Eddie Van Halen: "My First Interview" (Complete, HD Audio)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 พ.ย. 2022
- Here is the complete recording of what Eddie Van Halen would later call "my first interview." We did it at the side of a basketball court set up backstage at the Day on the Green Concert at the Oakland Coliseum on July 23, 1978. Eddie fans -- especially those who are into his guitars and guitar playing -- here's where it all begins!
I hope you enjoy this unique recording, and be sure to check out the other historic Van Halen interviews on the Talking Guitar TH-cam channel. To help us continue producing podcasts, please hit that donate button and send some cheer our way: paypal.me/TalkingGuitar.
For more guitar-intensive podcasts and articles, visit "Talking Guitar" magazine at jasobrecht.substack.com/ #vanhalen #eddievanhalen #vanhalenhistory #talkingguitar #jasobrecht
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Got your ass handed to yourself by Ed on the Court, and never knew it was Ed. Turned around an got the greatest interview of your life. Good for you man.
I always figured that if EVH played basketball, he’d have unreal reflexes, based on his guitar-playing talent. He’s about 5-8 or so? I’d dare him to shoot the outside shot and back up as much as possible so that he couldn’t dribble by me.🤡
Honestly this felt like Eddie came back down from heaven and told us a brief history of his life & Van Halen.
It felt like he never left.
Man I really miss Eddie, damned cancer.
His guitar magazine interviews are like holy grail . It's like the only place fans could really try and figure him out .
I met him in 1991 When he was in rehab. . Saw him at a few AA meetings. Smoked a few cigarettes with him. He remembered me. I gave him a book. And he gave me a big hug. I guess it was my 15 minutes. He didn’t get sober until years later.
I’ve never heard him this open in an interview. He was really enjoying himself
Even though they had a record out with a big label and we’re on a world tour. This is still like a year year and half before they got huge , before everybody that touched a guitar wanted to copy Eddie.
Thank You Pat Travers
;)
Not even 8 minutes in and already I can tell this is one of the most important interviews of Eddie Van Halen ever recorded. Wow! 👍😭😎THX! ❤️👍👋
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Agreed. This is utterly fantastic. Thank you so much, Jas (for this and all the other writing over the years!)
For me it's the best one.
Amazing!!!
I love how he had such a clear vision for the next few records ‘don’t be surprised if you hear some piano and synth’
This interview is almost verbatim to the last big interview he gave in 2015 for the Smithsonian. He was totally honest right from the beginning when he was unknown right through all the international success to his last days.
Playing 8-10 years and already changed the world. When you're a genius it emerges early.
"Why don't you interview me man, nobody ever wants to interview me", says EDWARD VAN HALEN!!! Thank you so much for this Jas. What a memory it must be to have spoken with Eddie all those years ago before the rest of the world caught on.
I read your interviews for years and always found them beautifully written and informative. You were kind enough to review an album I did many years ago with my friend TJ Helmerich called "Quid Pro Quo". It was one thing to be reviewed in Guitar Player Magazine but to have the review done by yourself meant so much to me.
I'll never forget buying that first Van Halen album the day after it arrived in my little town in rural Australia. Life changing for sure. RIP Eddie. The greatest.
I grew up in Arcadia California and went to school with michael Anthony's younger brother Dennis at arcadia high school. We knew full well that van halen would dominate the rock and roll world just before they put out the VH1 record. Rock and roll icon forever, eddie van halen! Thank you so much for shareing this amazing interview. Most of the back yard parties that they played at in pasadena, Arcadia, san Marino... you had to park 4 or 5 blocks away and then walk to the party house. Same with great white back in those days.
Cheers
Heavy man
This interview is like losing a loved one and calling their phone just to hear their voice on the recording. Just 4 minutes in and it’s already an unbelievable encounter. Playing ball with who would become the most influential guitarist of our lifetime that no one would interview. How amazing, I can’t wait to hear the rest.
Now that I’ve finished….wow. There’s so many things he clarified about his set up.
Soo happy to hear this. Absolutely made my shitty day all better.. THANK YOU!! 12:07
@@frankhatchard142 have you listened to the other 3? Ed is an open book. All the myths over the decades about his guitars, setups, amps, settings, variacs, tubes, you name it, Ed talks about everything. We’ve had most of it wrong. 😂. This stuff is gold.
The willingness to have your amps re-tubed after 10 hours in the name of chasing tone says it all about Ed.
I read this interview when it was first published back in 1978 and remember a lot of it to this day, Jas. It became a very big influence in that a lot of what Eddie had to say impacted what I was getting into....figuring out how to balance a Trem bar so it would not go out of tune, getting the most out of the Marshall amp I had bought only a few months before, etc. I had only been playing guitar for about a year at that point, and anything coming from any EVH interview became almost 'biblical' to me. Living back in NY (Long Island) I had never heard of the band or Eddie, and like just about everyone else I knew at that time no one could figure out what he was doing on Eruption, and no one had ever heard a guitar tone like Edwards. I wore out the first album within weeks of buying it right after it came out, and had been slowing down the record by playing parts of songs and solos at 16RPM...the whole bit. You couldn't possibly pick out what he was doing at 33RPM...and obviously there was of course no software, no You Tube, etc to learn from back then, so you had to come up with your own method if you wanted to figure out or come close to what he was playing. A lot of other guitar players I knew back then would say 'Oh, that's just tricks', but I wanted to learn as much as I could from him as I was so new to the thing. I would spend 6-10 hours everyday playing to VH, Hendrix, Jeff Beck and other classic albums to 'accelerate' my progress, but those first albums were the main things for me. In any case thanks so much for this recording, and thanks for that first interview, Jas...like millions of other players, he really changed everything for me. RIP Edward...
I had bought the issue because Roy Clark was on the cover! Was 14 and not a particularly good reader so I kinda glossed over the Ed Van Halen article. I didn't have the magazine longer than a week before I loaned it to a friend who never gave it back but I thought Eddie was a Hawaiian kid or something because I didn't fully read nor comprehend the article!
Hey Mark.......Remember Led boots on Jeff Becks Wired.............I bet ya do.,...
Still the first and one of the best interviews with Ed ever.
I want to hear the full GP 1980 cover interview! 🤘 Ed really got into detail in that one.
@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 I think Jas has it up on his site…subscribing is cheap and well worth it!
@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 The interview for the 1980 "Guitar Player" cover took place at Neil Zlozower's studio in Hollywood. To be honest, I haven't heard the tapes since I transcribed the quotes that I used in the article. There's about five hours of tape, as I recall, so there's a LOT of material that's never been published. I do remember that Eddie played guitar during parts of it. If there's interest, I can post the audio for this interview early next year.
@@TalkingGuitarJasObrecht I cannot speak for others but WOW am I INTERESTED in that! 😱🤘
@@These_go_to_eleven_1959 Me too. 🙂❤👍👍
For those of us who read the original transcript in Guitar Player Magazine... This is just beautiful.
Thank you Jas!
So surreal to hear what you've read so many xs
This is absolute Gold! It should be in an interactive form at the Rock hall of fame, National archives, Smithsonian, and worldwide in various languages. You can just hear how confident and driven he is. This should be chapter one, page one, of Edward Vanhalen 101.
Isn’t it wonderful that Pat Travers blew you off? A little under two years after this, I won the spelling bee at school and used the gift certificate that I won to buy a Van Halen record. My world was never the same after that. Wow, what a treasure. Thank you for this, Jas. 🤟🏻
That's what I love about Ed. The fact that he was always himself. He never changed as a person.
i was 12 when VH- 1 came out . i had already started playing and listening to hard rock very intensely. It’s hard to convey how radical this guy was. Not only was the record and his playing from outer space, but his approach was so DIY. You can’t image how radical this was. It was like he had built this sacred guitar and just blew up the world
same here . . . Everyone i knew was like "you gotta here this "
VH-1 was ubiquitous at every party when released.
Same here!
His influence is immeasurable!
He revolutionized both guitar and amp design.
Not to mention a million wanna bees
man... this is HISTORIC
This is a TREASURE for musical history! The original transcription to a published article (which I missed) was special, but to hear Eddie's voice, in his youthful exuberance, explain what it means to play whatever you want with the musicians you connect with in front of the world, is next level! Thanks Eddie!
Thank you!!!!! I love that people are releasing old Eddie interviews. I miss him!!!
Interesting that in 1978 he already had in mind that synthesizers would be used on the next albums. It took a little longer than planned because David and TED were against it, but then he really took the risks and made it happen. His story is incredible. He had only been playing guitar for about 8 years before the first album. What else can you say? He has been a gift from heaven.
This makes me emotional for some reason
He sounds so young
"Why wont you interview me? Nobody ever wants to interview me" Ah man..... i miss eddie.
Why - WHY - just WHY didn't we get to hear this YEARS ago?!?!?! I remember reading the interview but it wasn't like actually hearing Eddie in his own words or all the other things in the background like the other guys playing football and the train. I learned all that I needed to know about lutherie from Eddie - hacking up Teisco Del Rey guitars and making my own pickups and pickguards and painting and routing guitar bodies. If it weren't for Eddie I don't think I'd still be alive!! This man was my inspiration for living and music for over forty years. I'm just glad that we finally get to hear this. I'm just sorry we didn't get to hear it when Eddie was alive. Thank you ever so much for sharing this with us. It brings back a lot of fond memories.
Beautiful to hear it now though isn't it!
Talk about straight out of the vaults. What a treat to hear this interview!
Thank you Jas for sharing this wonderful and classic tidbit! RIP EVH
man, this is one of the very few if not the only interview he ever did where he freely talked about his gear and equipment. such a useful insightful interview. so important.
Wow, So cool how this came about with the basketball game 👍🎸☺.
Soooo cool to hear his young voice!!
The 70's were a time in rock music that was incredible. So many great bands, rock gods. Was a teenager and loved rock then and still do Van Halen, DOA, Runnin With The Devil, Unchained, on and on, fucking awesome, would give everything I have to go back and know what I know now. Crazy
Yes guitar ruled the world in those days
I can't believe how that meeting took place. Too cool. That's just as good as it gets.
Eddie and Yngwie are my 2 all time favorite guitarists thank you. I’ve been listening to them almost everyday since i was 14 in 1991 i enjoy their playing that much.
He was such a great real guitarist and person. Eddie is surely missed.
Talk about a sound chaser, never mind the game changing musicianship. I never knew the crazy level he got his hands dirty with experimenting with necks, bodies, amps, univox echo motors etc. He must’ve been tirelessly searching and finding. Seemed like a really straight up guy. Really enjoyed this.
Hearing this after all the interviews I've read all my life is just mind blowing .
He was here for 10 yrs and already was the biggest guitarist around
That was nice, hearing Edward being so honest at the outset of his career.
I read the original interview in the original magazine, hearing this though brings back the exact memorys. I see it in my head and now it's come alive again. I love all the noise in the background, the games and the band noise. This is the best interview ever of Eddie. You can see his smile as he laughs, such a gem.
The guy just single handedly reinvented rock guitar, created the most coveted rock guitar tone ever, and here he is asking to be interviewed!!! Incredibly, I am dumbfounded how much Eddie was a shooting star.... 💫😢❤ The world knows Eddie now!! RESPECT!!!
Thank you so much for posting. It’s like Ed came down for a day to give us this beautiful gift.
My Idol since I was 10 yrs old in 78, I have heard it all. This is incredible.
Wow.Totaly lost for words after listening to this.I remember reading this article years ago as well.Ed sounds so energetic and enthusiastic just like his playing!
It Was Awesome Hearing a Young Ed Talking About The Thing He Really Loved
Playing His Guitar 🎸
He plugged a marshall into his American home that was set for European voltage....and thought the amp was broke....left it on and came back to it and it sounded awesome to him but it was real quiet.....that's how he got the idea for using voltage for volume.....and saturation.....
Eddie @ 27:38 “I’ve never given up on rock and roll” …and we’re so glad and thankful you never did, Edward. Also, at 9:20 we hear someone exclaim “Heyyy!” as he’s presumably walking by. This to my ears sounds like none other than Diamond Dave himself. Note how Ed tells him “hold on a minute I’m doin an interview.” Such innocence here…so young and hungry. It’s been said that VH saved R&R music and I tend to agree w that assessment. At a time where: California soft rock and disco were all the new thing, the world’s richest rock band LZ were on hiatus, in another year Aerosmith would fizzle on account of Perry walking, Floyd were reaching the end of the road in another couple years. All these acts had their run and now it was time for VH to get out there and deliver BIG ROCK MUSIC. And that’s exactly the shot in the arm it needed at the time. Great interview here. Thanks for sharing!
And R&R needs another similar shot in the arm now. With all the pop stuff and rap happening now, rock music is even MORE marginalized than it was in the late 70's when disco was big. Most high school kids now, all they have are these talentless moron rap guys like Kanye to look up to. The good shit isn't there any longer, at least not in the top 40. We sure need another band to spark the genre up again the way VH did in '78.
To me that doesn't sound like DLR....hard to tell
@@ciadella1971 it didn’t to me at first but after listening to it about 12 times with eyes closed, it eventually did. I firmly believe it’s DD.
Don't forget disco and punk had to be dealt with too!
@@Gnotestudios I know. I’ve mentioned disco in my comment. My sister played Donna Summer records constantly back in the late 70’s. Also, Lipps Inc. had a huge hit w Funkytown. Punk was short live and rightfully so. It didn’t have much sustenance. It did however wake the now bloated giant bands up from their slumber.
Speechless. I still have the Guitar Player magazine with this interview imagining Ed’s voice.
Already 5 years into guitar sitting on the edge of my bed plying to FM radio songs as I did for hours after homework done just getting to grips with latest Rush release and one night along comes Eruption followed by You Really Got Me…
Ed changed everything overnight.
Absolutely love it. Really cool to hear everyone in the background too! Makes me feel like I'm living in history
An historical recording of Edward Jas! I am so grateful you kept this audio and released it. The world will be thanking you for centuries! ❤🖤🤍🎸👑
Every time I say I want a time capsule style video to watch, this is usually what I mean. The feeling I get when listening to this is extremely rare, almost like you’re just sitting out in that basketball court with them absorbing everything he says…
TOTALLY GET YOUR FIRST RESPONSE!!
As sophomores in high school we went to catch Black Sabbath. We’d never heard of Van Halen-all I knew was that I thought Diamond Dave was Jim Dandy at first LOL!
So Van Halen came out and EXPLODED ON YHE STAGE!! The most energy I’d experienced-including Terrible Ted then at his peak!
Eddie is doing this insanely fast playing (we’d never heard tapping!) and running around the stage. Diamond Dave is doing flying Kung Fu kicks & his awesome screams and OWNING THE COLISEUM, Michael Anthony was a ball of energy GLUED to the pocket with killer high harmonies!
We left like 4-5 songs into Sabbath it was such a drop in energy LOL! Thank GOD we DECIDED TO GET THETE EARLY ENOUGH TO CATCH THE OPENING ACT!! 👊🎉🍾🥂
Wow. Great interview. My babysitter took me to this Day on the Green when my parents were in France. This is what ignited music and rock and roll and metal in my life. It was a true neat experience at age 9. Thanks so much for posting this GEM!!!!!!
You’re right I have could’ve sworn it was at the day on the green. I was too young to go, but I definitely know of the show I am from Oakland.
R.I.P. Mr Edward Van Halen. You were the GENUINE REAL DEAL. Humble and down to earth even in throes of serious adulation and praise. Amazing parenting by your folks to produce such a real person
So great to hear his voice again... especially so early in his/their career.
This was the golden age of Van Halen. No distractions, no marriages, drug use but not abuse. Just clarity of purpose. Plug in and play. The first three records are just an incredible exercise in pure attitude. No-nonsense, to the point, hit you right in the heart rock n' roll. Ed was just singularly focused on playing the guitar. He didn't have to balance out maintaining a happy marriage AND his obsession with making music. That's where it started to go south.
Man he was so young , a FRESH NEEDED push on the guitar.he was incredible .his songwriting. Not just his lead .but his rhythm was unparalleled..Eddie changed the game ,set the bar ,and gave us so much awesome music .He will FOREVER be the greatest. This interview was so cool to listen to. THANKS
To this day, I still have a hard time considering whether he was a better lead player or rhythm player. His rhythm playing was jaw-dropping at times. The chord voicings. The way he would make it bounce. The tone. The interplay with Alex. Etc. Just incredible!!
This is an amazing interview. So great to hear him say that he just learned how to play by figuring things out on his own and built his guitar through trail and error. Little did he now that his experimentation changed guitar playing and music forever. Thanks for sharing!
This is gold. You can hear the excitement in Ed's voice to do this interview. Thank you for posting this important historical record! 🤘🏼🎸
I remember reading this interview in print. It's great to hear Ed's voice. Thank you for uploading this!
I remember reading this interview in the Guitar Player duo issue w/ Jimi Hendrix, in 1983. I had been following VH since the beginning, thanks to my sisters albums.
Completely life changing interviews of a true legend, the Mozart and Beethoven of our time!
Thank you Jas, for finally releasing the audio files of this interview! They truly expose the context of which Ed was speaking!
Yes! I still have that Van Halen/Hendrix magazine.
I remember that reissue. I remember around that time buying the back issue of Jimi Hendrix that was from 78. I learned a lot from that issue. I remember Van Halen winning five times with the readers poll that got him into the gallery of the greats. Those were the days! Good times fer sure!
I read the interview some time ago but damn, to actually here it out there in the open with people flinging a basketball around is so awesome. That's for making this available.
Fantastic how is this not the most important interview of Eddie ever ? It’s gold dust
Definitely, the best EVH interview ever. I mean...he never changed. He always semmed to be a nice guy. But this interview went so deep into his amazing work...love it!!!
Authenticity defined. Ed was/is the coolest.
Timeless interview. My favorite one of all Rock star interviews.
Thank you Eddie and thank you Jas. And thank you Pat Travers.
History was made on the day this interview took place. Jas is the best guitar journalist of all time.
This is incredible!! To think what's to come for Ed, Al, Mike, Dave and later Sammy, Gary and Wolfie! Some of the most important music to come about, particularly for the Guitar world.
Wolfie? What great songs was he a part of?
@@christophersorel6056 it's not just the songs. He was involved with the last album and the last tours. You don't have a problem with Gary Cherone though? What great songs did he do with them?
@@christophersorel6056 Well, on the Different Kind of Truth album in 2012 on Beats Workin’ the bass riff bit before Ed’s solo was definitely written by Wolf
Wow! Wow! WOW! This is such a historic interview!!!! I was 13 then. I picked up the guitar when I was 13 because I wanted to be Eddie Van Halen. Just look at him on stage in any video from back then! Such a master, no... a god. RIP.
A classmate of mine in high school made me a copy of this article. Years later I got the magazine. What a treat to hear this on tape! Classic!
Just wow. He sounds like a kid that is enjoying the moment. Great interview and thank you for sharing.
Incredible! Gems like this are the best of TH-cam
Such an amazing interview, what a gem. Eddie captured in time before his super stardom.
Why do i like basketball all of a sudden? 😁 Talk about fate and the stars lining up!
"Plans for the future? Just keep rocking out and playing good guitar." ~ Edward Van Halen
Mission accomplished!!
This is absolute gold! I just want to cry.
This is an absolute rare gem!! Very inspiring always from Ed's interviews. He was an innovator and pioneer for the sound and tone.
Thank you for this interview. I had an older cousin who was a radio programmer at college. He was into other types of music , but knew i might be interested in this new group? He let me listen to an advance copy of the LP in early February of 78. I could not believe what i was hearing and the rest is history. To this day i remind him of that and thank him as well. Thanks for the music Eddie!!!!
This is wonderful. What a nice guy he was back then.
This is a treasure
What a very humble guy! Even more respect!!! Edward my 1st guitar hero! =) RIP Edward
holy crap. That's a great story. It was meant to be....
I've READ this interview a dozen times or more. So cool to listen to Eddie actually saying it. RIP!!
Perfect. Incredible to hear him detailing things he may have forgotten in more recent years.
That Edward’s impersonation at 3:01 gets me all the time 🤣. You were the luckiest guy that day, my friend.. thanks for sharing it with us!!
Thanks, Jas. we've been waiting for your Edward interviews to hit the modern media outlets.
That April 1980 cover interview was the most read and sacred interview I had as a 13 yr. old.
Not only using a Plexi these days full up, but it is where Allan Holdsworth came into my awareness.
Bless you for posting this.
Although I already knew must of this stuff about them, it was amazing hearing it come from Eddie himself. And it seems from listening he was a cool dude to hang and talk with , wish I could've meet him just to pick his brain about guitar . You are truly missed Eddie
Very cool! N humble. What a champion guitar god. Thanks for sharing! R.I.P. Eddy
This was great. Ed sounds so young and vibrant. (For lack of a better word.) I remember where I was and what I was doing the first time I heard VH I. It’s been in steady rotation for more years than I care to think about.
Changed the way guitar was played and by far the most innovative player
Changed my life when i first heard Ed
VH was and is still my #1
Eddie is why I play guitar, 7th grade,VH 1 Heard new that's what I was gonna do. Legendary Interview.
Thanks for sharing this historic and amazing interview with the king.
Eddie was a Cool guy great musician didn't know he played basketball neat.
Jas your vibe with Ed to me was always the best I had ever read and subsequently listened to. Such a loose, cool conversation. Great impersonation of EVH too at your intro; wow I miss him. Thanks for posting this. So much about Edward to me was how he was as a joyful person, limitless enthusiasm. Rip King.
You just changed my life by releasing this interview!! THANK YOU JAS!!
Absolutely one of the best guitar players , innovative, natural ,inspiring.
What gets me is this thing called addiction:(
It’s so sad and such a hard industry, turns great people into something they had no idea they would gradually be trapped into .
Can we please put an end to the old school hang over that really needs to be cured once and for all:)👌🌈🎄🌴😃
I really miss the energy and intensity from that era , I grew up with it 👌
Let’s keep it healthy and real.
Please please 🙏
This, in my opinion is the most authentic interview I've ever heard anywhere. The background noise just adds so much to the authenticity it's mind-blowing
I loved hearing this! Makes me appreciate his talent even more and WVH. Thank you so much for this recording!
Pure gold!
Priceless. Thank you
There’s a lot of interesting material on this channel but it’s hard to beat this interview. This is one of a kind .