Brian May: Eddie Van Halen asked me that same question.

[rustoffa]

From the latest Guitar Player:

GP: "Your solo in "It's Late" features some rare, pre-1978 two handed tapping. How come you never pursued that?"

BM: "Eddie Van Halen asked me that same question. He was very interested in that. That idea came to me because I was I was in a bar in Texas and there was this guy--I wish I could remember his name. He was playing a solo and suddenly on went his his right hand to the fretboard and he produced this yodeling sound that I thought was amazing--just an incredible extension of what the guitar can do. I went up to him afterwards and said, "That's great! I'm going to nick it!" His answer to me was "I got it from Billy Gibbons." But I've heard alot of Billy Gibbons and I don't remember ever finding it."

GP: "I believe he does it in "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers."

This is an edited response-

BM: "OK--mystery solved then. I didn't find it so easy to play onstage standing up so I kind of got off the idea. I didn't think it was that important until later when a certain genius in the world made it into an art form. I want to say this very clearly: Eddie is a God and always will be. It's not just his technique, it's also his color and spirit. But his technique is brilliant."

[bueno bob]

Interesting reading.

I'll vote for "Star Fleet 2"...

[rustoffa]

It's fascinating stuff. I never realized that Brian May dropped the f-bomb so flagrantly....what a potty mouth!!

[Diamondjimi]

Originally posted by rustoffa
From the latest Guitar Player:

BM: " I didn't think it was that important until later when a certain genius in the world made it into an art form. I want to say this very clearly: Eddie is a God and always will be. It's not just his technique, it's also his color and spirit. But his technique is brilliant."

Well said Guvnah!


Thanks for the post Rusty

[letsrock]

Brian May is still alive?

[binnie]

Very interesting stuff. I'd never recognized that in "Beer drinkers..."

[letsrock]

Depends on who is playing it.

[DavidLeeNatra]

Originally posted by bueno bob
Interesting reading.

I'll vote for "Star Fleet 2"...

I'll always vote for those fantastic titties in your sig-pic...

[letsrock]

Ed didnt invent tapping. Jazz, and Blues used it for years. Anyone ever see Mr Hendrix? Jesus people.

[Casemeister]

Ed didn't invent it, but he certainly took it further than anybody else ever did or ever will. Though he didn't invent it, in many ways, tapping "belongs" to Ed.

How many others just played Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers? :-)

The tapping in that song is very, very tastefully used -- so tastefully that it's hard to detect it. It's also not Eruption-style tapping; it's more like the tapping used in the Panama solo. Not sure if there's an actual name for it or not, but it's a cool technique that I enjoy using myself.

And, BTW, how great are the solos in that song? Billy Gibbons is an underrated player. The dude can seriously play. I need to complete my ZZ Top collection!

[Diamondjimi]

Originally posted by Casemeister
Billy Gibbons is an underrated player. The dude can seriously play.

Under rated??? Maybe if ya work for Rolling Stone...

Rev. Willie G. has finest tone in the land and chops to die for.

Even Hendrix was aware of Billy's greatness.

[Diamondjimi]

Jimi & Billy , back when he played in a band called The Moving Sidewalks.

[jhale667]

Originally posted by diamondjimi
Under rated??? Maybe if ya work for Rolling Stone...

Rev. Willie G. has finest tone in the land and chops to die for.

Even Hendrix was aware of Billy's greatness.

I have a quote somewhere where Hendrix refers to Billy as his "favorite" guitarist...

[letsrock]

Didnt know Billy and hendrix ever hooked up. Thats a super cool picture.

[Terry]

Originally posted by DavidLeeNatra
I'll always vote for those fantastic titties in your sig-pic...

Fuckin' A to that!

[kenny8]

Let's hope Ed can return the favor by telling Brian how pointless it is to try and carry on an iconic band without your original and much loved front man.......

....bass players (with the exception of John Entwistle and the like) are replaceable though

[Terry]

Well, Ed never did explicitly lay claim to inventing "tapping"...about the closest he came to that was saying that there are a whole bunch of people who have two hands on the fretboard now that didn't before he came along...and that's fair enough, I suppose.

[letsrock]

Terry,

Very good point.

John

[EDDIEVRULZ]

ive read interviews where ed has talked about billy tapping before him. he just took it to the next level. and a great level at that!

[letsrock]

Never mind all the Blues or Jazz players decades before him. Shit Les paul did it all.

[flappo]

eddie van halen & brian may

don't get better than that

[letsrock]

Eddie Van Halen and george lynch.

[jhale667]

Originally posted by letsrock
Eddie Van Halen and george lynch.

And Randy Rhoads.

My guitar holy trinity. Blessed by thine names...

[letsrock]

Amen to that.

[ThrillsNSpills]

Originally posted by rustoffa
From the latest Guitar Player:

GP: "Your solo in "It's Late" features some rare, pre-1978 two handed tapping. How come you never pursued that?"

BM: "Eddie Van Halen asked me that same question. He was very interested in that. That idea came to me because I was I was in a bar in Texas and there was this guy--I wish I could remember his name. He was playing a solo and suddenly on went his his right hand to the fretboard and he produced this yodeling sound that I thought was amazing--just an incredible extension of what the guitar can do. I went up to him afterwards and said, "That's great! I'm going to nick it!" His answer to me was "I got it from Billy Gibbons." But I've heard alot of Billy Gibbons and I don't remember ever finding it."

GP: "I believe he does it in "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers."

[/I]

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listen to him go man.......
Brilliant

not just for the tapping but how it subtly speeds up out of nowhere and gets taken up a notch.

phenomenal guitar tone and vocal harmonies as well, but you knew that.

[diamondsgirl]

I have not listened to "It's Late" for years! I love that tune. I used to play it over and over back in the day. Gotta put that on later.

[78/84 guy]

Early ZZ Top is killer !!!