We get an extra musical interlude to mark the passing of a great guitar player. Eddie Van Halen passed away on Tuesday; he had cancer. Two songs. One long, and one short.
In 2012, he was voted number one in a Guitar World magazine reader’s poll. I don’t think that means he was the GOAT, but that he was most popular. And while I don’t think he was the Greatest of All Time, he was no slouch. The first song we have today showcases his ability, without the insanity I sometimes associate with the group Van Halen.
This song is “Respect The Wind” by Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen from the Soundtrack to the movie Twister.
Born: January 26, 1955, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died: October 6, 2020, Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Full name: Edward Lodewijk van Halen
And here is a short selection from the band Van Halen, “Eruption” which was #2 on a Guitar World reader’s poll of Best Guitar Solos.
“GOAT” is always arbitrary. Most of what makes a guitarist “GREAT” is originality. A million guitar players can play Hendrix note for note, but Jimi did it first. And Eddie is great because he was a pioneer with “tapping”.
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