Guitarist from LIT snubbed by EVH

[lafours]

from metalsludge.com

6. Your manager informed us that your new video you guys, “tip the hat to many greats in the video such as Odin, Iron Maiden, Ted Nugent, KISS, Def Leppard, Motley Crue and many others.” How exactly are you tipping the hat to these bands? What’s going on?

The video is done, and you'll see it soon. It has a lot of elements, such as T-shirts, posters, guitars, etc., that are constantly changing, and you get the idea by the end of the video that we definitely grew up on the rock! We thought it would be cool to wave the flag a bit of some of the bands who influenced us. You know what was really fucking gay? We got permission from everyone..... Kiss, Crue, Aerosmith, Maiden, Def Leppard, etc., to use their stuff in the video. They all thought it was cool. The only person who said no was Eddie Van Halen. I used a guitar for a couple quick shots that was a homemade replica of his red and white stripped one, and he made us take it out of the video. He really bummed me out, cuz I was a huge fan. Fuck that guy. Have another drink bro.

[ALMOSTsaved]

Even a Sammy fronted VH will outplay AND outlast LIT.

Not to mention, if I was KNOWN for playing a striped guitar and it was part of my trademark, I wouldn't want some second rate hair band wannabe turned flavor of the month dude to taint that image..

[knuckleboner]

it's tainting the image if he wants to use the guitar on his next tour.

if it's a quick, 2-second shot in a video, it's just homage.

and there's nothing wrong with lesser talents paying homage to the greats.

at least...one would think there's nothing wrong. apparently eddie and i see differently...

[ALMOSTsaved]

I don't know. Perhaps Eddie's grown tired of the slew of guys who copied his playing style through out the 80s & 90s...and didn't want anyone associated with his chosen style of guitar too.

What would be next? Overalls without the shirt custom made to match the guitars? Or the white pants with the striped socks? Perhaps the flying Eddie jump?

Paying homage in a video is one thing. Using this homage to make a buck is another.

I think playing live with the guitar is more like paying homage than trying to garner attention for your band through the mass media of MTV.

[Hollywood Jesus]

Ed's a bitter old man. Living scared instead of relishing his glory.


Hollywood Jesus...
"Bet you a hundred bucks you miss that putt."

[ALMOSTsaved]

Nope. Ed's having fun. He was an innovator. They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. I guess he's just tired of being "flattered."

[bluedog]

I read the interview with Jeremy from Lit. I’m an Eddie fan, but nobody’s sheep. I would guess Lit’s management contacted Ed’s management and/or legal representation and a blanket response of “no” was given as not to infringe on any trademarks. If EVH himself said no, then he should lighten-up. It’s homage, It’s respect…

[lafours]

I am sure EVH did not want them to use the guitar because it's trademarked...I can understand...especially since that design has been ripped off by a million other builders...But heck ..Kiss even gave them the ok....it's still free advertisement

[Rikk]

Ed's a bitter fucking old man. If Gene Simmons can give permission, then Ed should. He's a bitter asshole, who's insulted pretty much almost everyone he's worked with, and is also now set on insulting every one of his fans too. He's going to die alone and unhappy, and good for him.

[lafours]

Another thought...I bet when EVH gats canned by Peavey he will launch his own guitar with this exact design...Evh trademarked it to make money and he will use it on a liscensed axe in the future.. Maybe he feels an imitation guitar will be a disgrace to the version he is working on....I expect the red and black striped pattern to become a retitrement type name brand for Van Halen INC. Which would be great for ED..he basically created an identifiable brand and should use it to it's advantage.

[Eyes of the Night]

Originally posted by lafours
The only person who said no was Eddie Van Halen. I used a guitar for a couple quick shots that was a homemade replica of his red and white stripped one, and he made us take it out of the video. He really bummed me out, cuz I was a huge fan. Fuck that guy. Have another drink bro.

Classic! ...

Fuck yeah, fuck you too if *I* were Ed ...

[Eyes of the Night]

So the Peavey oust will just mean that the WOLFGANGS that are out there right now will be worth just as more ...

Big deal ... he has thousands of that AXE wich IS his own ... can't see him making anything better than that IMHO ...

[BrownSound1]

Who gives a shit....I've never even heard of LIT until now.

[Eyes of the Night]

Isn't he now with Fender anyways? ... WTF ...

[lafours]

but Ed could cash in the red striped axe bigtime....farm it out over seas, build a low cost axe...slap the paint job on it and sell it as a high priced LTD edition to fanboys and sheep....if someone is willing to buy a lame $10 cozy..they would pay in the thousands for a lame striped axe. Sell it at Spencers and be the next Kiss...of course the VH brand is almost worthless without Dave...if Ed want's to cash in big...he needs DLR to bring mass appeal.