Vai kicks Ed's Ass

[street_lethal]

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[street_lethal]

Originally posted by darkknight
Ed is not the first one to use the tremolo bar the way he did. Hendrix was doing it a decade before Ed even thought about it.

And that's another thing that pisses me off about Ed. He never acknowledges Hendrix as an influence. It was always Clapton. He always said Hendrix was too weird. I've got live bootlegs of Hendrix and there are times where he sounds just like early VH with the tone and some of his licks. Ed is just too insecure to acknowledge anyone that might be better than him.

Eddie's bar work brought what Hendrix did up a few notches. Eddie is much more proficient with the bar then Hendrix was IMHO.

I don't hear any Hendrix in Eddie. Like I said in another post maybe some people can point to Ed's early live solos when he did dive bombs and had alot of feebback going on but to me it still sounded like Eddie. Also, Eddie stayed in tune, even before the Floyd Rose, which Hendrix seemed like he had a hard time doing alot of the time.

What pisses me off is when diehard Hendrix fans won't acknowledge that Eddie was a huge innovator and brought everything previous guitarist did to a new level. Then again I guess it is annoying if you were a big time guitarist in the 60's and 70's and some young punk from Cali comes along and blows your fucking doors off.

Originally posted by dave_is_vh
There are plenty of people who can kick Steve Vai's ass, including Yngwie Malmsteen, Al Di Meola, and Uli Jon Roth.

But that is not the point. If you say you like Vai better than VH that is fine. Or if I like Yngwie more than Vai that is fine.

The problem occurs when people who know nothing about guitar history come say things like "Vai is more innovate than Ed" or "Jimi was not that innovative.

Also while there is nothing wrong with being technically proficient, there is more to it than that.

When you are talking about musicians at this level, it is very difficult to say one is better than the other. It is a matter of personal preference.

I agree man, it is a matter of personal preference. Hendrix and Eddie VH were two huge innovators and I love them both. They both changed guitar forever.

There's a ton of great guitar players out there, Brian May and Jeff Beck are two that I love out of many. Larry Carlton is awesome, Brain Setzer, Michael Hedges, Allan Holdsworth, Nuno Bettencourt, Paul Gilbert, David Gilmour, Steve Gaines from Skynrd was great, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, John Petrucci, Michael Romeo(from Symphony X), etc...

[Terry]

How are you gonna judge Vai vs. Ed? By what standards/facets of their styles are you gonna say one is better than the other?

[TRICK71]

VAI AINT NO LIE

DAMN!!!!WOULDNT IT JUST BE TOTALLY AWESOME IF DAVE COULD GET STEVE VAI BACK WITH HIM.WHAT A BIG MIDDLE FINGER THAT WOULD BE TO THE VAN HALEN BEOTCHES!!!!

[EddieFan4Eva]

Eddie VS Vai?? (please read)

Here's my take. Vai is a great player, and a appreciate him for what he does. However, 90% of what he does, technique-wise, is siphoned from Eddie. His writing is more Esoteric, the Zappa influence, but he'll never be to guitar what EVH is. Eddie is a legend who's making a return to form. His influence rivals, if not surpasses, Jimi's....not a jab at Hendrix, just the way i see it. You dont have to agree with me, not at all....but before the flames start with the "you dont know blah blah blah" remarks, know that i'm 34 and been playing since age 5. I love many,many players...even had the chance to jam with a few....but Ed still is on a different level overall. This site is quick to tear him down....mainly over the most mundane of reasons....DLR. Let me clue you all in to something......back when Ed was still fighting the cancer, even as he was told by Doctors that he was at a 50% chance survival rate, he was struggling in the studio with Dave. He TRIED people. If that doesnt make any sense to any of you, i guess nothing will. He gave it another shot....at a time when it was incredibly difficult to do so. We dont have to work with the guy....and for anyone else out there in bands such as myself will tell you....a band is like a marriage...and sometimes you cant make things work when they just cant. Another thing.....to even tour with Dave would be unbearable for Ed and the guys......WE dont have to do tour with him, they do. It's easy on our side of the fence to say the things some of you say as to "why dont they take Dave back?", etc. There's a reason that Vai and Sheehan dont want to work with Dave....there's a reason why Sammy tried but couldnt deal with Dave on tour.....the same reason that anyone who's worked with him doesnt want to work with him....he's unbearable and a asshole. Sure, his little VH tribute band is loyal...what the hell else are those guys gonna do anyway? I digress...as for Vai.....a gifted player.....better than Ed? It's a subjective question...but if must be answered, i say hell no. Eddie is more tasteful.....can play with great speed when he feels like it.....listen to Pleasure Dome.....as well as many,many others.....listen to the live version of Summer Nights from Live Without A Net.......Eddie's solo last night in Hershey was sweet.....the sound in the stadium could've been better, but he played with alot of that slippery, wild feel that he's known for...even if one of his pedals went out and he had to deal with shitty acoustics. Anyhow, that's my thoughts...flame away, as i've grown to be acustomed to here.

[Terry]

How much "work" would it really take for Ed, Al and Mike to reunite with Dave? None. The only reason it won't happen is control issues and ego on the part of Dave, Eddie and Al.

Ed needs a good struggle in the studio with Dave. I hear little to no struggle at all in the records Van Halen put out after Dave left, and no intensity, either.

Can definitely hear some of what Hendrix did with the whammy bar in Ed's own tremolo work.

As for Vai, he's always gonna be in Ed's shadow. Fairly or not. Ed just had a larger, broader impact on rock guitar and certainly did more in terms of bringing an original sound, technique and style to the instrument than Vai has to date.

That's not to detract from Vai's technical prowess. The guy's a fine player. Can probably play faster than Ed. But how many people other than guitarists or Dave fans even know who he is?

[EddieFan4Eva]

Originally posted by Terry
[ The guy's a fine player. Can probably play faster than Ed. But how many people other than guitarists or Dave fans even know who he is? [/B]

Ok...this speed thing...i thought it went out in the 90's? I play fast, and love fast playing....but it's so sugjective. I've heard Eddie play as fast as Vai and others like him...but he doesnt rely on it as much as many do. I saw G3 this past year...and Yngwie blew the doors off of Vai and Satch in terms of speed.....have i heard either of them play licks as fast as YJM? Sure...but my point is...it's all subjective. EVH rips....with alot more taste than the majority of his clones.

[Hippy Hater]

Eddie brought the technique called "shredding" to the public. He was the first person to get famous by playing really fast with perfect accuracy. Sure, you can say Eddie only made tapping/whammy bar popular, but really, he made playing really fast popular. His riffs kick alot of ass too. I am sorry, but Vai cannot match him in song writing or inovations. Sure he can play faster and better now, but I do not think he would be with out the former great EVH. Saying keyboards ruined EVH;s playing is stupid to, I mean, I like Jump and I'll wait.

[DR CHIP]

Ladies and gentiles, babies and reptiles, bow legged ants and cross eyed worms, I stand here before you to sit here behind you and tell you a story....about guitar

Ed is a tremendous influence on guitar playing...he may very well be the most influential in a broad sort of way...

Ed is NOT the best guitar player in any way shape or form...there are people that can play his stuff as well as he can...

Do not confuse influence or even creativity with the best...

Best means best period, and there are better than Ed out there...in regards to sheer playing ability...

My biggest problem with Ed is that he plays the same old shit over and over again...it was AWESOME in the 80's, but is passe today...

Argue all you want, let the debate rage, but the fact Jack is that Steve Vai would kick Ed's ass all over the stage if they got up together...today

What really made Ed great back in day was Dave kicking his ass...

Now that Greensboro solo Ed played....yawn....

[raz0r]

Vai vs Van Halen

OMG anyone that's a guitar player knows Vai can smoke Eddie period. There is no comparison. Eddie is good at doing what he does, but he's not even in the ball park with Vai. Steve is alot more technical than Eddie. Much faster than Eddie. Eddie will get the popularity vote because he's been in the press alot more with Van Halen and his ex Valerie Berinelli than Steve has.

Laterz

[DR CHIP]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by raz0r
[B] OMG anyone that's a guitar player knows Vai can smoke Eddie period. There is no comparison. Eddie is good at doing what he does, but he's not even in the ball park with Vai. Steve is alot more technical than Eddie. Much faster than Eddie.

Yep...

[EddieFan4Eva]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DR CHIP
[B]

Originally posted by raz0r
OMG anyone that's a guitar player knows Vai can smoke Eddie period. There is no comparison. Eddie is good at doing what he does, but he's not even in the ball park with Vai. Steve is alot more technical than Eddie. Much faster than Eddie.

Yep...

Nope

[Roth kills Sam]

I respect the devotion of EddieFan4Eva. All of us really wish you were right. Unfortunately, you couldn't be further from the truth. Eddie's playing is amateurish.

Here is the proof: 5150, Live Without a Net, OU812, FUCK, ... oh why go any further?

Ed is a tool. He will never, ever get his great chops back. He will play the guitar like a shadow of himself as he has done since 5150.

[DR CHIP]

Yeah devotion does not always equal truth...ask the Koresh followers

[EddieFan4Eva]

Originally posted by Roth kills Sam
I respect the devotion of EddieFan4Eva. All of us really wish you were right. Unfortunately, you couldn't be further from the truth. Eddie's playing is amateurish.

Here is the proof: 5150, Live Without a Net, OU812, FUCK, ... oh why go any further?

Ed is a tool. He will never, ever get his great chops back. He will play the guitar like a shadow of himself as he has done since 5150.

I dissagree 100%. We have different opnions....you didnt trash me, i'll show the same consideration...but when you say that Ed's playing is amateurish....naww.....lol......cant even comment on that one!