I recall in 1980...I was 13. Some cheap piece of shit radio was playing in the local community centre, tuned to Q107 in Toronto. I heard the opening to "And the Cradle Will Rock". I was blown away - most especially by that unusual guitar sound at the beginning - the flange effect or whatever it was.
I stood there in amazement and listened to the end waiting for the fucking radio announced to identify the song and the group. I had never heard of Van Halen up to that point.
Once I found out who it was...I immediately went out and bought the 45 (remember 45s???) of "Cradle..." and once I saved up enough of my allowance from my Mommy ( ha ha), I bought "Women and Children First" .
From that point on and to this day...I'm hooked on Roth Halen.
Does anyone know how the great Eddie was able to create that sound? And the similar sound on "Unchained". Is that "flange"? I don't fucking know . Whatever it is...it sounds amazing and I had never heard anything like that before I heard "Cradle..."