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Originally Posted by Mikey MTC  I just gotta echo everyone here - awesome thread! I better add something rather than be a "me too" guy:
Someone mentioned that Eddie Van Halen solo in Beat It a few pages back. I remember at the time there was so much publicity around the solo that it really pushed Van Halen heavily into the limelight as well.
I remember reading in a tech mag at the time a quote from, I think Alex Van Halen that the band was really bewildered at all the coverage of what an amazing solo it was. He claimed that it was just a standard Eddie solo that he could blow out any day, yet people were going nuts over this one solo. (Me included I gotta say at the time!).
It's all about proportion isn't it! I mean Van Halen weren't 1984 & 5150 huge yet, but they were still a popular known quantity. Then Eddie plays on Beat It and THAT'S notoriety! |
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yeah, if you've heard that series of fairly recently released EVH Guitar World phone interviews (available on youtube) - those guys were really busting their butts and apparantly desperately struggling with Warner Bros. trying to get the financial and business infrastructure support they needed from the label.
...pretty insane, considering they were one of WB's highest selling acts - even then (this was during the diver down tour).
anyway, back OT...yes, i love that EVH solo - not because it's particularly unique to EVH - but because it was unique to the pop/ dance world context at that time, and the chunky chordal riff opening, as well as over-all phrasing and climax of the solo are perfectly suited to the harmonic rhythm of the song! also, the timbre of the guitar showcased vividly over the pop production / arrangement.
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