I originally intended to write that Eddie Van Halen is the only guitarist of the last decade that deserves ranking in a guitar player 'hall of fame'. Then I double checked my copy of his first ablum, 'Van Halen', and saw that it was released in 1978.
1978! Was it really that long ago that You Really Got Me and Runnin' With the Devil came out? Good grief, that's 18 years ago.
Well, I'll have to amend my intial thought and put forth that he is the only 'modern day' player who I would consider on a par with the masters.
Amid all the junk that often passes for music since the heydays of the 60s and 70s, Eddie Van Halen is a breath of fresh air. He honestly seems to care about things like integrity, excellence and ability.
Unlike many of his peers, (Steve Vai or Joe Satriani come to mind), his notes actually mean something. He is an incredibly fast player, but he puts his licks to good use. He uses his technical prowess with taste and precision; not just speed for speed's sake.
Also, he appears to have matured gracefully--he relies now more on well choosen melodic solos instead of indulging in a foot race at every turn. His partnership with Sammy Hagar (formerly of Montrose) has served him well. Van Halen (the band) is among the few surviving heavy rock groups still being aired to any great degree.
I say 'kudos' to Eddie Van Halen for keeping alive the notion that a guitar player is still a guitar player--not some arsty-fartsy rythym machine that wouldn't know a lead break if it him over the head. Keep it up, Eddie. Maybe you and Joe Perry can get together in a few years and reminisce about the final days of rock and roll as a living, breathing art form.
But then again, all you and I have to do is just remember, and it will never truly die.
