Evh on Hebdrix comparisions

[Tone Slinger]

Great post MM ! I agree with you.

I have been trying to clear my mind and personal feelings about this topic, to try and come to a unbiased opinion. Here it is,


Hendrix at his best, was very good, and he was there at a time when 'distorted' loud rock type music was in its infancy. He stood OUT. He had a very distinct voice on his solo/lead style. Very sustaining type thing with 'solo vocalist' type style to his guitar leads. Very sax like. He was black, and he died at 27, while still at his peak. This added to his legacy.

On the other hand........ he was HORRIBLY out of tune MUCH of the time (cant stand the open high e and b string lick on Spanish Caste magic on most live stuff), and his vocals were very poor and/or lazy on much of the live stuff.

When he was on 'live' it was great, but very often not. I think Hendrix was best eximplified on the 'Electric Ladyland' album. He really shined on that.


Eddie had more to build(influences) on than Hendrix, so he was able to solo with a bit more harmonic flair and color, as well as having more technical ability, enableing him to play at certain speeds better.

Eddie was possibly a bit more 'commercial' sounding, with more accessable hooks and melodies in his songwriting. Eddie wouldnt divert back to a 1/4/5 type backdrop like Hendrix often would.

Being completely honest here, Eddie used his bar MUCH more creativly than Hendrix did, all while keeping his guitar very well in tune.

I agree that Ed is a bit egotistical, but, in a way he is just being honest, I mean, he really has been about the best rock guitarist ever. I agree with MM though, Ed seems to have lost some of that incredible timing he had in his solo's.

The solo in 'Beat It' ,measure for measure, or just it's feel/impact alone, stands as one of the greatest solo's ever. Especially when the listener's are listening for enjoyment.

[NY Chief]

Being completely honest here, Eddie used his bar MUCH more creativly than Hendrix did, all while keeping his guitar very well in tune.

Well, if that is the standard than Ed doesn't hold a candle to Beck. (You KNOW I HAD to say that, TS! )

Right on MM...
"...they both were at the top of creativity, technique, and feel for their generation. When they were at their prime..No one can touch either of them....
To me Ed took what Jimi did to the next level. Both were originals. Nobody sounded like them before they came along, but afterwards, almost all the guitarists out there stole their licks shamelessly."

" I don't listen to music to be lectured on how to think from some druggie musician. For me it's all about the music. I can read and make up my mind on the other issues my own way thank you very much..,"

I still think Jimi get's the edge because there was nothing like him before. Ed re-invented it somewhat. And being a blues based player Hendrix appeals more to me. I still say Ed cannot play a blues for more than a minute before resorting to a billion notes. IMO.

[spaceace76]

To be fair, those old fender trems had lots of tuning problems. By Ed's time, people had figured out workarounds. Today, we have companies that make reproductions that need few workarounds, if at all. You can't really blame the guy for gear that didn't work well, but you can praise him for being able to bring his best despite those issues. There's a clip of Jimi, i think he was on TV at the time, where his guitar goes out of tune. But instead of stopping he tunes the damn thing and blends it seamlessly with his solo!

I agree, both were untouchable in their prime, and since Ed was later he had a much larger "trick bag" to study and build on. If you look at the guitar heroes before Jimi, they weren't doing anything like what he did. He squeezed out the most he could with the gear/conventions of playing that were around, and I think Ed did the same. In that respect, they are/were both masters of their respective crafts.

[Tone Slinger]

Well put guy's.

[beaulieu]

This is a no win argument...Jimi fans like Jimi better...Evh fans like VH better but to make a comment like " lol. Hendrix was pro for like 5 years and created more and did more for electric guitar than anybody since. Eddie's been around for decades and I don't see much coming from him except his name on a bunch of bullshit for sale".Cumon really? I will have to disagree on that. Now Jimi was cut short and im sure he would of did more stuff and he was the first to use the bar in that way but how can anyone not think EVH didnt change guitar when he came out?? He rewrote it kinda.Maybe not for some people but for the masses he did.Also this comment
"its hard for him to keep that thing tuned? Well he didn't have a floyd rose locking everything in place and a super flat easy to play radius. I'd like to see Eddie play on a vintage radius normal stock strat and squeeze an ounce of soul out of it. Hendrix had gobs of soul IMO".
with no respect you must of never heard VH bootlegs etc. They were played on a Vintage fender NON LOCKING tremolo. He wials on that thing and it stays in tune rather well. I think people arguing over or saying one players better then another is pointless. Music is not a compitition.Music is in the ear of the beholder. Whatever YOU like IS the best!!

[jbzoso2002]

F%#k Edward Van Halen!

I used to really look up to evh, heck thats why I started
to play guitar.

His disrespecting of other players as well as his own
band members has totaly turned me off.

I read 1 interview that he said Page plays like a 5yr old
with a broken arm.

What a complete jack off!

Jimmy

[BLOOZE]

Jimi Hendrix is the real deal

[beaulieu]

F%#k Edward Van Halen!



His disrespecting of other players as well as his own
band members has totaly turned me off.



Jimmy

Although I still like old VH I'd have to 100% agree with you.After seeing the 07 reunion and some of the YouTube clips and ED saying how Awesome his son is.Says NOW he has a huge wall of sound behind him(His Son) Whatever.I have lost respect for him also.I still believe what my last post says but I also do agree with how Shitty he has been as of lately!!

[Tone-Freak]

Jimi Hendrix is the real deal

Totaly

[johnny q]

Wait....he's not dissing Hendrix....he is dissing some dude named "Hebdrix!"

[basile865]

Bottom Line: Two different flavors - Two different people who took a lot of heart and pushed the envelope on the guitar.

There is no competition or who's better. Both are worthy of going down in history as greats.

The fact that EVH has negative comments to make about greats who paved the road before him is a complete turnoff and I lose much respect for him because of it.

As far as hendrix's vocals and tune and this and that - I dig it all. Its part of his wildness. If I wanted great vocals and perfectly in tune guitars I'll listen to the Beatles, Crosby Stills Nash, etc. whom I love as well. But if I want a whale tail to hit me in the chest and make you feel like youre gonna take off then its gotta be Hendrix. He had a powerful freedom about him.

EVH did his homework and was very creative and quick but everything sounded very pre-meditated with him. Polished. Not that I want somebody sloppy but I dig how hendrix would frequently approach the line of his ability and then ever so slightly cross it. I felt his anger, his anxiousness, his pain, his happiness etc. EVH was more of a guitar hero I guess that youd have in some sort of competitive thing. Hendrix was someone that wasnt supposed to ever be put in a competition he was just an art that was worth beholding in its own right. all IMHO.

[itsonlyadam]

Wait....he's not dissing Hendrix....he is dissing some dude named "Hebdrix!"

16 post and spewing bossy insults that says a lot

Better than 508 posts and being a dick.

I intentionally put some smiley faces so everyone including the OP would know I was making a "funny."

Sorry my post count doesn't allow me to crack a joke on YOUR forum.

JQ

HAHAHAHA! Dude, I totally get you on the Hebdrix thing... you own man!