Ed once asked "Jeff Berlin" to join Van Halen ?

[twonabomber]

i may still have that mag, i will be going through some things here and if i find it i'll scan it.

There was another event sometime the nineties, a showcase set up by Sterling Ball that featured Ed, Steve Morse and Albert Lee. It was covered by a writer from Musician magazine, who went on (in a lengthy article) to slam EVH for his inability to keep up with Morse and Lee, making "elephant noises" instead of fitting in with the complex, country-based tunes.

Well, Sir Ed went on a rampage, disallowing any interviews with the magazine from that day forward. I wish I could find the original piece, because the guy really tore Ed a new asshole. And in Ed's defense, it really was somewhat uncalled for. The thing is, it was the first public comeuppance that Mr. Van Halen ever had, and I honestly believe it was the beginning of the weird as shit relations that the guy has had with music magazines to this very day.

[VHscraps]

There was another event sometime the nineties, a showcase set up by Sterling Ball that featured Ed, Steve Morse and Albert Lee. It was covered by a writer from Musician magazine, who went on (in a lengthy article) to slam EVH for his inability to keep up with Morse and Lee, making "elephant noises" instead of fitting in with the complex, country-based tunes.

Well, Sir Ed went on a rampage, disallowing any interviews with the magazine from that day forward. I wish I could find the original piece, because the guy really tore Ed a new asshole. And in Ed's defense, it really was somewhat uncalled for. The thing is, it was the first public comeuppance that Mr. Van Halen ever had, and I honestly believe it was the beginning of the weird as shit relations that the guy has had with music magazines to this very day.

I have that article / mag. I'd scan it for you if I thought I could post it here.

Ed's big gripe wasn't really that he was shown up by the other two (although the journalist says he was shown up). His main gripe was that Musician magazine were using him to sell copies. Eddie happened to be at some music expo event and agreed to get up on stage with the other two, who were the billed attraction. But, Musician magazine splashed it all over the cover and sold it as 'Van Halen's Guitar Rumble'. Talk about fuckin' ambushing somebody - when he was doing Lee and Morse a favour by getting them attention - same as he did with Holdsworth, who just bitches about the Road Games record (he couldn't wait for Eddie to get back from South America and decided to produce it himself, with Templeman as 'Exec. producer', instead of Eddie - result = it sold squat because he did the same stuff that only the same guitar heads ever want to listen to).

But the Musician article - at the time I thought it touched on Eddie's insecurities probably pretty accurately - but at the same time it was as mean as fuck. I don't see he should be insecure about his playing, but I think he is just generally an insecure guy - in all aspects. Hence the booze. Why would Eddie want to be like those other two guys? Y'know, it was like saying - "hey Albert Lee, why ain't you writing tunes that they play on the radio, or that make people wanna punch the air at in jubilation at how uplifting it is? How come only fuckin guitar nerds listen to your music?" etc.

Y'know -- Albert Lee and Steve Morse and any number of other players are probably better than Eddie technically, but they are all pretty anonymous technicians - sing me one of their tunes! That's what I like about Eddie - he writes songs. And he's got soul, man - or at least, he used to have soul. Listen to Eddie on the first 3-4 VH albums and he is just pure energy, man; pure character. That's the difference - couple of notes of that Brown and you know it's him.

[lesfunk]

I studied with Jeff Berlin and he's probably the most skilled musician playing an electric bass alive today. He's also a terrible teacher because he's working on such a high level he glosses over stuff a schlub like me needs to think about.
He would have been completely wrong for VH. It's funny that Ed trid to replace Anthony so many times when Anthony was the perfect bass player for Van Halen

[chefcraig]

I studied with Jeff Berlin...

"Big deal, I studied with Segovia. Really, I did. I'm not kidding, I mean it, I truly studied with Segovia. Seriously. Damn it, why doesn't anybody believe me? Oh, and these guitars I'm hocking on the Home Shopping Network actually are quality merchandise. No, the hat is not made out of plastic. Come on, stop laughing at me, you bastards."

[Diamondjimi]

As I said last time this thread came around if you want to hear how gimmicky and shit Van Halen music sounds with virtuoso bass playing get a hold of an EEAS live bootleg.

Exactly Sesh.

Although I thought the EEAS lineup was a great bunch of players. I was simply too much when it came to the bands rhythm section. Billy tone is fucking grating. It sounds like a weed wacker with a broken muffler...
Mike was the perfect bassist for Ed's style of music, less busy and a slave to the groove...

[Diamondjimi]

There was another event sometime the nineties, a showcase set up by Sterling Ball that featured Ed, Steve Morse and Albert Lee. It was covered by a writer from Musician magazine, who went on (in a lengthy article) to slam EVH for his inability to keep up with Morse and Lee, making "elephant noises" instead of fitting in with the complex, country-based tunes.

Well, Sir Ed went on a rampage, disallowing any interviews with the magazine from that day forward. I wish I could find the original piece, because the guy really tore Ed a new asshole. And in Ed's defense, it really was somewhat uncalled for. The thing is, it was the first public comeuppance that Mr. Van Halen ever had, and I honestly believe it was the beginning of the weird as shit relations that the guy has had with music magazines to this very day.

Ed went on a rampge because he'd have probably liked to forget that he had his fuckin ass handed to him AGAIN!
His inabilty to contribute to the context of the music was his downfall. He was doing the "Eddie Van Halen Show" and it backfired. He's a one trick pony in that sense. He CAN"T play Jazz, he CAN"T play Country.... (he can FAKE classical) He is a Rock guitarist. In his mind/universe he likes to believe he's much more. But in reality, he's not even though he's probably the most influential guitarist of his generation. I have met and hung out with Morse & Lee. Two absolute monster players who, as human beings, are the salt of the Earth.
I wonder if Ed's had all the door frames of his home modified to fit his big fuckin head through....

I have a poster of that Musician cover with the 3 of them on it.... somewhere around here.

I have that article / mag. I'd scan it for you if I thought I could post it here.

Ed's big gripe wasn't really that he was shown up by the other two (although the journalist says he was shown up). His main gripe was that Musician magazine were using him to sell copies. Eddie happened to be at some music expo event and agreed to get up on stage with the other two, who were the billed attraction. But, Musician magazine splashed it all over the cover and sold it as 'Van Halen's Guitar Rumble'. Talk about fuckin' ambushing somebody - when he was doing Lee and Morse a favour by getting them attention - same as he did with Holdsworth, who just bitches about the Road Games record (he couldn't wait for Eddie to get back from South America and decided to produce it himself, with Templeman as 'Exec. producer', instead of Eddie - result = it sold squat because he did the same stuff that only the same guitar heads ever want to listen to).

But the Musician article - at the time I thought it touched on Eddie's insecurities probably pretty accurately - but at the same time it was as mean as fuck. I don't see he should be insecure about his playing, but I think he is just generally an insecure guy - in all aspects. Hence the booze. Why would Eddie want to be like those other two guys? Y'know, it was like saying - "hey Albert Lee, why ain't you writing tunes that they play on the radio, or that make people wanna punch the air at in jubilation at how uplifting it is? How come only fuckin guitar nerds listen to your music?" etc.

Y'know -- Albert Lee and Steve Morse and any number of other players are probably better than Eddie technically, but they are all pretty anonymous technicians - sing me one of their tunes! That's what I like about Eddie - he writes songs. And he's got soul, man - or at least, he used to have soul. Listen to Eddie on the first 3-4 VH albums and he is just pure energy, man; pure character. That's the difference - couple of notes of that Brown and you know it's him.

Whatever, scan the goddamn article and post the fucker for us . Would you please?!

[Diamondjimi]

"Big deal, I studied with Segovia. Really, I did. I'm not kidding, I mean it, I truly studied with Segovia. Seriously. Damn it, why doesn't anybody believe me? Oh, and these guitars I'm hocking on the Home Shopping Network actually are quality merchandise. No, the hat is not made out of plastic. Come on, stop laughing at me, you bastards."

My girlfriend ordered one of that Fucktard's guitars off the infomercial (before I met her) When she showed it to me I couldn't cuntain my laughter. I was literally rolling on the fucking floor laffing my bawls off.
That clown is a snake oil salesman ,at best. They're probably worse than GAR's plywood Charvette!

[Diamondjimi]

Hey, why not some Albert Lee?
(Yes Lee wrote this and made a boatload of $ Rickey Scaggs version)

<object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PscAZyOMGiA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PscAZyOMGiA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object>

And of course one frome the incredible Dixie Dregs
<object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VohubM8Hls4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VohubM8Hls4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object>

Note to EVH: THIS IS HOW YOU PLAY OVER COUNTRY GROOVES!

[VHscraps]

Ed went on a rampge because he'd have probably liked to forget that he had his fuckin ass handed to him AGAIN!
His inabilty to contribute to the context of the music was his downfall. He was doing the "Eddie Van Halen Show" and it backfired. He's a one trick pony in that sense. He CAN"T play Jazz, he CAN"T play Country.... (he can FAKE classical) He is a Rock guitarist. In his mind/universe he likes to believe he's much more. But in reality, he's not even though he's probably the most influential guitarist of his generation. I have met and hung out with Morse & Lee. Two absolute monster players who, as human beings, are the salt of the Earth.
I wonder if Ed's had all the door frames of his home modified to fit his big fuckin head through....

I have a poster of that Musician cover with the 3 of them on it.... somewhere around here.


Whatever, scan the goddamn article and post the fucker for us . Would you please?!

Yer, okay - but it's way past my bedtime (in the UK) and I ain't gettin any younger - I will do it in the morn, which will probably be YOUR bedtime.

Considering you are 94 years old I will trust in Zeus, or whoever holds up the sky for you, that you can remain undead until tomorrow ...

[Diamondjimi]

Yer, okay - but it's way past my bedtime (in the UK) and I ain't gettin any younger - I will do it in the morn, which will probably be YOUR bedtime.

Considering you are 94 years old I will trust in Zeus, or whoever holds up the sky for you, that you can remain undead until tomorrow ...

Haha, nice one!
Forgot you're 6 hrs ahead of us over here.
Tomorrow's cool man...

[GreenBayLA]

What do bassists Jeff Berlin & Billy Sheehan have in common?

Neither of them realise that bass solos are like fart solos. Kind of fun for soloist but everyone else finds them inappropriate and wants to go to the bar.

Obviously you're excluding a MICHAEL ANTHONY bass solo SM...
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1d_LchzU0-g&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1d_LchzU0-g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[Seshmeister]

I would unplug him.

Seriously.

Why is that fucking noise acceptable just because it's him making it? It's the emperors new clothes. If anyone did that in any other circumstances you would switch off his amp and then shout at him saying stop making that hellish fucking noise or I'll kill you.

[lesfunk]

"Big deal, I studied with Segovia. Really, I did. I'm not kidding, I mean it, I truly studied with Segovia. Seriously. Damn it, why doesn't anybody believe me? Oh, and these guitars I'm hocking on the Home Shopping Network actually are quality merchandise. No, the hat is not made out of plastic. Come on, stop laughing at me, you bastards."

What are you breaking my balls for Chef? You don't think I took lessons with Berlin? It ain't that big of a deal. A lot of people did. He was on the teaching staff at M.I. when I went there and used to give bass lessons at the Bass Centre in the valley. I took a couple lessons with him just to say I did. Fuck you if you doubt.
As far as Esteban goes, I ain't as good as him.

[DavidLeeNatra]

when drums stop...very bad...bass solo...

[VHscraps]

Haha, nice one!
Forgot you're 6 hrs ahead of us over here.
Tomorrow's cool man...

Okay - here it is. Let's hope I don't fuck this up - it's 12 pages. I can't get it to embed the images .... WTF

Haven't had time to read it again - but the way I remember it was that the story was really on Steve Morse or Albert Lee (or both). Because they were appearing at a MusicMan Ernie Ball thing, Eddie happened to be there too, and he got up onstage. My impression was that it was not set up as a Musician interview with Van Halen, but because he was there and the guy was doing the story on those guitarists and promoting Music Man gear, he spoke to him. The journalist, Matt Resnicoff (I think Ed later called him Matt Fucknicoff) managed to interview Ed, and he suggested that his band wasn't good enough for him. That it didn't challenge him - like the widdly jazz rock fusion stuff he obviously thought was more worthy than VH (the journo goes on about Morse being so poor and VH being so rich, implying that it is unfair, etc) And, I think he also managed to get Ed to 'fess up to playing some bass on the F.U.C.K album, which he obviously didn't want to admit.

But, I think the whole thing was about the fact that he suggested Alex Van Halen, Anthony etc. weren't good enough, and then used Van Halen on the cover to sell a magazine based on a story that was really a story about Morse and Lee. AND - this must've really fucked off VH, the journo went to DLR for an assessment of Ed's limitations, or something like that, which appears towards the end of the story. Yeah, it's no wonder Leffler wanted to break his bones ...

In the aftermath, Ed Leffler wrote a fuck you letter to Musician magazine, which was published in their letters page. I think Musician magazine lost revenue 'cos ads were pulled, etc., and the journalist, Matt Resnicoff, quit the journalism business and said that Leffler threatened him with physical harm - not odd for a manager in rock'n'roll, if you've ever seen Zep's The Song Remains the Same and Peter Grant in action. Anyway, here's a link to an interview with Matt Resnicoff, where he mentions it briefly:

http://rockcriticsarchives.com/interviews/mattresnicoff/mattresnicoff.html

and here are the scans:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4562818736_53c1af5db2_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3465/4562188197_356fbefaa5_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3016/4562187821_7551b4a144_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3060/4562817294_048454c6ea_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/4562816866_c088bb0d33_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/4562816418_46edd9ce97_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/4562815976_f5616d0961_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3524/4562185611_3f9118dbaa_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4562185077_cef7fcb21b_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4562184623_03760e8268_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/4562184181_ce48e244f8_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4562813540_7e582aef38_b.jpg