Eddie Van Halen never held any grudges against fellow guitarists. When he first started, he may have faced some competition on the Sunset Strip. However, instead of criticizing others, he preferred to support and uplift artists who were pushing boundaries and creating innovative work. He had an issue with artists emulating his style a bit too closely. When David Lee Roth formed a new band, Eddie didn’t have much to comment on Steve Vai.
Despite Roth and Van Halen’s tumultuous breakup, replacing Eddie was difficult. This guitarist had an immense impact on the rock community with just one album. But can lightning really strike twice?
Making a decision like this is never simple, but if there was someone who could rival his finesse, it would likely be Vai. Besides his solo career, Vai’s collaboration with Frank Zappa showcased his ability to play unconventional guitar parts. This impressive resume of musical feats was surely exactly what Roth had hoped for.
Apart from collaborating with Vai on his solo debut, Eat Em and Smile, Roth had the opportunity to showcase his skills on the road. Performing the same type of song on the record is a breeze. However, how would he handle the challenge of playing a piece like ‘Jump’ or ‘Hot For Teacher‘ note-for-note every single night?
Observing the live footage, Vai effortlessly rose to the occasion, leaving many in awe. Some questioned if they were actually hearing a Van Halen record playing through the speakers. Vai was exceptional at his job, but from Eddie’s perspective, perhaps he was excessively proficient.
While conversing with Shaun Baxter, Eddie couldn’t help but feel that Vai’s technique lacked the soul that his original records possessed. He couldn’t help but think, “This guy is even better at what I do than I am, you know.” However, he was missing that certain something… that intangible quality. He had a high level of technical proficiency, but his demeanor was rather rigid… It didn’t sound like me, but he took my skills and transformed them into a robotic style, performing them at double the speed.
It’s likely that Eddie Van Halen had to handle numerous guitar players attempting to imitate his style. If he wanted to trademark his sound, however, he would have needed to navigate through numerous other guitar players on the Strip. Only then could he consider Vai’s alleged plagiarism of his technique.
Throughout his career, it’s evident that Eddie Van Halen and Vai had distinct personalities. While Eddie showcased his musicality and focused on rhythm, Vai remains an experimental genius on the guitar. He pushes boundaries to create a voice for the instrument akin to the legendary Jimi Hendrix. Eddie undoubtedly holds a revered position among the legendary guitarists. However, Vai’s extraordinary ability to single-handedly play an entire track on a four-necked guitar solidifies his rightful place among these musical deities.
