Typically, half of Van Halen’s discography consists of his seemingly endless repertoire of guitar tricks. Despite the incredible charisma exhibited by the other performers, there was a compelling reason for dedicating a whole segment of the show to Eddie’s solo performances, where he gave his all and delivered songs that left other musicians in a state of shock.
Though no one enjoys to believe they are an expert on their instrument, Eddie claimed that listening to Bill Bruford’s One of a Kind totally changed his perspective.
Of course, it makes sense that progressive music would be among the few genres Eddie would enjoy. It didn’t take him long to translate those licks from his brain to his fingers because artists who wanted to do nothing but play complex lines for hours on end were obviously speaking his language.
Progressive music’s origins, though, were very different. When Pink Floyd first emerged, they remained firmly rooted in the psychedelic movement. However, as bands like Yes and King Crimson gained popularity, everything was up for grabs. Now this was a sophisticated approach to music. The rest of the world would either adopt their style or reject it.
Even though progressive music produced a lot of amazing music, it wasn’t always suitable for stable lineups. Acts like Yes and Genesis went through multiple shakeups trying to get themselves back on course, with the former of which included drummer Bruford taking a temporary hiatus. That is, unless you’re a band like Rush, who went on for what seemed like forever.
But no one can tell a progressive musician to stop honing their craft. Bruford, collaborating with guitarist Allan Holdsworth on One of a Kind, discovered his hidden weapon. In terms of harmony and his capacity to astound listeners with his performances, Holdsworth appeared to draw inspiration from jazz. This came after witnessing the nuanced acoustic and electric playing of Steve Howe over the previous few years. Howe’s style left a significant impression on Holdsworth, influencing his approach to both acoustic and electric guitar playing.
Eddie claimed to have loved Allan Holdsworth. Even though he was deeply involved in assembling Van Halen in the late 1970s, he could still hear where Holdsworth was headed with that record. Every time I hear Bill Bruford’s “One of a Kind,” I’m still in awe of his playing. That jerk was excellent. When his band UK played as our opening act in Reno, I was astounded by their level of talent. Even though nobody was paying much attention to those guys, they were having a great time.
However, it’s understandable why the UK wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms. Whatever you think of Eddie’s technical skill, at least David Lee Roth’s fun attitude made things somewhat balanced. It’s often like staring into the sun when you strip away all of the fun and see just a band going full out.
Holdsworth continued to be a significant source of inspiration for Eddie throughout his career, despite their lack of attention. Though it’s quite subtle, Eddie obviously spent some time listening to that Bruford record to understand the source of every note. This is evident when it comes to the chords he uses on songs like “Hear About It Later.”
