Eruption - Oops, I Did It Again! 10 More Great Rock and Roll Bloopers

[Va Beach VH Fan]

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/bloopers-0412-2011/

Van Halen, “Eruption”

“Eruption,” with its blistering licks and innovative techniques, launched a million shredders, but the technique-redefining tapping section includes – by Eddie Van Halen’s own admission – a little mistake. Van Halen told Guitar Player, “I took one pass at it and they put it on the record. I didn’t even play it right. There’s a mistake at the top end of it. To this day whenever I hear it I always think, ‘Man, I could’ve played it better.’” But where is it? It sounds like a mistake can be heard at about 1:01 – listen for a tiny stutter which breaks up the flow of the tapping pattern. However, there are those of us who believe EVH’s playing to be utterly infallible and will not accept that he can make mistakes, even by his own admission.

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[fryingdutchman]

I've heard "Eruption" a million times (just like the rest of us) and I'll be damned if I can hear anything that I would deem a "mistake."

If there really is a mistake in there, then it's one that Eddie and ONLY Eddie can hear because only he himself knows EXACTLY how it's supposed to sound.

To be honest, I always thought there was a little mistake in "Romeo Delight" where they come out of the breakdown (when Dave is saying "feel my heartbeat, feel my heartbeat")...it sounds like the tempo gets a little fucked up when they kick back into the song, like someone got caught off guard.

But it adds to the raw appeal of the song, so I don't really care!

[chefcraig]

I've heard "Eruption" a million times (just like the rest of us) and I'll be damned if I can hear anything that I would deem a "mistake."

Most of the time, I really wonder if Edward Van Halen is simply batshit bonkers. There is this weird as hell semblance of self-doubt or insecurity on hand that is in evidence with some creative types, that causes them to find fault in the slightest flaw that somehow invalidates whatever they have made. Seriously, be it lawnmower repair or rocket science, no matter how universally acclaimed the end result is, you'll find the bozo that did the work wringing his hands over some minor detail that no one on the planet can recognize.

I've known a character that once performed the most astoundingly beautiful paint job on a car, and deemed himself a failure because there was a microscopic bit of dust next to the gas cap. I'm not certain if that belies an unattainable expectation of perfection, or if the guy is simply fucking fruit-loops out of his mind.

[ThrillsNSpills]

there's a turnaround in the tapping pattern where the triplets descend briefly.
However that doesn't square with the whole "mistake at the top end" bit, whatever that means.

I've studied every nuance of that piece at half speed and there are phrasing bits in there that are so amazing and effective that I've never heard him do anything like that since. (the high picking part in the second segment) More in the way he picks and accents the notes then what he actually plays. I think chef's assessment is likely the case.

[ThrillsNSpills]

If the top end Ed refers to is in the beginning of the track, most of that is improv in A since he's played it differently every night.
That said, it's impossible to determine what he meant. I think Chef's assessment is probably spot on.

I can't imagine that track being any more effective than it was.
A pure, ballsy assault on the ears that raised the bar for everyone in under 2 minutes.

[shaggydoo]

Only mistake with this is letting Eddie talk about it!