Wolfgang Van Halen recently shared his perspective on his father Eddie Van Halen’s impact on ’80s rock guitar, suggesting that Eddie “kind of ruined” the decade’s “musical landscape” by encouraging many guitarists to embrace a flashy style.
Eddie Van Halen’s revolutionary guitar work, highlighted by the iconic solo “Eruption” from Van Halen’s 1978 debut album, dramatically transformed rock guitar playing. Alongside Randy Rhoads, another pivotal ’80s rock guitarist, Eddie Van Halen is often credited with sparking a competitive era among guitarists, each striving to outdo the other with their shredding skills. This shift, however, is viewed by some as detrimental to the music’s evolution.
In a recent interview on the “WTF with Marc Maron Podcast,” Wolfgang Van Halen expressed his belief that his father’s influence had a downside. He stated (via Exclaim!):
“In a way, Dad kind of ruined the musical landscape, because instead of everybody wanting to find out who they are, they wanted to be that.”
Wolfgang argued that the focus on flashy guitar techniques overshadowed the essence of Eddie’s greatness. He emphasized that Eddie’s strength lay in his songwriting ability, not just his virtuosic guitar playing:
“People focus on the guitar playing, but, overall, it was the fact that dad is a great songwriter. And that’s what I shoot for, too. It’s not about flashy stuff.”
Despite his critique, Wolfgang acknowledges the positive impact Eddie had on many guitarists, such as Paul Gilbert, who emerged as a significant figure in the ’80s shredding scene:
“He’s one of the shredder guys from the ’80s. He was one of those guys that came a little bit after dad that I think took it in an interesting direction.”
Steve Lukather, known for his critical stance on shredding, commented on Eddie Van Halen’s unintended role in shaping this movement. Lukather noted that shredding was not a concept during the ’70s when he started making music:
“Back when I started, there was no such thing as ‘shredding.’ In the ’70s, we were just trying to make good records.”
He added that Eddie Van Halen’s arrival altered the guitar landscape, despite Eddie’s own surprise at his role in the shredding phenomenon:
“But then Eddie Van Halen came along and changed the whole game. I remember him telling me once, ‘Man, I didn’t mean to start all this madness,’ but he really did change the entire game. That always cracked me up, as Eddie was the father of shred. But I never tried to do that, and I still don’t. I’m still the same melodic guy I’ve always been.”
This discussion highlights the complex legacy of Eddie Van Halen’s influence on rock guitar, balancing his groundbreaking techniques with the broader implications for the genre.
