Eddie Van Halen solo, live in Indy - Guitars101

SuckaInA3Piece · 11-23-2004, 06:19 PM

So I'm sitting here thinking about the VH north american tour this year, and Ed's solo spot. Much has been made about his solo spot this year, mainly because Ed isn't doing his standard solo anymore. He's playing what he feels, and if it's good it's good, and if it sucks it sucks. When I saw him in Atlantic City he comes to the mic and says, I'm just going to play what I feel, and if I make some mistakes, just laugh with me. That put the biggest smile on my face because I was sort of bored with Ed's standard solo spot. I liked it more when he took chances out there and created spontaneously, rather then switching into auto-pilot and shredding away.

Here's a solo from the 1984 tour that was posted up here before awhile back, so hopefully some of you guys haven't heard it. In my humble opinion, this was the last tour that Ed's solo spot was mostly improv, along with your standard Little Guitar intro, and Eruption. Ed was really experimenting up there, and listening to this solo which is split in two parts, reminds me of how fresh his solo spot has been to me this year. Enough rambling though, let's get down to business. Folks....Eddie Van Halen..

kudochop · 11-23-2004, 07:30 PM

This solo is awesome... Probably one of my favorites. The blues jam is awesome, that alone is one of the best "things" he does in his solos. But, he does it rarely. Did he do one on this tour? I'd like to hear his "best" solo from this tour...

I think my top favorite is his solo from Montreal in (I think) 1986. It's about 20 minutes long, and during the first 10 minutes he does a blues jam, and also plays Fur Elise (Ed Style), really cool stuff!

SuckaInA3Piece · 11-24-2004, 05:34 AM

No, he didn't do the blues jam on this tour. The last time I heard him do it was on the 5150 tour, and I'm not sure why he stopped. My favorite solo is the Montreal 86 show too just because of the blues jam he does on that one. Plus Fur Elise sounds amazing when he does it. This solo here is just Ed noodling on his guitar, and to me that's where all the magic occurs in the studio anyways. So it's always a pleasure to hear Edward just messin around trying to create something. I noticed alot on the 1984 tour, Ed would pull out the Top Of The World riff and fuck around with it. It's cool to see how that song eventually evolved from just him dickin around. Ed is the king.

sinners swing · 11-24-2004, 06:11 AM

Great solo Sucka, I don't care what anybody says, Eddie doesn't play like that anymore. From what I saw live this year and from the boots I have heard and seen.. his technique is nowhere near what it was back in the day.

SuckaInA3Piece · 11-24-2004, 06:26 AM

Agreed. But people change, so that's why he doesn't play like that anymore. Heck, back in 91 he didn't play like he did in 84. He did have his moments this year where he was just shredding away like it was back in the day.

sinners swing · 11-24-2004, 06:42 AM

I know he's changed, lol. The change is I don't think his technique is what it used to be. Not even technique, there's just a overall lack of fire in his playing now. Why he changed, I have no idea. Personally I haven't heard or seen anything from the current tour where he plays like he did in the boot you just posted. Don't get me wrong I think Eddie is a great player and i'm not trying to dump on him. It's all a matter of opinion anyway.

SuckaInA3Piece · 11-24-2004, 07:03 AM

Lack of fire? I dunno if I'd phrase it that way. If you've seen him this year, he's surely hasn't lost his fire. He was all over the place the times I saw him. I do think his technique isn't what it used to be in the slightest. You should check out his solo fromthe Philly 6-17-04 show though because he really lights up the fret board. I don't think he'll ever play like he did back in the day, but that was a long time ago. What I have noticed is how less he uses tapping licks in songs like he did on previous tours. I'm not sure what that's about, but up until his solo spot, Ed rarely taps in a song unless it's required.

sinners swing · 11-24-2004, 07:32 AM

Well I was at the Philly 6-16 show and I thought he was very sloppy in all honesty, to the extent that I was taken back a bit. As far as him still having the fire he used to, I don't agree with you there. Yeah he moved around the stage and made weird faces when he hit the sustainer switch on his guitar but I don't consider that fire. I did like some of his improv stuff off the new tour when it was in key.

The height of Eddie's tapping stuff was '86-'91. In his early years he didn't do it as much. Seemed like around the 5150 period he went all out with it. Now it seems he's not tapping as much.

I think some of his best somewhat recent playing was on the VHIII tour.

Anyway, later.

SuckaInA3Piece · 11-24-2004, 07:50 AM

I don't really remember that 6-16 show too much to be honest with you. I wasn't wasted or anything, but I don't recall much from it. I was in the 9th row and I can tell you that Ed was sloppy at some points in the show. As far as his fire goes, I equate that with passion, and he certainly doesn't look like he's lost his passion to play. He may not be able to play as fast, or with the same amount of accuracy as he did back then, but to me he still has that fire. I have the 6-17 show on tape which was the 2nd night in Philly, and I thought his solo for the most part was bad ass. Lots of bluesy licks and vibrato thrown in there at the beginning. He lost me around Cathedral though, but I've been tired of that for awhile now.

I really think that he needs to get in touch with himself again though. They say you shouldn't forget where you came from, and I think that's very true. He's admitted that he only listens to the music he creates these days, and I don't think that is something he should be doing. You should never lose track of what inspired you to play in the first place. So I really wish he'd break out those Cream records, and really get in touch with what lit his fire in the early stages. Maybe that might help improv his playing if he got back down to basics, sit on the edge of his bed and play to those old records again.

sinners swing · 11-24-2004, 12:38 PM

I get where you're coming from. Maybe to me the fire isn't as bright as it used to be, some tunes he seemed into it, other tunes he seemed to me he was going through the motions. In fact even on the Balance tour he seemed to be going through the motions. Then on the VHIII tour he seemed to have that old spark back. The guy is 49 years old, contrary to what people say that he's 47, he was born on 1-26-55. He admitted in an interview years back that the members of the band cut two years off their age in the press. Point being.. playing at that level requires a lot of energy and the older you get it has to get harder. Plus if he's still drinking on top of that, man, he's making it hard on himself. Either way Eddie on a bad day is better than most players on a great day.

SuckaInA3Piece · 11-29-2004, 08:43 AM

Great points Sinner. I'm gonna move this to the Van Halen room cause I really put this up to spark some debate and conversation.

11-30-2004, 08:15 AM

i had this solo on tape years ago- it's always been one of my favs. how can i download this, tried and couldn't figure it out. also, i've haven't heard monteal '86. where can i find this? always wanted to hear it.

**VHF** · 11-30-2004, 08:48 AM

This solo is miles above the two I heard this year on tour. Here Ed is playing off the cuff....but keeping some type of flow going. On this tour....he simply sounds lost to me....and his rig is extremely dry during the solo this time.....turn up the jape I say....the more the better IMO.

This example shows what a GREAT blues player EVH is.....period. I wish he would do it more....but it's just not his thing. It's hard to play the blues and do stuff that is new and exciting....but Ed can pull it off with ease.

This example shows why Ed's the King!

SuckaInA3Piece · 11-30-2004, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1st Due Truck

i had this solo on tape years ago- it's always been one of my favs. how can i download this, tried and couldn't figure it out. also, i've haven't heard monteal '86. where can i find this? always wanted to hear it.

I'll put up Montreal 86 for you later. As for this one, right click on the attachment, and "save as" and it'll save on your hard drive.

SuckaInA3Piece · 11-30-2004, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VHfanOU812

This solo is miles above the two I heard this year on tour. Here Ed is playing off the cuff....but keeping some type of flow going. On this tour....he simply sounds lost to me....and his rig is extremely dry during the solo this time.....turn up the jape I say....the more the better IMO.

This example shows what a GREAT blues player EVH is.....period. I wish he would do it more....but it's just not his thing. It's hard to play the blues and do stuff that is new and exciting....but Ed can pull it off with ease.

This example shows why Ed's the King!

DEAD ON bro!