“They used a lot of the old tricks that we all kind of did”: Aerosmith recall being ‘annoyed’ by Van Halen at first
When Van Halen burst onto the hard rock scene in the late ‘70s, they didn’t just make an impression, they shook the established order. For Aerosmith guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, their first encounter with the band was a mix of annoyance and awe.
In a recent interview with Rick Beato, the pair open up about their initial reactions to the group that would go on to redefine rock guitar.
READ MORE: “I don’t think I would have ever been able to live it down”: Wolfgang Van Halen on why he was worried playing his father’s songs could have “ruined my life”
Perry, in particular, admits he was initially baffled by Eddie Van Halen’s approach: “Well, first of all, it was kind of annoying,” he says [via Ultimate Guitar]. “It’s like, we didn’t know what he was doing. I mean, we knew a little bit about it. I remember Bill Lawrence used to do the tapping, when he’d sit and write… But it was like, damn… like the equivalent of Jeff Beck; somebody who was just kind of out of reach.”
But what frustrated him at first soon turned into admiration. “I mean, the more and more I listened to his stuff, it just blew my mind, because it’s so tasty. There was nothing schlocky ever in it.”
Whitford adds that Van Halen’s relentless work ethic and tight chemistry set them apart from their peers: “And the power, like when I read Alex’s [Van Halen] book – you read that, and then get an understanding how, day in and day out, they would get up in the morning, and go play together till midday, every day,” he explains.
“And then, you listen to these records, and you hear the lock that those two guys had, and the power that they had. It was like, ‘Whoa, that’s one of the most powerful bands I’ve ever heard.’”
For Perry, it wasn’t just the playing – it was the way Van Halen completely reimagined the hard rock formula.
“On that first record… When I heard that, it was like, they used a lot of the old tricks that we all kind of did and left behind. They took it, and turned it up to 11,” says the guitarist. “And that first album was fucking stunning… I remember, when they were playing clubs, that [Eddie] would turn around and do shit so people couldn’t see what he was doing. And, God, if people could see it, I don’t think they could do it anyway.”
Watch the full interview below.
The post “They used a lot of the old tricks that we all kind of did”: Aerosmith recall being ‘annoyed’ by Van Halen at first appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
