Eddie Van Halen, the famed guitarist, referred to the two guitarists as “sloppy”
The fact that notable musicians were not hesitant to publicly criticize each other’s work was a defining characteristic of the classic rock generation that came before them. Despite the fact that artists in today’s world are more likely to offer thunderous support to one another than to insult one another, the archetype of a rock star has featured the confidence and boldness to criticize the abilities of their contemporaries for many years. For example, Eddie Van Halen was a man who was extremely good in this area.
In order to be fair to the guitarist who passed away, he was more than justified than the majority of people to criticize other people. After all, he was a genuine guitar hero, the next in a long line of fretboard maestros who did his part to change playing and freshen it for a new period. He was the next in line. The use of double-handed string tapping and dive bombs, in addition to his blazing technical talent, contributed to the development of essential characteristics in hard rock and metal music that are still in use today. Although he was not the first person to employ these techniques, he was the first to use them. Ritchie Blackmore and Frank Zappa, two titans of the game who put their own unique spins on the instrument, were in agreement that the Amsterdam native “reinvented the guitar.” He was such a force that they both used the term “reinvented the guitar” to describe him.
There were other people who did not appreciate Van Halen’s sound, and over time, it became synonymous with all that was wrong with the music of that era for individuals who subscribed to anything that was similar to the punk philosophy. In spite of the fact that it is one of the most contentious sounds in rock music, there is no question about his position in the history of the six-string guitar and the significance of his contributions to the evolution of the instrument.
Van Halen certainly wasn’t ashamed to deliver damning criticisms of guitarists who helped create the foundations for his work, and if he was brazen enough to steal tactics that others had used before him and make them his own, then he certainly wasn’t afraid to do so. This included referring to Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page, two of the most iconic guitarists of all time, as “sloppy.”
The criticism of Hendrix that Van Halen offers comes from Adrian Vandenberg, who was a guitarist for Whitesnake in the past. During an interview with Ultimate Guitar in the year 2020, he talked about his time spent with Van Halen and claimed that the ‘Eruption’ legend believed that Hendrix’s approach was conspicuously lacking in enthusiasm.
He made the following statement: “We didn’t really play-play; we were just there with guitars on the left.” Additionally, he inquired about the guitarist that I admired the most. I responded by saying, “Well, it’s Jimi Hendrix.” Additionally, he believed that Jimi Hendrix was too sloppy, and Eric Clapton was his favorite musician.
Regarding the criticism that Van Halen offered on Page, it was delivered from the very mouth of the proverbial horse. He once revealed that it was watching Led Zeppelin live that enabled him to cultivate one of his guitar trademarks, which is string tapping. This was made possible by Page playing with one hand in the air, which introduced him to the approach that would produce highlights such as “Eruption.” However, in other places, he criticised the Englishman.
During an interview with Guitar World, Van Halen stated, “Jimmy Page is an outstanding producer.” Both Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II are considered works of art. As a musician, he is quite skilled in the recording studio. However, I never witnessed him perform effectively in a live setting. It’s pretty sloppy of him. Despite the fact that he is just two years old, he acts as if he has a broken hand. On the other hand, if you release a good record and perform live like a child of two years old. So, what exactly is the point?
Calling someone sloppy and comparing them to a two-year-old is exactly the kind of ridiculous hot take that eventually prompted people to walk away from this generation of musicians, regardless of their skill set. It is one thing to criticize other legends, but it is very else to call someone sloppy and compare them to a two-year-old.