Ed, you're killin me here

**Alchemy** · 08.02.06, 01:22 AM

Ok, I've been a member of the links for a long time...I've been a Van Halen fan even longer. Eddie Van Halen is the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. All I ask is that you guys and gals let me say my piece before you start throwing shit.
Also, since it's been rumored that Ed reads what the fans say let me say this:

Ed, if you're reading this man, don't take this personally. This is just my opinion as a fellow musician. You were, are, and will always be my greatest inspiration. I wish you nothing but the best brother.

And now, the unpleasentness...

Ed, you're killing me man.
First of all, the guitar tone....
Maybe it's just me, but I've never been a fan of the notched-wha, swampy, sound of a Tone Zone pickup. Now, I know that Ed's not using a Tone Zone, but it is a very similar sound. Until recently, Ed's always had bell-like, singing highs and thunderous, ass-kicking lows, with harmonics that kick ass and scream. That's the Ed sound I fell in love with when I was a kid. That's the sound that made me wanna get on stage with a striped guitar and blow people away. That's the sound that inspired me to be a musician in the first place. Ed's tone lately though just hasn't been doing it for me. The highs just sounds screechy and the lows are mired in wha-pedal swamp water. The harmonics are still there, but even they have picked up a bit of dirt over the years. Listen to 1984. listen to 5150. Hell, listen to a later album like Balance. The sound...the tone is just godly. You sit there thinking how a human being could get such a tone. And then...swamp water.
Secondly, the lackluster playing. Ok, so maybe I'm nitpicking here, but I hear more and more lackluster playing from Ed...from my God. The music for the most part, just doesn't hit me emotionally anymore. On the new songs for the movie, it almost sounds like Ed's just going through the motions on some parts of it. It's blasphamy to say, but halfway through it, I was kinda bored with it. There was no impact. There was no...well...it just wasn't all that interesting. It was like, "yep, that's Ed...hmm....I wonder if I have anything good to drink in the fridge...hmmm." It was like, whatever. My entire life, every time I heard something new from Ed I was blown away....every time. Until recently. There's something very wrong there. I don't know, maybe it's me.
Just my observations.

You may now throw things.

**perticelli** · 08.02.06, 05:53 AM

i respect your opinion. I just think it's almost silly of us to expect Ed to never change.
We can always criticize what he does because of what he's done, but as a musician and a person, he has to be able to change and grow.

I look forward to hearing how far he takes it.

**Foamfoot** · 08.02.06, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by Alchemy

First of all, the guitar tone....

I'm not gonna throw things, but, as a fellow guitar player, offer this... he's just changed. That's all. Maybe it's temporary. It's what artists do. I'm not comparing myself to EVH (beleive me, I'm not!) but for about six years I went for a heavier guitar tone. Now I've come full circle, back to a Fender through a Fender.

Originally Posted by Alchemy

Secondly, the lackluster playing. Ok, so maybe I'm nitpicking here, but I hear more and more lackluster playing from Ed...from my God. The music for the most part, just doesn't hit me emotionally anymore. On the new songs for the movie, it almost sounds like Ed's just going through the motions on some parts of it. It's blasphamy to say, but halfway through it, I was kinda bored with it. There was no impact. There was no...well...it just wasn't all that interesting. It was like, "yep, that's Ed...hmm....I wonder if I have anything good to drink in the fridge...hmmm." It was like, whatever. My entire life, every time I heard something new from Ed I was blown away....every time. Until recently.

Throwaway tunes: see The Seduction of Gina.

**elvhfan** · 08.02.06, 07:36 AM

lackluster playing...

have you even considered that this may be due to chemo?

**smithjc** · 08.02.06, 07:38 AM

Somehow Killing Me Softly comes to mind. Fellow old fogies will know this song.

I think Edward is exploring right now. Right now he's in the porn section and will hopefully continue onward.

**James in New York** · 08.02.06, 08:01 AM

When Miles Davis changed and sort of left jazz for more of a Hendrix-like sound, people lost their minds. They HATED it.

They threw things at them from the audience.

One of Miles' musicians looked at Miles like WTF do we do, I just got hit.
I'm not standing for this, Im gonna kick that guys ass.

And Miles smiled and said PLAY THROUGH IT MAN, PLAY THROUGH IT.
Miles said that there were two things going on here,
one between the band and the music
and another between the music and the audience.
Play through it.

And they did.
And at the end there was a 15 minute standing ovation.

Miles also said:

"Do not fear mistakes. There are none."

"Don't play what's there, play what's not there."

"A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I'm still doing it."

So are you, Eddie.
Play through it, man.

**perticelli** · 08.02.06, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by James in New York

When Miles Davis changed and sort of left jazz for more of a Hendrix-like sound, people lost their minds. They HATED it.

They threw things at them from the audience.

One of Miles' musicians looked at Miles like WTF do we do, I just got hit.
I'm not standing for this, Im gonna kick that guys ass.

And Miles smiled and said PLAY THROUGH IT MAN, PLAY THROUGH IT.
Miles said that there were two things going on here,
one between the band and the music
and another between the music and the audience.
Play through it.

And they did.
And at the end there was a 15 minute standing ovation.

Play through it, Eddie.

and as you play through it, let us fans hear it..i dont mind the trials, if that's what it is and if its ur new love, i dont mind that either

**jimmy** · 08.02.06, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by elvhfan

lackluster playing...

have you even considered that this may be due to chemo?

I'd ask Lance Armstrong

**InTheBeginning** · 08.02.06, 08:51 AM

I'm not a musician just a fan. When Mr. Van Halen first erupted on the scene it was pretty clear that we were in the presence of someone special. We know through interviews that Edward sat in his room for hours and hours and hours practicing and honing his skills. What did some of those sessions sound like?

As Edward grew in front of us, there were some slight changes to his style, hell he even started playing keyboard. Some people didn't take to that very well.

The guy is now in his 50's, maybe a little tired afer all these years. He's still learning and still experimenting with his style. All other things aside and as mentioned above and in other threads, isn't that what musicians do? If a musician were to play the same way and never change we wouldn't buy alot of that would we?

However these two tracks landed in this film, that's his business. If you like 'em, listen to them. If you don't like 'em, then delete them from your computer.

Have a nice day.

**willyum** · 08.02.06, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by James in New York

When Miles Davis changed and sort of left jazz for more of a Hendrix-like sound, people lost their minds. They HATED it.

They threw things at them from the audience.

One of Miles' musicians looked at Miles like WTF do we do, I just got hit.
I'm not standing for this, Im gonna kick that guys ass.

And Miles smiled and said PLAY THROUGH IT MAN, PLAY THROUGH IT.
Miles said that there were two things going on here,
one between the band and the music
and another between the music and the audience.
Play through it.

And they did.
And at the end there was a 15 minute standing ovation.

Miles also said:

"Do not fear mistakes. There are none."

"Don't play what's there, play what's not there."

"A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I'm still doing it."

So are you, Eddie.
Play through it, man.

i don't see how any sane person could compare these latest peices to bitches brew.

i really don't.

**James in New York** · 08.02.06, 11:57 AM

Im not comparing it to Bitches Brew...

Im saying PLAY THROUGH IT

**Rick S** · 08.02.06, 12:34 PM

this whole subject has become incredibly gay and corny. every thread turns into a how much i love edward more than you thread.

maybe we should have a how much i love edward more than you poll.

thats what every thread boils down to.

**glockaxis** · 08.02.06, 01:53 PM

Alchemy, I agree w/ you 100%. I got through 1/2 of the new stuff before I turned it off and popped in VHII.

**vistadelrey** · 08.02.06, 03:16 PM

ok i'll respond.

in typical american fasion these threads are all filled with self absorbed wanna be musicians and self absorbed wanna be's all of whom are treating the latest evh sounds like the "special on the menu" that everyone has got to send back cuz it's not what they were expecting. fuck. go somewhere else. he's just noodling around. no wonder the guy drinks. I would too. kill me arleady.

**EAS** · 08.02.06, 03:28 PM

I really don't know why Edward would ever want to even bother shaking hands with a fan at this point. All he ever hears is people who have clearly put him in a box bitching and complaining.

He must hate people so much at this point and I don't blame him. How much can one person take before he has a "fuck you" attitude.