Interview with Eddie Van Halen: Is Rock 'n' Roll All About Reinvention?

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Reach down between my legs and ease the seat back.......

๐Ÿ‘๏ธŽ︎ 9 ๐Ÿ‘ค๏ธŽ︎ u/Oldslim ๐Ÿ“…๏ธŽ︎ Oct 15 2018 ๐Ÿ—ซ︎ replies

the drum solo at the start of hot for teacher is a very realistic representation of an idling harley davidson.

๐Ÿ‘๏ธŽ︎ 4 ๐Ÿ‘ค๏ธŽ︎ u/Inflexibl ๐Ÿ“…๏ธŽ︎ Oct 15 2018 ๐Ÿ—ซ︎ replies

the engine reving sound FX from Bullitt was neither from a Mustang or Charger, but from Bud Ekins tear-assing around a track in a Ford GT40.

๐Ÿ‘๏ธŽ︎ 2 ๐Ÿ‘ค๏ธŽ︎ u/bolanrox ๐Ÿ“…๏ธŽ︎ Oct 15 2018 ๐Ÿ—ซ︎ replies

I think you mean a 1972 Lamborghini miura s

๐Ÿ‘๏ธŽ︎ 2 ๐Ÿ‘ค๏ธŽ︎ u/chesterluno ๐Ÿ“…๏ธŽ︎ Oct 15 2018 ๐Ÿ—ซ︎ replies
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[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] [ LAUGHS ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE CONTINUE ] HAVE A SEAT. WELL, HI, EVERYBODY. [ CHUCKLES ] THAT WAS A NICE LITTLE... HELLO? ...OPENING. IS THIS THING ON? YEAH. [ LAUGHS ] WELL, I FIRST MET EDDIE IN 2009, AND IT WAS WHEN I INTERVIEWED HIM FOR CNN. IT WAS AT HIS 5150 STUDIO, AND HE WAS ROLLING OUT A NEW GUITAR FOR HIS EVH LINE WITH FENDER. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT YOU GUYS ARE REALLY IN FOR A TREAT TONIGHT. YOU'RE GONNA GET A CHANCE TO HEAR HIS STORY AND ALSO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT MAKES HIM TICK. AND AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, I'M SURE YOU'RE GONNA WANT HIM TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND. [ CHUCKLES ] [ LAUGHS ] [ LAUGHTER ] MAYBE NOT. [ LAUGHS ] WELL, THIS IS A NICE INTIMATE CROWD. YOU'RE USUALLY USED TO ARENAS. THIS IS... IT'S ABOUT AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE IN AN ARENA. [ LAUGHTER ] WELL, LET'S HEAD INTO THE PROGRAM. THE THEME OF TONIGHT IS ROCK 'N' ROLL AND REINVENTION COUPLED WITH WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE AN AMERICAN. AND THIS IS KIND OF YOUR STORY, TRULY. YEAH, I'D HAVE TO SAY SO. LET ME START OFF BY SAYING THAT MY FATHER WAS A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, CLASSICALLY TRAINED ON CLARINET AND SAXOPHONE, AND HE TRAVELED THE WORLD MAKING MUSIC. AND HE MET MY MOTHER IN INDONESIA. AND AFTER THE WAR -- INDONESIA USED TO BE A DUTCH PROVINCE. AND AFTER THE WAR, THEY HAD A CHOICE. EITHER REMAIN UNDER THEIR RULE OR MOVE BACK TO HOLLAND. AND THEY OPTED TO MOVE BACK TO HOLLAND, WHERE LIFE BECAME A LITTLE ROUGH BECAUSE MY MOM BECAME A SECOND-CLASS CITIZEN BECAUSE SHE'S INDONESIAN. SO, HERE SHE IS, STUCK AT HOME WITH TWO RUGRATS, ALEX AND I, AND MY FATHER'S OUT TRYING TO GET GIGS, WHICH KEPT HIM FROM HOME FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BIG-BAND ERA AND EVERYTHING COMING KIND OF TO A CLOSE, IN ORDER TO MAKE MONEY TO HAVE ANY KIND OF GIG AT ALL, HE JOINED THE AIR FORCE IN HOLLAND TO PAY THE RENT. AND SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, WHEN HE TURNED 42, HE SAID TO MY MOM, "LET'S PACK UP THE KIDS AND THE PIANO AND MOVE TO BEVERLY." [ LAUGHTER ] EXCEPT IT WASN'T BEVERLY HILLS, THAT IS. WE CAME TO AMERICA ON A BOAT. NINE DAYS ON A BOAT. AND HE PERFORMED ON THE BOAT WITH THE BAND, AND THAT WAS OUR TICKET OVER HERE. AND ONE DAY, HE COMES UP TO ALEX AND I AND HE GOES, "WHY DON'T YOU GUYS PLAY PIANO DURING THE INTERMISSION?" SO, WE ENDED UP PERFORMING ALSO ON THE BOAT, WHICH SHOWED US THE QUIRKS OF BEING A PERFORMER, OR THE PLUSSES OF IT, BECAUSE THE NEXT NIGHT, WE'RE AT THE CAPTAIN'S TABLE EATING DINNER. [ LAUGHTER ] SO, WE FOUND OUT AT AN EARLY AGE, YOU KNOW, WHAT BEING ON STAGE MEANT, YOU KNOW, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. BUT ANYWAY, SO WHEN WE FINALLY ARRIVED IN PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, IT WAS ROUGH. MY FATHER, YOU KNOW, A CLASSICALLY TRAINED MUSICIAN, HAD TO WALK THREE MILES TO GO WASH DISHES. HE WAS A JANITOR AT MASONIC TEMPLE AND PACIFIC TELEPHONE. MY MOM WAS A MAID. AND THERE WAS ALWAYS A COMMON THREAD OF MUSIC IN OUR FAMILY EVER SINCE WE WERE YOUNG IN HOLLAND. YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE, MY MOM HAD A SENSE THAT WE WERE GONNA FOLLOW IN MY FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS. AND KNOWING THAT IN THE BACK OF HER HEAD, SHE INSISTED THAT WE START BEING CLASSICALLY TRAINED ON PIANO ALREADY IN HOLLAND. THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT THE PIANO WITH US. BUT ANYWAY, SO WE COME TO AMERICA, AND MY MOM BEING A MAID AND MY DAD... THE THING JUST CUT OUT. IT'S BACK. AND HE DIDN'T KNOW ANY OTHER MUSICIANS, REALLY. AND, YOU KNOW, THE MUSICIAN'S UNION WAS THERE, BUT THEY WEREN'T OF MUCH HELP AT THE TIME. BUT SLOWLY, HE STARTED MEETING OTHER MUSICIANS, ALSO, YOU KNOW, IMMIGRANTS. AND HE STARTED GIGGING ON THE WEEKENDS BECAUSE BEING A JANITOR AND A MAID AND ALL THAT STUFF, IT DIDN'T PAY THE RENT, AND WE LIVED IN ONE ROOM. WE SLEPT IN ONE BED IN A HOUSE WITH TWO OTHER FAMILIES. SO, IT WAS ROUGH GOING. SO, THE ONLY THING, AGAIN, THAT SAVED US WAS MY DAD GIGGING ON THE WEEKENDS MAKING MUSIC. AS WE GREW A LITTLE BIT OLDER, ALEX STARTED PLAYING DRUMS WITH MY DAD. AND I'LL NEVER FORGET. 'CAUSE HE HAD LONG HAIR, HE HAD TO TAKE A WHOLE JAR OF VASELINE, AND -- WHAT WAS THAT STUFF CALLED, VITALIS? AND JUST SLICK HIS HAIR BACK, YOU KNOW? TOOK HIM DAYS TO GET IT OUT. AND THEN EVENTUALLY, I ENDED UP PLAYING BASS WITH THEM. AND I DIDN'T KNOW MY "A" FROM A HOLE IN THE GROUND, BUT THESE, YOU KNOW, FUNNY SONGS, YOU'RE LIKE -- WE WERE PLAYING, YOU KNOW, OOMPAH MUSIC. EVERYTHING FROM OOMPAH MUSIC TO WALTZES TO, YOU KNOW, WEDDINGS, BAR MITZVAHS, YOU NAME IT. AND AL WOULD YELL TO ME WHICH CHORD TO PLAY. YOU KNOW, HE'D GO, "ONE, FOUR, FIVE. NO, YOU FUCKED IT UP." [ LAUGHTER ] BUT -- DOES HE STILL DO THAT? BLEEP THAT OUT. [ LAUGHTER ] I DON'T LISTEN ANYMORE. NO. [ LAUGHS ] ANYWAY, SO MUSIC WAS JUST A COMMON THREAD THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES. WE WERE BORN IN HOLLAND, MUSIC IN THE HOUSE. WE USED TO STOMP AROUND THE LIVING ROOM TABLE WITH POTS AND PANS AND, YOU KNOW, MARCHING AROUND, LISTENING TO BIG BAND MARCHING MUSIC. AND WE ALWAYS LIKED THINGS LOUD. EVERYTHING HAD TO BE LOUD, YOU KNOW? BUT AS WE GOT OLDER, WE CONTINUED TO TAKE PIANO LESSONS, AND MY MOM HAD PUT US IN THESE CONTESTS, THESE ANNUAL CONTESTS WHERE YOU PRACTICE ONE PIECE OF MUSIC ALL YEAR LONG, AND -- I'M GOING WAY OFF THE SUBJECT HERE. NO, THIS IS FASCINATING. ANYWAY, YOU PRACTICE ONE PIECE OF MUSIC ALL YEAR, AND THE FUNNY THING IS I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO READ MUSIC, AND I FOOLED THE TEACHER. I WAS JUST BLESSED WITH GOOD EARS. I'D WATCH HIS FINGERS AND EMULATE WHAT HE DID, YOU KNOW? HE DIDN'T FIND OUT TILL MUCH LATER THAT I COULDN'T READ. HE ACTUALLY FOUND OUT ONE TIME WHEN HE WAS PLAYING A NEW PIECE OF MUSIC, AND HE ASKED ME TO TURN THE PAGE FOR HIM, AND I'M SITTING GOING... [ LAUGHTER ] HE GOES, "WHAT'S THE MATTER? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TURN THE PAGE." I'M GOING, "WELL, I CAN'T READ." HE'S GOING, "WHAT?" YOU KNOW, THIS IS AFTER LIKE FIVE YEARS OF LESSONS WITH THE GUY, AND HE FINALLY FOUND OUT, WHICH HE WASN'T TOO HAPPY ABOUT. BUT THE FUNNY THING IS -- OKAY, THESE PIANO CONTESTS THAT THEY PUT US INTO, YOU'RE NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO READ, OKAY? YOU CAN'T USE SHEET MUSIC, SO IT WAS ACTUALLY A BLESSING IN DISGUISE FOR ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO READ. I COULD NOT LOOK UP AND DO THINGS AT THE SAME TIME. I HAD TO SEE WHAT MY FINGERS WERE DOING. BUT THESE PIANO CONTESTS, ACTUALLY, BOTH ALEX AND I WON THREE YEARS IN A ROW. I THINK I WON FIRST PRIZE THREE YEARS IN A ROW, AND AL WON FIRST PRIZE, SECOND PRIZE, WHATEVER. BUT WE ALWAYS WON, AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE IN PHASES WHERE YOU GO IN AND YOU PLAY, AND THEN YOU WAIT AN HOUR TO SEE IF YOUR NAME GETS WHITTLED DOWN. I HAD NO IDEA. IT WAS LIKE 5,000 KIDS, OKAY? THEN IT WOULD GO DOWN TO 2,000, AND YOU'D SEE IF YOUR NAME IS STILL ON THE LIST. AND IT WOULD GO DOWN TO 100 PEOPLE AND THEN 10 AND THEN 5, AND WE'RE GOING -- ALEX AND I ARE BOTH GOING, "COME ON, LET'S JUST GO HOME. WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT," YOU KNOW? AND MY DAD WAS ALWAYS THE ONE THAT SAID, "NO, NO, NO. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. CHECK IT OUT." AND, WELL, THERE IT WAS. WE WERE IN THE TOP 5. AND THEN WE ENDED UP WINNING, WHICH WAS GREAT. BUT THAT WAS THE PIANO PHASE, SO THAT WAS 9, 10, 11 YEARS OLD THAT I DID THOSE CONTESTS. AND THEN WE DISCOVERED THE BEATLES AND DAVE CLARK FIVE, AND OF COURSE, LIKE ANY KID, WE WANTED TO ROCK AND ROLL. AND I QUIT PIANO LESSONS AND CONTEST CIRCUITS, SO TO SPEAK, AND SAID, "I WANT TO GET MYSELF A DRUM KIT." 'CAUSE I LIKED THE SONG "GLAD ALL OVER"... [ IMITATES DRUMS ] ...BY DAVE CLARK FIVE. AND I WANTED TO PLAY DRUMS, SO I GOT A PAPER ROUTE, BOUGHT A ST. GEORGE DRUM KIT FOR 125 BUCKS. AND MY MOM SOMEHOW CONVINCED MY BROTHER TO STILL DO SOMETHING MUSICALLY RESPECTABLE, WHICH WAS TAKE FLAMENCO GUITAR LESSONS. NOW, FORGIVE ME IF MY MEMORY OR RECOLLECTION IS DIFFERENT FROM YOURS, AL, BUT ALL I REMEMBER IS ME GOING OUT AND THROWING THE PAPERS AND COMING HOME, AND HE'S PLAYING MY DRUMS. AND I'M GOING, "OKAY." YOU KNOW, P.O.'d ME A BIT IN THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW? AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST SAID, "OKAY, HE'S JUST BETTER THAN I AM." SO, I NEVER WANTED TO PLAY GUITAR, BUT I SAID, "OKAY, GO AHEAD, TAKE MY DRUMS. I'LL PLAY YOUR DAMN GUITAR." [ LAUGHTER ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THE FUNNY THING IS WHEN I WATCHED ALEX PLAY -- YOU PROBABLY SAY THE EXACT OPPOSITE -- OR THE SAME THING, EXCEPT TO ME -- AND THAT IS THAT TO WATCH AL PLAY DRUMS WAS LIKE HE WASN'T JUST KEEPING TIME, HE WAS MAKING MUSIC ON THE DRUMS. IT JUST CAME SORT OF NATURAL TO HIM, WHEREAS HE'LL PROBABLY SAY THE GUITAR WAS JUST SO EASY FOR ME. AND WE'RE BOTH RIGHT. YOU KNOW? [ LAUGHTER ] YOU KNOW, WE ENDED UP ON THE -- IT WAS DESTINY. IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE UNIVERSE HAS A WAY OF SHAKING OUT THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO, DOESN'T IT? NOW, YOU DIDN'T TAKE FORMAL GUITAR LESSONS IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU TOOK PIANO LESSONS. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. I, INSTEAD OF READING A BOOK, I WROTE MY OWN, SO TO SPEAK. I'D SAY THAT 90% OF THE THINGS THAT I DO ON GUITAR, IF I HAD TAKEN LESSONS AND LEARNED BY THE BOOK, I WOULD NOT PLAY AT ALL THE WAY I DO. AS A MATTER OF FACT, BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT I CREATED TECHNIQUE-WISE AND WHATEVER THE WAY I PLAY, THEY HAD TO REINVENT A WHOLE NEW WAY TO WRITE MUSIC, 'CAUSE THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WITH REGULAR NOTES WHAT I WAS DOING WITH THIS HAND. SO THEY HAD TO CREATE A WHOLE NEW THING CALLED TABLATURE. WITH SYMBOLS AND THINGS? YEAH, WITH SYMBOLS AND NUMBERS AND WHAT FINGER'S WHERE AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. AND THE FUNNY THING IS, OKAY, I CAN'T READ MUSIC. NOW THEY COME UP WITH A NEW WAY TO WRITE IT, AND I CAN'T MAKE SENSE OUT OF THAT AT ALL, SO I DON'T HAVE A CLUE IF IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG. [ LAUGHTER ] WELL, CAN WE FLASH BACK ALL THE WAY TO 1978? THAT'S WHEN VAN HALEN'S SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM HIT THE STORES, AND IT REALLY KIND OF TURNED THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ON ITS HEAD. DO YOU GUYS AGREE? [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THERE WERE SOUNDS THAT HE WAS MAKING WITH HIS GUITAR THAT NOBODY HAD EVER HEARD BEFORE. THE SOUNDS ON THAT RECORD WERE A LOT OF YEARS OF EXPERIMENTATION AND TEARING APART GUITARS AND OPENING UP AMPLIFIERS AND GETTING ELECTROCUTED AND THROWN ACROSS -- YOU KNOW, KICKED AROUND, AND... AND, UH... YEAH, IT WAS A LOT OF -- BY THE TIME THE FIRST RECORD CAME OUT, WE HAD WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THAT RECORD, TO GET TO THAT POINT. 'CAUSE DON'T FORGET, BEING A ROCK 'N' ROLL BAND IN 1977, '78, IT'S KIND OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TODAY, EXCEPT BACK THEN, THERE'S PUNK AND DISCO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, DOMINATING THE CHARTS. THERE'S NO ROCK 'N' ROLL TO BE HEARD OF. SO, FOR US TO SUCCEED IN THAT, AMONGST OR IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT -- AND ANYWAY, BUT THE SOUNDS. LET ME START BY SAYING I WAS NEVER HAPPY -- I GUESS WHAT DRIVES ME TO TEAR THINGS APART IS SOME OF IT IS NECESSITY, AND SOME OF IT IS JUST EXPERIMENTING, 'CAUSE I'M ALWAYS PUSHING THINGS PAST WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. I HATE TO BRING UP "SPINAL TAP," BUT, YOU KNOW, WHILE THEY'RE GOING TO 11 AT THE TIME, I WAS ALREADY GOING TO 15, YOU KNOW? I WAS WAY PAST THAT. BUT SO ANYWAY, WHAT I REALLY LOVED ABOUT A FENDER GUITAR WAS THE VIBRATO BAR, EXCEPT THEY ONLY CAME WITH SINGLE-COIL PICKUPS. WHICH AT HIGH VOLUME, THEY SQUEAL AND THEY'RE VERY THIN-SOUNDING UNLESS YOU USE SOME KIND OF DISTORTION PEDAL OR WHATEVER, WHICH I COULD NOT AFFORD, YOU KNOW? AND THERE'S THE OTHER COMPANY, GIBSON, THAT MADE A LES PAUL -- LES PAUL WAS A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE, ALSO -- WHICH MADE HUMBUCKING PICKUPS, WHICH WERE SIMILAR TO THESE. THEY CANCELED THE HUM, AND IT HAS A MUCH FATTER SOUND. SO, I PROCEEDED TO FIND A COMPANY THAT MADE KNOCKOFF BODIES AND NECKS OF FENDERS. A COMPANY CALLED BOOGIE BODIES. AND I WENT OUT THERE AND SAID, "HOW MUCH FOR A BODY?" HE GOES, "OH, YOU DON'T WANT ONE OF THOSE." I GO, "WHY NOT?" THE GUY GOES, "THEY'RE SECONDS." I THOUGHT HE MEANT THOSE ARE NEXT TO BE MADE. YOU KNOW, WHAT HE MEANT WAS THOSE ARE JUNK. "WE CAN'T SELL THOSE 'CAUSE THEY HAVE KNOTS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DAMAGED." I SAID, "GREAT, I'LL TAKE ONE." [ LAUGHTER ] SO, I BOUGHT A $50 BODY AND $75 NECK, AND I PROCEEDED TO TAKE A CHISEL AND A HAMMER AND MAKE A HOLE BIG ENOUGH FOR A GIBSON PICKUP TO PUT IN THERE. AND OF COURSE, THAT PICKUP HAD TO COME OUT OF A GUITAR SOMEWHERE, SO I RUINED THAT GUITAR BY RIPPING THE PICKUP OUT. BUT I KNEW I WAS ONTO SOMETHING. SO, I SCREWED THE PICKUP STRAIGHT INTO THE WOOD. AND A STRATOCASTER ACTUALLY HAS THREE PICKUPS, SO I ROUTED OUT THE BODY AND CRAMMED THE HUMBUCKING PICKUP -- AND MIND YOU, EVERYTHING WAS UNSOLDERED AND JUST LAYING THERE. IT HAD THREE KNOBS AND TWO PICKUPS OVER HERE. AND I HAVE ONE PICKUP THAT I WANTED IN THERE, AND I GO, "OKAY, NOW HOW AM I GONNA HOOK THIS BACK UP?" I HAD NO CLUE HOW TO HOOK IT BACK UP. SO I WONDERED IF IT WOULD WORK IF I JUST HOOKED THE HUMBUCKING PICKUP STRAIGHT UP THE ONE KNOB, AND IT WORKED. SO I JUST RIPPED EVERYTHING OUT, THREW IT AWAY, AND MADE MY OWN PICK GUARD TO COVER THE HOLES, AND THAT'S WHAT ENDED UP BEING THAT GUITAR. WITH ALL YOUR EXPERIMENTATION, WAS THERE EVER ANYTHING THAT DIDN'T WORK? LIKE, DO YOU HAVE A WHOLE GRAVEYARD FULL OF INSTRUMENTS THAT -- YES. [ LAUGHTER ] YES. I'VE DESTROYED MANY ACTUAL VINTAGE GUITARS, TAKING JUST CHOICE PIECES OUT THAT I WANTED FOR THIS AND THAT. SO THEN FINALLY, OKAY, THEN I HAD THE GUITAR BUILT, AND I GUESS ONE OF THE MOST OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS IS, WHAT PROMPTED THE PAINT JOB? THAT I HAVE NO ANSWER FOR THAT EXCEPT I'M SITTING THERE WITH A BLANK PIECE OF WOOD WITH A GUITAR AND IT SOUNDED GREAT AND DID EVERYTHING I WANTED, AND I PAINTED IT BLACK, AND I'M GOING, "IT LOOKS KIND OF BORING." THERE'S SOME TAPE LAYING THERE, AND I JUST STARTED TAPING IT UP, TAKE A RAZOR BLADE AND JUST CUT PIECES OUT, AND SPRAY PAINTED IT WHITE AND THEN TOOK IT ALL OFF. AND I'M GOING, "HEY, THIS IS KIND OF COOL." IT WAS REALLY AS SIMPLE AS THAT. THERE WAS NO "I HAVE TO MAKE A PIECE OF ART," YOU KNOW? [ LAUGHTER ] EVEN THOUGH IT'S INTERESTING-LOOKING. AND THEN LATER ON, THE RED GUITAR IS THE SAME GUITAR AS THE WHITE ONE. I TAPED OVER IT AGAIN AND SPRAY PAINTED IT RED. BUT -- AND THAT LED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF COPYING, YOU KNOW, THE GRAPHIC DESIGN. IT BECAME STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY. ALL OF A SUDDEN, EVERYBODY WAS MAKING SINGLE -- I MEAN, A HUMBUCKING IN A STRAT-STYLE BODY. BUT THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT I DID, LIKE POTTING THE PICKUP, WHICH -- OKAY. IF YOU GET UNWANTED HIGH-SQUEAL FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF YOU EVER WATCH A PUBLIC SPEAKER AND YOU GET THIS REAL ANNOYING "EEE," YOU KNOW? I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE GOOD KIND OF FEEDBACK WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING. I'M TALKING ABOUT ANNOYING HIGH SQUEAL. NOW, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT PROMPTED ME TO THINK THIS, BUT I WAS THINKING, "OKAY, COIL WINDINGS. VERY THIN COPPER WIRE AROUND THESE PLASTIC THINGS WITH A MAGNET." AND I'M GOING, "MAYBE IT'S THE LITTLE COIL THINGS VIBRATING." SO, I PROCEEDED TO EMPTY ONE OF MY MOM'S YUBAN COFFEE CANS AND WENT TO THE STORE AND BOUGHT SOME PARAFFIN WAX AND GOT A HOT PLATE, AND AGAIN, PROCEEDED TO RUIN MANY PICKUPS 'CAUSE I FORGOT THAT THE PICKUP BOBBINS, YOU KNOW, THE BLACK AND WHITE PART THAT YOU SEE THERE, THAT THEY'RE PLASTIC. AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TEMPERATURE TO DIP THEM AT, SO I MELTED A LOT OF PICKUPS. AND THEN I FIGURED, "OKAY, I'LL JUST HOLD ON TO IT, AND AS SOON AS I SEE AN INKLING OF SHRIVEL, I'M GONNA YANK IT OUT." AND IT WORKED. AND PEOPLE STILL USE THAT TECHNIQUE. THAT BECAME A STANDARD IN THE BUSINESS NOW, TOO. EVERY COMPANY DOES THAT. IT'S LIKE ALL THIS STUFF THAT COMES OUT OF YOUR MAD SCIENTIST BRAIN. OR IS GIVEN TO ME FROM SOMEWHERE. I DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, SAY THE CROSSING A GIBSON WITH A FENDER WAS A CONSCIOUS, YOU KNOW, OUT OF NECESSITY 'CAUSE THERE WAS NO GUITAR ON THE MARKET THAT DID WHAT I WANTED. SO, THAT WAS A NECESSITY. THE PAINT JOB WAS NOT A NECESSITY. POTTING A PICKUP, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MADE ME THINK THAT. SO, THEN I HAD A GUITAR, AND I USED TO WORK AT A MUSIC STORE DELIVERING PIANOS AND ORGANS, AND ONE DAY, A MARSHALL AMP COMES IN. I'VE ONLY SEEN PICTURES OF THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW? ONLY ERIC CLAPTON, GODS PLAY THESE, YOU KNOW, NOT KIDS ON THE STREET. AND I SAID, "I GOT TO HAVE THAT AMP." SO, I WORKED ALL SUMMER TO BUY THAT AMP. AND WE WERE ALREADY TOO LOUD, AS IT WERE. I'M SURE YOUR NEIGHBORS LOVED YOU. NOW I HAVE A 100-WATT MARSHALL THAT WAS SO DAMN LOUD THAT I DID EVERYTHING FROM FACE IT BACKWARDS TO LEAVE IT FACEDOWN, YOU NAME IT. AND WE'D BE AUDITIONING IN CLUBS, AND, "NO, YOUR GUITARS ARE TOO PSYCHEDELIC, TOO LOUD, AND TOO MUCH UNCONTROLLED ENERGY, AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH," YOU KNOW? ALL THIS STUFF BECAUSE I WAS JUST TOO DAMN LOUD, OKAY? I SAW AN AD IN THE PAPER FOR ANOTHER MARSHALL HEAD. I'M GOING, "WELL, MAYBE THIS ONE WILL BE DIFFERENT." WELL, IT CERTAINLY WAS, 'CAUSE WHEN IT SHOWED UP AND I PLUGGED IT IN, IT DIDN'T WORK. BUT I LEFT IT ON, OKAY? WHAT I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS THAT THIS THING WAS FROM ENGLAND AND IT WAS 220 VOLTS. SO I PLUGGED IT INTO THE WALL, AND IT WAS SET -- I DIDN'T BOTHER TO LOOK IN THE BACK UNTIL LATER, BUT IT WAS SET ON 220. SO IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR IT TO WARM UP AT HALF VOLTAGE. AND WHEN I PICKED UP MY GUITAR, I'M GOING, "IT SOUNDS INCREDIBLE," BUT INCREDIBLY QUIET. IT WAS SO QUIET THAT ONLY MY DOG AND I COULD HEAR IT, YOU KNOW? [ LAUGHTER ] AND THEN IT DAWNED ON ME. I'M GOING, "WAIT A MINUTE. THE VOLTAGE," OKAY? "I CAN CONTROL THE LEVEL OF THE AMP OUTPUT BY VOLTAGE." SO I PROCEEDED TO TRY TO HOOK IT ON TO THE LIGHT DIMMER AT THE HOUSE, BLEW THE POWER OUT, AND SO ON AND SO ON. SO FINALLY, I WENT TO THIS PLACE CALLED DIAL RADIO IN PASADENA ON COLORADO BOULEVARD, AND ASKED, "DO YOU GUYS MAKE ANY KIND OF INDUSTRIAL VARIABLE TRANSFORMER, LIKE A HUGE LIGHT DIMMER," YOU KNOW? AND YEAH. HE GOES, "YEAH, WE GOT THIS THING CALLED A VARIAC." AND I SAID, "OKAY, COOL." SO, I TAKE IT HOME AND I PLUG THE AMP HEAD INTO IT. AND I WOULD LOWER THE VOLTAGE FROM 110 SLOWLY DOWN TO 100. THE LOWEST I EVER WENT WAS LIKE 60. DEPENDING ON THE SIZE ROOM YOU'RE PLAYING, I'D SET IT ANYWHERE BETWEEN 60 AND 100. AND THAT BECAME -- BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY THE AMP SOUNDED GOOD WAS WITH EVERYTHING ALL THE WAY UP, AND IF IT WAS RUNNING AT 110 VOLTS, IT WAS JUST SO DAMN LOUD, YOU KNOW. SO THAT BECAME MY VOLUME KNOB, YOU KNOW? WHEN WE USED TO PLAY GAZZARRI'S, I'D HAVE IT DOWN TO 60 VOLTS. IF WE PLAYED SOMEWHERE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER, I'D CRANK IT TO 80. AND FOR RECORDING, THE SWEET SPOT SEEMED TO BE 89 VOLTS. THERE SEEMS TO BE, THOUGH, A RECURRING THEME, AND THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS PUSHING. YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS WANT TO SEE WHAT IS BEYOND WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING. MORE POWER, MORE VOLUME. YES. [ LAUGHTER ] MORE IS ALWAYS BETTER, RIGHT? [ LAUGHS ] IT'S LIKE -- WHAT'S THE OLD SAYING ALEX AND I ALWAYS HAD? IF IT'S ALL YOU CAN EAT FOR A BUCK, GIVE ME THREE BUCKS' WORTH. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT IT'S -- TO ME, IT'S JUST A NATURAL EVOLUTION, YOU KNOW? I'M ALWAYS TINKERING WITH THINGS. THE MAIN THING I ALWAYS ASK MYSELF IS, "WHAT IF I DO THIS?" YOU KNOW? "I WONDER WHAT'LL HAPPEN IF I DO THIS?" AND A LOT OF TIMES, OPEN UP AN AMP AND ACCIDENTALLY HIT A CAPACITOR AND WENT BRRRRK! YOU KNOW, LIKE MIKE TYSON, YOU KNOW, KICKED YOU IN THE CHEST. BUT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR, I CONTINUED TO PUTZ AROUND WITH STUFF. IT ALSO GOES WITH YOUR PLAYING TECHNIQUE, TOO. BECAUSE YOU'RE KNOWN FOR PLAYING WITH BOTH YOUR RIGHT HAND AND YOUR LEFT HAND ON THE FRETBOARD. YEAH, WHICH BRINGS ME TO, LIKE, I CAN -- I CAN DEMONSTRATE. CAN YOU DEMONSTRATE? [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] WHOOPS. THERE GOES THE EARPIECE. BUT IT'S WORTH IT IF WE GET THE GUITAR IN HIS LAP. THERE IT IS. GOT IT. IS IT WORKING? YEAH, GOOD. OKAY, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO THAT AGAIN. I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS GONNA BE A STRIPTEASE IN ADDITION. IS IT HOOKED ON TO MY JACKET? GOT IT. [ LAUGHTER ] MORE POWER. OKAY, SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE INTERNET, NOBODY COULD SEARCH THINGS AND WHATEVER. BUT, YOU KNOW, LATELY EVERYBODY'S GOING, "OH, EDDIE VAN HALEN DIDN'T INVENT TAPPING AND PULL HAMMER-ONS AND PULLOFFS AND THIS AND THAT," AND I NEVER CLAIMED THAT I DID. BUT I DO KNOW HOW AND WHEN I FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT. AND ON TOP OF THAT, I NEVER REALLY HEARD ANYBODY DO WITH IT WHAT I DID, WHICH IS ACTUAL PIECES OF MUSIC. I'LL NEVER FORGET ALEX AND I USED TO GO TO EVERY CONCERT AT THE FORUM IN L.A., AND LED ZEPPELIN'S PLAYING, AND JIMMY PAGE IS GOING LIKE THIS. HE'S GOING... [ GUITAR PLAYS ] OKAY, SO HE'S GOT HIS HAND UP IN THE AIR, AND I'M GOING... [ GUITAR PLAYING ] [ TAPPING NOTES ] SO, BASICALLY, I JUST MOVED THE NUT. OKAY? THIS PART RIGHT HERE'S THE NUT. BUT THEN, INSTEAD OF USING THIS HAND, I USE THIS HAND. SO, LIKE RIGHT NOW, IF I GO LIKE THIS... [ TAPPING NOTES ] ...YOU CAN'T TELL WHICH FINGER I'M USING. THIS HAND OR THAT HAND. YOU TELL ME, RIGHT HAND OR LEFT HAND. [ TAPPING NOTES ] I USE THEM BOTH, OKAY? [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] NO, SO MY POINT BEING IS IT'S BASICALLY THIS FINGER, OR THESE TWO, OR HOWEVER MANY YOU WANT TO USE IS JUST AN EXTENSION OF THIS HAND, OKAY? SO, IF I'M PLAYING AN "A"... [ GUITAR PLAYING ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THEN, YOU KNOW, FIGURING THAT OUT, THEN I STARTED ACTUALLY MAKING LITTLE PIECES, YOU KNOW, LIKE "ERUPTION." [ "ERUPTION" PLAYS ] SO, THAT'S -- [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] SO, THAT'S THE TAPPING OR THE -- I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY CALL THE STUFF. I DIDN'T CALL IT ANYTHING. IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, PART OF MY PLAYING. BUT THEN CAME STUFF LIKE THE INTRO TO A SONG CALLED "MEAN STREETS," WHERE I'M GOING LIKE THIS. [ "MEAN STREETS" PLAYS ] AND THEN HARMONICALLY, DOING... [ "MEAN STREETS" PLAYS ] SO IT'S JUST HARMONICS BY TAPPING. [ GUITAR PLAYING ] YOU KNOW, JUST STUFF LIKE THAT. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] AND PEOPLE ASK ME, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE THESE HARMONICS? WELL, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE. IF YOU JUST GO LIKE THIS... [ GUITAR PLAYING ] ...YOU KIND OF HEAR THEM PINGING OUT. [ PLAYING RESUMES ] THEY'RE LIKE... [ PLAYING RESUMES ] AND IF YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AFTER A WHILE, YOU CAN DO THIS STUFF. [ GUITAR PLAYING ] OR -- I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT EFFECTS, BUT... [ NOTES TAPPING ] IT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] AND, YOU KNOW, BEING THE ONLY MELODIC INSTRUMENT IN A THREE-PIECE BAND -- ACTUALLY BEFORE THAT, IT WAS JUST BASICALLY ALEX AND I. SO, WE BOTH JUST FILLED EVERY HOLE POSSIBLE. IF THERE WAS A HOLE, WE FILLED IT, YOU KNOW? AND IT'S -- BUT THE MAIN REASON WHY I SQUEEZE SO MANY, YOU KNOW, CALL THEM TRICKS, CALL THEM WHATEVER, TECHNIQUES OUT OF A GUITAR WAS OUT OF NECESSITY BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD THE PEDALS, YOU KNOW? COULDN'T AFFORD A WAH-WAH PEDAL, COULDN'T AFFORD A FUZZ BOX AND ALL THE TOYS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAD. SO, I DID EVERYTHING I COULD TO GET SOUNDS OUT OF THE GUITAR WITH MY FINGERS. KIND OF NECESSITY LEADS TO INNOVATION. YEAH. IN A LOT OF WAYS. YEAH. WHO WERE SOME OF YOUR MUSICAL HEROES? WELL, MY FATHER, TO BEGIN WITH. YOU KNOW, WE WERE SURROUNDED BY MUSIC FROM DAY ONE. AND HE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO SEE OUR SUCCESS. AS A GUITARIST, ERIC CLAPTON WAS MY HERO BECAUSE HE WAS A STRAIGHT-AHEAD GUY, JUST PLUGGED HIS GUITAR STRAIGHT INTO AN AMP AND, YOU KNOW, IS VERY ORGANIC, SO TO SPEAK. WASN'T A LOT OF B.S. IN BETWEEN. SO, YEAH, I LIKED HIM DURING CREAM. AFTER CREAM, I KIND OF LOST INTEREST IN HIM, AND BASICALLY STOPPED LISTENING TO MUSIC ALTOGETHER. I DIDN'T LISTEN TO MUCH OF ANYTHING AFTER THAT. WHY IS THAT? I WAS SO BUSY AND WRAPPED UP IN MY OWN LITTLE WORLD THAT I JUST DIDN'T -- YOU CAN ASK ALEX OR MY SON. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE LAST RECORD I BOUGHT? [ MAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ] PETER GABRIEL'S "SO." [ LAUGHTER ] AND THE RECORD BEFORE THAT, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE. YOU KNOW? I'M JUST NOT ONE -- PROBABLY AN 8-TRACK. HUH? IT WAS PROBABLY AN 8-TRACK. A CASSETTE. BUT YEAH, I NEVER LISTEN TO THE RADIO IN MY CAR, 'CAUSE I LIKE TO HEAR THE ENGINE OF THE CAR. [ LAUGHTER ] THIS IS THE MAN WHO, YOU KNOW, ENJOYS SOUNDS, RIGHT? YEAH. THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT KIND OF -- ACTUALLY, ONE OF MY CARS IS ON THE RECORDING, TOO, ON THE BREAKDOWN IN "PANAMA," WHERE IT GOES, "OH, I'M A LITTLE HOT TONIGHT," AND THEN VROOM! THAT'S ONE OF MY CARS. [ LAUGHTER ] DID YOU ALL KNOW THAT, OR IS THAT A NEW ONE? Woman: WHAT'S THE MAKE AND MODEL? OH, A 1972 MIURA S LAMBORGHINI. [ SCATTERED APPLAUSE ] WHICH I STILL HAVE TODAY. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] NOW, YOU TALK ABOUT CLAPTON BEING AN EARLY INFLUENCE OF YOURS, BUT I THINK YOU ALSO WERE LISTENING TO JIMI HENDRIX. NOT SO MUCH, ACTUALLY. NO? NO. JIMMY PAGE? ANY OF THOSE GUYS? YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE UNLESS... NO, NOT REALLY. UNLESS THEY WERE SONGS THAT ALEX OR OUR BASS PLAYER AT THE TIME, MARK STONE, WOULD COME IN WITH AN ALBUM AND SAY, "HEY, WANT TO LEARN THIS SONG BY THIS BAND," I USUALLY WASN'T THE ONE TO PICK THE SONGS WE PLAYED. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE ICONIC GUITARISTS, THEY ALL PLAYED OFF-THE-RACK GUITARS. YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO SAID, "MNH-MNH. THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME." WELL, OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM, BUT IT WASN'T FOR ME, YOU KNOW? DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING EXCEPT THAT, REALLY. WELL, THE SOUNDS THAT YOU WERE MAKING WITH VAN HALEN, REALLY KIND OF CHANGING THE MUSICAL LANDSCAPE, IT REALLY KIND OF INSPIRED A WHOLE ERA OF COPYCATS. YEAH, WHICH AT FIRST, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF WENT... YOU KNOW, AT FIRST, IT KIND OF PISSED ME OFF. [ LAUGHTER ] THEN I STARTED THINKING, "OH, GOD, WHAT DID I START?" [ LAUGHTER ] BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, MY BROTHER AND MY FATHER BOTH TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, IMITATION IS THE BIGGEST FORM OF FLATTERY, SO I JUST LET IT GO AT THAT. 'CAUSE WITH ME, IT WAS JUST THE WAY I PLAYED, YOU KNOW? IT WASN'T LIKE I WAS COPYING ANYONE. BUT I THINK AT THAT TIME, PEOPLE -- YOU KNOW, ALL THE RECORD LABELS WERE LOOKING FOR THEIR OWN VERSION OF VAN HALEN, YOU KNOW, WITH A GUITAR GOD AND COPYING YOUR HAIR, THE WAY YOU DRESS, EVEN YOUR STAGE PRESENCE. [ LAUGHTER ] I'M NOT A RECORD COMPANY EXEC. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY THINK. [ LAUGHTER ] IN FACT, DIDN'T YOUR OWN RECORD LABEL TRY TO GET A BAND THAT SOUNDED LIKE VAN HALEN, TOO? OH, I'M SURE THEY DID. YEAH. WELL, YOU'VE HAD THREE DIFFERENT SINGERS... YEAH. ...IN VAN HALEN. DOES IT CHANGE THE WAY YOU WRITE MUSIC TO WORK WITH THESE DIFFERENT SINGERS? I THINK IT'S A NATURAL PROGRESSION. I DON'T THINK IT'S -- IT DEFINITELY WASN'T DIFFICULT FOR US BECAUSE IT STARTS WITH THE MUSIC ALL THE TIME, ANYWAY. SO, IF ANYTHING, IT WAS MORE OF THEM HAVING TO ADAPT TO US THAN US ADAPTING TO THEM. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT LIKES AND DIFFERENT MUSICAL CAPABILITIES, AS WELL. NO, IT WAS MORE LIKE, "YOU SING THIS OR YOU'RE NOT IN." NO, I'M KIDDING. [ LAUGHTER ] I'M JOKING. I'M JOKING. YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FRICTION IN A BAND. IF YOU HAVE FOUR MEMBERS AND THEY ALL LIKE THE IDENTICAL THING, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE NO VERSATILITY, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S LIKE, I LISTENED TO MORE PROGRESSIVE MUSIC, WHEN I DID. ALEX LIKED STRAIGHT AHEAD ROCK 'N' ROLL. DAVE WAS INTO DISCO. [ LAUGHTER ] AND -- NO, FOR REAL, YOU KNOW? AND TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, IT MADE A SOUP. YOU KNOW? AND WHAT CAME OUT OF IT, YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T REALLY AFFECT THE MUSIC, YOU KNOW, BUT HARMONY-WISE, SONG STRUCTURE, THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW. THERE WERE A LOT OF ELEMENTS OF A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ALL GREW UP ON. WELL, WHAT IT KIND OF AMOUNTED TO, I THINK, FOR A LOT OF US IN THIS ROOM IS THAT VAN HALEN REALLY WAS THE SOUNDTRACK FOR AN ENTIRE GENERATION. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] TWO THUMBS UP. WELL, I MEAN, IT'S AN HONOR, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, VERY FEW BANDS HAVE -- ARE AS LUCKY AS WE HAVE TO STILL HAVE AN AUDIENCE, YOU KNOW, AFTER PUSHING 40 YEARS. ROCK 'N' ROLL IN RECENT YEARS HAS KIND OF TAKEN A BACKSEAT TO POP, TO HIP-HOP. DO YOU THINK IT CAN MAKE A COMEBACK? I THINK IT HAS GONE AWAY, COME BACK, GONE AWAY, COME BACK SO MANY TIMES, I WOULD BET ANYTHING THAT IT'S COMING BACK. I MEAN, DON'T FORGET, WE GOT SIGNED IN THE MIDDLE OF PUNK AND DISCO. THEY LAUGHED AT US. YOU KNOW, "WHAT ARE THESE GUYS DOING PLAYING ROCK 'N' ROLL? IT'S 'GET DOWN TONIGHT,' MAN. KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND," YOU KNOW? WHICH YOU USED TO PLAY, RIGHT, WHEN YOU WERE DOING COVERS? BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE BLACK SABBATH WHEN WE DID IT. [ LAUGHTER ] THAT'S ANOTHER THING, YOU KNOW. IN THE CLUB DAYS, WE HAD TO PLAY TOP 40 TO GET THE GIGS, AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO EMULATE THESE RECORDS. I COULD NOT MAKE -- FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I TRIED SO HARD TO MAKE THE SONGS WE HAD TO PLAY, TO MAKE THEM SOUND LIKE THE RECORD. BUT IT WAS ALSO A BLESSING IN DISGUISE, 'CAUSE ALL I CAN DO IS ME. NO MATTER WHAT I PLAY, IT SOUNDED LIKE ME. AND THAT'S WHY WHENEVER YOU HEAR VAN HALEN, YOU KNOW IT'S VAN HALEN BECAUSE THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO. YOU HEAR ALEX'S DRUMS, YOU KNOW IT'S HIS DRUMS, YOU KNOW? IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE BEAST, YOU KNOW. OTHERWISE, YOU PROBABLY WOULD'VE BECOME STUDIO MUSICIANS. [ LAUGHTER ] WELL, YOU RECENTLY CELEBRATED YOUR 60th BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] I FEEL LIKE A 60-YEAR-OLD PUNK KID WHO PLAYS GUITAR IN A ROCK 'N' ROLL BAND, AND I'M SO BLESSED AND SO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, MAKING MUSIC WITH MY SON AND MY BROTHER. [ APPLAUSE ] IT'S REALLY KIND OF VAN HALEN LEGACY BUILDING. I MEAN, YOU'RE BUILDING A THIRD GENERATION OF VAN HALEN MUSICIANS. WOLFY JOINED THE BAND IN 2006. WAIT TILL YOU HEAR HIS RECORD. [ LAUGHS ] WHEN IS THAT COMING OUT? PARDON? WHEN IS THAT COMING OUT? OH, THEY JUST STARTED. YOU KNOW, PROBABLY END OF THE YEAR. BUT THIS IS NOT POP TALKING. THIS IS REAL TALK. IT BLEW MY MIND. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THAT. OH, YEAH. BRINGING THE ROCK BACK, WOLFY? [ LAUGHS ] WELL, YOU GUYS ALL MET ALEX AND WOLFY HERE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] WHAT ADVICE DID YOUR FATHER GIVE YOU THAT YOU WANTED TO MAKE SURE WOLFY KNEW? [ SIGHS ] THINGS HE ALWAYS USED TO SAY TO US WAS THAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM EVERYBODY WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO. MOSTLY WATCH PEOPLE FOR WHAT NOT TO DO. AND IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, TRY TO DO IT TWICE AND SMILE. [ LAUGHTER ] 'CAUSE THAT WAY, PEOPLE WILL THINK YOU MEANT IT. YOU KNOW, HIS DUTCH TERMINOLOGY. [ SPEAKS DUTCH ] JUST MEANS JUST KEEP PEDALING AND SMILE. CAN WE TALK ABOUT LES PAUL FOR A MINUTE? OH, YEAH. VERY DEAR FRIEND OF MINE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING YOU'RE THE HEIR TO THE TORCH HE CARRIED FOR HALF A CENTURY. I MEAN, YOU BOTH WRITE, PLAY, YOU BOTH INNOVATE. A LOT OF KINDRED SPIRITNESS THERE. A LOT OF FUNNY STORIES. I MEAN, HE -- I'D KNOWN HIM FOR YEARS, AND HE -- YOU KNOW, HE LIVED IN NEW YORK, SO EAST COAST. AND HE'D CALL ME UP, AND IT'S 3:00 IN THE MORNING, AND I'M GOING "[Groggily] HELLO?" HE'S GOING, "EDDIE, IT'S LES." I'M GOING, "RIGHT." [ CHUCKLES ] I'M GOING, "OH, HI, LES. THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S 3:00." BUT WE'D PICK EACH OTHER'S BRAIN, YOU KNOW, ABOUT, "SO, WHAT ARE YOU TINKERING AROUND WITH NOW?" YOU KNOW, AND I REMEMBER ONE OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, I SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M HAVING SUCH A PROBLEM FINDING THE RIGHT PICK. YOU KNOW, I CAN'T HOLD ON TO THE DAMN THING, SO I TOOK SOME KRAZY GLUE AND CUT OUT SOME SANDPAPER AND KRAZY GLUED IT TO THE PICK SO I CAN HOLD ON TO IT." HE'S GOING, "YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING. THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW." [ LAUGHTER ] AND THAT'S FOR REAL. THAT'S FOR REAL. IT'S LIKE WE WERE DEFINITELY CONNECTED IN A STRANGE WAY. AND HE WOULD ALWAYS END THE CONVERSATION BY, "YOU KNOW SOMETHING, EDDIE? YOU, ME, LEO FENDER, WE'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT KNOW HOW TO BUILD A GUITAR." [ LAUGHTER ] [ APPLAUSE ] HE WAS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MAN, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M SO GLAD THAT MY SON HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM ON THE '07 TOUR? YEAH. ON THE '07 TOUR BACKSTAGE IN NEW YORK. AND REMEMBER HE ASKED ME ABOUT THE TAPPING THING, AND I ALMOST GOT HIM TO DO IT, YOU KNOW? [ LAUGHTER ] 'CAUSE HE SAID, "SHOW ME HOW YOU DO THAT TAPPING STUFF," AND I SAID, "OKAY, HERE." AND THEN AT THE LAST MINUTE, WE EITHER HAD TO GO ON OR SOMETHING OR HE BACKED OUT AND SAID, "NAH, I BETTER NOT," YOU KNOW. BUT THAT WAS A MOMENT TO CAPTURE, YOU KNOW? OR, YOU KNOW, A MOMENT TO REMEMBER. DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU'RE LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM? OH, COME ON. COMING HERE WITH APPROXIMATELY $50 AND A PIANO, NOT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE, YEAH, IF THAT'S NOT AN AMERICAN DREAM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. YOU KNOW? [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] YOUR FATHER PASSED AWAY IN 1986, SO HE GOT TO SEE THE SUCCESS THAT YOU HAD. YES, HE DID GET TO SEE IT. HE USED TO SIT ON MY SIDE OF THE STAGE NEXT TO THE MONITOR GUY, AND YOU COULD JUST SEE HIM JUST BOOGIEING AND, YOU KNOW, SMILING, AND TEARY-EYED SMILING. HE WAS JUST SO HAPPY HE WAS CRYING. SO, YEAH, HE GOT TO SEE THE SUCCESS THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHICH INDIRECTLY, HE DID GET, YOU KNOW. WELL, HE'S THE ONE WHO HAD THE NAME VAN HALEN. OBVIOUSLY, HE WAS... [ LAUGHTER ] WITHOUT HIM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN, SO YEAH. SO... WELL, I'M SURE -- BUT YEAH. OH. NO, I'M SURE HE WAS INCREDIBLY PROUD. I MEAN REALLY, ONLY IN AMERICA IS IT STILL POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW? IT'S ALL ABOUT FREEDOM, AND YOU PUT YOUR NOSE AND TAIL TO IT, AND IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO DO, I REALLY STILL THINK THAT IF YOU JUST DON'T STOP, YOU KNOW? WELL, THOSE ARE GREAT WORDS TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT AS WE LEAVE HERE. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. Woman: KEITH. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. WE LEFT SOME TIME ASIDE FOR ALL OF YOU GUYS. THERE ARE TWO OF US WITH MICROPHONES. THEY'LL APPROACH THE PEOPLE WITH THE QUESTIONS. I WANT TO SAY THAT PLEASE SAY YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME BEFORE YOUR QUESTION. THIS IS BEING RECORDED. IT'LL BE UP ON THE whatitmeanstobeamerican.org WEBSITE FIRST THING TOMORROW MORNING. YOU CAN SHARE WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, COLLEAGUES, AND OTHER AMAZING FANS WHO COULD NOT MAKE IT TONIGHT. DANIELLE'S GOT THE FIRST QUESTION ON THE LEFT. Lambdin: HELLO, ED. OVER HERE. MY NAME IS JOHN LAMBDIN. Van Halen: HEY, NICE SHIRT. HEY, GREAT ALBUM. [ APPLAUSE ] BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING THE MUSICAL OASIS FOR ALMOST EVERYONE IN HERE. YOUR DEBUT ALBUM WAS RELEASED 37 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK. ACTUALLY, IT WAS TWO DAYS AGO. WHEN YOU FINISHED RECORDING IT, WHAT WAS YOUR PERSONAL FEELINGS OF HOW IT WOULD BE RECEIVED BASED ON THE MUSICAL LANDSCAPE OF THAT TIME? HMM. LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WE WERE -- YOU KNOW, ROCK 'N' ROLL WAS NOT AT THE FOREFRONT AT ALL ON THE CHARTS OR ANYTHING, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE, REALLY. BUT WHAT GOT US TO GETTING A RECORD DEAL IS THE SAME THING THAT MADE THAT RECORD SUCCEED, WHICH IS WE JUST PLAYED EVERYWHERE NONSTOP. WE WERE ON THE ROAD FOR 11 MONTHS SUPPORTING THAT RECORD. WE DID 23 GIGS IN 25 DAYS IN ENGLAND ALONE, AND THEN WE CAME HOME AFTER 11 MONTHS OF TOURING, AND WARNER BROS. GOES, "YOU OWE US $3 MILLION AND A NEW ALBUM." [ LAUGHTER ] AND WE WENT, "HOW DOES THAT WORK?" [ LAUGHTER ] ANYWAY, I WON'T GET INTO THAT, BUT... [ LAUGHTER ] BOTTOM LINE IS WE BELIEVED IN OURSELVES. AND WE WOULDN'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. JUST LIKE WHEN NO RECORD COMPANY WANTED ANYTHING TO DO WITH US, WE THREW OUR OWN GIGS. WE PLAYED BACKYARD PARTIES. WE PRINTED OUR OWN FLIERS TO STUFF LOCKERS AT HIGH SCHOOLS AND WE PLAYED HIGH SCH-- WE PLAYED EVERYWHERE. WHETHER YOU LIKED US OR NOT, YOU DEFINITELY HAD HEARD OF US. [ LAUGHTER ] AND WE WOULD NOT LET YOU GET AWAY WITHOUT AT LEAST GIVING IT -- YOU KNOW, HEARING US. AND SLOWLY, WE BUILT AN AUDIENCE OF ABOUT 3,000 TO 5,000 PEOPLE EVERY TIME WE PLAYED THE PASADENA CONVENTION CENTER IN PASADENA, OBVIOUSLY. DUH. AND WARNER BROS. EVENTUALLY CAME TO US BECAUSE THEY SAID, "WOW, IF THEY CAN DO IT HERE, THEY CAN DO IT ANYWHERE." AND THAT'S HOW IT ALL HAPPENED. Woman: NEXT QUESTION ON YOUR RIGHT. HI, EDDIE. MY NAME IS JEFF POLANSKI FROM BUFFALO, NEW YORK. YOU'VE BEEN A HUGE INFLUENCE ON ME FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW YOUR SON, WOLFGANG, HAS INFLUENCED YOU AND INSPIRED YOU SINCE HE HAS STARTED PLAYING. OH, MAN. IT'S LIKE TALK ABOUT FRESH BLOOD, AND... I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO PUT THAT INTO WORDS. IT'S LIKE, I MEAN, FOR ONE, WHAT FATHER WOULDN'T WANT TO PLAY WITH HIS SON? ESPECIALLY ONE WHO'S AS TALENTED AS HE IS. I MEAN, HE JUST FIT IN LIKE A GLOVE. I MEAN, ASK ALEX. HE JUST -- I DON'T KNOW. IT JUST BREATHED A BREATH OF FRESH AIR INTO MY LIFE. YOU KNOW, I WAS ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH A PRETTY ROUGH TIME WHEN HE JOINED THE BAND. I WAS STILL DRINKING AT THE TIME, AND I GOT SOBER DURING THAT FIRST TOUR. AND I WAS SO NERVOUS, AND EVERY TIME I LOOKED AT MY SON, I'M GOING, "OKAY, IF MY 16-YEAR-OLD SON CAN BE KICKING ASS LIKE THAT, I BETTER SUCK IT UP HERE," YOU KNOW? SO, LOOK. YOU KNOW, HE GAVE ME THE STRENGTH TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AND HERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW? [ APPLAUSE ] Woman: NEXT QUESTION ON YOUR LEFT. EDWARD VAN HALEN. Quan: [ LAUGHS ] I'M, TOO, FROM BUFFALO, NEW YORK. DAVE DOM. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT GUY. FUNNY ENOUGH, I SWEAR TO GOD. ANYWAYS, SO JUST WANT TO SAY ONE THING BEFORE MY QUESTION. I HAVE TO SAY THIS TO YOU. I HAVE SCENARIO'D THIS IN MY MIND FOR 35 YEARS WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MAN. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. [ APPLAUSE ] YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. MY QUESTION IS, OF ALL THE DECEASED MUSICIANS OUT THERE THAT ARE NO LONGER AROUND, COULD YOU PICK ONE TO PLAY WITH, WHO WOULD THAT BE? WOW. I'D LOVE TO JAM WITH MY FATHER AGAIN. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Woman: NEXT QUESTION TO YOUR RIGHT. Radliff: HELLO. MY NAME'S COLE RADLIFF, AND MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, WHEN YOU FIRST CAME TO AMERICA, WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL LIKE? [ LAUGHTER ] OH. WHAT DID HE SAY? WHEN YOU FIRST CAME TO AMERICA, WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL LIKE? OH, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FRIGHTENING. [ LAUGHTER ] 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'D ALREADY WENT THROUGH THAT IN HOLLAND. FIRST DAY, YOU KNOW, FIRST GRADE. NOW YOU'RE IN A WHOLE COUNTRY WHERE YOU CAN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE AND YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT ANYTHING, AND YEAH, IT WAS BEYOND FRIGHTENING. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT MADE US STRONGER BECAUSE YOU HAD TO. I MEAN, THE SCHOOL THAT WE WENT TO WAS STILL SEGREGATED AT THE TIME, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. AND SINCE WE COULDN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE, WE WERE CONSIDERED A MINORITY. AND MY FIRST FRIENDS IN AMERICA WERE BLACK. THEIR NAMES WERE STEVEN AND RUSSELL, AND WE BECAME FAST FRIENDS 'CAUSE I COULD OUTRUN THEM. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE WHITE PEOPLE THAT WERE THE BULLIES, YOU KNOW? THEY WOULD TEAR UP MY HOMEWORK PAPERS, MAKE ME EAT PLAYGROUND SAND, AND ALL THESE THINGS, AND THE BLACK KIDS STUCK UP FOR ME, SO... YOU KNOW, IT'S... [ APPLAUSE ] Woman: NEXT QUESTION ON YOUR LEFT. HELLO, EDDIE. MY NAME IS KYLE LAMBDIN. THAT'S MY DAD. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR KEEP ROCKING. AND MY QUESTION IS, AS THE YEARS GO BY, HOW DO YOU STILL KEEP YOUR CREATIVE SPARK? UM, BY CONTINUING TO PLAY, REALLY. AND, YOU KNOW, HAVING WOLFGANG IN THE BAND. AND, UH.... YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU'RE A MUSICIAN, YOU JUST PLAY UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T WAIT TO TURN 65 AND RETIRE. IT'S NOT -- YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AN ORDINARY JOB. YOU KNOW? IT CAN BE WORK SOMETIMES. IT'S LIKE -- WHAT'S THE SAYING? IT'S...YOU PLAY MUSIC, YOU DON'T WORK IT. BUT AT TIMES, IT CAN BE HARD WORK TO BE ABLE TO PLAY IT. GOOD QUESTION. [ APPLAUSE ] QUESTION TO YOUR RIGHT. HI, EDDIE. ROBERT DRAKE. HELLO. HELLO. THIS QUESTION IS ALONG THE LINES OF MUSICAL REINVENTION. IF YOU WERE TO BEGIN YOUR CAREER ALL OVER AGAIN FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT WITH A DIFFERENT INSTRUMENT, WHAT INSTRUMENT WOULD YOU CHOOSE? UM... I WOULD PICK DRUMS. [ LAUGHTER ] AND THE SAME THING WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN, SO... HERE WE GO. "GROUNDHOG'S DAY." [ LAUGHS ] YEAH, I WOULD PROBABLY GO FOR DRUMS, AND ALEX WOULD PLAY GUITAR, THEN WE'D SWAP. [ LAUGHTER ] A LITTLE BIT, YEAH. BETWEEN WOLFGANG AND ALEX, I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THESE TWO GUYS. THEY ARE BOTH INSANE DRUMMERS. PARDON? [ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ] [ LAUGHS ] NO. THEY DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING. Woman: WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION. I WANT TO INVITE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN US IN OUR RECEPTION, WHICH WILL BE IN THE LOBBY. THERE ARE WINE, DRINKS, SOFT DRINKS, WHATEVER YOU FANCY. THERE'S SOME FOOD OUT THERE, AS WELL. BOTH OF OUR GUESTS TONIGHT WILL BE OUT THERE IN THE RECEPTION, AS WELL, SO PLEASE DO STAY BEHIND AND JOIN US. I WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO THANK, ON BEHALF OF ZรณCALO PUBLIC SQUARE, WHICH IS WHO I WORK FOR, WE WANT TO THANK THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY FOR HOSTING US AND FOR CREATING THIS PROJECT WITH US, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AMERICAN. AND OF COURSE, OUR PANELISTS TONIGHT. DANIELLE'S GOT THE LAST QUESTION ON THE LEFT. HEY, MY NAME'S DOUG THOMAS. AS EVERYONE SAYS, THANK YOU. THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, IF YOU WERE UNKNOWN AND 20 YEARS OLD AND HAD THE TALENT YOU DO, HOW WOULD YOU START IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS TODAY, SINCE IT'S SO DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS? YOU KNOW, IT IS BUT IT ISN'T. LIKE I'VE SAID EARLIER, NOBODY WANTED ANYTHING TO DO WITH VAN HALEN. I MEAN, FOR A GOOD SEVEN YEARS, WE KNOCKED ON EVERYBODY'S DOOR, WE MADE DEMO TAPES, AND EVERYBODY JUST SAID NO. SO, WHAT WE DID WAS WE STARTED PLAYING BACKYARD PARTIES AND TAKING IT STRAIGHT TO THE PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, LIKE I TOLD YOU, WE STUFFED LOCKERS FULL. YOU KNOW, WE'D GO TO POSTAL INSTANT PRESS, PUT A PICTURE ON IT, AND WHERE THE GIG IS AND HOW MANY KEGS OF BEER THERE WILL BE THAT NIGHT, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING. AND WE JUST HUMPED IT AND HUMPED IT AND HUMPED IT UNTIL PEOPLE CAME. AND I DON'T SEE WHY THAT WOULDN'T WORK TODAY. YOU KNOW? WE BROUGHT IT STRAIGHT TO THE PEOPLE PLAYING LIVE. YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S PRO TOOLS AND -- YOU KNOW, WHATEVER MUSIC IS OUT THERE, THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR MORE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? Woman: WITH THAT, WE'LL SEE YOU OUTSIDE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] Van Halen: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR COMING. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE CONTINUE ]
Info
Channel: Zรณcalo Public Square
Views: 4,369,429
Rating: 4.7931342 out of 5
Keywords: Eddie Van Halen, Rock 'n' Roll, Smithsonian, Guitar Lesson, What It Means to Be American, Guitar, Van Halen, Songwriter, Tapping
Id: yb26D8bBZB8
Channel Id: undefined
Length: 55min 21sec (3321 seconds)
Published: Thu Mar 09 2017
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