Shocking Eddie Van Halen Never Wanted To Record Eruption
Eddie Van Halen's legendary Frankenstein guitar (photo by Tom Weschler)
The first time I heard the instrumental titled “Eruption,” I looked at my friend and asked if the record player was at the wrong speed. Nobody I’ve ever heard played that fast and all over the guitar fretboard. After a long study of the song introduced the song, “You Really Got Me,” I found a new guitar god.
Shocking Eddie Van Halen Never Wanted To Record Eruption. Van Halen‘s first single started as a warm-up exercise Eddie Van Halen used. The band’s producer, Ted Templeman, thought it would make a great addition to the album, so they included it. Eddie Van Halen insisted there is a mistake in this song near the beginning. “Whenever I hear it, I always think, Man, I could’ve played it better,” he has said. “Eruption” upped the game for every guitar player. The technique of tapping the fingerboard had been around for a while. He never invented it, just perfected it. Eddie brought finger tapping into rock ‘n’ roll’s arena. To this day, it is the best two minutes of rock history.
Van Halen’s self-titled debut helped set a new standard for budding guitarists
A bit of tech history “Eruption” was played on the Frankenstrat, with an MXR Phase 90, an Echoplex, a Univox echo unit, and a 1968 Marshall 1959 Super Lead tube amp. The Sunset Sound studio reverb room was also used to add reverb. The Frankenstrat has tuned down a half-step.
Eddie’s son Wolfgang Van Halen sits on a massive collection of tapes from the 5150 home recording studio that still hasn’t been gone through after his father’s passing. Wolfgang says when the right time comes around and he has the time they will go over 1,000’s tapes from the vault. I wonder if any will see the light of day. Not for a Van Halen extra but just a collection of Eddie’s fantastic playing.
The Red Rocker Sammy Hagar in a recent interview with Blabbermouth.net says, ” Unreleased Van Halen song,” Between Us Two will see the light of day.
6 Of the Most Epic Moments in Live Music
A lot of details go into it becoming an epic moment in time. Factors go into determining how great the event is going to be. Let’s start with the concert announcement. All the greatest, Most Epic Moments in Live Music started on the radio. Some of the great ones were way before social media was a thing. Radio would be the first clue when the radio personality would tease coming up at 10 am a major concert announcement. Waiting all morning even guessing at who might be coming to town. My concert memories always had that, “it will be something to tell your grandkids someday.
Concert announcements by looking in the local newspaper. Pine Knob would post in early Spring the concerts for the upcoming season. There was always word of mouth about a concert coming to town or a friend who worked at a local record store.
The next step in the process was who was going to go with you to the show. Would it be an epic night with close friends or a concert with your best girl? Choose carefully as one wrong choice had major ramifications. Next was the transportation to and back from the show. Yes, I said back from the show. How many have ever been left at a show to find their own way home?
The last is to enjoy the show. Favorite beverage, or extracurricular activity to say it lightly. Remember you want to remember the show. What was nice is that some on this list have no cell phone documentation. Don’t be that person that goes Facebook live with distorted audio and you singing in the background.
Some of you attended some on this list of the Most Epic Moments in Live Music
Born in Mt Clemens, Screamin’ Scott has been a part of the Detroit airwaves for 30-plus years. With 40 years of experience in radio. When he’s not out on the streets for WCSX, you can find him devoting time to local charities with his, “Screamin Angels”; and for 16 years with Rock 4 Tots charity. And last 10 years with his local band, "Chit!." Screamin Scott likes to write about nostalgic Detroit area memories, classic rock, and local metro Detroit topics.
