More Van Halen isolated guitar tracks

February 17, 2010 56 Comments

Eddie Van Halen’s isolated guitar tracks for “Hear About It Later”, “Intruder,” “Pretty Woman”, Somebody get Me A Doctor”, and the “Beat It” guitar solo. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen

VHIII_1998_

Good Stuff. I like all these raw tracks.
Atomic Pete

Somebody give me a shot!

Awesome!!
RickieVanWhalen

Hear About It Later – it so unorthodox. It knew it was two guitars but it sounds like he punches in on a few areas. This song is so incredible. I always rant to you guys how great this tune is but with just the guitars, it makes me realize just how amazing Roth was and is, especially on the LP.

I love this stuff VHND.
Tommy Boy

very cool shit….
http://twitter.com/johnnybeane johnny beane

You know how “intruder” goes right into “pretty woman” on the album.
I used to think it was all one take when i was a kid but later got the 45 of “pretty woman” and the song really just starts with Al’s bass drum.

Wish it was like that on the “Best of both worlds” cd.
Tone

Awesome!!!!!!!!
chris.omeara

Agreed…
Adrian

great tone on the flanger fuckin clear and punchy yet murky all at the same time…
Van Foot

Thx for the isolated tracks. Reminds me of how EVH was able to maintain an incredible rhythm guitar while throwing in bombs, taps, legatos, leggos, the kichen sink, and everything else. Classic!
Rich

Hear About It Later – the best Van Halen riff ever.

I love all the riffs but that one takes the motherfucking cake.
DLR

Anybody else catch EVH pulling off the low D on the top string on Hear About It Later? I haven’t noticed that before. Great Stuff.
SCAR

Fuck yeah, this will do just fine with my after dinner buzz!!!
PasadenaKid

“Hear About It Later” is such a haunting riff…….still gives me chills when I hear it…….sounds like impending doom…….and Dave’s angry tone really gives it a punch.
Johnnyh

I love this stuff Thanks VHND how many times have I heard these tunes [maybe 1,000s] and listening to this I hear stuff I never heard before. AWSOME
chris.omeara

I wonder why WMG removed “Ice Cream Man” but left the rest? Not complaining- this is great, but I wonder why some are allowed but others aren’t?
DiamondDean

HEAR ABOUT IT LATER one of the alltime greats , VH at there best , gees Dave added to it , he took it to the next level, this is one of those magical song when everything was in sync , if u dont have fair warning yr not a rock fan fullstop
DiamondDean

beat it solo is amazing to , i mean that cld of stood alone by itself just like eruption , i mean how great wld have that been say straight after mean sts , i always wondered why they never did that kind of thing again , cathedral n spanish fly r great in there own right , but a solo like that yikes!
Tbop

hehe – These are fun. You can really hear the work Ed put in on Fair Warning. As we know, he sweated blood on that LP and you can really hear it in these iso tracks. So much texture and blend of tones and styles. Must have been some late nights/early mornings in the studio back then! Shame there are no outtakes – perhaps in the vault, eh?

Hey I bet a few of you are humming the bass and drum gap in Hear About It Later (2:41-2:50) – see if you come in on time!
K. Reyoch

As only King Edward can do. Great tracks.
Sbc

I have to give credit to VHND. The site makes us feel like something is really going on by feeding us isolated tracks, Chickenfoot info, etc. Almost makes me forget the fact that we have heard nothing about what the band is actually doing. VH gives us a facebook page, “Happy Holidays” with a picture from the begining of the 2007 tour, and then ignore the site. At least there is some humorous drama in the Aerosmith camp to pay attention to.
FAMAC

Some pretty rough timing on Hear About It Later – mostly in the beginning – almost like he’s not that familiar with the part. Also generally sloppy playing – but still an amazing song and performance as a complete track.
phillster

FAMAC: I thought the same thing about the timing on”Pretty Woman”-it sounds like he`s either speeding up or slowing down
to catch the beat.Thank God for Alex!LOL
Really cool sh*t
can`t get enough of these!
http://www.cabowabo.com No Mas Tony

Yes, yes, big props to VHND for giving us something to look forward to.

I never realy appreciated the melody & screaming complexities of Eddie’s Beat It solo till now…
sounds so much better, removed from the Jackson Five generic synth beat.

I remember I was the only kid in school that hated Thriller album — Everyone wearing those gay red leather jackets with the fucking zippers. Trying to tell me the Jacsons were better than Halen (!?) “REALLY?!, listen to that guitar solo… who do you think is playing it? I’ll give ya a hint, IT AIN’T TITO!” LmAo
shawn

agreed about hear about it later. that riff is a monster. fantastic tone/effects.

the beat it solo is one of the most important 30 seconds in all of rock. quite cool considering it appeared on what was considered at the time to be an r&b record. it opened the door for the rest of 80′s pop. love it.

so great to look under the hood of these tracks like this.
RickieVanWhalen

I agree FAMAC – Hear About It Later sounds awkward without the rest of the band. Yet in total, it is the greatest VH tune of all time – IMO. So freaking inspired, especially the ending. The interaction between EVH and DLR is the best ever. I also truly appreciate the bass, drums and vocals now that I understand the guitar parts. I am SO shocked how disjointed the guitar sounds just by itself. I knew he was drop D tuned DLR, but did not know that he appears to “punch in” in a few places. It is very obvious that he wrote this tune on piano.

This tune is pure genious. EVH is King.
MICAL VEE

This say’s it all…I have a live cd of VAN HALEN’S 1978 ANAHEIM STADIUM SHOW,the concert they parachuted into ( we know now that it was’nt VH but stunt doubles)and the crowd at the time did’nt know it and how cool that had to be to see that and then the VH boys hitting the stage!!! I told a guy at work about the story and he said that was B.S. for VAN HALEN fooling the crowd like that and i told him it’s called showmanship and i added ” you do know that SUPERMAN does’nt really fly in the movies right!!! Before ERUPTION DIAMOND DAVE introduces KING EDWARD as “the guitarist of the eighties”…this is 1978 and DAVE is already seeing the future of the band and EDDIES guitar playing saying they are gonna be around awhile!!! It just dont get any better then that!!!!!!!
DLR

RickieVanWhalen – Hadn’t considered coming up with the tune on the piano. Great call. That answers several things about the arrangement. Thanks for the spot.
Panama Red

Greatness! I never get tired of listening to these isolated tracks, ever!
I did notice some inconsistencies in Eddie’s playing that I hadn’t noticed before. Although I feel kind of like an un-worthy prick pointing them out. I mean it’s King Edward, but he is only human afterall, I think.

“Intruder” always made me think that Eddie was almost making his guitar talk. To me the beginning sounds like it’s a small child talking to his Dad. Go back and listen, it sounds like it’s saying.
Dad?
What son?
Then the kid goes on talking or asking his dad something.
Man, I’m weird and I’m not even high or anything. Lmfao
Also listening to “Pretty Woman” reminds me of when Eddie said he bumped into Roy Orbison somewhere and Orbison pointed out that he was playing it wrong. Eddie didn’t even realize it because he played it by ear, never looked at sheet music.
I’d say it sounds just about right though. Love it!
VHIII_1998_

Hear about it later should be considered a master piece more than a riff. you can hear the hard work put in to it.
http://wheresdave thin lizzy

thanks vhnd,please talk to someone in the vh camp to find out whats going on…paleeeese…..
Atomic Pete

@ Richie VH

The “punches” are for the overdubs. The
main guitar part is not included in sections of this isolated version. (beginning when band kicks in, outro).

Unless you are referring to other “punches you hear.
Atomic Pete

@ Panama Red

Yeah “Intruder” does sound like talking. It always sounded to me like it was a wife trying to wake up her husband to tell him she hears somebody in the house. Hence the name “Intruder” but who knows.

Honey
Honey
Groan
Wake up
I think I hear something downstairs
groan
etc

You guys should search Ed’s house on google earth. You can see the driveway leading up to 5150 and the section in front
of the studio that is all stripped up. Cool! (I think)
dude

I think these were taken from the VH Guitar Hero game which means the guitar tracks are sometimes compilations of the various tracks in the original recordings.

I bet Ice Cream Man was removed because that song was not actually written by VH. I’m pretty sure it’s a cover. Could be wrong. Anyone?

Yes, we can only dream that the lack of new material news means that they are working on tunes like “Hear About It Later,” which obviously was no “lay it down in 20 minutes” job!
Panama Red

Atomin Pete – It’s cool someone else thought that too. Did you happen to have the Guitar world issue from years ago with the cartoon story about how Eddie did the solo for “Beat It” as a favor to Quincy Jones, cause MJ liked Eddie’s sound. And How Eddie got paid $0.00 for it. That was kinda funny.
Love that Solo!

And I know everyone’s always praised “Hear About it Later” But I want to chime in and say I F@!#ING love that song too. Sometimes I incorporate colors with sounds too like the whole brown sound Eddie was always looking for, which I love. But the first part of “Hear about It Later” to me feels like it has a blue sound. Like it’s kind of underwater sounding almost. It sticks in my head, it’s a very unique sound. Anyway, maybe I’m just being weird again. I’ll shut up now. Still not high, ha ha.
Dooley

Thin Lizzy:

You never know with these guys. VH history tells us they maintain silence…and then whammo. Hope is alive, but patience is understably thin. An official update would be great, for sure.

You must also be a fan of Thin Lizzy, I assume. I still miss Phil Lynott, a great frontman/vocalist and very capable bass guitar player who made that band tick.
http://www.cabowabo.com No Mas Tony

@ ATOMIC PETE — Dude, if you can see 5150 studio, can you tell me if you see David Lee Roth’s car parked out front!? …. interesting, if not somewhat stalker-like, observation!

@ PANAMA RED — You call youself “weird”?! You are quite normal compared to some of the other nuts that regularly post on here (myself included)

By the way, if you listen CLOSELY, Eddie’s guitar in the beginning of Intruder says:

“Al?”
“What, Ed”
“Did they remember to take out the brown m&m’s?”
“Yes, Ed”

Maybe we’re ALL crazy!?
RickieVanWhalen

I don’t know Atomic Pete – I think you are right in that a guitar is missing in places. Thus my facination with this song from a playing standpoint is that much more amplified!

It sounds like he punches in (as compared to a the second guitar overdubing) just before the solo and during the vocal section in the bridge (“you can try me at home… if it feels alright”) and maybe in the ending.

I don’t know. It is tough to distinguish between the second guitar and first guitar being punched in and maybe another guitar track completly missing?

Bottom line – this is an amazing EVH product and the tune has special meaning to me.

I also read a very long time ago in Guitar Player Mag that he composed it on piano. I did not come up with that just now!
RickieVanWhalen

I think I am deaf! Definantly a guitar missing right in the beginning of the main riff.
Panama Red

I meant “Atomic Pete” Damn, what is so difficult about proof-reading to me? I just can’t seem to grasp the concept.

No Mas Tony- That was a good one man. I finally know what Ed’s guitar is saying now, thanks lmao
Atomic Pete

@ No Mas Tony

Unfortunately the satellite shot is not in real time and
yes it is borderline stalker-like lol. I’ve also tried to drive up to see Eds place but he lives in a gated community.(good call Ed, lol)
I’m a fan(atic) what can I say.

@ Panama
That’s cool that you hear the colors too.Consider it a gift

@dude
Good call on the Ice Cream Man thing.You’re probably right
because it is a cover
VHIII_1998_

hey steven tyler is back in Aerosmith.
Tommy Boy

dude: John Brim wrote “Ice Cream Man”

johnny beane: “Intruder” was written as an extension for the video to “Pretty Woman” because it was too long and then included on the album.
MICAL VEE

Hear about it later!!! I thank the metal god’s i got to see the fair warning tour in ’81!!!
PasadenaKid

“Hear About It Later” always reminds me of an oncoming thunderstorm…..Eddie’s intro sounds like the eerie calm where the clouds are becoming very dark and foreboding and the winds are picking up……and the fury really hits you around the 3:30 mark in the song – lightning bursts, trees snapping, water rushing everywhere…….I always get this visual in my head when I listen to it……that’s the magic of Roth-era Van Halen.
DiamondDean

no mas tony , panama red , i think vhnd shd give u guys some commision , u guys make this site worth reading everyday , rock on my VH bros
Rob5150CT

These are awesome! It’s a great tool for folks to see how all parts are recorded and then put together to form a song in the studio! His tone is truly great on these! Very interesting stuff! You do hear the shifts in timing which makes me think they didn’t use a click track. “I don’t need no stinkin’ click!” And yes, I hear the colors too!
dude

You know what’s great? When it comes down to shootin’ the breeze about VH tracks, there isn’t one negative comment. No bashing, no hating. Just goes to show we’re all really just about the tunes! Spring is coming. I know what would make my spring rock!

@Panama Red – I always liked the comment Ed got from Michael Jackson after laying down that blistering solo: “I like the high notes.” Hilarious.
Dooley

Dude:

Yeah, Spring is coming all right. A new Van Halen
product aside from merchandise would make my spring rock
too.

But all we’re likely to get of real substance
is something new from Chickenfoot around April.
http://none Dirty Duck

“If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”

That was in my fortune cookie yesterday.
As of today we are literally one month away from spring.
Granted, out here on long island, first day of spring dont mean shit, but hey, at least we’re close….

“Somebody get me a doctor” is a killer. One of the most “live” sounding songs of the vh catalog!

“Intruder- always reminds me of friends from the past.
These cats LOVED this instrumental. No matter what VH song was playing, one of em’ would yell out (drunk) YO! Play intruder maaaaaan! Ha ha….good times.
Wasnt a big fan when I was younger. Thought it sounded “out of place”….yeah, I was young dumb and full of……
I didnt fully have my VH legs yet. Now? Shiiiiit. One of my favourites to crank. And yes….I think “pretty woman” is pure VH and I’m glad they covered it.
“Hear about it later” is CLASSIC. I can still remember the first time I heard the opening of the song followed by dave’s scream and I was hooked man. Great chorus too.
Funny hearing these tracks without the vocals. Makes you realize what an amazing group of musicians we were lucky enough to be influenced by. I’ve always had an ear for music. Not just meaning loving music, meaning hearing chords that no one else picks up on. Or pointing out a certain background chorus or sound that’s muddled in the mix.
Vh’s first 3 albums sound so fresh because many of the songs were recorded live in the studio. Some of them were even done in one take.

This is why I’m proud to be a fan.
Dooley

Dirty Duck says:

February 20th, 2010 at 8:21 am
“If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”

I know. And summer is right after that. And the best
piece of music ever done to celebrate the best time of the
year is, was, and ever shall be…..

SUMMER NIGHTS!!!!! You’re a great fan, Duck. So am I.