The Shred-Guitar King Has Died

I saw today where Eddie Van Halen has died of Throat Cancer at the age of 65.

I don't even know how to make this post, I guess the best thing we can do is not mourn his death, but celebrate his life.

Let's just sit back, crack open a cold one and listen to Eddie's music, LOUD!!! It's what Eddie would have wanted.

R.I.P. Eddie Van Halen - January 26th 1955-October 6th 2020

Well said. RIP EVH.

though he didn't really invent potting pickups or the wet/dry/wet rig or tapping... we shall never see his like again!

Heavy hearts here in Pasadena, CA https://imgur.com/OwreBpf

I actually learned an important life-lesson from this man: Never hold Metal Guitar Picks in your mouth.

When Eddie was Tapping he would sometimes hold the Pick in his mouth, these Picks were made of Brass & Copper and ended up giving him Tounge Cancer (Not Throat Cancer which he died of later).

I'm so glad I learned from his mistakes so that I didn't suffer the same fate.

And I hope this helps some of you aswell.

When Eddie was Tapping he would sometimes hold the Pick in his mouth, these Picks were made of Brass & Copper and ended up giving him Tounge Cancer (Not Throat Cancer which he died of later).

One would think all brass instrument players would be riddled with cancer if this metal could really have that kind of effect...

Well, Eddie thought the Picks gave him Cancer and the Doctors said it was possible, but I never thought of Brass Players... Huh.

Eddie thought a lot of things ;-) we miss him anyway

Great musician gone. Still processing. This year has been nothing but death from the start, when we lost Neil Peart--with no one to play the Drum Solo of Life, though, what did we expect?

Man, fuck cancer. In all its forms.

RIP Eddie, guess it's time I actually try and learn to play Eruption finally.

Great musician gone. Still processing. This year has been nothing but death from the start, when we lost Neil Peart--with no one to play the Drum Solo of Life, though, what did we expect?

YEAR? Its been nonstop chaos since Bowie passed back into outer space...

Every year on either the Birthdate or Deathdate of my favorite musicians I'll always try to learn a song by them as a kind of tribute as well. Back on Sep. 27th I was trying to learn "Orion" by Metallica on Bass so I know how that feels.

So as I'm listening and trying to learn I realize some things. A) he's a far superior guitarist to me, I doubt I'll ever play on that level, 2) watching videos of the man, he's a consummate performer. Dude puts on a show like nobody's business. Would have loved to see them live back when they got back together with Diamond Dave.

But C), and this will probably get me killed for saying it: I don't actually care for his guitar tone. At all. It's unique, it's absolutely signature, you can tell when Eddie is playing, there's no doubt to it. But I do not find it aurally pleasing in the way I do other guitarists who play on that same virtuoso level (Eric Johnson, Yvette Young, Joe Satriani et al). It's got a rawer quality to it, I'll give it that, where say Eric Johnson's (for example) is more... not refined. That's not the word I want. Ethereal?

I don't know. Point is, I'm just not crazy about his tone. Like, I dig AC/DC, but can't stand Angus Young's tone. I dig Van Halen, but I'm not crazy for Eddie's tone. That might be more to do with me as a player than anything else though. And it makes me feel like a jackass listening to it, because it's like "Dude just died, man, you shouldn't be analyzing all this," but I can't help it. It's how I listen to music.

Anyroad. Yeah. Don't kill me, please. I got a spouse and kid, and a load of guitars to take care of!

I don't know. Point is, I'm just not crazy about his tone. Like, I dig AC/DC, but can't stand Angus Young's tone. I dig Van Halen, but I'm not crazy for Eddie's tone.

You don't like non-master marshalls then. That's all it is. Early EVH and all ACDC ahs that one element in common.

That makes perfect sense to me. I am, by and large (there are exceptions) not a Marshall fan. If I'm going British Gain, I'm going Matamp or Orange (gotta have that sweet sweet doom sound).

Thanks for clearing that up for me!