The video is not in sync with the sound

Eddie change guitar playing forever. When he busted out in 1978 with the first Van Halen album, it shook the music world and more specifically the guitar world. Among guitar players, there's a saying that there is pre-Eddie and then post-Eddie. He changed everything and was a genius on several levels and was so unique. Also, what many people don't know is that he's a trained classical pianist (his first instrument) and won piano competitions as a kid. There's never been anyone like him and there will never be anyone like him. RIP Eddie. Your music and genius will live on forever.

Back in 1978 when Eddie came up with this technique. Nobody was doing this. Nobody had ever heard the sounds that he could made with guitar. Eddie made his own equipment and created his own sound. He called it the Brown sound.

Eddie is Eddie - one of the greats. I find it interesting that his talents with electronics as a designer and inventor is so overlooked. He was actually a very intelligent engineer, without a degree. And as I come from a family of engineers, I especially appreciate that. Degrees and hats people wear do NOT define IQ.

The part that sounds like classical and also sounds like a cello is Eddie causing feedback through the strings and using the volume control on the guitar like a guitar pick, absolute genius.

"is the smoke coming from the guitar or the cigarette"... Is one of the best reaction comments I've ever seen for this video. 😂😂😂😂

They released this song in it's original form - much shorter, but even more explosive - on their first album in 1978. One year after Pink Floyd released Animals. Five years after Dark Side of the Moon. They must have sounded like aliens to their listeners. One of the greatest leaps of progress in music history.

He sat at home, or in the studio, usually by himself, just experimenting...trying to see how many different sounds he could make with a guitar. On a later album, around 1991, on the album "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge," the opening track, "Poundcake," starts with a sound no one had ever imagined doing. He took an electric drill, plugged it in, and operated it over the strings of the guitar. The sound is distinctive and definitely memorable. That's just what he did. As legend has it, on Van Halen's first album, the 2nd track..."Eruption" (the solo that changed rock guitar forever,) was basically just Eddie, in the studio, warming up. He didn't even know the producer decided to roll tape. Next thing you know... it's the most influential, most played track and most imitated, (or attempt at imitating,) on a rock album, ever recorded. In this live performance, he played most of that original solo.

The studio version of "Eruption" was on their debut album released in 1978 - it was less than two minutes on the album, but laid the foundation of a live show staple

RIP Eddie. Def one of the GOATS!! ATOMIC PUNK from their first album is a monster rockin song. Please add to ur VH playlist. Thanks guys. Have a great day!! ✌🏼

What you have to remember is that their debut album was 1978….and it changed guitar playing immediately at that point….8 years before this performance!

Thank you again for another cool reaction. Van Halen has so much kick-ass material, for some reason the first song of their's that came to mind is "Mean Street" (1981) I highly recommend it.

I have say I respect your intense focus on the Master. I'm an advanced player and will tell you this guy changed the guitar world completely!!! We all freaked out when he came on the scene. Hendrix moved the bar way up but Edward Van Halen put the guitar in another Galaxy and Dimension!!! Man we had no idea what he was doing. It's as if the Guitar Gods didn't want to pick him as the Man because he was better than them!!! On top of that Van Halen's music is incredible and he was probably more proud of his music than his playing. Listen to the first album - it will BLOW you completely away!!! There will never be anyone like him again and there will never be a more awesome band than The Mighty Van Halen!!!

Eddie Van Halen completely changed the world of guitar playing. He was self taught and made his own guitar because he didn't have the money to buy the guitar that he wanted because they didn't make the guitar yet. He had to design and build it himself. Guitar World named Eddie the greatest guitar player in our century.

The 80s produced so much talent

There were three lead singers in Van Halen David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, and Gary cherone. Eddie sing one song it's called how many say I and it's a very socially impactive song

When you remember that this solo was during an era when auto-sequencers & tuners weren't in use yet, you can understand that what you hear is what they played/sang. They didn't have their equipment automatically "smoothing out" what they did. This is the reason why modern music sucks so bad. A no-talent hack can sound professional & a lot of the pop music today is written by corporate committee, mindless & without substance...Back then, most of the musicians/songwriters were telling you a story but these days music is primarily pure pap. This is also why I'm glad to see the newer generations taking a listen to the "old-school" forms of entertainment, coming to appreciate real talent & skill. Eddie isn't the only Van Halen in the group...The drummer is his brother Alex. Eddie didn't invent the technique of finger-tapping but he certainly mastered it. By his gestures & facial expressions interacting with the audience, it can be seen that Eddie loved his "job" (he's been playing guitar since childhood) & it's like he was saying, "I've put in the time. I've done the work. I know what I'm capable of doing & this is the time I get to show you what it is." I'm not a betting man but if I were, I'd wager that Eddie's guitars went to Heaven *with* him...He certainly played the Hell *out* of them. Many of the guitars he used were built by his own hands anyway.

If you decide to do more VH, I'd highly recommend all of VH 1 and VH II. For my money, On Fire, Atomic Punk, Light up the Sky, I'm the One and Outta Love. You're gonna get requests for all the radio hits, but these are why old heads loved this band and why Eddie became such an influence

Eddie uses a "hammer on" technique of tapping the strings instead of "plucking them" so the sustain is like a piano instead of like a harpsichord if comparing to classical music. Eruption was off the Van Halen Debut album in 1978....

When Van Halen started to get popular and play the clubs in LA, Eddie would sometimes turn his back to the audience during his solos because he didn't want other guitarists to figure out how he was playing the way he was playing.

Eddie was a classic pianist before he learned guitar, that is why you hear the classic riffs

It was actually David Lee Roth’s idea to call the band Van Halen. They were originally called Mammoth.

I was waiting for this. 😛

Eruption was on their debut album in 1978. It changed rock. He played Eruption in every concert, the fans demanded it, lol. He took earlier influences like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton etc and made something totally new.

The fact that Eddie played this at every concert was a feat in itself. I had the priviledge to see him play, same tour, same clothes. Nothing but a bright white spotlight on him. It was phenomenal!

I saw this performance live in Arizona in the 80s. I am a lucky man.

The band was named after Eddie (guitar) and Alex (drummer). Eddie's son Wolfgang joined years before his dad died of oral cancer

EVH is KING!!!! Unparalleled GOD Mode!!!

In the beginning, when they were a party band from Pasadena, Eddie did sing lead, before DLR joined….then he switched to backing vocals. This is from their first album tour with Sammy Hagar as lead singer.

Often imitated. Never duplicated. RIP.

Steve Vai's song "Tender Surrender" (live) won a Grammy for best live guitar performance some time ago. It is one to behold. Not to mention his recent, "Teeth of the Hydra" where he plays his 3 necked "Hydra".... playing rhythm, lead and bass SIMULTANEOUSLY and even works in a sitar and a few percussive effects as well. Crazy! Both will open a Steve Vai Pandora's box! Great EVH reaction!! Love Eddie.....Steve takes it to the next level. 🤘😎

Eddie = The King

You gotta remember, they started playing in the early seventies, earned their stripes playing backyard parties, high school gyms and civic halls, then the rock clubs on the Sunset Strip in the mid seventies until the Van Halen debut album was released in 1978......nobody had heard guitar being played like that....Eddie changed everything...the way people looked at and thought about the guitar....and nearly everyone after that tried to copy what he was doing! People try to categorize their music, but one of the best descriptions I've heard is "Southern California Party Rock"! They are unique and I like to simply refer to it as "Van Halen".

And there you have a master musician.

Three words Greatest Of Demall

You guys are awesome. You have a great channel here. Always fun to tune in to whatever you are reacting to. ~Love & respect

the very beginning of the guitar solo is called 316, it's dedicated to his son Wolfgang

Eddie popularized the tapping technique, but Steve Hackett was tapping on his Gibson Les Paul with the band Genesis in 1972-73. Check out “Return Of The Giant Hogweed”

Unlike many rockers in the 60s/70s, Eddie drew inspiration from classical music more than blues. He was a classicly trained pianist since childhood, his middle name Lodewijk, which is Dutch for 'Ludwig', after Ludwig von Beethoven. He named his son Wolfgang after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and would play a Beethoven composition, Fur Elise, in solos.There are clear classical references in Eruption, as well. He's Dutch by birth, with a Dutch father & Indonesian mother. He was bullied when they moved to the US as a kid for being part Asian & not speaking English well. He said in an interview that the Black kids were the ones nice to him. He was a interesting person & a musical genius.

If you like drums, watch Eddie’s brother’s drum solo from this same concert. (His brother Alex plays the drums)

The King ❤🤘🤘💣

Listening to this, I imagine this is what it was like to sit outside his bedroom as his parents while he was a teenager. LOL!

When I first heard this song on the first Van Halen album, I was completely blown away. Back in 1980, my 14 year old mind melted.

By the way, he didn’t buy that guitar. He made it!

The best that EVER LIVED

he got that "tapping" technique from watching jimmy page (zeppelin) playing "Heartbreaker" live in concert from the early 70's. he went on to further develop the "tapping" technique and make it his own. The Van Halen's, = eddie - guitar, alex - drums if you guys want to see classical music on the guitar you need to watch Tina S play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (3rd movement) on her electric guitar.

There have been many phenomenal guitar players like Clapton, Beck , Page , BB king , SRV but then you have guys that innovated and completely changed popular music like Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Hendrix and Robert Johnson

The GOAT.

If you've seen Back to the Future, this is where Marty puts the headphones on is young Dad to get him to go to the Enchantment under the Sea dance. Dressed as a Spaceman.

Lots of content from this band. They were named after the Brothers Van Halen, Eddie on lead guitar and Alex on the drums. David Lee Roth was the lead singer. Although he had the perfect voice for their sound, his personality didn't always mesh with the others. Saw them live once in Boston. Great show. Loud!

dont matter on timing..this is always fking great ..EVH=King

my man Eddie is like he just jumped on a wild horse which is that guitar

Eddie was a true master of his craft may he rest in piece

The GOAT

Eddie was a California State champion on the piano, he is also a former drummer so he uses many of those techniques on the guitar

Guys MJ had Eddie doing famous solo in his classic, Beat It. I think that MJ had his reps contact management for VH to see if Eddie play on a song for MJ that became Beat It. Rest is history.

I just wish Jimi could've lived to see/hear Eddie.😢

Never be another EDdie. Mount Rushmore of guitarists. I’ll die on that hill

Someone probably answered this for you, but David Lee Roth was their original lead singer until 1985....in 1986 Samy Hagar became their lead singer.....Sammy left and they made one album with the former lead singer of Extreme....then Sammy rejoined for a brief period.........then they took a break, then DLR returned for their last incarnation....with the last album "A Different Kind Of Truth", being released in 2012.

1980 I had a cousin that played banjo for the Barbra Mandel. My other cousins (from Detriot), when I was 12 years old put headphones on me and introduced me to Van Halen. I dropped the banjo like it was a hot potatoe and wanted to be like Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen and the Japanese all female rock band, Band-Maid and Rush are my three favorite bands ever. Grand Master Flash was up there for how the band moved me. Unbelievable talent in those 4 bands.

Eddie was doing that kind of stuff back in the 70's too...Got their first album when it first came out, EVERYBODY had Van Halen in our cars back then...ROck ON!!!

Guitar virtuoso!! RIP🌹 Eddie Van Halen🎸🔥

First and only time I saw them was warming up for JOURNEY at the Opera House here (only 3500 seats) on what was I believe their first national tour. They must have stunned the audience, because there was barely any applause after each Journey song, even though they were great. And to think that he grew up playing classical piano.

Eddie was an innovator, the tapping he perfected but it really started to my knowledge by Steve Hackett of Genesis but Eddie took made a main stay that everybody wanted to copy and not just a new trick.

My neighbor gave me the first Van Halen album for Christmas in 1978. I was 13. I was amazed. 🤘

seen him do it live in 1984-85 at the fabulous forum in Los Angeles California, I was 15 and it was their last gig with Diamond Dave as the front man, and what an amazing concert it was, I still have my ticket stub, that same year I also saw Iron Maiden at the long beach arena, in Long Beach, California, the Piece of Mind Tour, and I was only in the 10th grade, I used to rock the legit concert jerseys at school, good ole days, and I still have my stub from that concert also, I saved all my ticket stubs from all events, sporting what not, I have Rod Carew 's 3,000.00 hit when he was a California Angel.

Hehehe you guys are like, OMG. Yea, they don't do this awesomeness anymore. Now, just imagine, having front row seats, and Ed Throwin you pics. I caught 10. Pissed many folks off around me LOL. Ed was like DEWD!!! YOU HAVE QUAI CHANG KUNG FU HANDS!!! haha

The guitars name is Frankenstein which Ed built himself

The part where he was playing the guitar and it sounded like a keyboard it's from the song cathedral I think from 4th album Diver down. He was just tapping the strings with his left hand and moving the volume control up and down with the distortion from the pedal to the amp To sound like an organ

There is a segment on KZfaq with Warren Haynes and Joe Bonamassa in a contest called the king of blues. That’s very good.

You mentioned that he did everything they teach you not to do. Eddie said that he never had a guitar lesson. He said that you can't do anything outside of the book if you always go by the book, so he said he guesses he was writing his own book.

Eddie Van Halen played guitar on Michael Jackson's Beat It. Pretty cool fact.

Like with most bands, the earlier in their catalog the better. Their album 1984 was the beginning of the end for VH. They were so raw and awesome early on. Eddie was a very smart innovator, he doesn't get enough credit.

I started a cover band back in the 90s but I wasn't an EVH super fan, more Who, Beatles, and I studied classical guitar as well. Then I saw this and the whole CD it came from and I said ok this is what I gotta try to be like.

I saw them twice Eddie performed his Solo both times. Eddie loved Classical music, specifically Mozart, he named his Son Wolfgang, Mozart is my own favorite as well.Eruption is 45 yrs old, He loved his Art for certain.

Hmm, gotta go STUDIO version on this one..MIND BLOWING!! The Entire first album is INSANE...well minus Ice Cream Man (boo) haha. I'M THE ONE and Jamies Crying are the both AWESOME...also I'm on Fire!

One of the greatest

7:31 look at his right hand. pumping the volume up & down...makes that sound. Who knew.

Eddie was one of the Greats!! Get a chance Check out Steve Vai - "Tender Surrender" another great Guitarist

David Lee Roth 1st Lead Vocal. Sammy Hagar = 2nd Lead Vocal. 3rd Lead Vocal Gary Sharone. All albums phenomenal. Seeing them live, I saw them all from the late 70's to Eddies Last tour. There will never ever be another band like this EVER AGAIN.

Eddie is also the guitarist on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It””…you referenced Mozart, Eddie’s son is named Wolfgang

Thanks! That's another one of my favorite bands as a kid. More than the skills and talent required to play this way, I've always been fascinated by the joy displayed. Everyone can tell he is having a bar while playing, big time. So it can be classical or rock, all that matters is the pleasure. Their first hits are a must: Jump, Panama, Runnin' with the devil, Ain't talkin' 'bout love... Note: you should try a band named Bauhaus Greetings!

KILLER LINE, "IS THE SMOKE COMING FROM THE CIGARETTE OR THE GUITAR ? Killer !!!!

"Hot For Teacher" is another Video of theirs that was seen on MTV/VH-1 channels all the time

Van Halen’s “ Atomic Punk” is an incredible tune with Eddies best work !

What was also brilliant about EVH besides the obvious is the fact that he was also very bluesy as well.....

Ur rite Chi! ❤

Eddie(lead guitar) and Alex(drums) Van Halen, were originally from the Netherlands, are were taught in classical composition via Mozart, Beethoven...

He played the song Beat it for micheal Jackson, He's did Solo Eddie was the GOAT!!!!!!!!!!!

Y’all need to do this one over

Before he even played a guitar him and his brother Alex were classically trained pianists

Got his Hammer pants on 😤

❤❤

What that mid segment actually sounds most like is a cello and an organ.

Eddie rockin' that cigarette pretty hard. Sadly ironic that's what took him down.

Eddie changed the game 🤘🤘

Sweet choice guys - Eddie was one of a kind for sure, especially with his custom-made 'Frankenguitar' (his words). This is a fun way to start my day for sure - much love from up north!

His mastery was perfected before 86

This is just a showcase for Eddie Van Halen's monumental skill as an Uber-Technician of the six-string. For emotional impact and what-the-fuck level shock value, it can't beat the short and sweet blast of sound from his band's debut.

2 Van Halens--Eddie and big bro, Alex, on the drums--very good drummer. Eddie and his Brother both trained as classical pianists for a decade and you hear the classical themes here, They would travel as kids to piano competitions and win 'em all. Then they started on guitar and drums, respectively and the rest is history--and no more piano competitions. :) --although Eddie plays the keyboards on some songs, Jump, for example.