Eddie Van Halen Names His Favourite Three Guitar Players

Eddie actually played quite a bit like Clapton. The rambling in and out of time. Eddie might have actually done it a little better, or at least made it a bigger part of his style. The classic Crossroads solo with Cream live is a good example. I loved Eric growing up, but see him as a very overrated guitarist from his time now that I'm older. Jeff Beck, Duane Allman...head and shoulders above Clapton. No comparison.

His favorite player--Randy Rhoads.

Holdsworth was the John Coltrane of guitar.

Ritchie Blackmore was his hero but he don't mentioned because Ritchie was arrogant with him on a bar ( Ritchie Blackmore and Jon Bonham ) were too aggresive with him,i like Blackmore but that's to me ( i picked a beer and opening and dropped over his heads ) the Bad things on Eddie he later become a arrogant and a 🤬 with Michael Anthony,Sammy Hagar said :" Michael was the first guy on arrive to the rehearsals and the last on go Home.
Sometimes you become a Bad person copying that Bad attitude like Blackmore do become his own enemy.
On 2004 Edd cancel a tour with Neal Schon alternate band of that era called ,Soul Sirkus even his brother Alex said :" why you do this Edd "? ,on cancel the tour and the answer was the drugs and even later Eddie never make the peace with Neal Schon ( this guy love him since 1978 when Van Halen opening for Journey on that year ) and the last thing his son said :" he was a terrible teacher " ,so like Blackmore said too:" not always the smile people are the nicest , Yngwie Malmsteen wanna meet Eddie but he said :" I don't know why he escaping from me ?

Edward Van Halen= God of electric guitar.

These are great presentations!

Wes Montgomery.

Allan Holdsworth was definitely exploring a different musical cosmos, a magical journey I was privileged to follow for many decades.

Georg Koenig is fantastic.

Holdsworth was the GOAT!

What about Randy Rhoads? Everybody knows he was a huge influence of Eddie and taught him a lot about playing the guitar.

What a great description of Page. On the edge of control. Though his acoustic stuff like Going to California and The Rain Song is what really set him apart for me. Great composer too.

Eddie said you want to listen to a good guitar player listen to Roy Clark 😅 Eddie, Stevie , and Hendrix were at a different dimension on guitars.

Page had more scope...and was a better songwriter......

A.I. VIDEOS SUCK

Sorry, it's Eric "Hack-ton."

Dude, whether you like it or not, VH was primarily a 'stunt' guitarist because he valued that aspect over musical statement at every moment in every approach. His 'hammering-on' had no attack to any of the notes he played, and that's why the overwhelming majority reject this approach to musicianship: great musicians want every note to say something and the more that can be said with fewer notes the better: this was antithetical to Mr. Halen''s philosophy. He entertained you but will never go down as any type of great musician.

The 1st name ever came out his mouth was Jimi Hendrix because he was an American

Hendrix was his #1 American

There is one major guitar player that EVH was influenced by, though he never mentions. If you think of he Strat style guitar, the whammy bar histrionics, use of effects, the innovation and changes to his guitar, creating his own famous studio, performing outrageous stage moves like the humping of the guitar against the amps, and copying the VH logo from a gig poster of said guitar player --that major player is Jimi Hendrix. For some reason, Eddie downright refused to name Hendrix as a main influence. I think it was because anyone who was a hotshot guitar player with a bit of flash was instantly "the Next Hendrix" and Eddie heard it too many times foir comfort. I see and hear nothing of an influence of Clapton but I see and hear a number of ways that EVH was influenced by Hendrix. It's obvious.

One of the best touch players of all times, and he had a melodical great music compositions and songwriter band, and yet he was a game changer too, just he and Hendrix were game changers

Interesting! A. Holdsworths first instrument was the piano - so was Eddies first intstrument .....

I've always found it interesting that Eddie never really got into Hendrix.

"Sonic alchemy" great phrase! And yet if you asked at least Clapton and Page, they would all likely name Hendrix.

I'm guessing this is AI content and I'm bothered by how insightful it was. Sure do love Edward, tho!

Van Halen had good tastes.

I remember seeing Eric Clapton on mtv in the 80s. Never heard of him before that. I thought that he was the same as the rest of the 80s hitmakers: Elton John, Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, ELO.😊

The finger tapping didn't define Edward Van Halen, not even close, without it, his playing is still unmistakable, besides being an unequalled innovator he was also an inventor that received dozens of patents. I saw the man rock 8 times in a row starting in 80 all shows in StL MO. A guitarist that Hendrix said was the best he ever saw was Terry Kath, very underrated and a sad tragedy.

I'm surprised Jeff Beck was not in his top 3. He was more versatile and influential then either Page or Clapton.

None of those Van Halen notes matter. And the songs are dreadfully obtuse.

van halen and his 10,000 mph hammer-on and that's about it !!

is this AI generated?

I started playing at 16 in 1977 and all my friends that played were all about Clapton and I never got it, till I saw him in 1980. Holy shit! I got it.

Everyone knows he worshipped Randy Rhodes 🤣

Eddie mentioned Alex Lifeson as a guitar god as quoted in
Guitar magazine interview 1981 I believe.

Forgot something Eddie Jimi hendrix

And now, nobody plays the electric guitar. They just play a computer. And it sounds like mush.

Clapton was Eddie's hero he listened to the Beano album by the bluesbreakers constantly studying Clapton's playing he said this in a interview that Eric was his guitar hero

There should be a difference between playing and making noise.

This is why Clapton is GOD

Holdsworth was NOT endless twiddling. Van Halen called himself a “tenth rate” Holdsworth. The reality is Holdsworth played on a level far above “pop” music. Just because many don’t understand his music, doesn’t demean his ability or material. Holdsworth remains the finest guitarist I’ve seen in my life, and I’ve studied music and guitar since 1976, seen nearly everyone. No one even comes close. Ask Steve Vai, who speaks very clearly about Holdsworth’s music and playing.

simply the blues

Love that he had so much gratitude and respect for Les Paul

The narrator sounds like a dork

Hear BB king,and Albert King,in all of them,but Evh hear Jimi,and some Holdsworth also for the in your face wild stuff,wish people, get off the one track Eruption reference,done into the ground,by too many others Ad Infinitum,Ad nauseum,he,d be sick of that too

Amazing how the US and UK just bounced it backwards and forwards.People always thought Van Halen were some kind of tiny underground band in the UK before the internet showed how widespread feeling for VH was over here.

They were tapping in the 50’s. EV just took it to another level…