I often encourage all the young guitarists I meet to spend some serious time with Eddie Van Halen. Whether that style is their cuppa joe or not, he is important to their instrument and rock music in general.
One of the greatest things a guitarist can learn from Ed isn't even chops, it's groove. He plays like the sax section of a big band. The whole early VH groove is basically jazz on amphetamines. Listen to "I'm the One" or "Romeo Delight." Total shout choruses.
And drummers, it works because Alex plays like a big band drummer. There's a lot to learn from music that gets easily dismissed these days.
2 comments:
EVH was THE reason I started playing guitar. His playing blows me away every time I listen to him.
If I recall Papa VH was a player in a big band. Maybe that's where the boy's got it. Papa plays clarinet on the Diver Down album.
(Big Bad Bill is Sweet William Now.)
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