Eddie Van Halen

The world learned of the death of Eddie Van Halen yesterday, at 65. I was never a big fan of his band, Van Halen--I never bought their records--but I certainly admire their work. They managed to be a cut above of the "hair" bands that they were lumped in with, creating a radio-friendly hard rock sound that wasn't too hard.

And then their was his guitar work. That will be his legacy. The band's first album came in 1978, after the generation that consisted of Clapton/Hendrix/Page/Beck. Eddie can be said to be among the best guitarists of the second generation of classic rock.

I don't know anything about guitar, other than I know what I like, and his playing is so pleasurable to listen to. "Eruption," which is a solo of his, was ranked the second best solo by Guitar World magazine, and is a great example of his clean style. Reading about him a bit, L learned that he used a style called "tapping," which was often used by classical and flamenco guitarists--using both right and left hands on the guitar neck.

Van Halen are the 20th best selling bands of all time, and during the late '70 into the '80s they were a main feature of the culture. The initial lineup consisted of Eddie, his brother Alex on drums, Michael Anthony on bass, and David Lee Roth on vocals. Roth gave them a bit of a dangerous, raunchy edge--one of my favorite cuts of theirs is "Hot For Teacher," but after Roth left he was replaced by Sammy Hagar and they didn't miss a beat, although I think their Hagar stuff is less interesting, as it the lyrics got more mushy.

The songs were not known for their poetry, but I do admire "Jump," their only number one single in the U.S. "Might as well jump," it goes, and as philosophies go, it's not a bad one.

Arguing about who the greatest guitarists of all time are is a fun parlor game for rock and roll fans, but no matter where you list Van Halen, he is near the pinnacle, and his loss is tough and untimely.