David Lee Roth claims Eddie VH was a Clapton acolyte: He followed him like a disciple

[James in New York]

David Lee Roth claims Eddie Van Halen was an Eric Clapton acolyte: “He followed him like a disciple”

“Eddie started off as a mirror image of Eric Clapton and took it way beyond the curtain of space across the trackless void.”

by Crystal Koe

David Lee Roth has claimed that late bandmate Eddie Van Halen was an avid follower of guitar legend Eric Clapton early on in his career.

The singer then drew a comparison between “warriors” back then to those of our time, saying:

"Many of our fiercest warriors today carry a guitar, an electrical one."

"You know exactly what I’m referring to, and becoming the mirror image of our master is a compliment. Eddie Van Halen was an Eric Clapton acolyte."

"He followed him like a disciple. Eddie barely could afford shoelaces when he was learning to play guitar,” Roth added.

"He had one gold top Les Paul. I used to sit right across from him in his little room, almost knee-to-knee touching.

We slept on crates with a mattress on it.

He would sit on the mattress, and I’d sit on the amp right in front of him on the Marshall stack bottom right in front of him, our knees almost touching and writing the songs we became famous for."

"And there was one poster who was Eric Clapton, who is the mirror image of other folks that he was a disciple of who is a mirror image, and Eddie started off as a mirror image of Eric Clapton and took it way beyond the curtain of space across the trackless void."

“My contribution frequently was emotional content,” Roth concluded.

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[VHrox12]

Even The GOAT has to have influences. Eric Clapton is a brilliant songwriter, guitarist and musician. Glad he helped pave the way for the GOAT.

[Brett]

Fuck Clapton.

[Little Dreamer]

It's not really anything new. EVH has been saying this in pretty much every interview since 1978. And some songs, like When It's Love, have solos that are pretty much textbook Clapton.

[I Coulda Hada VH]

Eddie always cited Clapton as his main influence, but he really didn't sound much like him.

[Brett]

Actually, there’s a lot of Clapton in Ed’s playing. A lot of the licks he uses are very Claptonesque. Obviously he plays them faster and uses them differently but they are definitely there.

I just don’t happen to like Clapton as a player. Plus he’s a dickhead. Whatever Ed turned his licks into is what I like, not what he plays.

[Little Dreamer]

Yup. You could say Ed is like Clapton meets Holdsworth in his lead playing, with some Jimmy Page influence in his rhythm playing. And then there are some more subtle jazz and classical influences that show up here and there.

[Bad to the Bone]

I always liked the Clapton-like solo in When It's Love

[I Coulda Hada VH]

Yup. You could say Ed is like Clapton meets Holdsworth in his lead playing, with some Jimmy Page influence in his rhythm playing. And then there are some more subtle jazz and classical influences that show up here and there.

Don’t forget Billy Gibbons …

[bklynboy68]

Eddie always cited Clapton as his main influence, but he really didn't sound much like him.

Sounds like Blackmore more than anyone to me.

[Little Dreamer]

Don’t forget Billy Gibbons …

yup, there's a bit of that.

[fudd]

Fuck Clapton.

Well damn.


That’s a little harsh Brett. He’s not roger waters.


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[Darrin Stephens]

If anyone fucks Clspton he likes his hair pulled.

Don't ask

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[YankeeRose]

[DFVH5150]

He said Townshend influenced his rhythm playing too.