Guitar poll: Alex Lifeson or Eddie Van Halen?

[RushFanForever]

They were both managed by Ray Danniels. I wonder who Ray would pick?

[Entre_Perpetuo]

They were both managed by Ray Danniels. I wonder who Ray would pick?

 

Well Ray fired Geddy so... :P

[tangy]

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.

 

terry kath was great. i think i saw the same documentary where that guy said that about jimi saying that about terry.

 

seems a little too second hand to me. certainly a chemically enhanced memory from only one guy. that i know of, could be wrong , bu i am a little skeptical

 

what i have read before was jimi was a big fan of billy gibbons of zz top.

[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.

 

terry kath was great. i think i saw the same documentary where that guy said that about jimi saying that about terry.

 

seems a little too second hand to me. certainly a chemically enhanced memory from only one guy. that i know of, could be wrong , bu i am a little skeptical

 

what i have read before was jimi was a big fan of billy gibbons of zz top.

 

Billy Gibbons is insane. The feedback in his solos should make anyone from Jimi's wave of rock jealous, lol.

[RushFanForever]

what i have read before was jimi was a big fan of billy gibbons of zz top.

 

 

Billy Gibbons band 'The Moving Sidewalks' opened for Jimi Hendrix noted here.

 

Jimmy Vaughan's band 'The Chessman' opened for Jimi Hendrix as well noted here.

 

Two legendary Texas guitar slingers opening for Hendrix is pretty mind-blowing.

Edited March 29, 2020 by RushFanForever

[tangy]

what i have read before was jimi was a big fan of billy gibbons of zz top.

 

 

Billy Gibbons band 'The Moving Sidewalks' opened for Jimi Hendrix noted here.

 

Jimmy Vaughan's band 'The Chessman' opened for Jimi Hendrix as well noted here.

 

Two legendary Texas guitar slingers opening for Hendrix is pretty mind-blowing.

 

right on

[chemistry1973]

what i have read before was jimi was a big fan of billy gibbons of zz top.

 

 

Billy Gibbons band 'The Moving Sidewalks' opened for Jimi Hendrix noted here.

 

Jimmy Vaughan's band 'The Chessman' opened for Jimi Hendrix as well noted here.

 

Two legendary Texas guitar slingers opening for Hendrix is pretty mind-blowing.

 

I saw both Jimmy and Billy play together - with Michael Anthony on bass - about 12 years ago.

[Xanadoood]

what i have read before was jimi was a big fan of billy gibbons of zz top.

 

 

Billy Gibbons band 'The Moving Sidewalks' opened for Jimi Hendrix noted here.

 

Jimmy Vaughan's band 'The Chessman' opened for Jimi Hendrix as well noted here.

 

Two legendary Texas guitar slingers opening for Hendrix is pretty mind-blowing.

 

I saw both Jimmy and Billy play together - with Michael Anthony on bass - about 12 years ago.

 

Great ZZ Top documentary on Netflix by the same guys who did beyond the lighted stage.

[Presto-digitation]

Gee, I wonder what the answers would be on a Van Halen forum? :D

[IbanezJem]

Gee, I wonder what the answers would be on a Van Halen forum? :D

My experience of VH forums is that any topic becomes Dave vs Sam after 3 posts.

[tangy]

what i have read before was jimi was a big fan of billy gibbons of zz top.

 

 

Billy Gibbons band 'The Moving Sidewalks' opened for Jimi Hendrix noted here.

 

Jimmy Vaughan's band 'The Chessman' opened for Jimi Hendrix as well noted here.

 

Two legendary Texas guitar slingers opening for Hendrix is pretty mind-blowing.

 

I saw both Jimmy and Billy play together - with Michael Anthony on bass - about 12 years ago.

 

Great ZZ Top documentary on Netflix by the same guys who did beyond the lighted stage.

 

will check that out. thanks

[RUSHHEAD666]

Christ not this again

 

LOL!

 

You mean, "Christ what have you done?"

[RUSHHEAD666]

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

 

I just typed my top five guitar players on here somewhere recently. Eddie Van Halen is my number one. Alex is more versatile but with Eddie's ferocity and tone. He is the MAN!

[RUSHHEAD666]

what i have read before was jimi was a big fan of billy gibbons of zz top.

 

 

Billy Gibbons band 'The Moving Sidewalks' opened for Jimi Hendrix noted here.

 

Jimmy Vaughan's band 'The Chessman' opened for Jimi Hendrix as well noted here.

 

Two legendary Texas guitar slingers opening for Hendrix is pretty mind-blowing.

 

I saw both Jimmy and Billy play together - with Michael Anthony on bass - about 12 years ago.

 

Great ZZ Top documentary on Netflix by the same guys who did beyond the lighted stage.

 

Incredible doc. Just got my blu-ray!!

[RUSHHEAD666]

Why I vote Eddie:

 

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

 

SAME!

[Xanadoood]

Why I vote Eddie:

 

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

 

SAME!

 

Great tune. Eddies nasty rythm playing is on full display.

[grep]

Al by far. Eddie has chops and a vibe. He was innovative. But he's no Lerxst.

 

I'm certain that Al can play like Eddie if he wanted to. But Al is on a whole different level - the chords and textures, his ability to fill spaces. All the melodic chaotic stuff. Eddie can only dream of playing an LVS.

[RUSHHEAD666]

Al by far. Eddie has chops and a vibe. He was innovative. But he's no Lerxst.

 

I'm certain that Al can play like Eddie if he wanted to. But Al is on a whole different level - the chords and textures, his ability to fill spaces. All the melodic chaotic stuff. Eddie can only dream of playing an LVS.

 

Wow! That is an interesting debate. No way could Alex play like Eddie! That's one serious "Ghost Of A Chance!" Zero chance!!! No one can play like Eddie. Many have tried and have failed. Nuno is a great example. An amazing guitar player. Loves Edward. His mentor.

 

Nuno doesn't even come close to the tone and technique of Eddie. Eddie changed the entire world with his amazing chops and creation of monster riffs. No one touched Eddie Van Halen. The greatest guitar player ever. JMO

 

Even over Wolf Hoffmann and Michael Schenker. Oh! My top five as of today:

 

 

Eddie Van Halen

Wolf Hoffmann

Michael Schenker

George Lynch

Warren DeMartini

[tangy]

Al by far. Eddie has chops and a vibe. He was innovative. But he's no Lerxst.

 

I'm certain that Al can play like Eddie if he wanted to. But Al is on a whole different level - the chords and textures, his ability to fill spaces. All the melodic chaotic stuff. Eddie can only dream of playing an LVS.

 

Wow! That is an interesting debate. No way could Alex play like Eddie! That's one serious "Ghost Of A Chance!" Zero chance!!! No one can play like Eddie. Many have tried and have failed. Nuno is a great example. An amazing guitar player. Loves Edward. His mentor.

 

Nuno doesn't even come close to the tone and technique of Eddie. Eddie changed the entire world with his amazing chops and creation of monster riffs. No one touched Eddie Van Halen. The greatest guitar player ever. JMO

 

Even over Wolf Hoffmann and Michael Schenker. Oh! My top five as of today:

 

 

Eddie Van Halen

Wolf Hoffmann

Michael Schenker

George Lynch

Warren DeMartini

 

 

[grep]

Rik Emmett can do Eddie. No doubt Al could pull it off too. All of it.

[grep]

Al by far. Eddie has chops and a vibe. He was innovative. But he's no Lerxst.

 

I'm certain that Al can play like Eddie if he wanted to. But Al is on a whole different level - the chords and textures, his ability to fill spaces. All the melodic chaotic stuff. Eddie can only dream of playing an LVS.

 

Wow! That is an interesting debate. No way could Alex play like Eddie! That's one serious "Ghost Of A Chance!" Zero chance!!! No one can play like Eddie. Many have tried and have failed. Nuno is a great example. An amazing guitar player. Loves Edward. His mentor.

 

Nuno doesn't even come close to the tone and technique of Eddie. Eddie changed the entire world with his amazing chops and creation of monster riffs. No one touched Eddie Van Halen. The greatest guitar player ever. JMO

 

Even over Wolf Hoffmann and Michael Schenker. Oh! My top five as of today:

 

 

Eddie Van Halen

Wolf Hoffmann

Michael Schenker

George Lynch

Warren DeMartini

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZYFdBNpJAA

 

Buckethead doesn't count. Guy is an android. Too much talent for 1 human to posses.

[Three Eyes]

Alex if only because Rush changed up their style so often.

 

If you asked an ace guitar player to play in the style of Eddie VH, he'd say "No prob" and do the impression of Eddie we all know (and love)...that of the VH music we heard in 1978 at our friend's high school beer party that he threw while his parents were out of town. If you asked him to play in the style of Al Lifeson, he'd say, "Which one? There are like 10." If Alex had had the same growth trajectory of an EVH, he wouldn't have progressed much beyond Rush's debut album. This isn't to say Eddie couldn't have grown as a player because he certainly could have, imo. It speaks more to the branding of Van Halen. Eddie's playing is comfort food to millions, just like a Coke, a Big Mac and microwave popcorn, and to seriously change it up would risk running the VH train right off the tracks. Same thing applies to AC/DC. In order do grow, you have to risk alienating the audience that made you a success to begin with.

[Blue J]

Al by far. Eddie has chops and a vibe. He was innovative. But he's no Lerxst.

 

I'm certain that Al can play like Eddie if he wanted to. But Al is on a whole different level - the chords and textures, his ability to fill spaces. All the melodic chaotic stuff. Eddie can only dream of playing an LVS.

 

Wow! That is an interesting debate. No way could Alex play like Eddie! That's one serious "Ghost Of A Chance!" Zero chance!!! No one can play like Eddie. Many have tried and have failed. Nuno is a great example. An amazing guitar player. Loves Edward. His mentor.

 

Nuno doesn't even come close to the tone and technique of Eddie. Eddie changed the entire world with his amazing chops and creation of monster riffs. No one touched Eddie Van Halen. The greatest guitar player ever. JMO

 

Even over Wolf Hoffmann and Michael Schenker. Oh! My top five as of today:

 

 

Eddie Van Halen

Wolf Hoffmann

Michael Schenker

George Lynch

Warren DeMartini

 

Warren DeMartini is a name I haven’t heard in a LONG time.

 

Thought-provoking picks, my friend!

 

So many incredible guitar players...I think my top five would be completely different from all of those!

[RUSHHEAD666]

Al by far. Eddie has chops and a vibe. He was innovative. But he's no Lerxst.

 

I'm certain that Al can play like Eddie if he wanted to. But Al is on a whole different level - the chords and textures, his ability to fill spaces. All the melodic chaotic stuff. Eddie can only dream of playing an LVS.

 

Wow! That is an interesting debate. No way could Alex play like Eddie! That's one serious "Ghost Of A Chance!" Zero chance!!! No one can play like Eddie. Many have tried and have failed. Nuno is a great example. An amazing guitar player. Loves Edward. His mentor.

 

Nuno doesn't even come close to the tone and technique of Eddie. Eddie changed the entire world with his amazing chops and creation of monster riffs. No one touched Eddie Van Halen. The greatest guitar player ever. JMO

 

Even over Wolf Hoffmann and Michael Schenker. Oh! My top five as of today:

 

 

Eddie Van Halen

Wolf Hoffmann

Michael Schenker

George Lynch

Warren DeMartini

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZYFdBNpJAA

 

I love Buckethead!! Yes!!! Pat loves him too!!

[RUSHHEAD666]

Rik Emmett can do Eddie. No doubt Al could pull it off too. All of it.

 

WOW! Rik too!!! Interesting.................................