Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[Count Lucanor]

Hate to say it but dying does increase one's relative stature.

In this case I think EVH's death will not really add much to his reputation, because he was not that young or in the start of middle of his career. Unlike Jim Morrison, for example, an overrated myth.

Surely, being or becoming popular is not necessarily a good measurement of artistic accomplishment. For me, personally, EVH was not a better guitar musician than others within the same or related genres, let's say Gary Moore or Rory Gallagher, but he definitely gets the bonus points for creating a whole new genre himself, which is what Beato calls the Van Halen effect. As for composition skills, early Malmsteen easily surpasses Eddie (who was not trained and learned everything by ear), as you can see in the famous Eruption solo, which is just a collection of phrases that don't make a coherent whole. The sound and techniques are impressive, though. Hot for Teacher is perhaps EVH's best solo. And overall, his innovation and mastery in effects, along with the good feel of his licks and progressions, is what got him the reputation.

[Count Lucanor]

[Count Lucanor]

[Count Lucanor]

[LuckyR]

For someone who has never heard a VH track, I would heartily recommend a viewing of the latter as it would make further commentary coherent.

Sorry, I won't view videos on a computer. Call it autistic awkwardness. But I have heard the first album now, the one voted his best by users of AllMusic, and I think I may have missed something worthwhile. But now I'm remedying my shortcoming....

No problem, use your phone, it isn't really about the video. The commentary is the point.

[LuckyR]

Hate to say it but dying does increase one's relative stature.

In this case I think EVH's death will not really add much to his reputation, because he was not that young or in the start of middle of his career. Unlike Jim Morrison, for example, an overrated myth.

Surely, being or becoming popular is not necessarily a good measurement of artistic accomplishment. For me, personally, EVH was not a better guitar musician than others within the same or related genres, let's say Gary Moore or Rory Gallagher, but he definitely gets the bonus points for creating a whole new genre himself, which is what Beato calls the Van Halen effect. As for composition skills, early Malmsteen easily surpasses Eddie (who was not trained and learned everything by ear), as you can see in the famous Eruption solo, which is just a collection of phrases that don't make a coherent whole. The sound and techniques are impressive, though. Hot for Teacher is perhaps EVH's best solo. And overall, his innovation and mastery in effects, along with the good feel of his licks and progressions, is what got him the reputation.

I don't disagree with your commentary on his skill level, though as you know, Beato was really talking about his influence.

[Steve3007]

"I was sleeping like a rat when I heard something jerkin',
There stood Rita looking just like Tony Perkins."

A classic rhyme.

[Pattern-chaser]

Sorry, I won't view videos on a computer. Call it autistic awkwardness. But I have heard the first album now, the one voted his best by users of AllMusic, and I think I may have missed something worthwhile. But now I'm remedying my shortcoming....

No problem, use your phone, it isn't really about the video. The commentary is the point.

I don't have a smart phone. I have a good camera, and a PC that can store and manage my 2 TByte music collection, which is way too big for a phone. My dumb phone can make calls and do texts. Why would I want a smart phone?

Anyway, I have now discovered Eddie van Halen - if a little late - so all is well on the music front.

[Papus79]

[Arjen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJQtozWKCyg

It's about that last sentence...

[Steve3007]

"If you go carrying picture of Chairman Mao, you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow."

Is this your CCP thing again Arjen?

[Arjen]

"If you go carrying picture of Chairman Mao, you ain't gonna make it with anyone anyhow."

Is this your CCP thing again Arjen?

Lol.

[Sy Borg]

I think my favourite virtuosic guitar solo is Allan Holdsworth's epic in Soft Machine's Hazard Profile. There are a few moments in it that give me tingles every time.

Another solo that I love - Jan Ackerman with Focus, playing Tommy:

[Pattern-chaser]

I saw Alan Holdsworth on stage with the Softs, soon after he joined them. Amusingly, given your other link, it was at the time when Jan Akkerman was considered a Guitar-God by most music papers. So, in the middle of a solo, Mr Holdsworth ripped once up and down the neck of his guitar, in the style of Akkerman, but twice as fast. He gained a round of applause from the audience for his joke.

[Papus79]