Everyone gives praise to Eddie and rightfully so. His brother Alex is a monster on the drums and Sammy Hagar is a lion roaring . But the guy who hits the high notes in the harmonies in majority of VH songs is bassist extraordinare Michael Anthony. He is crucial to their sound.
I copied this from an interview Eddie gave to CNN. Van Halen, who died Tuesday at age 65, needed less than an hour in the studio and 20 scorching seconds on record to join white heavy metal to Black pop at a time when they seemed in entirely different worlds, when the young MTV channel rarely aired videos by Black artists. “Beat It” became one of the signature tracks on Jackson’s mega-selling “Thriller” album, won Grammys in 1984 for record of the year and male rock vocal performance and helped open up MTV’s programming. Van Halen himself would admit he was initially skeptical of contributing to Jackson’s album, wondering how much he had in common with a singer he remembered for chanting “A-B-C, easy as 1-2-3.” But Jackson had written “Beat It” as a rock song, anchored by a hard and funky ruff by guitarist Steve Lukather. When Van Halen arrived at the studio in Los Angeles, Jones told him he could improvise. Van Halen listened to “Beat It,” asked if he could rearrange the song and added a pair of solos during which, engineers would long swear, a speaker caught on fire. As he was finishing, Jackson walked in. “I didn’t know how he would react to what I was doing. So I warned him before he listened. I said, ‘Look, I changed the middle section of your song,’” Van Halen told CNN. “Now in my mind, he’s either going to have his bodyguards kick me out for butchering his song, or he’s going to like it. And so he gave it a listen, and he turned to me and went, ‘Wow, thank you so much for having the passion to not just come in and blaze a solo, but to actually care about the song, and make it better.’” Van Halen worked for free, was not credited on the album and didn’t appear in the video. But his touch was undisguisable. After the record’s release, Van Halen would remember shopping in a Tower Records while “Beat It” was playing on the sound system. “The solo comes on, and I hear these kids in front of me going, ‘Listen to this guy trying to sound like Eddie Van Halen,’” he said. “I tapped him on the shoulder and said, ‘That IS me!’ That was hilarious.” www.cnn.com/2012/11/30/showbiz/music/van-halen-jackson-thriller/index.html
Yeah, I saw the same. Interesting: "He was the musician playing the lead guitar solo on Michael's famous song Beat It. During an interview with CNN, Eddie opened up about playing the lead guitar solo on the famous Michael Jackson song. He revealed that he didn't get credited on the record, and remembered being paid with 'two six packs of beer'."
I remember seeing the interview when Eddie Van Halen's manager was so pissed.. that could have been residual income for Eddie for the rest of his life.. Don't be an idiot and do something for free when the person is Michael Jackson. Eddie got no credit for doing it and no residual income.. just Beer. Lol!!!!🤡. Still love you Eddie..
@@Studamatoyes, I believe the beer was offered while he was recording and Eddie joked about it as payment - not in the literal contractual context. Fun story, though.
Eddie wan Halen was God on Strings. Like, literally. And yeah, tapping was his method. He could do whatever he wanted with his guitar. Such a virtuoso. I cried a lot when he passed in 2020.
Don't forget to check out Michael Anthony's Bass solo that includes a rendition of "Sunday Afternoon In The Park". The original song is great for cruising with good speakers.
This version of VH is: Sammy Hagar - vocals Eddie Van Halen - guitar/keyboard Alex Van Halen - drums Michael Anthony - bass David Lee Roth was the singer for 'Jump' and VH's first six albums. And the last one, too
Please react to “Eruption”. You’ll see Eddie Van Halen (lead guitarist) work his magic on the guitar. The “tapping” he did is part of his legacy. You won’t be sorry. You will, however, be amazed!!!
They probably couldn't tell from this song, but Eddie Van Halen is a true legend, and for them to not do Eruption would be a huge miss in understanding and appreciating rock music. That live Eruption video is one of the greatest guitar performances ever captured on film. Eddie was a true innovator. RIP.
Eddie Van Halen is the greatest Musician to ever live. He did things that will never be copied nor will anyone ever take an instrument to the level of ability that did. He wasn’t a guitar player…he made noises with the guitar because he didn’t know how to actually play it…therefore becoming the Greatest of All Time. I miss him more then anyone else that has ever passed. RIP EVH
I understand what you’re trying to say but while I do believe Eddie was the greatest guitar player….it’s not because he can’t be copied….there’s plenty of ppl that can do a Van Halen song justice…for me though it’s that Eddie did it first. He was doing things in the 70s that ppl didn’t start using til the early to mid 80s
Eddie Van Halen = Genius. Other great guitarists - Yngwie J. Malmsteen - Heaven Tonight (1988) - or.... Stevie Vai with David Lee Roth (after the split from VH) Yankee Rose
I know Randy Rhoads died 40 yrs ago, as of 2022, but I still believe he could rip with the best. Played with Ozzy, Quiet Riot, and was a father of neoclassical guitar.
@@theresa4622 agree !!! Thanks for your comment. Didn't realize he played with QR too. His last concert was in Knoxville TN where I live. Wished I could have seen it. My first rock concert was van halen in '84. ❤
@@theresa4622 absolutely...Some don't mention Randy on their "Who's Greatest?" lists all the time for that very reason. It's the same with Cliff Burton of Metallica fame. I was fortunate enough to see both play live before their untimely demise back when I was runnin around with hair down to my butt and ripped up Levis lol. Both were just ridiculous. (Believe it or not, I've still got a pair...and STILL wear em sometimes lol)
Van Halen is my favorite band ever. This is 2nd edition because they are under Hagar instead of Roth. Eddie is a guitar god...RIP. Still need to check out the Eruption solo. 86 Live in New Haven. Its epic.
I could not agree more with 44. If you want your mind to melt, pull up "Solo Eruption Live Without a Net." This one is second to none by a mile. Please react to it...Thank you!
R.I.P. Eddie Van Halen …. Boy loved to watch him on the stage went to several of their concerts I was a Sammy Hagar Fan more than David Lee ….. 👍Amber I’m with ya girl we just got back from a biker benefit for our friend …. Keep Mickie in your prayers … Couple or 3 people you should check out they are not really main stream Rock and Roll. …. They are loved on the Biker Circuit Biker Rally’s and stuff like that 1 Mean Jean Kelton - Song My Baby Don’t Wear any Panties and Little Black Dress And 2 Ray Wylie Hubbard - song Snake Farm and Screw you were from Texas And Bobby Bare -song. Marie Laveau
I am so impressed by how much you guys have learned over the last couple of years. It's been a pleasure to join you in this journey. Bless you and your family.
Thanks for reacting to Van Hagar! I am a huge fan of this version of Van Halen. Sammy Hagar is a great talented singer and paired with Eddie, Michael Anthony and Alex, loved this era!
One of my favorite memories of Van Halen's 5150 Tour was when Eddie and Sammy had a guitar battle after Eddie finished his Guitar solo half way through the concert
Tap harmonics. If you hold a note on say the fifth fret you can get some cool harmonics 4, 5 and 7 frets up by tapping quickly and firmly. Eddie's tricks needed new tab notations.
@Rob Squad Reactions...thank you soo much for reacting to this video. I member mentioning and recommending this video to yall. Yall are the 1st channel that has done a reaction to videos I've recommended to people on RU-vid. Eddie Van Halen is the lead guitarist, Sammy Hagar is the lead singer. PLEASE, PLEASE...I beg of yall..."if" you like high notes that people can sing, please react to Steelheart and the song is l'll Never Let You Go. I promise you...your mind "will be blown"! This guys voice is through the clouds. 80s rock ballad!
Eddie Van Halen is the guitar player, his brother is Alex Van Halen on drums. What Eddie is doing is a two-hand tap guitar technique that he Invented and Everybody was quick to copy. He is arguably a Guitar Legend or God tier. He is god tier in innovation but in playing maybe just Legendary. Steve Vai, Nunu Bettencourt, Joe Satriani or Yngwei Malmsteen is who you should look for if you want full on Guitar Gods, GOATs.
Dude innovation is why that whole list of guitarist you named are not on my radar. They do play well I will say that. But Eddie took it to a whole other level. You know that. To put them above him in any category is just not legit. He is #1 period. Eddie plays rhythm mixed in with his lead. He carries the rhythm section of the band. Alex Van Halen talks about how weird it is for the drummer to follow the lead guitarist instead of the bass player.
@@michaelbrooks2670 well I guess that's me educated. I didn't know any of that, I forgot where I heard what I heard years ago about it. It's funny usually I'm the one to correct people on stuff, shoe on other foot now. :)
Wow!! Talk about hitting it out of the park!!.... What a rock band every one of the musicians are just so on point Eddie Van Halen I cannot put into words what a great guitarist he was and his brother just a phenomenal drummer and Hagar is just ripping it up with the vocals!! just a legendary performance!! thanks for appreciating ❤️
All hail, Eddie (RIP)! 🎸🎸 Alex Van Halen is my boy! 🥁🥁🥁🥁 ❤️❤️ For you, Amber. 😍😎 Eddie Van Halen: Guitar Alex Van Halen: drums Michael Anthony: Bass This is the "second era" with their second Lead Singer, Sammy Hagar. This "era" is commonly called, Van Hagar.
One of my favorite Sammy Hagar Van Halen tunes. If you want a good video, Hot for Teacher is the best, IMO. Starting the song off with a drum solo, then right into Eddie's guitar...It's amazing.
This was NOT Van Helen,, The Real Van Helen Is With DAVID LEE ROTH ,, From the 70s,, And Jay Led Zeppelin Did No Songs in the 80s They were late 60s and 70s , Love your yours and Ambers reactions , Your a sweet looking couple, TAKE CARE
@@potatoking4008 OK The 52s LOVE SHACK CAME out the summer of 1989 is it a 90s song to YOU THEN ? SOME 80sc kids love to claim 100s of 70s songs for the 80s IN THE COMMENTS of 70s songs
@@theodoreritola9758 if I single was released off the album in 1980 then yes ,Also the album Coda was released in the 80's .even though the songs were recorded in the 1979 sessions. We can split hairs about recording dates and release dates. :
There are harmonic freq all up and down the fret board of the guitar . He is tapping those areas to get the sound of those harmonics . Edward taught us a lot about guitar. As he said he started doing these things in the begining because he could not afford effects back in the day. This included building his own guitars the most famous of which was the frankenstrat
When this popped up it just said first time hearing van and I thought oh Van Morrison and I grabbed it real quick and and turns guys on. You got to listen to some Van Morrison, Into the Mystic, just to start.
He's the second most important guitarist in history next to Hendrix. Jimi revolutionized guitar and then Eddie did it again in '78. Sure, there are more talented guitarists by a mile but they have no inspiration or legacy without Eddie.
They created a new way to read music called tablature because Eddie was always moving his hand up and down the fretboard tapping the frets while holding notes with his other hand. This song was with Sammy Hagar as the lead singer. David Lee Roth sang on Jump. If you want an awesome guitar solo watch Eddie's Eruption from Live Without A Net. It is unbelievable.
@@kitoyobeni1 Although he does seem to suggest that tablature itself was invented because of some of his techniques, I think what he probably meant (and probably a more accurate statement) is that some of the notation in the system of guitar tablature had to be created in order to transcribe what he was doing. Right hand tapping, for example, may not have been commonly notated prior to the late 70s/early 80s and the notation may well have been developed specifically for the purpose of transcribing VH music.
The Lead Singer in this song is Sammy Hagar, the second Van Halen Singer. Sammy started his career with the band Montrose in the 70s and then became famous for several solo albums before joining Van Halen in 1985.
Eddie van Halen is considered one of the best and most innovative guitarists of all time! ETA: Sammy Haggar is their lead vocalist, but I miss the original David Lee Roth … Rock On!
@@Sportsref13 true Sammy sings better and eas glad to see him join. But Dave era rules. Do love the majority of the Sammy songs, but loved every song from VHs first album
Saw both versions many times. DLH was a crapshoot ... some nights he was on, others terrible... he was there for the party and fame so could put on a good or even a great show when he felt like it. Sammy was more of a professional and consistently gave a good show. He also gave Eddie more of a chance to expand his musical wings (DLH hated the synth in Jump and I'll Wait).
Dateline 1970. In the '70s, a guitarist named Emmett Chapman discovered a technique for two-handed tapping on guitar, when one day he realized that if he raised the tuners high, so that the fretboard was nearly vertical, then both hands could more easily approach the fretboard with fingers reaching across the strings, also Steve Hackett of Genesis also claims to be an inventor of tapping as early as 1971. Some players such as Stanley Jordan, Paul Gilbert, Buckethead, and Steve Vai were notably skilled in the use of both hands in an almost piano-like attack on the fretboard.
Well, this IS from the album “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.” Lead singer is Sammy Hagar. Van Halen is brothers Eddie on lead guitar and Alex on Drums with Michael Anthony on bass.
Okay, for real, I'm 41, I grew up in the 80s, when I heard this album "For Unlawful Uncarnal Knowledge" was so impactful. It made me get "into" rock. This was the opening song on the album and really showed the theme of the entire album.
Try “ When it’s Love”, “ Summer Nights” , “ Why Can’t This Be Love” , and “Dreams”...Sammy Hagar just wails on all these songs. Eddie Van Halen , hands down the best guitarist of the modern and past era. We miss you still🙏🏻
You guys are so precious to me!!❤ I get you girl....I could fall asleep almost all the time while pregnant! But lean on your guy and I will tell him; Take care of your woman and make it easy for her!! She's carrying your future!!❤❤❤ How far are you in the pregnancy?? Love to you too!!!😁❤❤
My son's favorite band!!! I've seen them in concert twice and that's the way they sound! My son has seen them 3 or 4 times; last time he took his 9 year son!
Sammy Hagar - vocals (replaced David Lee Roth around 1986ish) Michael Anthony - bass, backing vocals Alex Van Halen - Drums Eddie Van Halen - guitar Eddie passed away about a year ago. He is considered one of the GOATS of guitar. The guitar he plays he designed it & built it himself because he wanted a specific sound. He called it the Frankenstein because it was two guitars put together! You need to see the live version of his guitar solo Eruption to see his genius! He made that guitar sound like a symphony!! Also VH is a great band: Hot For Teacher, Why Can’t This Be Love, Finish What Ya Started, Panama, Right Now (you’ve heard part of this because it’s their most commercial song), Best Of Both Worlds, & Runaround!!
Saw them in '79 for the debut album tour and then in '86 with Hagar. The DLR version had that raw street energy, while Van Hagar was more commercial pop. Gotta go with the former without a doubt
Anything off of the 1st album with DLR...maybe atomic punk, Jamie's crying, or show your love. Another good one with Sammy Hagar is Finish What you started. Eddie is the best! Tks guys/gals
The debut album is my favorite. Also "On Fire" is one to check out. Just check out the whole album. It's all great. It's one of those albums that you can't miss on, and you should listen all the way through.
back in the day I called them Van Hagar at first ... but Sammy Hagar was a good addition to the band. Van Halen used to do fan concerts ... where admission was free. We stood in line for HOURS to get tickets (no internet back then). That was one of the best rock shows I had ever gone to - a real fun time. RIP Eddie V.
Im not a huge fan of VH after Roth Left. I didnt like Sammy Hagger as Sammy Hagger let alone replacing ROTH. That being said, EDDIE WAS STILL A GUITAR GOD.
As Teachers, yall need to react to Billy Joel "We didn't start the Fire" .. It's a Great 5 minute World History Lesson.. As many others have posted.. If you want to see a Guitar God in action... there is only 1 word... "ERUPTION" .!!!!!
I actually used we didn’t start the fire for a middle school team research project. Each student got a line to research and developed a poster. It was a fabulous show for parent teacher night.
The electrical interference from the drill motor is picked up by the guitar pickups. The sound in the song is meant to mimic a mixer mixing up that "long lost recipe". It's fun to play with electrical things near a guitar!
If Eddie couldn’t get the sound he wanted out of a guitar, he built one that would. I agree with everyone else, listen to the LIVE version of Eruption.
Imagining a Rock song about food is hilarious. Eddie Van Halen is the guitarist. Sammy Hagar is the lead singer, in this era if Van Halen. David Lee Roth is the original lead singer. He was in the band, again, before it was no longer was able to be. Fingertapping is a technique that Eddie is well known for. Check out "Eruption", for the ultimate showcasing of that technique. May Eddie rest in peace. Y'all should definitely check out more Van Halen, along with songs from Dave and Sammy, in their solo careers.
David Lee Roth was the Singer in "Jump" with the band from the beginning....when they broke up for a while, Sammy Hagar sang and he was the one in this video....then after some time they broke up and went back to David Lee Roth! Eddy Van Halen plays the guitar, him and his brother the drummer started the band.....You should check out Eddie Van Halen playing in the "Eruption" video!!
Agreed, and, I also think David's first solo album "Eat'em and smile" (featuring Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan) is way better than anything he did with Van Halen. Win-win!
Original VAN HALEN is well worth exploring. An iconic west coast band for many years. The have a great catalog of songs that just kick ass. A party band for sure. And they have some just monster Rock songs, really, really good stuff!
Thanks for the excellent reaction. If you haven’t reacted to it yet, the absolute must clip to review is Eddie’s Eruption Guitar solo live without a net, widely considered the greatest live rock guitar solo of all time. You just don’t understand what a guitar can do until you’ve seen and heard it. Here is the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-L9r-NxuYszg.html Eddie is amongst the greatest guitar players to have ever lived. His brother Alex is on the drums. Michael Anthony played bass until he was replaced in the mid 2000s by Eddie’s son Wolfgang. This song was from 1990, so Sammy Hagar performed the vocals. Their prior singer David Lee Roth was replaced by him in 1985. Some people are loyal to one over the other. I love them both. Also great energy and I approve of the nap plan.
