Technical proficiency may be a key trait for musicians, but it’s not what drives us to listen to music. Take AC/DC, for example—Angus Young’s music is built on a simple formula, yet it bursts with so much energy and attitude that you can identify it within moments. With just a handful of chords, tricks, and tones, Young crafted a distinctive sound that is unmistakably his.
Similarly, Jimi Hendrix’s genius lies in his boundless imagination, so extraordinary that we almost forget how technically brilliant he was. If Hendrix were an athlete, running a four-minute mile would be a breeze—his only question would be whether he could do it while juggling.
There aren’t many musicians who can reach such technical heights that they’re free to focus entirely on invention. According to Young, however, one guitarist matches Hendrix’s ability to innovate: Eddie Van Halen.
Speaking to Neil Zlozower, Young said, “Eddie is an innovator. When I grew up, we had a lot of great players from England like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and Jeff Beck. And then Hendrix came along, changing the game. I’d put Eddie in that category—an innovator like Hendrix.”
Van Halen’s arrival had a transformative effect on guitarists, much like Hendrix’s in the 1960s. Suddenly, everyone was obsessed with hammer-ons and fast tapping. As Young put it, “When Eddie came along, he spawned so many imitators.” Unfortunately, none of those copycats possessed the same combination of chops and vision to create something truly new.
“Like Hendrix, people started wanting to buy the same guitars he used and play his licks,” Young explained. “Eddie turned the rulebook upside down. His playing was full of experimentation, and he crossed into avant-garde territory, putting him in the same category as Hendrix.” Both guitarists incorporated new-classical elements into their work, demonstrating their shared avant-garde spirit.
Young first encountered Van Halen in 1978 during a live performance at Day on the Green, alongside Aerosmith, Foreigner, and Pat Travers. It was there that Eddie’s playing stood out to Young the most. The admiration was mutual, as Young recalls, “I was shocked to hear he liked my playing because I’ve never rated myself as a guitarist.”
After that show, Young became a devoted fan of Van Halen, always holding Eddie and the band in the highest musical regard. “’Eruption’ is a favorite track of mine,” he said. “It captures everything that’s characteristic of his playing—there’s a bit of everything in it. When Hendrix came along, it was like, ‘Where did this guy come from?’ and Eddie had the same effect. Every guitarist I met said, ‘You’ve got to hear this guy!’”
