VAN HALEN NEWS DESK

Eddie Van Halen playing “Crossroads”

February 27, 2009 35 Comments

This little clip should make your day. If you’ve never heard this (and even if you have), then you are in for a treat. Sometime in 1984, Eddie Van Halen sat for an interview with veteran rock journalist Lisa Robinson. As the conversation progressed, talk centered on guitar styles and influences. Ed responds by ripping out an impromptu, note-for-note, perfect rendition of Eric Clapton’s “Crossroads”, to the obvious glee of Robinson (who endearingly refers to the tune as “Cross-Words”).

The clip has been making the rounds on bootlegs for years now. Although not the complete interview, this brief clip will leave even the most cynical VH fan with a large grin on their face.

Filed Under: Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen

http://www.bellapop.com Bran Halen

Amazing!! Please keep posting things like this.
http://www.communitypainting.net dave

Love what you guys do here. Visit you everyday!
Peedah

Awesome! Thank-you!
Rodney

Too bad Eddie doesn’t do this for interviews anymore.
In 1984 it was about the fans and the music.
In 2009 it’s about the money.
Although it’s great to here Eddie from the hayday.
Mitch

Way cool! Give me more things like this!
Ed what happened?
SCAR

Love this stuff. Heard it before and it still sounds fucking great today.
Scottso

That’s the Eddie we all know and love. “Where have you gone Eddie Van Halen? Our nation turns its lonely ears to you.”
VH2008

Great stuff. VH did in fact play “Crossroads” at some of their shows last year. It was fantastic!!

And Rodney, Eddie HAS been playing guitar for interviewers lately, but too bad for us that the interviews are always transcribed and not taped…
Myron Philpot

I’m not so much into the boots so it was nice to *finally* hear him crank out Crossroads as he always bragged he could. I wouldn’t call it note-for-note but it’s pretty damn close. I love the little Jack Bruce “Eric Clapton…” outro he does. Lots of fun as it should be.
Adrian

all these people are bitchiung i recall eddie playing this very rendention during somebody get me a doctor on the 08 tour. hes still got it people
Erick

That’s great!
http://sacder111@hotmail.com CHARVEL.ESP.ROCK.españa.

EDDIE ES UN CRACK BEST. INFLUENCIADO POR ERIC CLAPTON , AND JIMI HENDRIX. A VECES SUPERANDOLOS.
DANOOOSH

4 DAYS FROM NOW IT ALL GOES CLEAR!!! P.S. WE MISS YOU DAVE ROTH, WHERE ART THOU!!
John O’Bob

Awesome. Have heard this before, but never with the short comments from Lisa Robinson at the start or the ‘Eric Clapton, lead guitar and vocals’ at the end. Funny, too. Man, Ed must’ve practiced that for so long … I’ve heard other bands doing this as a cover – like Rush – and even this off-the-cuff rendition blows ‘em away. I wonder if he ever played for Jack Bruce? Coz Eddie co-produced Allan Holdsworth’s ‘Road Games’ album in ’82, which Jack Bruce played bass on. Weren’t Cream f*ckin’ brilliant, too – as Eddie always said?
Omar (Lima, Peru)

Eddie es subestimado por muchos guitarristas surgidos de mediados de los 90′s. Una pena. Todos sabemos que EVH no es un guitarrista común y corriente. El no toca la guitarra como todos. El hace uso de muchos artilugios para tocarla, pero saben qué, con eso hace música. Lo que ha hecho Eddie es buscar, encontrar y hacer otra forma de hacer música. Ese es el mérito de Eddie. Ser un innovador, un creativo, un virtuoso. Solo sé que cuando Eddie muera recién se le dará el verdadero valor que tiene en la historia del rock ‘n’ roll de todos los tiempos.
Omar (Lima, Peru)
ikethebird

The song is dead on and I hope he brings that tone back into 5150.
pushtoshove

What outstanding tone…..where have all the good times gone?
Mark

That was special the tone was amazing does anyone know was he using his marshall here sounds like it .
http://VHND Jason

Hands down the greatest guitar player ever…The clarity, the tone, its awesome!!!Just makes you want to grab your guitar and jam…Bring back that tone Eddie!!!
woooahhh

for the people saying that he should bring back that tone, he never will. he is constantly trying to improve his sound to make it what he hears in his head and if he’s pretty close to what he hears in his head now, i seriously doubt he will go back to that old tone he used to have.
dude from oregon

Omar…lo diste en el clavo pana. Cuando se muera el, se reconocera como el mejor de los mejores. Y que pasa cuando el gringo sabe espanol?
pushtoshove

Hey wooahh ( great name by the way ) Its cool that you have your opinion but i think that people are talking about his tone from an attitude standpoint , and i think you’re right …he MAY never have that tone again but its not because he doesn’t want to its because he has changed….Take that for what you will…Personally I think he doesn’t have it anymore….new music and new sound would be fine but …..wheres the beef?
http://www.thejohngarrett.com john

props to the admin of this site

THANKS FOR KEEPING IT UPDATED– I LOVE ALL THINGS HALEN
Rocko

Keep Rockin Ed!!! We do hope to hear some new music in the future though.
tommy

Awesome.

Bring it back Ed. Bring it back.

Love ya kid.
SCAR

Dude from Oregon & Omar, Dudes EDVH siempre sera el mejor de los mejores, y hoy cuando se ha ido de este mundo. Su guitarra habla el lenguaje universal de pater el culo Rock n Roll. EDVH podria hablar espanol, oye nunca se sabe. Dues ma’s tarde.
Kenny

awsome stuff. who said that all eddie does is tap??
TK

That was…….awesome. He just nailed that tune. Oh, what it must be like to play that well. I’ll never know.
Street Avenger

Clapton bores me to death…
pushtoshove

i just played for 30 minutes and it was one of the most inspired jams of my life…..will i ever make it big….Nah!!!…But if i Can do it so can anyone…..F:U all who don’t believe but I’m just saying …Good luck Ed!!! And if Ed doesn’t ever want to record again….Thanks for all the great tunes
lipconyer

That is why to this day I call him the best! We have only “tapped” the tip of the talent this man has with the guitar. The Brown sound comes out strong in the beginning.
Biggs

Nice job! I can’t do that with two hands!!! You are unbelievable!
Yes!

…Indeed Clapton bores me to death too. But EVH doin’ Clapton I will listen to anyday. That was a fun listen, haven’t heard it in a few years.
Kelley Wright

Always thought that was Barbra Walters interviewing ED there. Sounds just like her!!
ross schmidt

AHHH CLAPTON TO THE BONE, IAM SURE EDDIE STILL GETS JACKED UP PLAYING CREAM LICKS,I HAVENT HEARD ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT EXCEPT EDWARDS RENDITION,THANKS FOR KEEPING ONE OF THE GREATEST SOLO ALIVE, I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW CLAPTON EVER KEPT TIME DURING THAT SOLO….