Wolfgang Van Halen rips Eddie "Mr stuck in the past" Trunk

[Anguyen92]

Here's an interesting question that might be telling about a poster in this thread.  If you guys had a chance to talk to Wolfgang about one topic, what would it be about? 

Oddly for me, it would not be about Van Halen and it wouldn't even be about the time he was in Mark Tremonti's solo band for a few years.  For all I know, I want to strike a good random conversation with him talking about the LA Kings and the state of the team and whatnot.  That might be something that he can not get pissy about, personally, unlike anything Van Halen-related that would cut too deep on.

[King Postwhore]

I wouldn't because I know how sensitive he is. The only thing I would say is, "Distance" is a touching tribute.   Now, how's the new album progressing?

[cfmoran13]

That might be something that he can not get pissy about, personally, unlike anything Van Halen-related that would cut too deep on.

In an in-person interview, it seems like nothing is off the table.  I've never heard him once get defensive in an interview.  It's basically the social media setting where things go sideways.  I feel like he's mentioned where he enjoys going after the trolls online in a cathartic sort of way.  And, the way ET can sound like a broken record when he gets on a topic and rants (RARHOF, playing to tracks, VH), it's not surprising that certain topics trigger him.  Eddie just needs to get over the whole Van Halen thing.  It's not his fight to campaign. 

[hefdaddy42]

I haven't been overly impressed with any of his opinions or the way he expresses them, so I wouldn't want to talk to him about anything.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Was EVH great and influential enough to deserve one?  Probably, but so were a bunch of other musicians who didn't get the Freddie/Taylor treatment. 

Even Freddie and Taylor are quite a ways a part in terms of influence.  Taylor really isn't even in the same universe as EVH in terms of legacy.  There's a good argument that EVH is the most important rock musician of the last 50 years, and even if not, he's probably in the top 5, at least for instrumentalists.  He's a very unique case.

I am not sure that is true anymore, and I say that as a big VH fan. Eddie's flashy style of guitar playing fell by the wayside in the mainstream by the early 90s, and when you consider how the electric guitar isn't the big star of the mainstream music world that it was for decades, it unfortunately minimizes the influence of those who were greatly influential in their own era.  Think of it this way: how often do any modern day musicians list Eddie Van Halen or Van Halen in general as a big influence?  I will take an educated guess and say probably not often at all.  Billie Eilish caught grief from online VH fans years ago when she had no idea who Van Halen was, but I think that was symbolic of the younger generation, most of whom either have no idea who VH is or don't listen to them.

That has a lot more to do with the fact that rock music has mostly been irrelevant in the mainstream for a couple decades now.  Hip-hop, EDM, country, and various strains of pop have been much more dominant in general.  Even in some of those you can occasionally hears strains of his influence though.  But I'm talking primarily about his legacy in the rock world.  Although in metal his influence is much more commonly felt, though at this point it's filtered through several generations, influences of influences of influences, though I hear his name come up more often than you'd think.  It's not just the flashy playing though, it's the popularization of superstrat-style guitars, the whammy bar, the fluid intermixing of rhythm and lead, the tone and drive to hot rod amps, the usage of tapping, harmonics, and many more subtle things.  Much of it gained wider acceptance due to him, even if the influence is increasingly indirect at this point. 

[cramx3]

Here's an interesting question that might be telling about a poster in this thread.  If you guys had a chance to talk to Wolfgang about one topic, what would it be about? 

Oddly for me, it would not be about Van Halen and it wouldn't even be about the time he was in Mark Tremonti's solo band for a few years.  For all I know, I want to strike a good random conversation with him talking about the LA Kings and the state of the team and whatnot.  That might be something that he can not get pissy about, personally, unlike anything Van Halen-related that would cut too deep on.

I certainly wouldn't talk about VH or his father in any way  I wouldn't ask this, but I'd be curious to know if he got picked on as a kid or something?  Or maybe was he isolated being the son of someone famous?  Like I'd be very curious of his childhood outside of his father and mother. 

In an in-person interview, it seems like nothing is off the table.  I've never heard him once get defensive in an interview.  It's basically the social media setting where things go sideways.

I haven't watched interviews, but at the 3 shows I've seen of Mamoth, he's often pretty emotional and comes off as a nice dude.  His twitter antics really throw me off though, like there's something wrong.  It could just be as simple as I have no idea what it's like to be him, and that goes back to why I would be curious about his child hood. 

[Lethean]

Is it just me, or is the idea of a "tribute" stupid to begin with?  To me, it's not whether Eddie should have one, it's why did we waste the bandwidth - pun intended - on Taylor Hawkins?  So much of this just seems to be the think I hate about Eddie Trunk the most: the sort of good ole boy network that he rails about so often when it's the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, but which his entire career is predicated on when it's people he likes and knows.

The Freddie tribute was directly about raising money for AIDS charities, at a time when we were still learning, and still dealing. I know that the Taylor Hawkins shows were to benefit charities "identified" by the Hawkins family, but to me, that's not the same thing.  Then again, I'm not a Foo Fighters fan, and I sort of thing they are over-estimated based on how much people seem to like Dave Grohl.  I'm waiting for the Phil Collins backlash to hit in 3... 2...

I've never been a Foo Fighters fan, but I felt really sad about Taylor's death.  I knew very little about him but he seemed nice enough and I liked him as a Rush fan.  I think it's nice they're doing tributes for him, and why not?  Maybe it will help Foo Fighters fans with their grief, and maybe it helps Dave Grohl with his.  I don't think there's an obligation to do one, but if the people involved want to, it can be a nice thing.

[Stadler]

That might be something that he can not get pissy about, personally, unlike anything Van Halen-related that would cut too deep on.

In an in-person interview, it seems like nothing is off the table.  I've never heard him once get defensive in an interview.  It's basically the social media setting where things go sideways.  I feel like he's mentioned where he enjoys going after the trolls online in a cathartic sort of way.  And, the way ET can sound like a broken record when he gets on a topic and rants (RARHOF, playing to tracks, VH), it's not surprising that certain topics trigger him.  Eddie just needs to get over the whole Van Halen thing.  It's not his fight to campaign.

I wish Eddie would shut the fuck up already about the piped vocals.  He's such a homer it's not funny; his douchebag Las Vegas group (supposedly all musicians, though I've never heard of one of them beyond Danny Koker, and him for cars and bad bandannas) notwithstanding, he's so selective about who he celebrates and who he lambastes.   He always talks about "honest".  "I'm just being honest".  No, idiot, your "opinion" isn't "honesty".   You hate Kiss because you need to keep your in with Peter and Ace, and so you rail on "piped vocals", ignoring Motley Crue and a host of other acts that appear on your show regularly.  I used to listen to him a lot, but I'm starting to not bother.

[Stadler]

Here's an interesting question that might be telling about a poster in this thread.  If you guys had a chance to talk to Wolfgang about one topic, what would it be about? 

Oddly for me, it would not be about Van Halen and it wouldn't even be about the time he was in Mark Tremonti's solo band for a few years.  For all I know, I want to strike a good random conversation with him talking about the LA Kings and the state of the team and whatnot.  That might be something that he can not get pissy about, personally, unlike anything Van Halen-related that would cut too deep on.

I certainly wouldn't talk about VH or his father in any way  I wouldn't ask this, but I'd be curious to know if he got picked on as a kid or something?  Or maybe was he isolated being the son of someone famous?  Like I'd be very curious of his childhood outside of his father and mother. 

In an in-person interview, it seems like nothing is off the table.  I've never heard him once get defensive in an interview.  It's basically the social media setting where things go sideways.

I haven't watched interviews, but at the 3 shows I've seen of Mamoth, he's often pretty emotional and comes off as a nice dude.  His twitter antics really throw me off though, like there's something wrong.  It could just be as simple as I have no idea what it's like to be him, and that goes back to why I would be curious about his child hood.

I'd love to figure out a way to ask about "5150".  I'm so fascinated by that studio and what went on there.  It looks so small in the few photos I've seen, but I'm pretty sure every album since 1984 was recorded in part there, so it had to be something.  Where are all the tapes?  Where are all the guitars?   The logistics of it all.

[cramx3]

That might be something that he can not get pissy about, personally, unlike anything Van Halen-related that would cut too deep on.

In an in-person interview, it seems like nothing is off the table.  I've never heard him once get defensive in an interview.  It's basically the social media setting where things go sideways.  I feel like he's mentioned where he enjoys going after the trolls online in a cathartic sort of way.  And, the way ET can sound like a broken record when he gets on a topic and rants (RARHOF, playing to tracks, VH), it's not surprising that certain topics trigger him.  Eddie just needs to get over the whole Van Halen thing.  It's not his fight to campaign.

I wish Eddie would shut the fuck up already about the piped vocals.  He's such a homer it's not funny; his douchebag Las Vegas group (supposedly all musicians, though I've never heard of one of them beyond Danny Koker, and him for cars and bad bandannas) notwithstanding, he's so selective about who he celebrates and who he lambastes.   He always talks about "honest".  "I'm just being honest".  No, idiot, your "opinion" isn't "honesty".   You hate Kiss because you need to keep your in with Peter and Ace, and so you rail on "piped vocals", ignoring Motley Crue and a host of other acts that appear on your show regularly.  I used to listen to him a lot, but I'm starting to not bother.

I've noticed this as well.  I've never liked Eddie but I follow him and occasionally interact on twitter because he has an audience.  But he's just so unlikeable and the way he rails on some bands and not others is very obvious.

[frogprog]

There is a video out there .. maybe some sort of MTV interview, where Edward goes through and shows a lot of the studio. There was also a TON of tape reels and that was back in the late 80's (I think). There is also video I've seen of Ed all wacked out in the studio at night by himself playing a bunch of spacey stuff (I've never heard recorded) as well as a video of VH with Sam playing Wont Get Fooled Again at 5150.
But yes, it seems kinda small but a lot of magic happened there.

[Stadler]

There is a video out there .. maybe some sort of MTV interview, where Edward goes through and shows a lot of the studio. There was also a TON of tape reels and that was back in the late 80's (I think). There is also video I've seen of Ed all wacked out in the studio at night by himself playing a bunch of spacey stuff (I've never heard recorded) as well as a video of VH with Sam playing Wont Get Fooled Again at 5150.
But yes, it seems kinda small but a lot of magic happened there.

If I'm not mistaken, the "whacked out" footage was a sort of (in terms of "official" versus "unofficial") music video for one of the songs he did for that porn film, Sacred Sin.  And it is whacked; he's shirtless and very sweaty, and at the end throws his guitar on the floor (what I thought was violently).  It wasn't the happy-go-lucky smilin' Ed from the Panama video!  I get that the background is weird and what not, but those two songs ("Rise" and "Catherine") are actually pretty good.  I'd buy an album of that kind of material. 

[HOF]

There is a video out there .. maybe some sort of MTV interview, where Edward goes through and shows a lot of the studio. There was also a TON of tape reels and that was back in the late 80's (I think). There is also video I've seen of Ed all wacked out in the studio at night by himself playing a bunch of spacey stuff (I've never heard recorded) as well as a video of VH with Sam playing Wont Get Fooled Again at 5150.
But yes, it seems kinda small but a lot of magic happened there.

I think this is probably the one you’re talking about. The studio does seem tiny, totally get claustrophobic watching that. And unlit like they are going through someone’s basement.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WpzyxHnN7HM

[Kwyjibo]

Love how completely fucked up his Frankenstrat looks. That guitar has seen some serious action. 

[MinistroRaven]

WVH interview
https://lotsofmuzik.com/wolfgang-van-halen-on-his-father-hed-be-so-proud-of-me/