Eddie Van Halen “I've tried to avoid playing like Eddie. I've never learned the songs on purpose so I didn't steal anything. Then I had to learn the songs – I was like, ‘This is gonna be torture’”: Joe Satriani on his preparations for this summer's Van Halen tribute tour Satch is intensely studying the intricacies of the late guitar hero's technical quirks and tone, while trying to avoid outright mimicry. The fine line between paying tribute and copying is an act of needle-threading the virtuoso says he also faced during his tenure in Deep Purple “Eddie Van Halen had me play his 5150 guitar, and then he asked me to show the solo to him, because he’d forgotten it”: Jennifer Batten recalls re-teaching EVH the Beat It solo “Not the most relaxed situation for me,” the former Michael Jackson guitarist told GP in a 1989 interview "I showed Eddie Van Halen some of what I had to learn in order to pull off Frank’s music... Eddie said, 'Who would've thought that you'd be giving me a guitar lesson!': How Dweezil Zappa took EVH inside his father's playing, and left him in awe In this vintage GP interview, Dweezil also reflected on the idiosyncratic nature of his father's soloing, and how the elder Zappa worked around his technical limitations Latest Eddie Van Halen Eddie Van Halen Mural Unveiled at Guitar Center Hollywood By Jackson Maxwell published 27 January 21 Created by Robert Vargas, the 17 feet x 105 feet mural is titled "Long Live the King." Eddie Van Halen Shares the Guitars Behind His Quest for Tone By Chris Gill published 26 January 21 Ed explains the roles that various guitars in his collection have played in his quest to find the ultimate tone. Eddie Van Halen's 10 Greatest Guest Performances By Guitar Player Staff published 20 January 21 Michael Jackson, Brian May, LL Cool J, and more, here are the times Ed shone on another artist’s song. Eddie Van Halen's 10 Greatest Recorded Moments By Mark McStea last updated 20 January 21 The Guitar Player guide to Ed's most essential cuts. Fender's 2007 Frankenstein Replica Was So Accurate That Eddie Van Halen Mistook it for His Original By Jackson Maxwell published 14 January 21 "He grabbed a Sharpie and wrote ‘This is the shit’ on the back of the neck so he could tell the difference." Don't Get Van Halen? Let's Fix That By Jude Gold published 6 January 21 Dig deeper into Eddie Van Halen's pyrotechnic style and all becomes clear – he was all about fresh new sounds for rock. Dweezil Zappa Deciphers the Secrets Behind His Friend Eddie Van Halen's Sound and Style By Art Thompson published 4 January 21 From early inspirations to gear and phrasing choices, Zappa offers the inside track on EVH's playing. Steve Lukather Remembers His Friend, Eddie Van Halen By Matt Blackett published 23 December 20 “He was the magic. The guitar just gave him a means to perform that magic.“ Jennifer Batten Recalls When Eddie Van Halen Asked Her to Re-Teach Him the "Beat It" Solo By Jackson Maxwell published 22 December 20 "It’s not something he had played with Van Halen – it was a one-off in the studio and then he went on his way," Batten said. "But I’d say he picked it up again mighty quickly!” Guitar Heroes Pay Tribute to the Genius of Eddie Van Halen By Matt Blackett published 21 December 20 Joe Satriani, Vinnie Moore, Richie Kotzen, and more on the man who changed guitar playing. 123456789Archives Get The Pick NewsletterAll the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors MOST READ1Dickey Betts on dueling with Duane Allman, and composing Allman Brothers' biggest hit2All-star tribute to David Lindley, one of the greatest sidemen of all time, announced3“We all knew it was really good… The guitar playing is just amazing”: How Dickey Betts made “Ramblin’ Man”, triumphed over tragedy and led the Allman Brothers to their greatest success4Ritchie Blackmore on Steve Howe, Jimi Hendrix, classical influences and more5The Allman Brothers Band’s Dickey Betts has died at 80
Eddie Van Halen Mural Unveiled at Guitar Center Hollywood By Jackson Maxwell published 27 January 21 Created by Robert Vargas, the 17 feet x 105 feet mural is titled "Long Live the King."
Eddie Van Halen Shares the Guitars Behind His Quest for Tone By Chris Gill published 26 January 21 Ed explains the roles that various guitars in his collection have played in his quest to find the ultimate tone.
Eddie Van Halen's 10 Greatest Guest Performances By Guitar Player Staff published 20 January 21 Michael Jackson, Brian May, LL Cool J, and more, here are the times Ed shone on another artist’s song.
Eddie Van Halen's 10 Greatest Recorded Moments By Mark McStea last updated 20 January 21 The Guitar Player guide to Ed's most essential cuts.
Fender's 2007 Frankenstein Replica Was So Accurate That Eddie Van Halen Mistook it for His Original By Jackson Maxwell published 14 January 21 "He grabbed a Sharpie and wrote ‘This is the shit’ on the back of the neck so he could tell the difference."
Don't Get Van Halen? Let's Fix That By Jude Gold published 6 January 21 Dig deeper into Eddie Van Halen's pyrotechnic style and all becomes clear – he was all about fresh new sounds for rock.
Dweezil Zappa Deciphers the Secrets Behind His Friend Eddie Van Halen's Sound and Style By Art Thompson published 4 January 21 From early inspirations to gear and phrasing choices, Zappa offers the inside track on EVH's playing.
Steve Lukather Remembers His Friend, Eddie Van Halen By Matt Blackett published 23 December 20 “He was the magic. The guitar just gave him a means to perform that magic.“
Jennifer Batten Recalls When Eddie Van Halen Asked Her to Re-Teach Him the "Beat It" Solo By Jackson Maxwell published 22 December 20 "It’s not something he had played with Van Halen – it was a one-off in the studio and then he went on his way," Batten said. "But I’d say he picked it up again mighty quickly!”
Guitar Heroes Pay Tribute to the Genius of Eddie Van Halen By Matt Blackett published 21 December 20 Joe Satriani, Vinnie Moore, Richie Kotzen, and more on the man who changed guitar playing.