Jas Obrecht’s remarkably candid conversation with Eddie Van Halen continues, with lots of guitar playing!
Today, Jas released PART 2 of his never-before-heard gem of an interview with Eddie Van Halen, from January of 1980. And, just like his complete 1978 and 1979 Eddie interviews, this is absolutely incredible to hear!
But first, if you haven’t already heard it, you may want to listen to Part 1 of his marathon 1980 interview, “Eddie Van Halen – The Complete 1980 Interview – Tape 1 (HD Audio).” The interview you’re about to hear takes up where that podcast left off.
Jas sets up the interview:
Like on Tape 1, Eddie plays a lot of unamplified Frankenstrat during this second tape. Other highlights include him talking about why he got expelled from school in ninth grade, the appeal of working alongside his brother Alex and bassist Mike Anthony, and the disadvantages of being a so-called “rock star.” He delves into how he records in the studio, how the movement of his body is tied into his playing, and how performing onstage is “like having sex.”
Eddie also talks about his admiration of Allan Holdsworth, what he looks for in a solo, and his favorite of his own solos. He discusses his amplifiers and effects and elaborates on how he boils strings before installing them on his guitar, how he and Mike occasionally tune down a quarter-step, and the pros and cons of tuning a guitar all in fourths. Eddie’s playing throughout this second tape is exhilarating and extraordinary!
Portions of this interview were published in Eddie’s first-ever cover story, in the April 1980 issue of Guitar Player. For more insights into early-’80s Van Halen, see “Van Halen’s Michael Anthony: The Complete 1981 Interview (HD Audio).”
A special thanks to engineer/producer/designer Nik Hunt for enhancing the sound of these decades-old master tapes.
Listen to the never-heard 1980 Interview below:
For more guitar-intensive podcasts and articles, visit Jas Obrect’s YouTube channel “Talking Guitar: Jas Obrecht’s Music Magazine” and online “Talking Guitar” magazine.
