Eddie Van Halen: "My First Interview" (Complete, HD Audio)

Thank you for posting this interview! This is pure gold. Also hearing that there are more interviews to follow just made my day!

Oh shit, I guess now I know where Wolfie got the name for his band 😅

I thought Ed lowered the voltage to 90

It’s funny how he talked about how he’s had guitarists coming up to him asking how he kept his guitar in tune from those tremolo dive bombs and he won’t tell them because no one would tell him. There’s a famous story about why Randy Rhoads didn’t like Eddie. Supposedly, Randy and maybe DuBrow, I’m not sure who he went with but he wasn’t alone, went to see a VH show and after the show Randy asked him how he keeps his guitar in tune and Eddie wouldn’t tell him. Well, that explains it.

A classmate of mine in high school made me a copy of this article. Years later I got the magazine. What a treat to hear this on tape! Classic!

You just changed my life by releasing this interview!! THANK YOU JAS!!

That was nice, hearing Edward being so honest at the outset of his career.

EVH

Interesting that in 1978 he already had in mind that synthesizers would be used on the next albums. It took a little longer than planned because David and TED were against it, but then he really took the risks and made it happen. His story is incredible. He had only been playing guitar for about 8 years before the first album. What else can you say? He has been a gift from heaven.

Wow thanks for sharing these! These are priceless! Amazing!

This is a treasure

Amazing. EVH was able to do what he did in 12 years!! @21 years of age he was able to not only learn to play but innovate and expand the sound of the guitar. An amazing musician and great human being. Eddie was born at the right time in the right place with great parents and a cool older brother. His talent and passion all came together to produce one of Americas greatest rock guitarist. A great mix of luck and talent. Mostly talent.

Absolutely love it. Really cool to hear everyone in the background too! Makes me feel like I'm living in history

GREAT INTERVIEW AND INTERVIEWER!!

Eddie and Yngwie are my 2 all time favorite guitarists thank you. I’ve been listening to them almost everyday since i was 14 in 1991 i enjoy their playing that much.

Very interesting

Hearing this after all the interviews I've read all my life is just mind blowing .

Absolutely love this! Thank you.

Eddie is why I play guitar, 7th grade,VH 1 Heard new that's what I was gonna do. Legendary Interview.

Already talking about adding keyboards this early!!

Soooo cool to hear his young voice!!

Bless your heart

To cool

Thank you!!!!! I love that people are releasing old Eddie interviews. I miss him!!!

here you have it. talent plays a huge role. Alex was better on drums although he took guitar lessons, and Eddie was on drums.... until they switched.

Thank you

Thank you fir this amazing interview. ✌️

He was here for 10 yrs and already was the biggest guitarist around

I would love to hear what eddie would say to you about his relationship with dave and how bad was it really?

Thanks Jas , really amazing piece of rock history, I love the last picture of you holding his guitar and he hugging you .

Talk about a sound chaser, never mind the game changing musicianship. I never knew the crazy level he got his hands dirty with experimenting with necks, bodies, amps, univox echo motors etc. He must’ve been tirelessly searching and finding. Seemed like a really straight up guy. Really enjoyed this.

The willingness to have your amps re-tubed after 10 hours in the name of chasing tone says it all about Ed.

So funny he is saying he ran variack at 140 volts then he relaid in 2015 at simthsonia interview he lied then so know one will know. He ran at 89 volts for recording

this is a priceless gem, especially with that story behind it of how you and Eddie met. THX for sharing it. you definitely had a ton of luck, back then. on that day.

What an amazing treat this is. I like so many here in the comments thank you so much for this. Thank you thank you!!

RIP King ED

I grew up about 12 miles from his house and took guitar lessons at Dr. Music by a guy named Butch Price, and came so close to meeting Eddie-but never did. I did see them at Anaheim stadium in ‘78 and maybe at a backyard party or two, but the bottom line is we grew up in the same era - and I miss it. From what I heard by people who met him, he really was like the guy from next door. Especially if you were a musician.

Just floating a gear question. No infamous gain mod by Jose Arredondo (which is consistent with Dave Friedman), just beefed-up transformers and hot biasing. Moreover however, what’s the deal with the Variac: over-volted at 130-140 volts per Eddie’s comment, or under-volted per the current popularized expert position of 90 volts, which disparity remains vastly different and consequential. Or has this discrepancy already been resolved.

What a cool fucking interview. Holy shit I’m impressed.

Where are those 4 Marshalls now?

Thank you Jas. This is absolute GOLD. Right from Eddy to the world. Happenings and legend that have been twisted over the years is here, unfiltered directly from the Man himself.

Hands down the most precious interview and words from EVH. Time and fame have yet to get their claws into him. You hear it fresh because it is. The memories are fresh as are the recollection. Nothing dimmed by time.

This is VH....

Best thing Travers had could've done!

This is the definitive straight from the horses mouth VH interview. All the lore starts here.. incredible!

I've read this interview many times, but somehow this really brings it all alive. A real moment in musical history. Great interview. Thank you!

Fantastic man. I was 8 years old then and loved Kiss and Zeppelin but hadn't discovered Van Halen yet. Thanks for sharing this!

Dude was 19 and sounded like he's 60, fucking cigarettes man
Oh and he sounds high AS FUCK

Thank you so much for this!

This is fucking amazing. Thank you .