This is pretty typical of what Ed does for most of his solos....always great. But the reason why I like watching it is because the director gets some great shots of Ed hands and really working that guitar at time and his intense playing. I really don't get into just a stand alone solo in concert from a musician, but this guy is a different story.
Eddie Van Halen Solo Eruption Live without a Net
30 yrs later
Eddie Van Halen Guitar Solo at Hollywood Bowl 10/2/2015
[Edited on 10/11/2019 by jszfunk]
Everyone has a plan, till you get punched in the face,
I like the first one, live without a net, the best. I think that is a Kramer Superstrat he is using. On the second show at the Hollywood Bowl, that is one of his EVH custom guitars. Eddie was always searching for a powerful guitar with killer sustain. In an old interview just as he broke through, he said they didn't make a guitar he liked so he began making parts guitars. Eddie said initially he was looking for a Stratocaster type guitar with pickups like a Les Paul and he kept expanding and experimenting. That Fender Frankenstein Gibson had some dummy pickups and switches to fool people who may try to copy it. It was a Stratocaster body and neck with Les Paul pickups and other things thus it was a parts guitar. A Frankencaster!!
When I first saw Eddie in the old Dave lineup, to me technically it was the next step in rock guitar evolution. Just incredible. But now, I don't know, is that really playing a guitar solo or us it mostly tricks and killer tone. Much like Jimi playing The Star Spangle Banner.
Unique killer technique but is it really playing? Something like Eric Johnson on White Cliffs of Dover may be really playing an electric guitar solo at a high level of skill more so than this.
But Eddie is great and rich. Maybe I'm just getting old. I don't get a kick out of Jimi doing the Star Spangle Banner like I use to either. But I still enjoy All Along The Watchtower. Eddie on I'm Your Ice Cream Man is more playing than tricks. Heard that on the classic Rock station last night and cranked it up. Eddie smoking that guitar..
Great indeed but of all the tunes included in "Live Without a Net," I prefer his playing on "5150"....Eddie at his best IMO...Great writing, virtuosity, shredding, technique, tone, aggression, and most of all, SOUL in this particular version of this tune:
And the whole band just kicks ass on this....When they were young, as they say. As was I... A mere 16 years of age when this hit the video shelf.
[Edited on 10/11/2019 by Chain]
