This might be obvious to most of us. I loved Van Halen, and I loved Eddie and Al's playing but I never would have started playing drums if it had not been for one drummer. Rick Allen of Def Leppard. When he had his arm taken off I felt for sure that Def Leppard was done but seeing how he he came back so god damn strong, lit the spark I needed. If not for his courage, I would have never picked-up a pair of drumsticks. Just thought I'd ask people if other musicians besides our VH boys have influenced them.http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/wink.gifhttp://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/smile.gifhttp://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/biggrin.gif

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VHLinks.com graphics dude

Good question bro. I can say that at first it was my family. Always had music/guitars/drums etc. around me as I was growing up. Thank God for my parents when they bought me Van Halen II. After that, Eddie was my inspiration bar none. Too bad I never learned to play as well as him, or his brother for that matter. LOL. Out

two men and one animal http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/smile.gif Eric Carr of KISS and Alex Van Halen are who influenced me the most - but Animal from the muppets is what got me to pick up a pair of wooden spoons at age 3!!!

Was the king Eddie Van Halen!!!!

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I reach across to the other side to make contact with you.You fill my dreams.I wanna tell you,tell me why you´re crossing over...

Peter Criss - when I was in 4th grade. Then as far as a guitar goes, I had one for years and never messed with it much til 1984 then I had to try the old "one string method" to Jump and I just picked it up from there.

- Kerry

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On guitar polls: "If it were up to me, I'd put Eddie Van Halen in the first five slots, then everybody else." - Billy Gibbons, ZZ TOP.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by AVHMachIII:
two men and one animal http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/smile.gif Eric Carr of KISS and Alex Van Halen are who influenced me the most - but Animal from the muppets is what got me to pick up a pair of wooden spoons at age 3!!! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Being the consumate guitarist that I *AM* ( http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/wink.gif ), I would not normally lower myself to enter the "Musicians' Corner," (a place so rank-stench-bad that is doesn't even have a Moderator http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/biggrin.gif LOL).

BUT - seeing as "Animal" from the Muppets has received much-deserved props from AVHMachIII, I felt it necessary for DIF to come out and play amongnst the rest of the plebian musicians of the links. http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/cool.gif

Carry on, carry on... LOL. http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/smile.gif

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"Fuck you. I give you my ass." - Rick S' dog, as interpreted by track 5

Official Bartender Of VHLinks

Frank Sinatra and James Brown

right on Down In Flames, Right On...

"woman! woman! woman!"
-Animal

Damn? Hard question TT? Hmm? Let me think? Oh yah, here I got it! ...

EVH

That's funny T cause I remember as a mini-eyes listening to the first 3 VH alblums that my sisters boyfreind gave me when I was 13 changed my world upside down.(Down on the Upside if you dig soundgarden)http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/wink.gif

That's what *I* want to do when I grow up! I said as EVH ripped through "cradle will rock".http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/redface.gif


Kick-ass thread btw TT! ...

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G4

E.C.A.S.!

http://www.vanhalenlive.com/eyesofthenight.jpg




[This message has been edited by Eyes of the Night (edited February 02, 2001 at 04:26 AM).]

Gee , my Grandfather since he was in the Milwaukee County symphony playing violin , my mom because of piano, my friends because we jammed to all the metal bands of the 80's, and most imprtant of all ...VH . EVH made me pick up the guitar . It's funny because I tinkered with piano first, went to drums and then settled on guitar . Ever heard that story before ???

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GO PACKERS !!!

My parents are the whitest cracker folks you'll ever meet, but they joined a record club when I was a wee lad that sent them the hits of the day. Included were the first and most significant Santana, Led Zeppelin II, and Jimi Hendrix best of the Experience. I will withold mention of Bread, America, and Seals and Croft.

Once I latched onto Moby Dick, it was a logical step to the American version of Led Zep, Van Halen!!!

It was not until high school that I discovered Miles and Dizzy, or rather they discovered me!

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RLRR LRLL

Believe it or not, Sammy Hagar kinda ushered on my little singer ideas. After all attempts at emulating Hagar failed miserably http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/wink.gif, I tried the DLR stuff, and I couldn't get that right either. http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/tongue.gif So, I just went to my normal voice with a little growl in it, and now I scare everyone away.

I think I'll stick to the AVH/Mike Mangini-inspired drums. http://www.vhforums.com/vhlforum/smilies/biggrin.gif

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Classic VH. Ain't nothin' like it in the world.

Dirty Faced Kid - not literally :)

Strange is beautiful. (http://www.jaredsrealm.f2s.com)

Vocal inspiration came from Billy Joel and Marvin Gaye...
Songwriting inspiration all over...but mostly Springsteen and John Hiatt...
I played sax for 15 years and EVH inspired me even then...
I remember going to my mom and asking for drums when I was 8...she said no...I then asked for tuba...she said no...she did agree to clarinet*LOL*
I gave up winds and went to guitar mostly because of EVH and the dear departed SRV...

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You ain't a Van Halen fan??!!??

PUT DOWN THE CRACK PIPE AND STEP AWAY...VERY...VERY...SLOWLY!!!

http://www.muppets.com/profiles/animal.htm
Just Click and Learn!
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RLRR LRLL

[This message has been edited by paradiddle (edited February 13, 2001 at 05:41 PM).]

Howlin' Wolf

Been the little red rooster of my hood ever since...

[This message has been edited by Blind Willie Loons (edited February 17, 2001 at 08:08 AM).]

Alex Van Halen and ANIMAL.

Yikes for pre-historic threads!

For me it was so obviously Zakk. I mean I first played guitar when I was six, coz my dad always had those around, then I had some random cover band using school equipment when I was in secondary school and I just gave up playing coz apart from VH I was listening to just crap, with all honesty. It was three years later when I've seen a mean-ass picture of Zakk and I wanted to give him a listen. I wanted to grab a guitar again after I first watched his PnG gig in Tokyo.

Even though I didn know it at the time.

http://www.countrykeepers.com/images/church_lady.jpg

As church lady would say,

Who could it be now? Oh well could it be?

http://www.anvari.org/db/fun/World_Trade_Center/Satan_4.jpg

It was the Devil.

Oh and Randy Rhoads, Ozzy, Edward, VH, Zeppelin, Page, Plant, RATT, Crue, Yes, Michael, Tito, Randy, Marlin, Jermain, KISS, Judas Priest, Stones, Beatles, Johnny Cash, Peter Paul and Mary!

http://www.ozzy.tv/ <---LISTEN NOW!
Matt Wales
AKA
VanWalen

http://www.van-halen.net/images/Van-Halen-Net-banner-small.jpg (http://www.Van-Halen.Net/)

Ed and Vernon Reid...

Mine is kind of embarassing - I don't even know his name. The guy from REO Speedwagon. I always dug them, and one boring summer night in 1985 there was an REO concert on MTV (I had just moved during the summer, so I didn't have any friends or anywhere to go). I had a guitar, I'd tried before, but this time my hands were big enough. 20+ years later I'm still not very good at it.

Eddie came shortly after, but I don't really play VH songs. I can't play them right, so I just leave them alone.

Mine is kind of embarassing - I don't even know his name. The guy from REO Speedwagon. I always dug them, and one boring summer night in 1985 there was an REO concert on MTV (I had just moved during the summer, so I didn't have any friends or anywhere to go). I had a guitar, I'd tried before, but this time my hands were big enough. 20+ years later I'm still not very good at it.

Eddie came shortly after, but I don't really play VH songs. I can't play them right, so I just leave them alone.

That would be Gary Riffraff.
:drunk:

Peter Criss. I must admit...

My main instrument is drums and I was originally inspired by Phil Collins.

The guy smoked in Genesis....before he went all Disney on us.

I dabble a little with guitar and EVH is the man. Period.

Steve

That would be Gary Riffraff.
:drunk:
Yeah, I was pretty sure it was Gary, but couldn't get past that. I remember seeing Behind the Music on them, so I have heard his name, but at the time it wasn't like "I'm gonna play guitar and be just like Gary"... it was more like I always wanted to play and that MTV concert was enough to push me over the edge when I was that bored.

For me, it was wanting to learn how to play the intro to Zep's "Over the Hills and Far Away"

http://www.guitaralive.org/page.jpg

I originally started out on trumpet in 4th grade and have no idea why I did that. I liked it but something was missing. I loved music but did not get off on the trumpet.

In 1982 I heard Over the Mountain by Ozzy. When I heard that guitar solo I figured I should play my dad's semi-hollow body. Did so.

Then about a month later I heard about this guy named Edward Van Halen and that he was pretty good.

Randy and Eddie kept me going while my fingers were bleeding and for that I thank both of them.

EVH & SRV

Jimmy Page, then EVH....Clapton, Beck, Richards, Lifeson, Hendrix, Vai, Satch, Johnson, Berry, Angus, Morello, Slash, SRV...

I have to say that subconsciously Ace Frehley is the guy.
I was a Kiss freak as a kid. I thought it was great music combined w/ excellent theatrics. I was half right.
Going back now, I realize it was the lead guitar that had mezmerized.

That was all basically prep work for Sir Edward.

When I was a kid, I'd like to learn how to play the guitar.
But I watched J. Geils Band's video shoot for "Centerfold" and I don't know why I found that doing Stephen Bladd's parts was that easy. Of course, it wasn't, but I started into the drum world. I do like Ginger Baker, John Bonham, Keith Moon, Alex Van Halen and Taylor Hawkins playing a lot. :)

Ace and then Eddie.
I still suck but love it.

If I was to say eddie was my original reason I'd be lying. Angus Young was my first influence. Acdc was the first band I went Die Hard For. After a couple years I discovered eddies unique style and have been hooked ever since.

I was 13, when I first heard the opening to HFT. Unbelievable for me. So it was Big Al, who inspired me to pick up my first pair of sticks.

My influences were my friend Taylor and Angus Young, I always wanted to play AC/DC from the first time I ever listened to them

Oh yeah, I also now play piano because of Edward. I just picked that up in the last six months so I'm pretty bad, but I can play the Cheers theme song!

for me it was my dad first and foremost he's an awsome freestyle jazz guitarist he can play stuff you wouldnt believe and even makes up chords to suit then it was angus young mark knofler and eddie van halen.

Kiss. They made the transition from comics to rock real easy for an 11 yr
old. Hell, they were a comic book. I liked Gene first ( as most kids
did) but I knew I liked the sound of the gtr and Paul always had the coolest
shaped axes at the time - so I started emulating him, thinking I'd sing lead
and play rythm. It was upon discovering 2 things (1. Edward fucking Van
Halen and 2. that I couldn't sing worth shit) that I started getting interested in
lead.

I was intimately inspired by the Beatles but picking up an instrument was due less to any given musician or band but rather out of a sort of desperation. I was, and still am, a passionate writer. I got to a point where there were no more words left in my dictionary and thesaraus. I picked up a guitar in a way that I can only imagine a drowning man grabbing a life preserver or inner tube. The moment I strummed my first chord (a G) it felt as if my heart beat for the first time...like my lungs experienced the first taste of air. I know, it sounds cheesy and melodramatic, but that's the truth....I began playing guitar with absolutely no concept of, or ambition towards, being in a band, playing like a particular musician, emulating any artists...I played, and still play, because it's all I know...asking me what inspired me to pick up an instrument is like asking someone what motivated them to blink or what inspired them to let their heart beat...

Once I started playing, obviously I was inspired and intrigued by various players for various reasons...to this day the people that have shaped my "style" are George, John and Paul (in no particular order) Brian Wilson, Richie Sambora, Beethoven, Ian Moore, Jeff Buckley, and Jimmy Page (and I'm completely different than the average Jimmy Page fan...so much so that it has taken me years to realize that in fact, he has had a profound influence on my playing. I've also been deeply influenced by the Doors, the Mamas and the Papas, Janis Joplin and a host of other "60's" artists...especially Phil Spector, Motown, the Brill Building and Bob Dylan....and this list leaves off my upbringing in Cuban music, particularly Silvio Rodriguez and in later years, Arturo Sandoval....but now the list is just getting long and rambling....basically, everything "influences" me...even stuff I really, really dislike...like that "lips of an angel" song...presently, I am focused on writing things that sound NOTHING LIKE THAT.

Ace and then Eddie.
I still suck but love it.

I agree Ace when I was very young going through the entire Kiss faze, thought they walked on water, just wanted to be them. As you get older your eyes open more to new things (not to mention hearing it from your old man all the time) and your taste expands.

Surprised this thread doesn't get more posts, but anyway, Eric Clapton and and believe it or not Mark Knopfler were my biggest inspirations to actually pick up the guitar. As for my first instrument which was the drums it was'nt so much a player as it was the sound or production of Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys! Not sure why, I just liked the way it sounded. Of course I never came close to achieving what I wanted to on the drums so guitar became my first love.

Thanks to my older sibs, I always had cool ass music around to inspire. The Beach Boys, and the Beatles were everywhere to be found at my house.

Oh, and Queen, News of the World was played to death by my big sis. Needless to say We will rock you was an anthem I got into as a youngster.

Then came Kiss. Always a big time fan of that band.

My parents however were country music folks. Pops had old Hank Williams records around to listen to, and who could forget his love for Eddie Arnold. Mom even had some Gospel albums sitting around that I would love to listen to.

It all changed though when I was thirteen and realized who Eddie Van Halen was, and it's never been the same since.

I'm so thankfull for the music that I was surrounded by when I was a child. Talk about eclectic. My listening styles still vary that much to this day...I love it all, including Gospel, and Country. Everything from Sinatra to Mudvayne.

Music rules!!

Thanks to my older sibs, I always had cool ass music around to inspire. The Beach Boys, and the Beatles were everywhere to be found at my house.

Oh, and Queen, News of the World was played to death by my big sis. Needless to say We will rock you was an anthem I got into as a youngster.

Then came Kiss. Always a big time fan of that band.

My parents however were country music folks. Pops had old Hank Williams records around to listen to, and who could forget his love for Eddie Arnold. Mom even had some Gospel albums sitting around that I would love to listen to.

It all changed though when I was thirteen and realized who Eddie Van Halen was, and it's never been the same since.

I'm so thankfull for the music that I was surrounded by when I was a child. Talk about eclectic. My listening styles still vary that much to this day...I love it all, including Gospel, and Country. Everything from Sinatra to Mudvayne.

Music rules!!
Yeah! There was that point when I heard Ed and went Wow! No one had heard anything like that since Hendrix. Sure there were guys who made noise and had the rebellious attitude like Townsend, but Eddie just had that blend of virtuosity as well as the rebellious attitude that I don't think anyones matched to this day. I just thought at the time even then that any imitation of Ed was almost sacriledge, like with Hendrix. No offence to anyone who are in tribute bands or whatever, 'cause that's a bit different. You know what yer getting. I just was struck by how different the instrument could sound. You got Clapton, and all his style changes throughout his career, then you got Knopfler with his own very unique sound. You can tell his playing with one or two notes. Not that you can't with Ed, but there are so many immitators out there. Iv'e been fooled on more than one occasion by MP3's that claim to be some long lost demo this or that. I guess what I'm getting at was that I got off on the originality the instrument projects. If you heard my playing though, I sound nothing like Knopfler or Clapton. Iv'e been told that it almost sounds like my influences were a weird combination of Zakk Wylde and Dick Dale! Kinda funny but listening back to some of my solos over the years, I guess the bent runs are kinda Surfin' Surfari-ish!;) but my rythms are big chunky, yet still melodic. Hard to explain. Just what comes out.

Growing up, I was a huge Beatles and ACDC fan and had all of their recordings on vinyl. I assume it was those bands that inspired me to start playing instruments (I guess it is also in my Hungarian gypsy blood). I had an acoustic guitar, french horn (which I played because of the instrument's warm tone), trumpet, and piano (all of which I could play to some degree).

It wasn't until Summer 1985 that I was truly inspired to learn an instrument well. A friend lent me their Diver Down album. Previously, I had never listened to Van Halen other than what I had heard on the radio.
I was amazed at the incredible tone of Eddie Van Halen's guitar sound. By Christmas '85 (I was in the 9th grade), I had my own electric guitar and spent 4-5 hours a day playing it.

PS - & the theme from Barney Miller. Special mention to WKRP outro credits.

Ace Frehley after seeing him at the Los Angeles Forum (Fabulous Forum) in 1977.........Wow!

Peter Criss. I must admit...

Criss here as well, but VH made me want to come back and play more...

AVH is tha Man!!

:headbang:

For drums it was Peter Criss as well and than Alex. For bass it was a combo of Billy Sheehan and Geddy Lee. Also the fact that noone could play bass worth a crap when I was in high school. That is even if you could find a bass player.

For me it was the Eagles, and my brothers who had their own band when I was a kid in the 70's. Then Ed came along and changed everything. But then for about 5 years I barely touched the guitar, then an old friend of mine got his own web site and put out a cd...started me wanting to play and get better again. This guy is amazing...can play just about anything.
Check out his site
www.guitaristjeffmiller.com

Eddie!

But he's not the reason I bought my first guitar... gotta give it to Andy Summers of the Police. But i didn't start playing a lot til i got in to VH.

In order of learning:
Drums - Alex Van Halen made me want to learn; my style turned out to be Bonham-esque
Bass - Gene Simmons, Geddy Lee, and John Taylor (Duran Duran) made me want to play; my style is Paul McCartney-meets-some-fatback-R&B
Guitar - Eddie Van Halen; my style has turned out to be (unfortunately) like Neil Young doing a bad, bad Eddie Van Halen imitation

It's a very interesting question and I actually can't come up with an answer. I got my first guitar when I was in 5th grade or so. I think I was just fascinated with wanting to play songs I heard on the radio but I wasn't intent on imitating anyone in particular. Sure,there's no question that it was Eddie and Van Halen 1 that really defined the guitar as the coolest instrument I'd ever heard, but I never, EVER gave any thought to actually being able to play like Ed. It just seemed so incredibly out of my league that the thought of delving deep into his style and learning the VH catalog note for note just wasn't anything I thought was worth a ounce of my time. The idea of it seemed laughable.