock genre. Between 1976 and 1982 when Randy was killed, Ed released 5 seminal albums that did more to change the face of rock guitar than anyone since Jimi, Clapton, Page & Beck. He is still ALL OVER most rock guitarist's tecniques. Happy Birthday Ed!
The only thing I really liked about Season 7 was Jack and his daughter reuniting. The guy deserves a break, and hopefully he'll return to L.A. with her at the end. If he gets swept away again, I'm not going to be happy. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the show's final season.
I wouldn't say of all time, think of all the guitarists who played of the centuries that no one out side of their home lands ever heard of? But no doubt, one of the best contemporary electric guitar players.
I do have one beef with him though. He likes to brag that its just him and his guitar, no special sound effects. Which is technically true. Of course being plugged into $50,000 worth of Marshall stacks doesn't hurt either.
Man he was awesome to watch play.
A friend of a friend used to hear him play all the time for free in a park in Austin, Texas, before he made it big.
Butler, We're going to get together at our blog — doing a live blog — to poke fun at his SOTU. You're welcome to join us. Wednesday night — our place.
Looks like in my neighborhood, one moon bat party at some one's house and one party at a bar, which I think is mostly a free advertisement.
As for me I intend to give the speech the same courtesy and respect the President has shown out Constitution.
Make sure you get your drinking games straight.
How about shots every time he uses works like "Let me be clear, unprecedented," and "bi-partisan."
Obama & Biden?
How about Mick Ronson from the 1970's?
One area EVH has influenced guitarists for decades is in his use of guitar effects.
Long gone (Thank God) are the days where someone plugs a Les Paul directly into a stack of Marshall amps and brags about their sound. As if it's good enough to sound like every other axe slinger on the planet.
Have you ever noticed that his choice of effects is PERFECT for the song? EVH is not only a master of the six string (and yes, he is) he's also got a great ear for the the overall 'sound' of his guitar and it's relation to the song. Check out "Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)". That opening riff immediately causes you to say, "What's this?". Or, listen to the lead solo in "Not Enough". He may not have invented running a guitar through a Leslie Speaker (Thanks Dave Gilmore), but it is just the right touch for that song.
He is an Excellent arranger and producer.
Done.
I was wavering on whether to comment….tough to denote sarcasm when there's only text.
That album was the sound track for my last year in college. Every one was blaring it every where, we'd rigged up a TV set in the digital lab and were pirating MTV satellite signals, so it was always playing in there too.
// First off, Van Halen (both the guitarist and band) hasn't been musically relevant in close to 30 years. //
Typing stuff like that just opens you up for ridicule.
Rightly so, I might add.
The guy wrote ALL THE MUSIC for VH songs & only 18 artists of all genres have sold more. In history. In the history of the recording artists industry. But, hey, they stopped being relevant when YOU said so… http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table...
Chet Atkins and Les Paul are still the best.
Roy Clark and Jerry Reed and Junior Brown are pretty darn good.
Eddie Van Halen has lots of hair.
Still he was lucky to get Valerie Bertinelli.
Maybe it was all that hair?
EdSki- Links to a couple of my SRV favs below. Hope you enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZoX6Q0UK8A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsV2ZRFM3EE
You realize Rhoads was only 16 when he formed Quiet Riot, right?
Was Eddie Van Halen's hair real or a wig like so many others had during the hair band days?
I own the CD – Van Halen II… and Spanish Fly is FULL of two hand tapping and other tricks, and some flat out speed – not much different from the rest of his catalogue, really.. However, Just because he's playing it on an acoustic guitar doesn't mean it's in a classical style.
Spanish Fly opens with a hammer technique, and then to fast triplets and some harmonics, followed by a few quick runs, and some more triplets before he starts going to town with the tapping 35 seconds in to it.
Compare that to the intro of Diary of a Madman or Dee – especially the arppegios that Rhoads wrote and plays in Diary, and come back when you're not quite so uninformed.
I've been playing guitar for nearly 30 years. How about you?
Eh, I blame Bon Jovi for the crappy 80s "metal."
He's very talented. Another underrated guitarist from the 70's is Glen Buxton (Alice Cooper).
Here ya go, eC. Even get Stanley Jordan in there for ya (Les Paul, too).
http://www.threedonia.com/archives/19127
Thanks Ed! I appreciate that — we want to get as many different views as possible.
We were thinking of doing shots every time he blamed Bush, but we might all end up with alcohol poisoning!
By the way, everyone is welcome to join us — should be fun (should at least make the speech more interesting)!
Nope. Not in my top ten.
In no particular order other than Randy Rhoads first – but to round out the top ten I've have Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Zakk Wylde (Ozzy / Black Label Society), George Lynch (Dokken / Lynch Mob), John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Oz Fox (Stryper – hugely underrated guitarist IMHO), Dave Murray (Iron Maiden) and Marty Friedman (Megadeth).
Yeah, that one's a bit too risky. He blames Bush when Michelle has a headache at bed time.
Steve Vai is a machine. Fantastic guitarist. Don't overlook Joe Satriani, either.. (And I agree about George Lynch – that guy is a phenomenal guitarist.)
Agreed on Satriani – only reason I didn't mention above was that he really wasn't part of the '80s hair-metal scene.
While we're at it, I'd probably include Neal Schon as well…
Isn't that the truth! His need to blame Bush is almost like a nervous tick!
Did you see the year end year in review article by Dave Barry? Almost every paragraph included some line that ended with Obama blaming Bush for something or other — it was very funny.
Then arrest Chet Atkins cause he put two hands on the neck before both of them…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Svm_Vnntyk&fe...
I would hate to see the show go out on a low note, but if this season turns out as badly as last season, I just wont get the kick out of it that I used to. It's not fun and exciting anymore. Something is missing…including too many now dead CTU members.
I hope it will not be the last season, but I am tired of disappointment and so far they have only had one decent episode (#4) amidst 5 dull/silly episodes.
Let's see if they get this initial crap out of the way and come up with something good.
You should sue for restitution.
It's not a tic. He's got nothing else. If he talks about his accomplishments, he's got nothing. He can't say that, so what ever else they can come up with, and this is about it.
2 in my area. I may go and wear my tea party tee. It is a potluck. I will bring marshmallows. All fluff, empty calories, rots your teeth. I just RSVP'd.
Hi butler-
Just noticed we're from the same neck of the woods… I live outside "the ring around the congo" and given the choice… I would rather jump off the top of Spaghetti Junction than have to watch/listen to Obamao for more than 5 seconds. Word is… he lies, too!
You sound bitter and strange. There is no room for liking both guys? It is one or the other, arm twisting until forfeiting with you? Lord Nagemel! Did they pass you up in an audition?
I enjoyed them both when I was a kid. Now I enjoy when my husband cranks out some Van Halen for me. He is a guitarist.
As an aside, I had tickets to see Ozzy in Orlando (I think it was 82?). It was not to be. I was in love with Randy Rhodes when I was a kid. I was strangely mournful over a guy I did not even know.
No bitterness – as far as being strange, well… aren't we all a little strange?
There's nothing wrong with enjoying them both. Like I posted earlier, I own a lot of Van Halen CD's.
I just don't get the pedestal for his guitar playing skills, I think there are a number of guitarists that are far better… in the end though, this is all subjective opinion. It's my opinion that Rhoads was/is far better than Eddie Van Halen.
He not only changed rock AND pop music, guitar playing, songwriting. He totaly re-invented the guitar. Before Ed made his custom striped guitars, you could have a strat style, or a les paul style. Eddie put the les paul pickups into a strat style guitar with a custom paint job- thus revolutionizing the whole instrument industry. The band VH revolutionized the live concert experience, with the giant lights rigs, huge stacks of amps, and massive stage sets and perfect note for note live performances all while running and jumping like a maniac. Screw the Haters! I saw the reunion tour and to hear them play somebody get me a doctor all these years later…. Well, they still rip!
This might not apply to the music, per se, but Eddie and the boys were one of the first hard band that had the balls to smile. Everything's not about being pissed off . This music is fun. Between '78 and '85 they were about as much fun as you could have at a concert. After that, I lost interest…
although it was Steve Vai that did the guitars for that movie, i second that air guitar.
Happy b-Day, Eddie.
Er, folks, Donny & Marie *ARE* siblings.
Check out the new version of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Barack Hussein Obama" at: http://www.myspace.com/rogerweber
You'll get a laugh!
Eddie's best recording…….."Beat It".
I admit I have a weak spot for virtuoso guitar heroics, but give me Vito Bratta any day.
Interesting? Revealing? Not really that people are trotting out the 'world's greatest guitarists' and never mention Jazz or classical players, just rock and country and some blues players.
wait a minute. did you just rip this thread on 'silly rock stars' then in your very next electronic breath admit you watch 24?
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