Randy Rhoads vs. EVH?

[chrisom]

From the VHND...

Eddie Van Halen and the late, great, Randy Rhoads were two of the youngest, hottest guitarists of the ’70s. Both happened to live in southern California, and their paths crossed from time to time. Here’s some Eddie Van Halen tidbits from Randy Rhoads biographer, Andrew Klein:

•The very first time Randy Rhoads saw Van Halen [in '76 or '77], he took his girlfriend Jan with him. Jan told us that Randy was ‘devastated’ after the show. Here he was, the king of Burbank. Everyone was always telling him how great he was. Then he saw Eddie and it opened his eyes and he got a major reality check. It was healthy for him. He was inspired. He thought Eddie was great. He wanted to be great also. I know they met at least four times.

•Quiet Riot and Van Halen played on the same bill at Glendale College in April 1977. Quiet Riot opened, Van Halen was the headliner. Randy once approached Eddie and asked him how he was able to keep his guitar in tune without a locking nut for his tremolo. Eddie refused to tell him and said it was his own secret. Randy couldn’t comprehend because he was a teacher at his core. He loved to help others and he was always willing to share anything he knew. He would teach anyone anything they wanted to learn. So, he was quite disappointed in Eddie’s treatment of him.

•Randy and his good friend Lori Hollen were in the parking lot behind the Whisky loading his gear into this car. Eddie and Dave (DLR) pulled up alongside of them in a white Mercedes diesel and began harassing him. Lori quickly put a stop to it and actually slapped Dave across his face.

•Quiet Riot’s drummer, Drew Forsyth, has said that the Eddie/Randy rivalry has been made up to be so much more than it was. He also said that Eddie used to come watch Randy play way more than Randy used to go see Eddie play. They were both great, and I’m sure there was an immense amount of mutual respect.

•Randy told journalist John Stix that he does a lot of Eddie’s licks live, and it kills him that he does that. But he added that it’s just flash, and that’s what the kids want to see. That’s what impresses them. He also said that it kills him because he believes in the importance of finding your own voice and style. He thought the worst thing a guitar player could do was copy someone else.

•When Randy was home on break from the Ozzy tour, he decided to drive to his local music store to buy some classical albums. Randy said that when he walked into the record store, Eddie Van Halen was standing on line at the register purchasing the Diary of a Madman album. Imagine that scene. Can you imagine walking into a record store on any given day and seeing both Eddie and Randy in there at the same time?

[Lefty Lou]

I love both Eddie and Randy (seen em' both live) but I love the story about EVH, Gary Moore, and Ritchie Blackmore the best, Don Airey in an interview with The Highway Star in 2004:

THS: Any guitar players that you haven't worked with that you would love to work with?

DA: Yeah, there is one. Eddie Van Halen. I'm a big fan of him. I don't suppose I'll ever...

THS: Have you run into him?

DA: Actually, I had a marvellous thing when I was in Rainbow. The first American tour, we got to LA and Gary had moved there and we had a night out. He said, "I've gotten matey with Eddie Van Halen." and so they came to the gig together. Eddie looked like a kid, he was such a lovely chap. So then I saw Eddie's eyes going, big eyes, you know? "Oh, Ritchie's coming!", and he couldn't believe it. So I said, "Ritchie, I want to introduce you, this is Gary Moore and this is Eddie Van Halen." And Ritchie just stormed off! He must have thought I was taking the piss or something. And Eddie went, "what did I do?" I said, "nothing." I don't know, it was very strange. I think Ritchie thought -- I don't know, I don't know what he thought!

THS: It was a Ritchie moment!

DA: It was one of those wonderful Ritchie moments! Eddie still talks about it.

[Tone Slinger]

Great posts Chrisom and Lou . I'll go with the odds and say that the truth, concerning Ed & Randy's relationship, was somewhere in the middle of all that. There's a recent Chris Holmes (Wasp, Pasadena raised) interview on youtube and he described all out animosity concerning those two bands,complete warfare. The guitar players are always put in the middle,with being introverted yet having to take the sides of thier outgoing band members.

Ritchie Blackmore has come clean about alot of his 'attitudes', concerning the behaviors of his past. He has said that he was "insecure" and was worried about other guitarists being "Better" than himself.

[Lefty Lou]

Great posts Chrisom and Lou . I'll go with the odds and say that the truth, concerning Ed & Randy's relationship, was somewhere in the middle of all that. There's a recent Chris Holmes (Wasp, Pasadena raised) interview on youtube and he described all out animosity concerning those two bands,complete warfare. The guitar players are always put in the middle,with being introverted yet having to take the sides of thier outgoing band members.

Ritchie Blackmore has come clean about alot of his 'attitudes', concerning the behaviors of his past. He has said that he was "insecure" and was worried about other guitarists being "Better" than himself.

I met Ritchie when I was working at Dillard's in the 80's. He was using Molly Hatchet's tour bus for a concert in Norman Okla. He came in the store with his road manager "coked to the gills" with bloodshot eyes. I asked a stupid question like, have you ever played with any left handed guitarists, and he looked at his manager and replied, "there was that black bloke". I'm thinking to myself, "you aren't even a hair on Jimi Hendrix's backside" as a guitarist when compared to Jimi, and I do like Ritchie as a guitarist but he's a cocky fucker or a fucky cocker. LOL

[NY Chief]

From the VHND...

Randy once approached Eddie and asked him how he was able to keep his guitar in tune without a locking nut for his tremolo. Eddie refused to tell him and said it was his own secret. Randy couldn’t comprehend because he was a teacher at his core. He loved to help others and he was always willing to share anything he knew. He would teach anyone anything they wanted to learn. So, he was quite disappointed in Eddie’s treatment of him.

And that's why I can't get on the EVH bandwagon in total. I have heard similar stories and have been treated the same by guys I once respected whether a big name or local cock head. As opposed to when I met Brian May who was more interested in MY gear and influences etc or Les Paul after every gig. "I'll meet you by the door a little later to chat" or Jeff Beck when we talked about hot rods. Ritchie was civil to me but I met him later in his career and my friend Greg was playing bass in Rainbow at the time so I guess he didn't see as a just a giggly fanboy (which I was!) These people are idolized, they don't have to be scumbags.

[Lefty Lou]

From the VHND...

Randy once approached Eddie and asked him how he was able to keep his guitar in tune without a locking nut for his tremolo. Eddie refused to tell him and said it was his own secret. Randy couldn’t comprehend because he was a teacher at his core. He loved to help others and he was always willing to share anything he knew. He would teach anyone anything they wanted to learn. So, he was quite disappointed in Eddie’s treatment of him.

And that's why I can't get on the EVH bandwagon in total. I have heard similar stories and have been treated the same by guys I once respected whether a big name or local cock head. As opposed to when I met Brian May who was more interested in MY gear and influences etc or Les Paul after every gig. "I'll meet you by the door a little later to chat" or Jeff Beck when we talked about hot rods. Ritchie was civil to me but I met him later in his career and my friend Greg was playing bass in Rainbow at the time so I guess he didn't see as a just a giggly fanboy (which I was!) These people are idolized, they don't have to be scumbags.

I never was really a phsycophant when it came to guitar players, sure I loved certain guitarists but I was not going to fawn all over them like a gushing girl because after all they're human beings first and foremost (sometimes the human part is questionable however). Some of them love it, and want to be put on a pedestal. Some of them hate it as it makes them feel uncomfortable like Neil Peart of Rush f.e.

My buddy who is a jazz guitarist extraordinaire opened for George Benson his hero, and afterwards he was really let down by George's demeanor towards him. I don't give musicians a cause for mistreating me in any way because I act like I could care less (and at my age it's getting easier and easier to do). When you get older, you put up with less shit and speak your mind because it's "Now or Never" as you never know when your time's up. Some would say you get more crotchety with age like this guy. LOL

[rdodson]

Eddie is the nicest guy sober. However, the vast majority of his past was spent in a far less than sober state.

Most of these guys are insecure. That is what drove many of them to the arts in the first place. The guys who play guitar just to "get chicks" usually don't practice enough to get really, really good.

[garbeaj]

I met Ritchie when I was working at Dillard's in the 80's. He was using Molly Hatchet's tour bus for a concert in Norman Okla. He came in the store with his road manager "coked to the gills" with bloodshot eyes. I asked a stupid question like, have you ever played with any left handed guitarists, and he looked at his manager and replied, "there was that black bloke". I'm thinking to myself, "you aren't even a hair on Jimi Hendrix's backside" as a guitarist when compared to Jimi, and I do like Ritchie as a guitarist but he's a cocky fucker or a fucky cocker. LOL

Interesting story...and my sympathies for having worked at Dillard's. I worked there over 10 years between '97 and '07.

[Tone Slinger]

Whats that old '70's English show where they are working in a clothing/dept. store ? You guy's are reminding me of that with the working at Dillards talk

[garbeaj]

Are You Being Served?

Great show! And a fair comparison:)

[plexified]

Listen to the Tribute album or the king biscuit flour hour Ozzy with Randy , especially iron man solo which is insane . And then to the Van Helen live at Fresno in 79 ,the first show lfnthe world tour and that my friend is enough to just give up guitar . But its iconic ,first you have Eddie playing the snake guitar the whole show and cool as a cat ,Dave is kill in it , in fact the whole band is , Mikes iconic solo , Alex was so good the whole band came over for some crazy rythem fest where they all became entrance banging on the drum rig and it was sooooo good , Eds solo was a mix of Spanish fly ELECTRIC style and to me ,the, roadmap for guitar . Then Randy's sound was so huge I think the whole damn arena was resonating .And from that concert you have one of the best photos ever . And that was Ozzy holding up Randy playing the solo during Mr Crowley playing the Sandoval polka dot V . amazing

[Tone Slinger]

Imo, Ed had a more primal 'rhythm' type style. He was very much tied into the Drums and groove. He had some FUNK in him. He also had a personality, that up to his early/mid '20's, was still very WIDE OPEN and youthfull. His imagination hadnt been 'conditioned' and stifled by adult society yet. He, on the spot, had Great improvisational moments.

Rhoads, on the other hand was much more cerebral and methodical. He amassed a style that allowed him to take full advantage of the 'possibilities'. He was very orchestrated and, imo, had more choices at his disposal than Ed. I dont think he quite possessed that mentally 'kinetic' type comradery that many musicians share of just being able to pick up on the spot and create something . You know, that eye contact head nod type thing where the groove/foundation is laid and what is being created moves by way of the musicians improvisations. Ed had that, but Rhoads was more Singular.

[fivecoyote]

Agree. For me RRs peak in Ozzy was the song Diary of a Madman. Always seemed orchestral to me. Just an incredible rock tune...or any tune. So far above and beyond. Not sure what to pick for EVH but will take Mean Street, from the intro all the way out. It's got the funk and the just plain insane genius that is Ed (and Ed + Al). Love them both, thank them both, a lot of fun moments and smiles in life thanks to them.