Rodney J Owen
  • Home
  • Writing
  • Dao
  • Links
  • Blog

In the Land of Guitar Gods

10/8/2020

0 Comments

 
So, just the other day, Eddie Van Halen died.  I was never a big fan of the band, outside of a couple of albums, but I really appreciated EVH.  In fact, I don't think I know any serious fan of rock and roll from my generation (1970s) who didn't.

I can still remember being a senior in High School, 1978, and a drummer friend of mine asked me if I had heard of Van Halen, as his band was doing their version of an old Kinks song.  At that time I hadn't.  So I bought the first album and was quite impressed.  They were for a short period of time (that first album, actually) a part of the new wave of late-70s hard rock/metal, along with AC-DC, Motorhead, The Scorpions, etc...   But beyond that, there just wasn't any music at that time that sounded like "Atomic Punk", "Ain't Talkin' 'bout  Love", and of course, "Eruption"--Oh My God, Garth.

Over time they left their metal roots and fulfilled the destiny of all or most LA bands, bright lights, swimming pools and movie stars, rather than hot rods and punk decadence.  In my opinion they became another 80s pop band, albeit with an awesome guitarist.  Over the years they did return a couple of times to those blazing roots, notably the "Mean Street" and "Diver Down" albums, at least to some degree.  But I have always thought they would have been a completely different band had they followed in the style of that first album, but alas...   I suppose that was not what they wanted, and they were awfully successful anyway.

In the meantime, Eddie was one of the few real innovators of rock guitar.  Nobody sounded like that before he came along, and no one has really topped him since.  I give him all the credit he deserves and appreciate being alive in his era.  If you never have, or even if it's been a while, take a listen--a real listen--to that first album.  Listen to it in light of it's place in history.  1978 was a change year for rock and roll.  People were losing interest in the music that had defined the generation, with the exception of the above noted behind the scenes new metal bands.  Van halen abandoned that track, but this album is steeped in it.  It is awesome and unique in history, that of rock and roll in general and Van Halen in particular.  RIP, EVH.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Rodney J Owen 

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    June 2024
    April 2023
    March 2023
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    October 2013
    July 2013

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.