Unfortunately Eddie passed in October 2020. He was the most creative and absolutely the greatest guitarist I have ever seen. His rymth and timing was unmatched. It's hard to believe that he created Eruption in 1978. He built his guitars from parts off other brands of guitars. There will never be another Eddie Van Halen. RIP. We miss you Eddie.
Everyone raves about his techniques and the wild movements, but this cat was a composer .. a damn good one... One of his hallmarks was abrupt key changes for solos in songs.. Jump is a great example of this... RIP Edward
@@wpochert and he never learned how to read music. What makes that truly ironic is that they had to create new notes in order to put what he was doing onto sheet music. R.I.P. Eddie.
He didn't raise the bar on guitar, he put it in a different galaxy. He changed everything on the electric guitar. The face and astonishment you show during the solo is how all guitarists felt when they heard and saw him. By far the most creative guitarist of all time - the GREATEST all around! On top of that, all their songs (Van Halen) were bangers - how weird is that? There will never be another one like him. All guitarist agree on that - no doubt about that! Great job on your reaction - one of the very best brother!
It's an amalgamation of several Van Halen songs he's crafted into a giant solo. And he takes liberties with the entire thing because he's played it a million times. RIP, King Edward
SRV could play 2 difficult guitar parts and make them sound good and not a mess like so many. Eddie could play fast like nobody else ever but for all the blinding speed, he could never move me. My definition of a great guitar player
@@brianyoung3 I understand your feeling here - There are several songs off of Fair Warning, including "Mean Street" and also "Little Guitars" from Diver Down that I think can move you with a rhythmic energy and so many tones of notes and tonal bending that nobody else ever did. It also fits the songs very well and it is a progressive attitude building within songs on his better compositions. I just never really considered Eddie as a "blinding speed" guy, or "shredder."
when told he was the greatest player alive, he said "we have never heard the greatest, the greatest is out there working in a music store, or giving guitar lessons, and that he was only famous because he got a lucky break."
I also had the privilege of seeing both EVH & SRV live. I saw Van Halen open for The Doobie Brothers back in the day and I was at Stevie Ray Vaughn's last concert the night his helicopter crashed after the show at Alpine Valley, Wisconsin August 26th 1990.
@@rmstacy5295 That is very big of Eddie because people who I have known in the business, who came up with people who made it big always used to say that the difference between making it big and remaining a bar band was luck. There is a grain of truth in that but great talent also has something to do with it.
Remember how much you loved the guitar solo in MJ's "Beat It," well that was Mr. Eddie Van Halen. :) Being a teenager in the 80's was the absolute best!! Amazing hit songs by many artists every. single. week. (unlike today's "music").
Thank you for sharing your reaction to Eddie! He was like a child with a new toy when he played the guitar. He played with such joy and gave the people what they wanted! Miss you Eddie!
Yes they are there to see him, but this is from a concert. They are there to see the entire band which is named after him and his brother Alex. Van Halen
Considered the greatest guitarist in the history of modern music, in terms of style, technique and innovation. Self taught on guitar, classically trained with his brother Alex (on drums), and had riffs for months. Gone yet not forgotten, there will never be another Edward Lodejwik Van Halen.
He actually started Piano first, then Drums, while Alex played Piano and Guitar, then Eddie and Alex switched instruments, and they became GOATs in their respective
The guy on the drums is Ed's brother Alex. Ed started out as a classical pianist as a child. He had to sit on a phone book to reach the keys. In his adolescence he moved to drums. To pay for his drum kit he took on a paper route. While he was throwing papers Alex was mastering Ed's drum kit. After realizing Alex was better on Ed's drums than Ed was, Ed moved to guitar and was the best guitarist in the world. Unfortunately he passed a few years ago. But his music plays on. His last words to the public before he died was "Keep playing". The guy doing the intro is Sammy Hagar (front man for the band at the time). Sammy is also an accomplished guitarist and one hell of a vocalist.
Saw Sammy on his Standing Hampton tour. Great show. When he joined VH they had two very talented guitarists and during the 5150 tour, saw the show October 86, they played some Hagar hits along with VH hits from when Roth was fronting. Bachman Turner Overdrive opened on the 5150 tour and when they played "Takin' Care Of Business" we almost brought the arena's roof down. Man. Eddie's gone, Neil Peart's gone, Malcolm Young's gone. RIP guys. Man. I'm gettin old.
@@blister762 Yep you are getting old.... but not me.....Just kidding, I'm pushing 60. But if you were into music like I was/am. The late 70's and early 80's was a great time to be alive.
@@joeschmoe665 60? man you old pops. I just hit the big 58. I saw AC/DC Back in Black tour, had to sneak out to see it, mom woulda skinned me alive. And I remember when MTV played music videos exclusively. Not a fan of this new music my tastes start with 50's doo wop and end about the beginning of the grunge era. A lot of the old bands are still putting out new stuff tho. Iron Maiden, AC/DC had new stuff. But nothing will ever be like the 60's thru the 80's.
@@blister762 We're neck and neck on the age front. I'll be 58 in June. Although I feel older some days. Getting lucky for me is going into a room and remembering why I went in there. But I'll never forget those concerts......
If you listen carefully, you hear the classical music (Beethoven, ect) he grew up to playing. He has a son, Wolfgang, who also plays the guitar. It's an experience just watching Van Halen play. May he RIP. *Quit smoking, smokers 🚭❤️
Eddie’s last recorded record was 38 notes per second. To this day, no other guitarist has ever come close to achieving that goal. The closest was 27 notes per second by a flamenco guitarist playing Maleguena. Eddie is and forever will be a legend in music. RIP. 🤘
I live in Shreveport Louisiana where Eddie Van Halen met Valerie bertinelli in 1980ish. She and her family lived here so once they married Van Halen kicked off tours and played lots of shows here so they could visit her family. I saw them three times back then and they were phenomenal. Sadly Eddie died of throat cancer aged 65 in December of 2020.
I love that Eddie Van Halen is referred to as "This Guy" the entire time. I am happy that his music will live on forever through this type of exposure. Best and first concert that I ever went to.
Eddies son Wolfgang is no slouch either... Eddie iirc is credited for the tap method on the guitar, his dad is a Dutch jazz pianist, clarinetist, and saxophonist... he did not read music but was a master at improvisation
I heard Eddie and Alex Van Halen were at a Led Zeppelin concert marveling at Jimmy Page doing a tap style with one hand and they went and tried it. Remember at this point it was Alex that was going to be playing guitar and Eddie was to play drums. Eddie just nailed his experimentation and they switched. wild.
I saw him do this in Calgary Canada back in the 90s. It was fricking magical!!! RIP Eddie - we lost him a little while ago. He inspired COUNTLESS guitarist both new and already in music. Pure creativity.
I love watching the range of peoples reactions to this. Everything from drop-jawed amazement to perplexed to ****-eating grin. That's exactly the same reaction we all had to this guy back in the day by the way. Might be several lifetimes before the world gets a gift like this again
When it comes to stamina I think in those days nicotine, Jack Daniel's and cocaine were to blame... Those guys didn't care about being mortal as long as their legacy was immortal. RIP Eddie and thanks for the goosebumps. 💙
He was 65 when he died in 2020. He had cancer, but what killed him was a stroke. His son Wolf (Wolfgang) played with Van Halen until 2020, when his dad died.
I remember in 1979, my 6th grade music class, on Friday's you were allowed to bring in music for the class to hear, one song per student. So someone brought in VH1 and put the needle down on Eruption. I couldn't believe it was a guitar, it sounded like something from outer space. That Christmas I got my first guitar. 44 years later I still play almost everyday and all weekend. Thanks Eddie.
I saw Van Halen in a backyard party in West Covina in 1974. Though from what I remember, a lot of the set was covers, my future ex-wife and I both knew they were going to be something. A couple of years later I saw them at Gazzarris on the Strip and yes, we were right!! I've seen them maybe15 times and each one was better,
Eddie Van Halen was an original and that's not an easy thing to accomplish to say the least, if not less. I suggest you lend your ears to Jimi Hendrix's "House Burning Down." It's Jimi in the studio at the peak of his powers. It was recorded in 1967 and over a half century later I still can't figure out how he did all that. Highly recommended.
He built a guitar he called the frankenstrat that was a Fender Stratocaster body and neck with Gibson internals pickups etc. He also put a variac on his Peavey 5150 guitar amps to get what became affectionately known as the brown sound.
I wish I could go back and hear thos for the first time again. I remember exactly where I was. In my 1964 impala with the tape frigging blasting. I listened to it over and over and over
the original Eruption started as a warmup exercise he would do before taking the stage at each concert, they decided to put it on the debut album in 1978...
It is said, that this was his warm-up routine before the show until somebody told him something like "Man, you GOTTA do this on stage!" RIP King Edward! I'm pretty sure you've heard a Van Halen song before but didn't know the band, at least "Jump" or "Panama" ;-)
It started as a warm-up routine and fans heard it and loved it and it grew and evolved from there, it's never played exactly the same way. Steve Vai is another amazing guitarist. There's a scene in the movie "Crossroads" where Steve Vai duels Ralph Macchio on guitars, Ralph is faking his part (very well though), and Steve actually plays both parts. You can find the video on TH-cam, make sure you watch the longer version so you don't miss any of it. Steve has a hell of a history, you should read about him. Another song to check out is "Cliffs of Dover" by Eric Johnson, another great guitarist.
This was New Haven, CT in 1986. Eddie was a true trailblazer fueled by cigarettes, blow, and pure genius. His style and technique influenced many of today's guitar gods. He passed away from throat cancer in 2020.
I think this is Eddie just being Eddie. It might have started out as a song but I think he adds to it as it pleases him! My favorite parts of it are when he's in the zone! when he has his eyes closed and is just playing what he feels! Great reaction!
I was at this very show....in New Haven Ct....I lived up in the Hartford area, Eddie was my hero back then. It was my first time seeing him and I enjoyed every single note he played that night
5150 tour. Saw them Oct 86 in San Antonio. BTO opened up for them. Sammy Hagar had a great solo career before being picked to replace DLR. Saw VH on their 1984 tour too. I remember this solo the stadium went wild. RIP Eddie.
Eddie Van Halen was the king of the electric guitar for a couple decades. Nobody could sound like him. Just an iconic sound. Very creative and spectacular player. Lots of great songs. I've seen him live several times. First time was in New Haven where this footage was shot in 1986.
was lucky enough to see Van Halen at Manchester Apollo in the UK . I was deaf for three days after but it was worth it. after eruption I was expecting girl you really got me to play
I completely concur regarding the confidence of performing and "I already did the work" mentality. I think it goes a step or two further, in that this is not just what he does, it is literally who he is. The man's brain uses the language of music to define his environment. There is a line from "Good Will Hunting" that fits as Will is describing to his girlfriend what it is like to be a genius. He basically says it's like how Beethoven saw the piano. He didn't see it like other people, when he sat down, he just "got it." That's Eddie and music, too. If you do some background work, you will see all sorts of different effect stuff and sound equipment Eddie pioneered. My point is that he doesn't even consider the possibility of a performance issue. He probably did a better version of this sitting at home fucking around on a Saturday afternoon.
the rock-metal era of the late80s into the early 90s was an amazing time for great guitarists, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Mark Knopfler, Brian May, Vito Bratta, Joe Perry, Richie Sambora, Nuno Bettencourt, Vernon Reid and Slash,and probably a ton more I am overlooking
This is an amalgamation of solos (songs) from almost every album they recorded, but he has added riffs and translations throughout. But he passed away in 2020 of cancer. He is arguably one of the best guitarists ever.
Got to see Van Halen in Raleigh NC when Sammy was the front man. Amazing show and it was great seeing Eddie and Alex do their solos live. Incredible performers.
Thats Sammy Hagar. AKA the Red Rocker. He has his own stuff before and after this. He's awesome. I'm a guitarist. Smokes in the strings is the norm for smokers. Check out Randy Rhodes. He's very awesome of a guitarist to.
I saw Van Halen on this tour and they were indescribable! I’m so glad I got to see Eddie live. I saw them on the 1984 tour also. One of my top two bands.
I was lucky enough to see Van Halen in Philly in the late 70's and early 80's. They were incredibly talented and personable. Sadly, Eddie died of cancer recently.
Never again will we see anything close to him. ALL things considered, he is the Greatest Electric Rock Guitarist of all time. Others raised the bar but put the electric guitar in another Galaxy and Dimension!!! On top of that, Van Halen's music is the best and that's probably what he was the most proud of. He was an excellent song writer! Just the Greatest Ever!
Sadly, he should still be alive but all those cigarettes had a big part in him dying way too soon. Seeing him play live for the first time somewhere around 1979/80 blew my mind, even though I'd heard the first album. What's crazy is how much his son sounds just like him when he plays his Dad's old songs. If you want to see guys who are in that same guitar wizard category, check out Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Buckethead, just to name three.
First time hearing EVH? Welcome to one of the most inspiring guitar solos back in the day - Eruption (and I mean the studio version as Eddie has stretched it "a little" here :P). May he rest in peace in Heaven as the greatest legato player ever.
I saw Van Halen twice in the summer of 1978 just after their first album (yes album) came out.. The first show was with Ted Nugent and the second was with Black Sabbath. Both totally awesome shows, VH was on fire.
I saw VH every Dallas show. Once, they had to cancel, so they came back to Big D and did a free show on the outskirts of downtown at the Westend. Over 100,000 people showed up. Luckily, I was a DJ for the station sponsoring it, so I got to be close and safe! Last time I saw them, we paid (for charity) to sit in the stage…about 10 feet from Eddie. He, and Sammy, smoked all our cigarettes. We didn’t mind lol. Eddies son, Wolfgang Van Halen, could play that at 15. Wolfie has a great band now, Mammoth. That was what VH was going to name their band. Wolf plays every instrument on the album, produced it, everything. Watch the Mammoth video, Dont Back Down. I think it got a Grammy for it!
Dude! Just discovered your stream recently. Your Roy Clarke vid. I have to say, while I love your reactions, being a guitar player too, how you haven't heard this stuff. But listen, it's not a bad thing cause I love your take on them from fresh eyes. It's like I'm listening for the first time! Thank You! As far as who that was at the first? That is Sammy Hagar. Look in to "Montrose" as he was the guitarist. He is also Awesome. Any way, you earned a new subscribe. Keep up the good work!
The speaker was Sammy Hagar, check out his solo music.The guitarist is the Late Eddie Van Halen. One of the original founding members of Van Halen. The drummer is his brother, Alex.
Seeing Eddie play this live was just electric! He always looked like he was having so much fun. He had a wicked grin that just drew you in. It's really too bad people couldn't get their stuff together and give him the tribute concert he deserved.
The introduction was made by THE Red Rocker, Mr Sammy Hagar. He was lead vocalist after David left the band. The story I have heard is the Van Halen parents gave Alex a guitar and decided to give Eddie a drum set. One day Eddie came home to find brother Alex on his drums. To get even, Eddie picked up his brother's guitar and started playing with it. The rest of the story is music history. Eddie would often play guitar with his back to the crowd. He did this so no one could see how he made the sounds that he created. RIP Eddie.
Eddie bought his drum set by taking up a paper route. So while he was out delivering papers, Alex was at home playing the drums....and was much better at it than Eddie. So Eddie gave him the drums and took Akex's guitar.
The guy that came out and talked at the very beginning was Sammy Hagar the lead singer of Van Halen. First started listening to him when he was in Montrose. And his own band Sammy Hagar. He also has circle and chicken foot as a bands
Eddie was a True God on Earth,and we were so blessed and grateful to have been alive at the same time in history as the Greatest Guitarist the World Will Ever See!!! Rest in Paradise Eddie and Thank you for sharing your Talent with us mere Mortals!!
Simply the best solo ever caught on tape! If anyone argues that there was any greater guitar player simply tell them to look up this LWAN solo....then it's crickets.
First time seeing Eddie Van Halen was in Decmber, 1978, opened for Black Sabbeth and what a mind blowing show :) Seen Van Halen 6 or 8 times and this clip is the Van - Hagar years... 5150 and OU812 was solid records
This was a compilation of a number of his songs/solos. 316 was the first one. In honor of his song Wolfgang. March 16th is his birthday. Wolfgang is taking the world by storm with his own music now. Eruption was another song Eddie played, cathedral, mean streets and Spanish fly were in there too.
@@jeffmanny8246 thanks for your reply. You’re right. He wrote this instrumental before his son was born. But during the making of For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge on 3/16/1991 Wolfgang was born and Eddie dedicated that instrumental to his son and put it on the album entitled “316”. In honor of Wolfgang.
I grew up on Van Halen, learned to play guitar listening to Eddie on cassettes. Saw them live a few times, and each time, his solos were different. One time he was very clearly improvising and it was mind-blowing. The reviewer in the paper said "his complexity rivals Bach." I agreed. This solo is from Live Without a Net, shot in New Haven, Connecticut in 1986. It's 95% old material woven together with some improv as he always does.
And this was during a break for the lead singer. So he had already been playing for quite awhile. And they had the rest of the show to do. There are "pieces" of other sings. But he wrote them. What a great clip. Eddie is gone, but his son Wolf is performing today. What I really enjoy, is how you can be so enthusiastic about roy clark (deservedly so) and Eddie Van Halen. (also deserved )
Eddie and Alex Van Halen (drums) are the key to the band Van Halen. They had 3 singers, this was Sammy Hagar (I can't drive 55, from his solo career). This number is a series of scales (framework) that he improvises over. One of the best, and definitely the most copied guitarist all through the 80s. All hairmetal bands were aspiring to this.
Eddie was a master of "double tapping' or a series of hammer ons, and hammer offs. Using your stronger fingers from your strumming hand, you tap, then depress the string with control, and accuracy.
Unfortunately Eddie passed in October 2020. He was the most creative and absolutely the greatest guitarist I have ever seen. His rymth and timing was unmatched. It's hard to believe that he created Eruption in 1978. He built his guitars from parts off other brands of guitars. There will never be another Eddie Van Halen. RIP. We miss you Eddie.
Can't believe dude didn't know who he was.
Everyone raves about his techniques and the wild movements, but this cat was a composer .. a damn good one... One of his hallmarks was abrupt key changes for solos in songs.. Jump is a great example of this... RIP Edward
@@wpochert and he never learned how to read music. What makes that truly ironic is that they had to create new notes in order to put what he was doing onto sheet music. R.I.P. Eddie.
No he didn’t. It was actually a hoax that the police uncovered in the end.
😇❤
He didn't raise the bar on guitar, he put it in a different galaxy. He changed everything on the electric guitar. The face and astonishment you show during the solo is how all guitarists felt when they heard and saw him. By far the most creative guitarist of all time - the GREATEST all around! On top of that, all their songs (Van Halen) were bangers - how weird is that? There will never be another one like him. All guitarist agree on that - no doubt about that! Great job on your reaction - one of the very best brother!
It's an amalgamation of several Van Halen songs he's crafted into a giant solo. And he takes liberties with the entire thing because he's played it a million times. RIP, King Edward
I was lucky enough to see both Eddie Van Halen and Stevie Ray Vaughn play live. Two of the all time greatest guitar players.
SRV could play 2 difficult guitar parts and make them sound good and not a mess like so many. Eddie could play fast like nobody else ever but for all the blinding speed, he could never move me. My definition of a great guitar player
@@brianyoung3 I understand your feeling here - There are several songs off of Fair Warning, including "Mean Street" and also "Little Guitars" from Diver Down that I think can move you with a rhythmic energy and so many tones of notes and tonal bending that nobody else ever did. It also fits the songs very well and it is a progressive attitude building within songs on his better compositions. I just never really considered Eddie as a "blinding speed" guy, or "shredder."
when told he was the greatest player alive, he said "we have never heard the greatest, the greatest is out there working in a music store, or giving guitar lessons, and that he was only famous because he got a lucky break."
I also had the privilege of seeing both EVH & SRV live. I saw Van Halen open for The Doobie Brothers back in the day and I was at Stevie Ray Vaughn's last concert the night his helicopter crashed after the show at Alpine Valley, Wisconsin August 26th 1990.
@@rmstacy5295 That is very big of Eddie because people who I have known in the business, who came up with people who made it big always used to say that the difference between making it big and remaining a bar band was luck. There is a grain of truth in that but great talent also has something to do with it.
Sammy Hagar was the vocalist of Van Halen in the later versions. Eddie Van Halen is the lead guitarist. One of best. R.I.P. Eddie!
Eddie read the book... re-wrote it... flipped it upside down and then played it backwards... he changed the way people viewed the guitar.
R.I.P. Eddie
Trust me at this point in his career what he was capable of was no secret everyone knew
He was ALWAYS smiling.
Rest in Paradise Edward.
Remember how much you loved the guitar solo in MJ's "Beat It," well that was Mr. Eddie Van Halen. :) Being a teenager in the 80's was the absolute best!! Amazing hit songs by many artists every. single. week. (unlike today's "music").
and it only cost MJ a case of beer, per Eddies request
Oh no way this was him!?!? 😳 that makes a lot of sense hahaha!!
Eddie was well-known for his ‘tapping’ technique. He didn’t create it, just perfected it and made it his own! R.I.P.Eddie!
@@Sportsref13 But what brand of beer....
He didn't just do the solo - he rearranged it. MJ loved it and kept it the way he rewrote it for him. There's no one like him - pure genius!
Thank you for sharing your reaction to Eddie! He was like a child with a new toy when he played the guitar. He played with such joy and gave the people what they wanted! Miss you Eddie!
That might be the best description of his talent that I've ever heard...that "he's the closest thing to a wizard that we've seen" Perfect. RIP.
Yes they are there to see him, but this is from a concert. They are there to see the entire band which is named after him and his brother Alex. Van Halen
This guy was the greatest guitarists of all time he is one of my heroes I love Ed’s sound RIP
The sound he created on Van Halen's first albums in the late 70's was even named...the brown sound. He was the greatest! RIP King Edward. ❤🤍🖤
Considered the greatest guitarist in the history of modern music, in terms of style, technique and innovation. Self taught on guitar, classically trained with his brother Alex (on drums), and had riffs for months. Gone yet not forgotten, there will never be another Edward Lodejwik Van Halen.
He actually started Piano first, then Drums, while Alex played Piano and Guitar, then Eddie and Alex switched instruments, and they became GOATs in their respective
Don't forget about Hendrix..........
@@5117danielle can't forget Jimi, his playing is nearly unparalleled during the 60s.
The guy on the drums is Ed's brother Alex. Ed started out as a classical pianist as a child. He had to sit on a phone book to reach the keys. In his adolescence he moved to drums. To pay for his drum kit he took on a paper route. While he was throwing papers Alex was mastering Ed's drum kit. After realizing Alex was better on Ed's drums than Ed was, Ed moved to guitar and was the best guitarist in the world. Unfortunately he passed a few years ago. But his music plays on. His last words to the public before he died was "Keep playing". The guy doing the intro is Sammy Hagar (front man for the band at the time). Sammy is also an accomplished guitarist and one hell of a vocalist.
Saw Sammy on his Standing Hampton tour. Great show. When he joined VH they had two very talented guitarists and during the 5150 tour, saw the show October 86, they played some Hagar hits along with VH hits from when Roth was fronting. Bachman Turner Overdrive opened on the 5150 tour and when they played "Takin' Care Of Business" we almost brought the arena's roof down. Man. Eddie's gone, Neil Peart's gone, Malcolm Young's gone. RIP guys. Man. I'm gettin old.
@@blister762 Yep you are getting old.... but not me.....Just kidding, I'm pushing 60. But if you were into music like I was/am. The late 70's and early 80's was a great time to be alive.
@@joeschmoe665 60? man you old pops. I just hit the big 58. I saw AC/DC Back in Black tour, had to sneak out to see it, mom woulda skinned me alive. And I remember when MTV played music videos exclusively. Not a fan of this new music my tastes start with 50's doo wop and end about the beginning of the grunge era. A lot of the old bands are still putting out new stuff tho. Iron Maiden, AC/DC had new stuff. But nothing will ever be like the 60's thru the 80's.
@@blister762 We're neck and neck on the age front. I'll be 58 in June. Although I feel older some days. Getting lucky for me is going into a room and remembering why I went in there. But I'll never forget those concerts......
And he did all this after playing an entire concert, I love how effortless he makes it look RIP Eddie gone to soon
If you listen carefully, you hear the classical music (Beethoven, ect) he grew up to playing. He has a son, Wolfgang, who also plays the guitar. It's an experience just watching Van Halen play. May he RIP.
*Quit smoking, smokers 🚭❤️
I was there...1986....right hand of the stage on the floor....two night show.....no clue how we got back to the hotel....Peace!
Eddie’s last recorded record was 38 notes per second. To this day, no other guitarist has ever come close to achieving that goal. The closest was 27 notes per second by a flamenco guitarist playing Maleguena.
Eddie is and forever will be a legend in music. RIP. 🤘
Was that for picking or hammer-ons they should be in different categories
@@KevRalph I'm guessing picking . He's said he could play so fast it just sounds like feedback .
If you watch it again. The lighting changes with the mood of the solo. Ed will always be king.
Who says I didn't see it the first time
Eddie truly changed the guitar world back in the 80's. He was a "once in a lifetime" talent.
I live in Shreveport Louisiana where Eddie Van Halen met Valerie bertinelli in 1980ish. She and her family lived here so once they married Van Halen kicked off tours and played lots of shows here so they could visit her family. I saw them three times back then and they were phenomenal. Sadly Eddie died of throat cancer aged 65 in December of 2020.
That wasn't Eruption, it was a compilation of many solos across many albums, including Eruption.
Exactly 100 % !! and A Lot of Improvising !!
Eddie called his solo Eruption
I love that Eddie Van Halen is referred to as "This Guy" the entire time. I am happy that his music will live on forever through this type of exposure. Best and first concert that I ever went to.
This dude and his generation are absolutely clueless!
Eddie had a “solo” track on each album. This is the compilation of them. Eruption is the most famous but I like Cathedrals.
Cathedral is probably my favorite.
Little guitars was awesome. 😎
Eddies son Wolfgang is no slouch either... Eddie iirc is credited for the tap method on the guitar, his dad is a Dutch jazz pianist, clarinetist, and saxophonist... he did not read music but was a master at improvisation
I heard Eddie and Alex Van Halen were at a Led Zeppelin concert marveling at Jimmy Page doing a tap style with one hand and they went and tried it. Remember at this point it was Alex that was going to be playing guitar and Eddie was to play drums. Eddie just nailed his experimentation and they switched. wild.
I saw him do this in Calgary Canada back in the 90s. It was fricking magical!!! RIP Eddie - we lost him a little while ago. He inspired COUNTLESS guitarist both new and already in music. Pure creativity.
Eddie sadly passed away a little while ago. RIP Legend EVH
This is his solo he liked to just get up there and explore his limits with his solo they were great in concert
I love watching the range of peoples reactions to this. Everything from drop-jawed amazement to perplexed to ****-eating grin. That's exactly the same reaction we all had to this guy back in the day by the way. Might be several lifetimes before the world gets a gift like this again
When it comes to stamina I think in those days nicotine, Jack Daniel's and cocaine were to blame... Those guys didn't care about being mortal as long as their legacy was immortal. RIP Eddie and thanks for the goosebumps. 💙
He was 65 when he died in 2020. He had cancer, but what killed him was a stroke. His son Wolf (Wolfgang) played with Van Halen until 2020, when his dad died.
Eddie is the reason why I started playing guitar. He created his guitars, amps, etc. Was a genius. No other guitarist can say that.
Congratulations! You just got to watch the GOAT. RIP EVH
I remember in 1979, my 6th grade music class, on Friday's you were allowed to bring in music for the class to hear, one song per student. So someone brought in VH1 and put the needle down on Eruption.
I couldn't believe it was a guitar, it sounded like something from outer space. That Christmas I got my first guitar. 44 years later I still play almost everyday and all weekend. Thanks Eddie.
I saw Van Halen in a backyard party in West Covina in 1974. Though from what I remember, a lot of the set was covers, my future ex-wife and I both knew they were going to be something. A couple of years later I saw them at Gazzarris on the Strip and yes, we were right!! I've seen them maybe15 times and each one was better,
I hung out with Van Halen before they were discovered. Eddie was THE nicest guy. His playing was unbelievable from the jump. RIP sweet soul ❤
His talent is unparalleled. Plays so many instruments. And he is always smiling! RIP Eddie. He makes his own guitars!
Always amazing, the king! My all time hero! You were the greatest of all time. Showing them how it's done in heaven. Love ya Eddie!!!! RIP
Welcome out from under the rock you've been living under...
Even Soviet Russians blinded behind the Iron Curtian have heard this song before.
WOW!
Eddie Van Halen was an original and that's not an easy thing to accomplish to say the least, if not less. I suggest you lend your ears to Jimi Hendrix's "House Burning Down." It's Jimi in the studio at the peak of his powers. It was recorded in 1967 and over a half century later I still can't figure out how he did all that. Highly recommended.
He built a guitar he called the frankenstrat that was a Fender Stratocaster body and neck with Gibson internals pickups etc. He also put a variac on his Peavey 5150 guitar amps to get what became affectionately known as the brown sound.
I wish I could go back and hear thos for the first time again. I remember exactly where I was. In my 1964 impala with the tape frigging blasting. I listened to it over and over and over
the original Eruption started as a warmup exercise he would do before taking the stage at each concert, they decided to put it on the debut album in 1978...
It is said, that this was his warm-up routine before the show until somebody told him something like "Man, you GOTTA do this on stage!"
RIP King Edward!
I'm pretty sure you've heard a Van Halen song before but didn't know the band, at least "Jump" or "Panama" ;-)
Eddie was so intoxicated during this solo he didn't remember it when asked about it in an interview. Can you imagine how good he was sober?
Yet no one can find that interview
@@jeffmanny8246 Yeah , first I heard that . I do know he was really ripped @ The US Festival which was a better concert .
@@akfreed6949 I was at both nights of this show. He didn't seem out of it at all.
@@jeffmanny8246 Correct. The band knew it was for a recording. They were not smashed at all for this.
I was lucky enough to see good ole Van in concert 36 long years go. He was incredible.
It started as a warm-up routine and fans heard it and loved it and it grew and evolved from there, it's never played exactly the same way. Steve Vai is another amazing guitarist. There's a scene in the movie "Crossroads" where Steve Vai duels Ralph Macchio on guitars, Ralph is faking his part (very well though), and Steve actually plays both parts. You can find the video on TH-cam, make sure you watch the longer version so you don't miss any of it. Steve has a hell of a history, you should read about him. Another song to check out is "Cliffs of Dover" by Eric Johnson, another great guitarist.
This was New Haven, CT in 1986. Eddie was a true trailblazer fueled by cigarettes, blow, and pure genius. His style and technique influenced many of today's guitar gods. He passed away from throat cancer in 2020.
Nice video, thank you, from all us heartbroken. He is missed by many but loved by all.
I'm old-school. The way your eyes lit up so cool. Like Christmas
One of the best guitarists, ever! That’s who he is.😊
I think this is Eddie just being Eddie. It might have started out as a song but I think he adds to it as it pleases him!
My favorite parts of it are when he's in the zone! when he has his eyes closed and is just playing what he feels!
Great reaction!
I was at this very show....in New Haven Ct....I lived up in the Hartford area, Eddie was my hero back then. It was my first time seeing him and I enjoyed every single note he played that night
5150 tour. Saw them Oct 86 in San Antonio. BTO opened up for them. Sammy Hagar had a great solo career before being picked to replace DLR. Saw VH on their 1984 tour too. I remember this solo the stadium went wild. RIP Eddie.
Ten years after. I'm going home live Woodstock
Eddie Van Halen was the king of the electric guitar for a couple decades. Nobody could sound like him. Just an iconic sound. Very creative and spectacular player. Lots of great songs. I've seen him live several times. First time was in New Haven where this footage was shot in 1986.
was lucky enough to see Van Halen at Manchester Apollo in the UK . I was deaf for three days after but it was worth it. after eruption I was expecting girl you really got me to play
I completely concur regarding the confidence of performing and "I already did the work" mentality. I think it goes a step or two further, in that this is not just what he does, it is literally who he is. The man's brain uses the language of music to define his environment. There is a line from "Good Will Hunting" that fits as Will is describing to his girlfriend what it is like to be a genius. He basically says it's like how Beethoven saw the piano. He didn't see it like other people, when he sat down, he just "got it." That's Eddie and music, too. If you do some background work, you will see all sorts of different effect stuff and sound equipment Eddie pioneered. My point is that he doesn't even consider the possibility of a performance issue. He probably did a better version of this sitting at home fucking around on a Saturday afternoon.
One of the best guitarists ever. One of my best favorites ever
the rock-metal era of the late80s into the early 90s was an amazing time for great guitarists, Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Mark Knopfler, Brian May, Vito Bratta, Joe Perry, Richie Sambora, Nuno Bettencourt, Vernon Reid and Slash,and probably a ton more I am overlooking
Ahhh Eddie Van Helen!!! All the girls lived him. He just passed away in the fall of throat cancer. His son Wolfgang plays
This is an amalgamation of solos (songs) from almost every album they recorded, but he has added riffs and translations throughout. But he passed away in 2020 of cancer. He is arguably one of the best guitarists ever.
Greatest EVER. I was privileged to see Van Halen 4 times. RIP Eddie, you are missed.
RIP Eddie Van Halen, what a master on the AX! Simple awestruck!
He was the King, I was lucky enough to see him in his prime several times starting from 1979.
Got to see Van Halen in Raleigh NC when Sammy was the front man. Amazing show and it was great seeing Eddie and Alex do their solos live. Incredible performers.
Thats Sammy Hagar. AKA the Red Rocker. He has his own stuff before and after this. He's awesome. I'm a guitarist. Smokes in the strings is the norm for smokers. Check out Randy Rhodes. He's very awesome of a guitarist to.
Sammie Hagar who introduced EVH is a guitar legend in his own right. He considered Eddie, as most do, the G.O.A.T.
I saw them live in 1977 for the first time and was amazed! He inspired countless guitar players of today.
78 Opening for Black Sabbath !!
@@loudog2326 I saw that tour too!
I saw Van Halen on this tour and they were indescribable! I’m so glad I got to see Eddie live. I saw them on the 1984 tour also. One of my top two bands.
I was lucky enough to see Van Halen in Philly in the late 70's and early 80's. They were incredibly talented and personable. Sadly, Eddie died of cancer recently.
Never again will we see anything close to him. ALL things considered, he is the Greatest Electric Rock Guitarist of all time. Others raised the bar but put the electric guitar in another Galaxy and Dimension!!! On top of that, Van Halen's music is the best and that's probably what he was the most proud of. He was an excellent song writer! Just the Greatest Ever!
Complete virtuoso!!
Now that you know he has passed on - watch his incredible son play this. Eddie taught him well!!!
Wolfgang Van Halen
They have a ton of great music in their catalog.
Sadly, he should still be alive but all those cigarettes had a big part in him dying way too soon. Seeing him play live for the first time somewhere around 1979/80 blew my mind, even though I'd heard the first album. What's crazy is how much his son sounds just like him when he plays his Dad's old songs. If you want to see guys who are in that same guitar wizard category, check out Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Buckethead, just to name three.
First time hearing EVH? Welcome to one of the most inspiring guitar solos back in the day - Eruption (and I mean the studio version as Eddie has stretched it "a little" here :P). May he rest in peace in Heaven as the greatest legato player ever.
I saw Van Halen twice in the summer of 1978 just after their first album (yes album) came out..
The first show was with Ted Nugent and the second was with Black Sabbath. Both totally awesome shows, VH was on fire.
I saw VH every Dallas show. Once, they had to cancel, so they came back to Big D and did a free show on the outskirts of downtown at the Westend. Over 100,000 people showed up. Luckily, I was a DJ for the station sponsoring it, so I got to be close and safe! Last time I saw them, we paid (for charity) to sit in the stage…about 10 feet from Eddie. He, and Sammy, smoked all our cigarettes. We didn’t mind lol. Eddies son, Wolfgang Van Halen, could play that at 15. Wolfie has a great band now, Mammoth. That was what VH was going to name their band. Wolf plays every instrument on the album, produced it, everything. Watch the Mammoth video, Dont Back Down. I think it got a Grammy for it!
I'm so glad I got to see this Live in 1986 will never forget this RIP EVH
Dude! Just discovered your stream recently. Your Roy Clarke vid. I have to say, while I love your reactions, being a guitar player too, how you haven't heard this stuff. But listen, it's not a bad thing cause I love your take on them from fresh eyes. It's like I'm listening for the first time! Thank You!
As far as who that was at the first? That is Sammy Hagar. Look in to "Montrose" as he was the guitarist. He is also Awesome.
Any way, you earned a new subscribe. Keep up the good work!
Thanks James!! And I typically listen to like pop guitar stuff like Shawn Mendes Ed Sheeran James arthur maroon 5 type stuff
This is from the late 80s. Eddie sadly died in 2020. It was a big shock to the rock world.
The speaker was Sammy Hagar, check out his solo music.The guitarist is the Late Eddie Van Halen. One of the original founding members of Van Halen. The drummer is his brother, Alex.
One of the GREATEST! 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻 RIP 😥 🙏
Seeing Eddie play this live was just electric! He always looked like he was having so much fun. He had a wicked grin that just drew you in. It's really too bad people couldn't get their stuff together and give him the tribute concert he deserved.
This performance is now 40 years old this year!! Man, has it aged well!
The introduction was made by THE Red Rocker, Mr Sammy Hagar. He was lead vocalist after David left the band. The story I have heard is the Van Halen parents gave Alex a guitar and decided to give Eddie a drum set. One day Eddie came home to find brother Alex on his drums. To get even, Eddie picked up his brother's guitar and started playing with it. The rest of the story is music history. Eddie would often play guitar with his back to the crowd. He did this so no one could see how he made the sounds that he created. RIP Eddie.
Eddie bought his drum set by taking up a paper route. So while he was out delivering papers, Alex was at home playing the drums....and was much better at it than Eddie. So Eddie gave him the drums and took Akex's guitar.
The guy that came out and talked at the very beginning was Sammy Hagar the lead singer of Van Halen. First started listening to him when he was in Montrose. And his own band Sammy Hagar. He also has circle and chicken foot as a bands
Eddie was a True God on Earth,and we were so blessed and grateful to have been alive at the same time in history as the Greatest Guitarist the World Will Ever See!!! Rest in Paradise Eddie and Thank you for sharing your Talent with us mere Mortals!!
If you play acoustic you need to hear Eddie play Spanish Fly, Studio version is on Acoustic. and is crazy!!
Simply the best solo ever caught on tape! If anyone argues that there was any greater guitar player simply tell them to look up this LWAN solo....then it's crickets.
Who is he, he's a rock legend.
First time seeing Eddie Van Halen was in Decmber, 1978, opened for Black Sabbeth and what a mind blowing show :) Seen Van Halen 6 or 8 times and this clip is the Van - Hagar years... 5150 and OU812 was solid records
This was a compilation of a number of his songs/solos. 316 was the first one. In honor of his song Wolfgang. March 16th is his birthday. Wolfgang is taking the world by storm with his own music now. Eruption was another song Eddie played, cathedral, mean streets and Spanish fly were in there too.
This was 5 years before Wolfgang was born.
@@jeffmanny8246 thanks for your reply. You’re right. He wrote this instrumental before his son was born. But during the making of For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge on 3/16/1991 Wolfgang was born and Eddie dedicated that instrumental to his son and put it on the album entitled “316”. In honor of Wolfgang.
@@aaronbuchholz2510 he use to play it while Wolfgang was still in the womb and it would calm him down.
@@jeffmanny8246cool! I didn’t know that. Thanks man.
I grew up on Van Halen, learned to play guitar listening to Eddie on cassettes. Saw them live a few times, and each time, his solos were different. One time he was very clearly improvising and it was mind-blowing. The reviewer in the paper said "his complexity rivals Bach." I agreed. This solo is from Live Without a Net, shot in New Haven, Connecticut in 1986. It's 95% old material woven together with some improv as he always does.
Now that Eddie's gone I feel so fortunate that I saw him live in the UK and this performance brings back memories as it was from about the same time
And this was during a break for the lead singer. So he had already been playing for quite awhile. And they had the rest of the show to do.
There are "pieces" of other sings. But he wrote them.
What a great clip.
Eddie is gone, but his son Wolf is performing today.
What I really enjoy, is how you can be so enthusiastic about roy clark (deservedly so) and Eddie Van Halen. (also deserved )
Eddie and Alex Van Halen (drums) are the key to the band Van Halen. They had 3 singers, this was Sammy Hagar (I can't drive 55, from his solo career). This number is a series of scales (framework) that he improvises over. One of the best, and definitely the most copied guitarist all through the 80s. All hairmetal bands were aspiring to this.
Eddie was a master of "double tapping' or a series of hammer ons, and hammer offs. Using your stronger fingers from your strumming hand, you tap, then depress the string with control, and accuracy.
He then, later, uses the delay pedal to create an atmosphere of echoing notes, overlapping each other.
Sammy was the best lead singer of that band. That’s when VH was the greatest.
@@robk1310 Almost every part of that solo were pieces from the first few albums. Eruption, Cathedrals, Mean Streets.