The 30 Coolest Guitarists Of All Time: Eddie Van Halen

February 22, 2011 51 Comments

Guitar World magazine’s Sept 2010 issue listed the 30 coolest guitarists of all time, in no particular order. They featured a classic photo by Neil Zlozower of Eddie showing off his rarely seen Snake/Dragon guitar. Here’s what Guitar World said about Eddie:

EDDIE VAN HALEN

BORN: January 26, 1955
BAND: Van Halen
ICONIC GUITAR: Homemade “Frankenstein” Strat
COOLEST RIFF: “Panama”- 1984

Eddie Van Halen forever changed the way that the guitar is made and played, but that’s not why he’s cool. Sure, he’s single-handedly responsible for the whole hot-rodded guitar and amp phenomenon that brought companies like Jackson and Charvel fortune, techs like Jose Arredondo and Lee Jackson fame and inventors like Floyd Rose immortality. Yes, he perfected the two-handed tapping technique that made the guitar sound like a fucking synthesizer. And, okay, he crafted a legendary sound that guitarists are still trying to duplicate today.

But what makes Eddie cool is his attitude- especially how he makes work seem like it takes no effort at all. While he could put out an album of his farts or slap his name on any shitty guitar and still make millions, he is a painstaking perfectionist who spent years agonizing over every minute detail of his EVH Wolfgang guitar and EVH 5150 III amp before offering it to the public and who has refused to release a new Van Halen album until he feels it’s ready. Even after splitting with Valerie Bertinelli after 26 years of marriage, surviving battles with alcohol and cancer and enduring the presence of David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar for most of the last 38 years, nothing has wiped the big, warm, friendly smile off of his face.

Filed Under: Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen

LEd Zeppelin

Thats right ed is the man
Drew

Maybe it’s just me….but the kids today just don’t have it as good as we did… When Van Halen meant what I still feel it is today, just perfect. Nothing can get me down as long as I can hear “I’m The One”, “Women In Love”, “Romeo Delight”, “Mean Street”, “Hang ‘Em High”, “Drop Dead Legs”, “5150″, “Cabo Wabo”, “Pleasure Dome”, “Amsterdam”, “Human’s Being”, “Me Wise Magic”, “A Year To The Day” and “It’s About Time”.
Here’s to hoping that the next record will be as good as it gets!!
DiamondDean

COOL! that they didnt mention eruption !!!

Panama is my favorie Riff of alltime , lot of Vh fans nominate “Aint talkin bout love” , ehh never did much for me , much prefer LIGHT UP THE SKY or HUMANS BEINGS , rockin riffs
http://vhnd.com VH4

I love the idea “nothing has wiped the big, warm, friendly smile off of his face”! I think anyone who has read anything about Van Halen since about 1981 knows that`s pretty naive though! A smiling happy Eddie is a wonderful thing though. Not that happy artists always produce the best work…it`s normally the tortured ones who do…that`s why Fair Warning is so fantastic.
Tommy Boy

THE Coolest Guitarist EVER!!
Towers McQuestion

Coolest riff: “Panama”???? It’s awesomeness covered in awesome sauce, but there’s better to choose from. Unchained, anyone?
patt5150

Keep smilin’ Ed, life is good!
http://VHND HIKER MAN

COOL
Let’s Rock

This stuff gets crazier everyday.

Eddie is a guitar legend, that is a given, but he makes working seem effortless? Wow. How does that work with his painstaking perfectionism?

Does anyone think that the writters of this shit read what they have written? Or even know what they are writing about?

Enduring the presence of DLR and Sammy for all most 38 years?
Thank god he survived the alcohol and cancer because these two lunatics damn near killed him!!! WTF!!

And Coolest riff, Panama!!?? Of the whole VH catalog, Panama! Really?

The rest keep waiting and waiting and waiting……In VH Wonderland

The Nation Waits
http://VHND HIKER MAN

COOL,VERY COOL
Ray

he endured DLR & SH? C’mon, EVH may be cool, but the writer of that article is anything but…
Jayvh

Coolest guitar player there has ever been!
Its as though guitar was invented for him!!!
J5150C

By far the coolest. There are more people wanting to sound and play like him (including me) than people wanting to look like Lady Caca. Did I say poopoo? Shit! I always get that wrong!

OUT!!
Michael C.

Those are some kind words. I don’t think whoever wrote that article has seen or heard all of Eds interviews. LOL. Regardless, he is one of the most accomplished guitarists of multiple generations and he’s not done yet. Here’s to many more years of Van Halen…whoever ends up playing with Ed!!
gregorypb

…”and enduring the presence of David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar for most of the last 38 years”…

That might be the most funny, yet precise line, that has ever been written about Van Halen.

Now, on to the present. Why hasn’t Shanks tweeted in the past few weeks? Has the “press silencer” been put on him?
freddiegirl

“Enduring the presence of David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar for most of the last 38 years……”

Hahahahahaha! Ah that made me chuckle! Ed was/is the coolest of the cool; I’m up early and this article and pic of young Eddie made my day!
Albert Jackson Munoz

Eddie Van Halen is a god. Enough cannot be said about his limitless talent. Even though he has done so much, he is still underated.

He’s Hendrix, Page, and a hundred more men all in one.
jeff adams

If Ed had to endure Dave & Sammy’s nonsense for all those years & maybe this is true, he should have made Mike the lead singer.
Steve

Unchained is the coolest evh riff. Eddie even said its his favorite
Dawg1981

Who said “Panama” was the coolest riff?
I always thought “Unchained” was

Dawg
Ted

I remember when I heard Eruption for the first time, I wasn’t sure what just went trough my ears. When I woke up the next morning I had the song in my head, so had to listen to again, so I did, and I did again, again, again and again, but I never think I’ll hear something like it ever again, Eddie was one of the persons to make me believe in myself, that nothing is inpossible and every time I hear a Van Halen song it always make me smile, Thanks Eddie.
MICAL VEE

To me what made Eddie so cool was the guitar he played and his hair style! Always wanted hair like that!
Erick

I agree. Unchained is even better.
They should open the 2011 shows with UNCHAINED !!!
JACK N SAM

“…enduring the presence of David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar…” ???

The writer is equating Ed working with these two artists, with dealing with cancer and alcoholism and divorce? Geez what a dick.

Didn’t he know that they are part of the reason Ed put out the music he did?

I don’t know how one can choose a greatest riff among all of Ed’s riffs. Panama is a great riff, but I think Mean Streets is much better.
Roth_Leaps_83

“Nothing has wiped the big, warm, friendly smile off of his face” ???

What the hell? This author has NO CLUE about VH history in the last 25 years! There has been plenty to wipe the smile off Eddie’s face in the figurative sense. Just because the guy smiles in photos doesnt mean he’s happy on the inside….

Who says “Panama” is the greatest VH riff of all time? CLUELESS. “Aint Talkin’ Bout Love” and “Unchained” easily are better.

Once again — a quickie article on Eddie that obviously provides no new insight or intelligence!
Herb

It’s subjective folks. Liking what YOU like, does not make it better that what someone else likes.

Jump has always been at the bottom of the VH totem pole for me. Go figure…best selling VH single ever.

Panama seems fine to me to like as a best VH riff. Today, I think I would choose the riff from D.O.A. Tomorrow I might change my mind.
Mike c

I’m a huge fan of humans being and can’t get this stuff no more because it’s when Ed uses a talk box I have mistaken every vh song and I can’t find him using one in any other song! DOSE ANYONE KNOW OF ANYMORE VH SONGS WERE HE USED ONE?
Ted

My favourite guitar riff by eddie is not the main riff of Panama, the second riff in panama after the solo always liked it, I love the blues sounds of it.
Nat

Panama continues to grow on me, but I don’t think it holds a candle to Mean Street.

But I imagine the author of this particular article wrote it to appeal to the most people, and far more will know Panama than know Mean Street or any of the deeper cuts from earlier albums.

And as for “enduring” Dave and Sammy, WTF? I guess that means that the author thinks that Gary was the only singer that wasn’t a pain in the ass.
DiamondInTheBuff

Unchained = best guitar. The chord progression gives me goosebumps every time.
Rack of What?

House of Pain is my favorite riff, but Mean Street is his best work, imo, and Fair Warning, in general, is the greatest rock album ever…..just sayin
oconnor

“Loss of Control” is another great one. You can listen to the isolated guitar track on YouTube.
jeff adams

In my opinion VH1 thru Fair Warning are the best albums ever. It’s hard to pick one over the other. As for songs and riffs, they’re all the best. Unchained, On Fire, Mean Streets, Girl Gone Bad, Craddle Will Rock, Light Up the Sky, Full Bug, and on and on. 4 of the baddest dudes on the planet. Thank God for VAN HALEN.
JACK N SAM

Mike c:

Isn’t that a wah pedal, not a talk box? He also used it on Top of the World. There may be others but not as noticeable.
Adrian

The best track selection is a little lame, love Panama but Eddie has a huge list of epic riffs, But I must say great article. All true. All awesome. Go Ed
Tom

I think its funny that with the lack of news that an article published months ago is NOW getting a post here lol.And yes,that is a talk box on “Cant get this stuff no More”,but Ed didnt operate it.His tech Matt did.Apparently Ed didnt like having to shove the tube to use the box in his mouth lol.I read that in an interview he did somewhere around the time the time the whole Roth thing blew up in the 1997
Sparks on the Horizon!!!

I always like how Ed said that they were so into AC/DC at the time, that Panama is loosely based on one of their riffs played backwards. That’s a nice tip o’ the hat!

My fave riff that received air play-Unchained
No air play- House of Pain
Club days original- Take it Back (Believe Me)
Club days cover-The fool And Me
Van Hagar- 5150
VH III- Dirty Water Dog
hawk51

Best riff?No brainer MEANSTREET,HEAR ABOUT IT LATER,HOUSE OF PAIN,GIRL GONE BAD,IM THE ONE,DROP DEAD LEGS,FOOLS,I could go on and on but we all know what is understood.
Peace!
Jose

Eddie Rules!!!! Meng!!
DiamondDean

PANAMA is easily more popular then unchained aint talkin bout love or mean streats , some rock fans wldnt know if those songs even existed , but i dont know if its better ???
http://www.curlygirlies.com Curly

I think Ed is the coolest but when that Roth MTV bit happened I couldn’t find a smile on his face, but that shit happens.

As far as riffs go, yes Panama is great, but I think Mean Streets, On Fire, Bottoms Up, DOA, Drop Deg Legs is Eddie at his best. I had front row in 1984 at Cobo Hall in Detroit and even in this city he had a smile the entire time-lol. Roth and Eddie must of been getting along that day because it was an amazing show, the only one that might have been better just because of the song list was when I seen them in 1981 for the Fair Warning Tour, yes I am old-lol. I haven’t seen a better opening song from anyone than “On Fire.”

I can’t wait for the new stuff!!!!
littledreamer

@ Curly
“On Fire” is one of my favorites, and I always thought it would make a great opening song. I figure VH doesn’t play that song very often because it’s hard to find live performance of that song on YouTube. Same with DOA.
jeff adams

littledreamer: Go to Van Halen live 1977 in Fresno. They do On Fire live. In no way can I pick a favorite song from VH, but when discussing great tunes I always bring up On Fire. That song gives me chills just thinking about it.
Mark

Am I the only one who’s favorite riff and tune is………..
Drum Roll……………….

#1 Little Guitars!!!!

That is just the most outstanding fantastic catchy Riffs in a song….Period.

#2 Top of the World intro!!! BAD ASS!!
littledreamer

Jeff Adams, thanks for the tip. “On Fire” is my caffeine boost. The lyrics just go with the music. Dave sang and screamed it to perfection.

Mark, you’re not the only one. I like “Little Guitars” too. I think Diver Down is under-appreciated because it’s associated with cover tunes. But the originals (LG, Secrets, Hang ‘Em High and The Full Bug) are on top of my VH list.
http://www.curlygirlies.com Curly

littledreamer says:

February 23rd, 2011 at 7:26 pm
@ Curly
“On Fire” is one of my favorites, and I always thought it would make a great opening song. I figure VH doesn’t play that song very often because it’s hard to find live performance of that song on YouTube. Same with DOA.

Hey littledreamer, when VH opened with “On Fire” at cobo hall in 81 it was amazing, Eddie came out playing the beggining riff and when the drums kicked in Roth did a flying leap over him off the drum riser, I have never heard a crowd go so f*cking crazy! The best part is the crowd never settled down after that, it was like every song was the opener, nobody can match the engery of VH. Just like everyone else I wish they would put out a dvd box set, from the classic interviews to the amazing concerts.

On Fire has one of the best screams, right after the guitar solo it sounds like Roth stepped on a cat-lol. That riff and the lead and back ground vocals makes you want to punch someone in the face-lol. No band has ever come close to VH live! But this is about Eddies riffs and after reading some of the comments I can’t believe I left out “Hear About It Later.” Hell just put all of VH1 and all guitar tracks on “Fair Warning.
freddiegirl

Mark, littledreamer, I love Diver Down as well. It gets a bad rap for all the covers but Secrets is hands down one of the sweetest, coolest things VH ever recorded. It’s right up there with Push Comes to Shove and In a Simple Rhyme for smooth coolness!
littledreamer

freddiegirl, enjoy your post as always. I absolutely agree about Secrets. Love the lyrics, and the song really shows Dave’s vocal range. The three songs we mention (Secrets, On Fire, Push Comes to Shove) are all fantastic but they couldn’t sound more different. This is what make Classic VH great – The music is never predictable or repetitive. I am ecstatic about the new album.
freddiegirl

Thanks littledreamer! I agree…can’t wait for the new album! I too, love the lyrics to Secrets…I’ve always kinda thought of it as a continuation of In a Simple Rhyme. Same kind of cool, cool lyrics and a sort of smooth summery sound..
jeff adams

freddiegirl & littledreamer: Don’t forget LITTLE DREAMER. I’d add that tune to your perfect list, as cool.