Calling all Van Halen fanatics

[gassy]

I love VH--but as far as a soundtrack to my life, I gotta go with RUSH. I've loved them since I was 10. Soundtrack to my life? That's great, Rick. Got me thinking a lot!

[Rick Lee]

Yes, Rush is that for me as well. I heard All the World's a Stage when I was about six. But I didn't get into them until I was about 15 and didn't appreciate their music until I started playing it with my band. I'll never forget listening to Farewell to Kings on my Walkman as I took a train ride down the Rhine in Germany and literally looked at "castles in the distance". Unreal.

Still, VH is what made me pick up a guitar. I caught a pick from Eddie when I had front row on the Balance tour. I look at it every day in the frame with my autographed photo and ticket stub.

[SandyI]

For a while, the Guitar Center on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood had Eddie's famous red and white striped guitar in the front window. Man, was that thing absolutely beat to ****. Kind of like a great race car. Used. Abused. Pushed to the limit. Beyond the limit. And proudly retired.

[Rick Lee]

I bought one of my Ernie Ball VH guitars at that Guitar Ctr. I saw it on display there and also the guys' handprints in the sidewalk.

[Shuie]

EVH single handedly changed the entire guitar and effects making industry in the '80s and he deserves his guitar god status. He was a monster player and an absolutely billiant guy when it came to re-engineering gear. And his tone......wow.

I just wish he would have stayed away from the keyboards. If EVH ever had a downfall it would have been trying to convince the world that he was the 2nd coming of Gershwin or Mozart. There were plenty of better and more technical players within a few years of Eruption, but no one has ever owned the shred/boogie-woogie blues thing the way EVH did. And it worked. People loved it. People still love it. So why go to the keyboards?

[Rick Lee]

I read an interview somewhere in which Ed said piano was his main inst. and he just made his living with the guitar. Ever hear his old man play clarinet on Big Bad Bill? It obviously ran in the family.

[gassy]

Gonna listen/watch Eruption again right now...

[RANDY P]

Originally posted by gassy
I love VH--but as far as a soundtrack to my life, I gotta go with RUSH. I've loved them since I was 10. Soundtrack to my life? That's great, Rick. Got me thinking a lot!

Exactly as I... Started at the same age even..

I indentify with the music, the views, the attitude towards life..

Big time.

rjp

[gassy]

Permanent Waves was the clincher for me--What a great Fking album...not to hijack.
Christian.

[stuartj]

Quite a lyricist, Neil Peart. Can drum a bit to. I always thought of drummers as guys that hung round with musicians before Neil.

Followed his more recent fortunes and the book he has written?

[efhughes3]

Those were the days...cocaine was PC, and STD's could be cure with pills or a shot.

[RANDY P]

Originally posted by gassy
Permanent Waves was the clincher for me--What a great Fking album...not to hijack.
Christian.

That, and Presto do it for me -- listen to those two daily.

Oh and OT - EVH rocks.

rjp

[JavaBrewer]

It was very disheartening for me to see VH in concert last year in Chula Vista. Eddie looked really bad - as a guy behind us said "He looks like a retard". Like many of you I grew up with VH and identify portions of my life to their music. (Rush not at all). Two other bands that share my life stage are the Eagles and surprisingly Neil Diamond (Stones and JLS). It's really sad to EVH these days. He's a shell of his former self and perhaps did drink himself into a tard. I refuse to see him play from here on out.

[Victor]

Originally posted by Rick Lee
Eddie and Jimi are the only two I can think of who actually inspired entire generations of kids to go out and buy guitars.

....it still works today! I just finished another "Frankenstrat"......sad, I know but it can be hard to let go of your childhood....

[IROC]

Originally posted by stuartj
Quite a lyricist, Neil Peart. Can drum a bit to. I always thought of drummers as guys that hung round with musicians before Neil.

Followed his more recent fortunes and the book he has written?

Yeah, Neil has had some rough times. I read his book "Ghost Rider". Gives alot of insight into the intellectual guy he really is. He definitely doesn't like Americans, though - just listen to "Beneath, Between, Behind"...

Mike

Rush fan since the Fly By Night album came out...

[Eric 951]

Originally posted by dmoolenaar
It was very disheartening for me to see VH in concert last year in Chula Vista. Eddie looked really bad - as a guy behind us said "He looks like a retard". Like many of you I grew up with VH and identify portions of my life to their music. (Rush not at all). Two other bands that share my life stage are the Eagles and surprisingly Neil Diamond (Stones and JLS). It's really sad to EVH these days. He's a shell of his former self and perhaps did drink himself into a tard. I refuse to see him play from here on out.

Yeah--Sammy just came out and said that Eddie was so drunk during the performances of their last tour that he ahd no idea whaich song Eddie was going to play next.

VH with DLR--one of the greatest bands ever--one day they will be looked upon as having such a wide influence(even moreso than now) with the likes of Zep, Floyd, Stones and as a band that continues to have appeal due to their diversity and musical skill.
The amazing part is that they certainly developed their unique "sound" which is instantly recognizable regardless of the song type being played.
If you hear any VH tune, from "Dance the Night away" to "Women and Children First" to "Drop Dead Legs" you instantly recognize it as being VH.

I would pay almost any amount to see a reuinted VH for 1 last go around.

[Rick Lee]

Ok, let's just make this a "how VH and Rush influenced me" thread.

David, I saw VH with Sammy on their last tour in Atlantic City and my experience was 180 deg. opposite yours. I wasn't more than a little buzzed and I've seen VH at least 25 times, so I know how they can be live. That last show was one of the best ever. Ed absolutely crushed every song. They all did. I've rarley had such a great buzz from the music.

I've been lucky enough to watch Neil Peart do a soundcheck and he even walked past me in a parking lot in Germany once. He's an impressive guy in every way, about 6'6", steely stare in his eyes, very intense. Loved his first two books and I'm taking Ghost Rider to China to give to a friend next week. I'm probably gonna climb Tai Shan in a few weeks, inspired by the Rush song. I've had a lot of surreal Rush moments - driving a Ferrari 512BB and singing Red Barchetta in my head, riding the train to work today, pretending I was in the Subdivisions video ("Some will lose the race to rats. Get caught in ticking traps."), driving crazy speeds on the hwy., listening to Ghost Rider ("Sunrise in my mirror lightens the invisible load.") and looking in my rear view mirror. I was listening to Between the Wheels this morning and thinking of Moses's thread about his kid's first car - "Wheels can take you around. Wheels can cut you down." Rush is heavy stuff and I pity the folks who don't get their music. I can't imagine being without it.

[deathpunk dan]

Did any of you guys ever go see bands like:
-The Stooges
-Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers
-The Dictators
-X
-The MC5
-Husker Du

?

[Craig 930 RS]

I know this is a bit 'Inside Edition', but can someone post a recent pic of Eddie?

As a fan, it's gotta be sad. Hey I bought their records when they were big....and spun at 33 & 1/3

[Big Ed]