Guitar poll: Alex Lifeson or Eddie Van Halen?

[Texas King]

Between these two great players, who is your favorite and why?

[tangy]

first fanboi to strike

 

why? because i'm here.

[Xanadoood]

Christ not this again

[chemistry1973]

This post is too evil.

 

How dare you make me choose.

 

Eddie.

 

More primal - more blues - more life in his playing at 25 than Lifeson had his entire career.

 

 

 

HOWEVER.

 

Alex is more versatile. His playing on Power Windows Vs. CoS -- sounds like two different guys. So Alex grew as a player - there is definitive a journey in Alex's playing.

 

Eddie arrived fully formed and it didn't seem like he improved, even though he did - his playing on ADKOT is amazing. But it's more of the same isn't it?

Edited March 29, 2020 by chemistry1973

[Xanadoood]

Flashy and innovative.. Van Halen

 

Overall better musicianship and diverse.. Lifeson

 

I would say eddie was more technical , but Alex could turn on the jets if called upon

 

1:48 to 2:00

 

 

[Xanadoood]

This post is too evil.

 

How dare you make me choose.

 

Eddie.

 

More primal - more blues - more life in his playing at 25 than Lifeson had his entire career.

 

 

 

HOWEVER.

 

Alex is more versatile. His playing on Power Windows Vs. CoS -- sounds like two different guys. So Alex grew as a player - there is definitive a journey in Alex's playing.

 

Eddie arrived fully formed and it didn't seem like he improved, even though he did - his playing on ADKOT is amazing. But it's more of the same isn't it?

 

Yeah I can’t see eddie playing on albums like Pw or GUP.. Alex knew how to adapt

[Entre_Perpetuo]

Alex is tied with Brian May for my favorite guitarist ever. I love Eddie, especially for his rhythm playing, but he’s got nothing on either of my favs to my ears. Alex is the perfect rock guitarist. He does everything and makes it all sound awesome.

[Principled Man]

Alex plays all kinds of solos.

 

Eddie plays one.

 

 

 

;) ;)

[IbanezJem]

I`m not voting because I can`t vote against Eddie - he is my all-time hero, and I wouldn`t even care about guitars or rock without the impact first hearing him had on me, but... his solo spot was exactly the same in 1986 as in 2015, even when the Van Hagar stuff was all synths, his solos were pretty similar. I still love him and think he`s actually one of the best rhythm/riff players too, but as said above, he was pretty much the same at 21 as he is on ADKOT, which I love, but it`s nothing we didn`t know. One helluva good trick though.

[Fordgalaxy]

Because the poll uses the word "favorite", the results are quite predictable. It's a Rush message board after all.

 

If you asked who is the better player, people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

[Xanadoood]

Because the poll uses the word "favorite", the results are quite predictable. It's a Rush message board after all.

 

If you asked who is the better player, people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

Better at what though? Eddie freely admits he can’t finger pick, so no way he could play a broons bane.. his style was a lot of “ tricks” .. he obviously was a pioneer, but I just don’t hear a lot of diversity in his playing. I think Alex was far more diverse and adaptable. Eddie wrote better party rock anthems, but I just can’t see him writing a Hemispheres

[Principled Man]

people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

The nagging problem with stating that Guitarist A is better than Guitarist B? Proving it.

[goose]

Because the poll uses the word "favorite", the results are quite predictable. It's a Rush message board after all.

 

If you asked who is the better player, people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

Better at what though? Eddie freely admits he can’t finger pick, so no way he could play a broons bane.

Wait...what?!?

[Xanadoood]

Because the poll uses the word "favorite", the results are quite predictable. It's a Rush message board after all.

 

If you asked who is the better player, people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

Better at what though? Eddie freely admits he can’t finger pick, so no way he could play a broons bane.

Wait...what?!?

 

An interview from 1980 in guitar player magazine he stated he couldn’t finger pick or play in that classical style

 

GP: Do you ever use your other fingers to pick?

 

EVH: No. I can’t fingerpick for anything. I’ve never had the time.

 

http://www.themightyvanhalen.net/1980/04/01/1980-interview-eddie-van-halen-w-jas-obrecht/

[J2112YYZ]

Because the poll uses the word "favorite", the results are quite predictable. It's a Rush message board after all.

 

If you asked who is the better player, people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

Better at what though? Eddie freely admits he can’t finger pick, so no way he could play a broons bane.

Wait...what?!?

 

An interview from 1980 in guitar player magazine he stated he couldn’t finger pick or play in that classical style

 

GP: Do you ever use your other fingers to pick?

 

EVH: No. I can’t fingerpick for anything. I’ve never had the time.

 

http://www.themightyvanhalen.net/1980/04/01/1980-interview-eddie-van-halen-w-jas-obrecht/

 

Well, that interview was 40 years ago and Eddie was still young. It's very possible he learned how to do that as the years went by.

[Xanadoood]

Because the poll uses the word "favorite", the results are quite predictable. It's a Rush message board after all.

 

If you asked who is the better player, people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

Better at what though? Eddie freely admits he can’t finger pick, so no way he could play a broons bane.

Wait...what?!?

 

An interview from 1980 in guitar player magazine he stated he couldn’t finger pick or play in that classical style

 

GP: Do you ever use your other fingers to pick?

 

EVH: No. I can’t fingerpick for anything. I’ve never had the time.

 

http://www.themightyvanhalen.net/1980/04/01/1980-interview-eddie-van-halen-w-jas-obrecht/

 

Well, that interview was 40 years ago and Eddie was still young. It's very possible he learned how to do that as the years went by.

 

True. I’ve seen him use his fingerpicking style over the years, but not in a classical guitar type style.

[bluefox4000]

Alex far and away. Eddie's impressive on your first exposure......but not so much on further inspection.

 

well for me anyway.

 

Alex is just more versatile, IMO.

 

Mick

Edited March 29, 2020 by bluefox4000

[Xanadoood]

I think subtlety and restraint are the biggest differences. Eddie played on 11 at all times.. Alex knew how to dial it back

[bluefox4000]

I think subtlety and restraint are the biggest differences. Eddie played on 11 at all times.. Alex knew how to dial it back

 

that's more what i meant i think.

 

good point.

 

Mick

[tangy]

to me alex had a longer and better career with a triumphant return to form on vapor trails

 

love eddie and up to 1984 van halen was gold. arguably the best american rock band

 

eddie is more influential and more a game changer than alex imo. that said, i think success was easier for eddie because of DLR. that and their use of covers. it was smart of them to do covers and they always did them well.

 

i dont play guitar so what the fucccckkkk do i know?

Edited March 29, 2020 by tangy

[Blue J]

Alex plays all kinds of solos.

 

Eddie plays one.

 

 

 

;) ;)

 

Exactly.

 

EVH is fantastic, one of the best ever.

 

But so is Alex, and I think Alex is more versatile, also.

 

Verdict: Lifeson.

[Fordgalaxy]

people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

The nagging problem with stating that Guitarist A is better than Guitarist B? Proving it.

 

True dat. Only people who are quite adept at playing can really say what's better or not. Fans, or even the casual player probably wouldn't realize how hard or easy certain types of playing can be.

[chemistry1973]

Why I vote Eddie:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlYO-lVrSCg

[Entre_Perpetuo]

people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

The nagging problem with stating that Guitarist A is better than Guitarist B? Proving it.

 

True dat. Only people who are quite adept at playing can really say what's better or not. Fans, or even the casual player probably wouldn't realize how hard or easy certain types of playing can be.

 

I say it's still subjective. If you ask John Petrucci, who can pretty much play anything at all, if he's the best guitarist in the world, I'm gonna bet he'd say no. He'd probably point to guys who have never played half the crazy licks and sweeps and all sorts of things that Petrucci has and he'd say their definitely better than him. I don't think that all comes down to wanting to remain humble. Jimi Hendrix said Terry Kath was better than him, and Terry probably thought Jimi was better anyway. If there were an objective way to determine who's better at playing an instrument, I think we'd have all figured it out by now. It has to come down to taste and influence at the end of the day. Whoever you like the best and has had the most influence on you as a player or a listener, that's probably who you're going to choose.

[Xanadoood]

people who vote with their hearts would still probably vote for Alex but they'd be wrong.

 

The nagging problem with stating that Guitarist A is better than Guitarist B? Proving it.

 

True dat. Only people who are quite adept at playing can really say what's better or not. Fans, or even the casual player probably wouldn't realize how hard or easy certain types of playing can be.

 

I say it's still subjective. If you ask John Petrucci, who can pretty much play anything at all, if he's the best guitarist in the world, I'm gonna bet he'd say no. He'd probably point to guys who have never played half the crazy licks and sweeps and all sorts of things that Petrucci has and he'd say their definitely better than him. I don't think that all comes down to wanting to remain humble. Jimi Hendrix said Terry Kath was better than him, and Terry probably thought Jimi was better anyway. If there were an objective way to determine who's better at playing an instrument, I think we'd have all figured it out by now. It has to come down to taste and influence at the end of the day. Whoever you like the best and has had the most influence on you as a player or a listener, that's probably who you're going to choose.

 

So true. I have enjoyed both eddie and Alex. Depending on my mood, they each fill a musical role for me. I couldn’t see Alex writing a riff like the opening in I’m the one just as I couldn’t see eddie playing all 18 minutes of Hemispheres. Their approach to music is very different.