The Best Van Halen Riff You've NEVER Heard

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  • Опубликовано: 16 июл 2024
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    Whats the best Van Halen riff you've never heard? Its been quietly hiding behind EVH's incredible solo in Mean Street this entire time! While he was mesmerizing us with that amazing solo, his rhythm track was back there providing one of the grooviest, nastiest, most syncopated Eddie Van Halen moments ever. But what makes this (and the Phase 90 bridge riff before it) tick? Its the magic of Alex, Eddie, and Michael Anthony all working together, and on Weekend Wankshop 328, we're taking a deep dive into all of it!
    I'll show you how to play both riffs on guitar, then we're gonna talk about the groove, drum and bass patterns, and all the other magic. Snag the TABs on Patreon and follow along!
    Gear:
    EVH MXR Phase 90
    EVH Standard Series
    EVH 5150 III EL34 100 watt
    Suhr RL/IR
    Superior Drummer 3
    Suhr J Classic bass
    Axe FX 3 for bass tone
    Logic for a little reverb on the guitar
    Whats YOUR favorite Van Halen riff that we should talk about next time? Let me know in the comments!
    Special thanks to a friend who shall remain nameless for helping me hear exactly what Eddie was up to in this section! Couldn't have made this without you!
  • ВидеоклипыВидеоклипы

Комментарии • 1,5 тыс.

  • @BenEller
    @BenEller  2 года назад +188

    Thanks so much for watching! What’s the most underrated Van Halen riff?!

    • @NebZy2.0
      @NebZy2.0 2 года назад +24

      Amsterdam

    • @wilburwilbur6946
      @wilburwilbur6946 2 года назад +12

      Not sure what it’s called, but the riff Eddie plays at the end of “In A Simple Rhyme”

    • @wesleythoman9873
      @wesleythoman9873 2 года назад +22

      Light up the sky and hang 'em high are two songs in their entirety that I rarely see anyone get excited about.

    • @ronjenkins6674
      @ronjenkins6674 2 года назад

      Fire in the hole

    • @sotirios6882
      @sotirios6882 2 года назад +7

      Though i love everything Ed did, I'm going to go with, " Fire In The Hole" A more recent one b4 ADKOT. The intro is BADASS! 🎸

  • @qtheband751
    @qtheband751 2 года назад +419

    People who criticize Michael don’t understand Music. I completely agree with you that he only wanted to serve the song. Michael has no ego and that makes him a better. He was and still is a team player. Plus he’s rocksolid. Playing “fancy“ doesn’t mean you’re a good bassist. Holding down a steady rhythm is harder than most people realize. And yes, his angelic backup vocals elevated the VH sound to a new level.

    • @Dragonette666
      @Dragonette666 2 года назад +21

      the modern bassplayers who mostly want to play funk type licks would have made all these old school songs suck. Many Judas Priest basslines are 1 note pedals and that makes the song heavy.

    • @trevornever27
      @trevornever27 2 года назад +14

      Im glad you said that bc ive said it for years.
      Michael held down the low end musically and the high end harmonically, rocked steady and most importantly knew how to frame and compliment without getting in the way.
      I feel they should have gave him the respect of letting him know personally that Wolfie was joining the band so they could all the VH boys could play together. Eddie had health issues so maybe this was a bucket list thing.
      That being said, Im sure Michael would’ve understood n been totally cool with it but we dont know the full dynamics between the band really so who knows why the VH bros chose to play it that way.

    • @qtheband751
      @qtheband751 2 года назад +4

      @@Dragonette666 I agree with you that a funky baseline would not work for Van Halen. But don’t forget that funk was essentially born in the 70s. I think the style of music dictates the bass playing. Fuck would definitely not work in a Judas Priest song. :-)

    • @qtheband751
      @qtheband751 2 года назад +12

      @@trevornever27 It’s an injustice that Michael doesn’t get the credit he deserves. Fine, the rest of the band are superstars, but his contribution was significant and even essential. The many interviews I’ve heard with Michael reveal a very down to earth and amicable guy. It’s likely he would be happy with whatever the brothers decide. I get the impression that Michael just appreciates his life and has no interest in complicating things.

    • @trevornever27
      @trevornever27 2 года назад +7

      @@qtheband751 agreed!! I totally am saying the same thing… i always favor the unsung heroes and Michael A is def one of those. Ive been a musician for the bulk of my life and would have loved to have someone of that caliber and mindset. Just nice to know im not the only one that thinks so!
      By the way. Did you hear Roth was using Michaels voice in his live show backing tracks? It came up on an interview with him I saw on YT n even Michael didnt know.

  • @desertriderukverun1002
    @desertriderukverun1002 2 года назад +106

    I've long thought Mean Street is Eddie's single greatest expression of his unique style. To me what make's Eddie stand out is how he uses unorthodox techniques to make unique sounds, but those strange sounds are not merely accents but are essential elements to the music

  • @MC-cl9ip
    @MC-cl9ip 2 года назад +86

    I totally agree that Michael Anthony”s playing and singing is under rated. This Guy has been the backbone of VH and Chickenfoot and neither project would be nearly as good without him. In my opinion he is totally underrated!

    • @jehudavis5422
      @jehudavis5422 Год назад +3

      Backbone?😂

    • @AllKnowingDentor
      @AllKnowingDentor Год назад +1

      Couldn't have said it better - couldn't agree more.

    • @nelsonschumacher7956
      @nelsonschumacher7956 Год назад +2

      yet another person crying about mikey - why not wait until there is a video about mikey and complain then . . . people might actually value your opinion on those ones

    • @rongohring3029
      @rongohring3029 Год назад +3

      @nelsonschumacher7956 Even though Wolfgang is a talented young guy, the shit just didn't grab me like it did with Michael Anthony. If you get a chance, check out Michael Anthony, John5, (yeah, the guy that just joined Motley Crue, Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour) and Fred Coury (drummer of Cinderella) doing/playing 'Take Your Whiskey Home' off of the Van Halen 'Women and Children First' album and you will hear and see what I mean. The guy knew/ knows how to bump that Low End. Be safe and take care.

    • @andoletube
      @andoletube 11 месяцев назад +4

      @@rongohring3029 Michael kicked Wolfgang's ass as a member of Van Halen. The band was lesser for having the Eddie/Wolfgang nepotism.

  • @robertmedrano2768
    @robertmedrano2768 Год назад +28

    Another great hidden riff is on their debut album and it’s on “ On Fire” when Dave and company are singing their butts off during the 3 screams of “ FIRE! ! Fire! Fire!!!” That riff is killer

    • @whenroxycomesout
      @whenroxycomesout Год назад +5

      I agree. I also believe “On Fire” is one of VH’s top three songs and also one of their most underrated tracks. I like the part that follows the first chorus that just explodes and then goes into the ascending solo. That tune is a musical masterpiece.

  • @Javdoc
    @Javdoc 2 года назад +311

    Ed was a fantastic rhythm player, usually overshadowed to most people by his leads. Fair Warning is an awesome, gnarly dark album all around and agreed, Mean Street is just ferocious.

    • @Rain593
      @Rain593 2 года назад +2

      Same thing happens to Michael Romeo.

    • @wm-nu1yf
      @wm-nu1yf 2 года назад +15

      I've always liked him more for his rhythm playing than his leads. Obviously he was amazing doing both, but the rhythm stuff, for me at least, is where his real genius was.

    • @fab.silva1119
      @fab.silva1119 2 года назад +5

      Fair Warning
      VH I
      1984
      VH II
      WACF
      DD
      In that order!

    • @codywilliams3789
      @codywilliams3789 2 года назад +3

      You couldn’t have said it any better my friend. Before I really got into Van Halen and learning damn near everything that I could about Eddie, I was really drawn in by his rhythm playing first and after that it’s been down the rabbit hole ever since and now here I am 🤔😂 I’m 28 now and when I got into the good music I was about 10. I started playing guitar because of Eddie when I turned 14..

    • @gillhodges7267
      @gillhodges7267 2 года назад +8

      Never was a big fan of his lead playing. But his rhythm playing is just incredible.

  • @rjprivate
    @rjprivate 2 года назад +79

    Here in the Netherlands we all play like Eddie and it's quite normal..
    No seriously he is a legend and someday there will be a statue of him in Amsterdam. Thanks for the great video Ben

    • @rjprivate
      @rjprivate 2 года назад +1

      Delete that scam

    • @Robil63
      @Robil63 10 месяцев назад +1

      🤣🤣 I believed u for a minute.

    • @rjprivate
      @rjprivate 10 месяцев назад +1

      @@Robil63 😂😂🇱🇺🎸

  • @phenbuz
    @phenbuz 2 года назад +89

    Man...I think that FAIR WARNING is THE MOST amazing VH album all the times. All those songs are so special. Seriously I can talk a lot about one by one like my favs forever. Great performance

    • @adamjones8218
      @adamjones8218 Год назад +2

      Agreed. And one of my fav solo's is Push comes to Shove. The pre-solo section is fantastic as well. Need a bit of multi tracking and Eventide modulation to pull it off but it's awesome.

    • @Saldivinorum
      @Saldivinorum Год назад +1

      Sorry, but most people who love and understand music know Michael is a rocking bassist, especially fans of VH which is quite a lot considering their immense popularity. "Underated" is such an overused term that only serves the person claiming it, like they hold some little known fact. It's not unknown that Michael Anthony is a great bassist and background singer lol...

    • @mikeys7536
      @mikeys7536 Год назад +2

      I was 13 when Fair Warning came out. What a great time to be a kid.

    • @Excalibur2112
      @Excalibur2112 Год назад +2

      Hear About it Later, Push Comes to Shove, So this is Love? and One Foot Out the Door are sadly underrated.

    • @ClifHaley
      @ClifHaley Год назад +1

      My favorite of all of them.

  • @TheAgentAssassin
    @TheAgentAssassin 2 года назад +38

    M.Anthony is so underrated.
    He never tried to overplay or overshadow anyone he just kept the groove going.

    • @thearcher9940
      @thearcher9940 Год назад +2

      Whos talkin about mike here????

    • @nelsonschumacher7956
      @nelsonschumacher7956 Год назад

      @@thearcher9940
      mikey fans are like vegans - they need to tell us all about him every five minutes

    • @chrisperry3671
      @chrisperry3671 7 месяцев назад

      @@nelsonschumacher7956 Tell us you didn't watch the video without telling us you didn't watch the video.

    • @gib59er56
      @gib59er56 6 месяцев назад

      Love Mikey!!

  • @duncanmathers76
    @duncanmathers76 2 года назад +47

    Nailed with Uncle Ben's usual precision and a killer tone, too.

  • @canyoncarver
    @canyoncarver 2 года назад +90

    Couldn't agree more regarding Michael's freight train, unstoppable bass work. Someone had to keep our ears grounded while the two brothers were flinging beats and notes all over the place like a couple of Dutch toddlers on a sugar high!

    • @johnnyromero3336
      @johnnyromero3336 2 года назад +9

      100% Truth right here, this had me Lmao! " Dutch Toddlers on a Sugar High"

    • @MickH60
      @MickH60 2 года назад +4

      Don't forget his backing vocals !!

    • @joebartlett3255
      @joebartlett3255 11 месяцев назад

      Cool video. Mike was a human metronome for Ed & Al. The way he plays staccato, dead beats, etc is really cool. Not all Mikes stuff was simple either.

  • @danc3746
    @danc3746 2 года назад +10

    Eddie's rhythm tracks are OUTSTANDING! Everyone pays more attention to his leads and Eruption stuff, but he played great riffs. Great job breaking this stuff down!

  • @TxpNoveske
    @TxpNoveske 2 года назад +27

    Fair Warning is one of the best VH albums period. The first time I heard it thought that this is one of the best. Sick rythyms and crazy leads with off timing yet sounded awesome. Its just got everything. Its very heavy which I like. I wish they would have went more heavy with some of the Hagar songs.

    • @johnmorrison9883
      @johnmorrison9883 2 года назад +2

      1000% agree.
      I think Fair Warning was the OG line-up's creative zenith.
      There is not one non-killer track- everyone was playing at their best level.
      A great record.

  • @ScottMacLeodCompany
    @ScottMacLeodCompany 2 года назад +11

    Uncle Ben, you did it again. I've tripped on this riff before, but nobody has ever broken it down like this. Dance baby!

  • @RichardA5150
    @RichardA5150 2 года назад +41

    Fully agree on Mike, just saw Him and Sammy over the weekend and they still killed it. his bass playing is so solid to fit the songs and not full of flash. He sand Aint Talking bout Love and killed it as well. I said it to my wife he was the secret weapon in VH.

    • @BrianGlassEOD
      @BrianGlassEOD 2 года назад

      I agree. I saw Sammy and the Circle a few years ago and realized that most of what I loved about the Hagar era Van Halen was Sammy and Michael.

    • @TheAgentAssassin
      @TheAgentAssassin 2 года назад

      M.Anthony > Billy Sheehan

    • @crusheverything4449
      @crusheverything4449 Год назад

      @@TheAgentAssassin- I assume you’re joking.

    • @jehudavis5422
      @jehudavis5422 Год назад

      ​@@BrianGlassEOD lol😅😅

  • @mojodojo5533
    @mojodojo5533 2 года назад +14

    That chromatic riff is also in "She's the Woman" I believe. Which I think is where the guitar riff came from originally. Greetings from Knox-Vegas!!

    • @CreativeWarrior-
      @CreativeWarrior- 2 года назад +3

      Correct! The funky riff used to be in She's The Woman also, in the demo version. Ed had to write a new one for the album DKTruth.

    • @billygreenville59
      @billygreenville59 2 года назад +3

      Exactly! I was just gonna say that.

    • @CreativeWarrior-
      @CreativeWarrior- 2 года назад

      @@billygreenville59 Cheers!

  • @DADSGETNDOWN
    @DADSGETNDOWN 2 года назад +8

    100 Percent Agree. And a lot of time, the so called "simple" stuff, is the PERFECT stuff. Awesome stuff.

  • @Vulneravariable
    @Vulneravariable 2 года назад +4

    Dang. That is one sweet little ditty.

  • @jaxkincaid
    @jaxkincaid 2 года назад +11

    The rhythm under the solo in House of Pain is symphonic magic.

  • @cheenu711
    @cheenu711 2 года назад +7

    There are so many nuances to his playing on every recording that it's really impossible to notice everything at once. I've been learning a lot of stuff from Van Halen and 1984 but I always feel like I'm doing something wrong after listening to the actual songs. His attitude, pick attack and rhythm make it so hard to learn exactly what's on the record. A lot is made of his pickups, amps, body wood etc etc but the real magic was in his fingers, rhythm and his touch. That's where the real goldmine is.

    • @silverjaw138
      @silverjaw138 2 года назад +3

      Don’t forget about his Volume pot use. He used his volume alllll the time to manipulate his tone and gain depending on the part he was playing. It’s not talked about much oddly but it’s a foundational part of his playing .

    • @ChainsawChristmas
      @ChainsawChristmas 2 года назад +1

      @@silverjaw138 very true. He could accurately move the volume pot in a way that most people would need a volume pedal or automatic MIDI switching for. It might as well have been a gain knob! Haha.

    • @morebeer4435
      @morebeer4435 2 года назад +1

      Yes totally agree. People usually come up short with his sound because of the nuances he had with both hands. Thats what sets him apart and makes him so unique. Its just like Buddys Rich's left hand skill, unmatched and once in a lifetime.

    • @chignutsak
      @chignutsak 9 месяцев назад +1

      This is well said. We are lowly mortals, staring up at the sun.

  • @nelsonw2096
    @nelsonw2096 2 года назад +35

    EVH was as good at rhythm as he was at lead.

    • @gib59er56
      @gib59er56 6 месяцев назад +1

      No he was BETTER. His rhythm playing is impossible to copy. There is not a person on this planet who can swing like Ed did. NOBODY.

  • @pickboy7
    @pickboy7 2 года назад +7

    Ed was bad ass,his rhythm skills were off the chart.His groove,feel and tone always stood out.He had a certain swagger that he stamped on his riffs.You knew it was him when he played.Thanks Uncle Ben!

  • @BrianDonnelly68
    @BrianDonnelly68 2 года назад +31

    EVH always talked about Clapton and May and Holdsworth later on, but I always heard huge amounts of Townsend, Billy Gibbons & Iommi in his rhythm work

    • @joekillion7427
      @joekillion7427 2 года назад +10

      I for sure hear Billy Gibbons, especially with his pinch harmonics, and nobody ever talks about that. I always thought that Hot for Teacher was the Van Halen version of La Grange.

    • @DaBaronSamedi
      @DaBaronSamedi 2 года назад

      @@joekillion7427Eddie's & the band's feel on shuffles really is exceptional - you can't not move to their grooves!!!

    • @BrianDonnelly68
      @BrianDonnelly68 2 года назад +3

      @@joekillion7427 Absolutely. And like I said above I hear lots of Townsend in his strumming patterns, especially on bridges, and how he employs suspensions in his chord voices. And then a little Iommi always sneaks in too, I think that's why he loved Dimebag so much, bc Dimebag kinda was like if EVH went the Full Sabbath and Eddie saw that as a road he did not take, but really appreciated.

    • @wodewose3456
      @wodewose3456 2 года назад

      Yes !!! - gibbons deep groove - also dick dale !!

    • @oldmossystone
      @oldmossystone 2 года назад +1

      I've come to think over the years, that the biggest influence on Eddie was Jimmy Page. And that applies here too. Jimmy did a bunch of messed up stuff dropping/picking up beats and creating 'simple' riffs that catch the ear because of the syncopation and timing. Same with lead stuff, using variations of basic well known pentatonic licks, but playing them at unexpected parts of the beat, or out of phase, in terms of which note to start on... Eddie learned that concept and took it to another level. Van Halen did a lot of Zep covers in their early days ;)

  • @mitchrabideau
    @mitchrabideau 2 года назад +7

    Top Johnny is a seriously sick song and the riffs are criminally underated

    • @mitchrabideau
      @mitchrabideau 2 года назад +2

      I meant Jimmy not Johnny. Lol. Sorry

    • @MrJohnnyDistortion
      @MrJohnnyDistortion Год назад +1

      ​@@mitchrabideau
      We know😂

    • @syndicateproductionstarana4925
      @syndicateproductionstarana4925 Год назад

      Top Jimmy bro

    • @robert-lz9qf
      @robert-lz9qf Год назад

      girl gone bad never gets talked about, Eddies riff on that is bad ass

    • @gabbleratchet1890
      @gabbleratchet1890 11 месяцев назад

      @@robert-lz9qf Hell yes. I totally missed how great that song was when I first bought the album (when it came out - fuck, I'm old), but it's freakin' fantastic.

  • @edwardmannino9688
    @edwardmannino9688 5 месяцев назад +1

    I fully agree with your assessment of Michael Anthony's straight forward approach with how he played bass in the band. You put this explanation in perfect wording, in why Michael played this way.

  • @ZblockWoW
    @ZblockWoW 2 года назад +16

    This along with In ‘n’ Out have such underrated Eddie rhythm playing. He will always be The Master. 🤘🏻🎸 😢

  • @DarthV506
    @DarthV506 2 года назад +8

    His rhythm playing is spectacular and never gets enough credit. Not to mention how deep in the pocket Mike & Alex are.

    • @BenEller
      @BenEller  2 года назад +1

      The groove is REAL!!!

    • @termsofusepolice
      @termsofusepolice Год назад +1

      Ed played all the bass on Fair Warning. That's according to Ed himself. Also why the bass playing on that record is so in the pocket with his bro Alex.

  • @arthurs4964
    @arthurs4964 2 года назад +2

    Wait, what? How has not anyone who has listened to this song never heard this rhythm? That rhythm is right there in your face like 30 seconds into the song right after Eddie’s harmonic intro. How would anyone miss it? It’s the base rhythm of the song. There’s tabs for it all over the internet. Hello?

  • @edzappia2892
    @edzappia2892 8 месяцев назад +1

    Yes, I LOVE the intro to the Mean Streets solo, and had trouble finding on RUclips. Everybody goes to the solo solo, and skips that awesome intro to the solo! Fantastic!

  • @JohnFnLopez
    @JohnFnLopez 2 года назад +4

    Dude. Thank you. Michael is a solid band member. His vocals and backing rhythm are so rock-solid!
    Eddie rhythm guitar is so chewie and groovy! I definitely appreciate his rhythm playing far more than his brilliant soloing.
    I've been trying to figure out the backing guitar for that solo forever, and it's just eluded me until now, so thank you!

  • @jtbatz
    @jtbatz 2 года назад +13

    Fn killer tone!! Love this riff! Fair Warning has riffs by the truck load. Would have loved to hear the riff on One Foot out the Door played on guitar

  • @imarriedabrkfsttaco3737
    @imarriedabrkfsttaco3737 2 года назад +4

    Ed's rhythm playing is incredible but gets overshadowed by his insane leads! Even the simple rhythm he plays during the Top Jimmy solo sounds dark & sinister AF. Serves the song beautifully.

  • @davemarriner8128
    @davemarriner8128 Месяц назад

    Thats why I love Van Halen, there are so many layers in each track. You can go so deep and the music keeps on giving. There are layers of rhythm and flow in every track.

  • @Sodacake
    @Sodacake 2 года назад +3

    i love when you discover something so cool hiding right beneath a solo.

    • @BenEller
      @BenEller  2 года назад

      Me too!!! Metallica has plenty of those.

  • @97stratocaster21
    @97stratocaster21 2 года назад +9

    Michael Anthony is one of the greatest rock bassists ever, period.
    more complexity doesn't equal better playing. He always places his biggest priority on what best serves the song, which is true musicianship and maturity.

    • @stevenhowes530
      @stevenhowes530 2 года назад +2

      And would any of those songs be as good without his vocals. they'd still be good but the harmonies really gave them something extra. Extra, on top of all the other extra VH had.

    • @schaef6o
      @schaef6o 2 года назад

      Glad Eddie showed him everything 😂😂

  • @MichaelDouglasSkewes
    @MichaelDouglasSkewes 4 месяца назад +1

    My friend Brent Woods just played with Michael Anthony for the.Eddie trunk 40 year anniversary show. Brent and i have been friends since 7th grade ,and we both took lessons from Randy Rhoads. Anyway, he was music director for the show ,and played with everyone either in rehearsal or onstage and he mentioned that playing with Michael Anthony was like having a bulldozer just laying down exactly what the song needed! I always kinda put him to the side too,but when I saw VH ON every tour with DLR ,I noticed what a machine that both Alex and Eddie were, they played like they knew exactly what the other was thinking!

  • @johnmorrison9883
    @johnmorrison9883 2 года назад +1

    Thanks for exposing more magic in my favorite Van Halen song.
    Like you, I've been listening to this since I was a teenager a million years ago. I still hear new things in this song. It continues to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. And I still listen to it. A. LOT.

  • @CoolStuffDad
    @CoolStuffDad 2 года назад +4

    YES!! One of those that slips under the radar, but holds the groove of the song perfectly!

  • @gcrauwels941
    @gcrauwels941 2 года назад +4

    Exactly! For years that solo just stood out to me, but in the last couple of years I started noticing that rhythm riff. Just as smoking as the solo.
    Long Live Edward Van Halen !!

    • @YTRopp
      @YTRopp 2 года назад +1

      Always was one of my favorite riffs of the band

  • @ranger5281
    @ranger5281 Год назад +1

    Awesome, Ben! Mean Street is indeed absolutely Ferocious, percussive rhythm playing, and you've opened up a new chapter in my understanding and appreciation with that killer up-stroke riff. Much appreciated!

  • @lotusmanb3832
    @lotusmanb3832 2 года назад +1

    Hey... I've been talking about that killer rhythm track for many years and agree its a beast. I was in a VH tribute band in the 80s and my brother had Eddie down. Used to sound kind of empty live without that driving rhythm but still great. Gives me goosebumps every time I hear that track. Cheers

  • @majesticpbjcat7707
    @majesticpbjcat7707 2 года назад +4

    I think you've covered it in a previous vid, but the main riff on Can't Get This Stuff No More is just heavy awesomeness. Love it 🤘

  • @wesleythoman9873
    @wesleythoman9873 2 года назад +10

    Fair warning is my favourite album, right ahead of 1978. I'm glad that there are people out there who recognize his killer rhythm skills!

  • @gravelrhoads
    @gravelrhoads 2 года назад +3

    Fair Warning is my favorite Van Halen album and Mean Street is such a kicking song that always gets me revved up.

  • @Randy_Flamethrower
    @Randy_Flamethrower 2 года назад +3

    YES! First time I heard Mean Street i almost drove off the road from the chills. Just an insanely good song

  • @cscoioscscoios2768
    @cscoioscscoios2768 2 года назад +4

    Perfect timing Ben, I was just working on the bridge and solo section of Mean Street and you gave this much clarity! I never noticed that badass riff under the solo until now, great stuff.

  • @michaeleaster1815
    @michaeleaster1815 2 года назад +4

    Great video! one of my fave EVH riffs is the slow/B section in Panama... that weird F chord (at first fret) is one of my favourite moments in all of music. It is so subversive: super dissonant in the middle of a big ol' party song and just so weird

  • @Meatbasket2
    @Meatbasket2 2 года назад +1

    Great video showcasing an all but unknown awesome VH riff! I was at that 2012 Louisville VH concert you referenced, took my older uncle who is VH #1 fan but had not seen them back in the day. What a great show it was.

  • @BotsWeekendCovers
    @BotsWeekendCovers Год назад +1

    I am sure we all remember the first time we heard Van Halen! I did 45 years ago and I am still trying to play like him! Uncle Ben you have definitely helped me and I appreciate this one as well!. Great Job!

  • @Balmung5150
    @Balmung5150 2 года назад +3

    There is also "Me wise magic"which people tend to forget about. A killer song released on a greatest hits album

  • @joekillion7427
    @joekillion7427 2 года назад +3

    Mean Street has always been one of the coolest and well...meanest Van Halen songs. The tone is so aggressive.

  • @bilbocarter7732
    @bilbocarter7732 7 месяцев назад

    This has been one of the most fun licks I've been trying to get down as I transition from playing bass full time to learning the guitar as well. I appreciate your efforts and thoroughness on all these videos. GREAT WORK SIR!!!

  • @maxmenius9839
    @maxmenius9839 2 года назад

    That was an incredible lesson and breakdown. You tease out all the subtle nuances. A+!!

  • @eddiejr540
    @eddiejr540 2 года назад +13

    Uncle Ben…there are some hidden gems on OU812 that no one ever talks about…just try playing “sucker in a 3 piece” or “AFU” or “source of infection”….Eddie was on his game for that album!!!!

    • @ronjenkins6674
      @ronjenkins6674 2 года назад +2

      I once got Uncle Ben to tab out and try to teach me "Finish what you started" I still have his tabs, but my fingers just refuse to move that way! That's one tricky little lick

    • @chuckclements8048
      @chuckclements8048 2 года назад +1

      Sucka is a feeling fire solo

    • @technicalitems731
      @technicalitems731 2 года назад

      Yes!!! AFU Naturally Wired!

  • @codacreator6162
    @codacreator6162 2 года назад +8

    My biggest go-to guitar has always been my EVH Air Guitar. Goes everywhere and never, ever lets me down. 🤘😎🤘

  • @billseggie4578
    @billseggie4578 2 года назад +1

    So great to hear praise for this particular song! Well explained and well played.

  • @Robert-ck7nm
    @Robert-ck7nm 2 года назад +1

    I'm a drummer, not a guitarist, but Ben, your playing is spectacular - effortless flow, power, time, and tone. Love it, Brother!

  • @tony_n316
    @tony_n316 2 года назад +16

    Another great video... If you listen to that little run at the end of the riff, it sounds very much like his riff in "She's the Woman".

    • @TheDietrichDaniels
      @TheDietrichDaniels 2 года назад +1

      This!! ^^^^^^

    • @raymondsurace2575
      @raymondsurace2575 2 года назад +1

      Yup…same chromatic lick.

    • @futarydary
      @futarydary 2 года назад +3

      Because 'She's a Woman' and that interlude in 'Mean Street' were recorded back in 1977ish

    • @futarydary
      @futarydary 2 года назад

      ruclips.net/video/lewo6s6c8oo/видео.html

    • @TheDietrichDaniels
      @TheDietrichDaniels 2 года назад +2

      @@futarydary “Voodoo Queen.”

  • @bigbigy58
    @bigbigy58 2 года назад +4

    his rhythm was unmatched i always liked the riff behind the house of pain solo

  • @chrisvantassel8867
    @chrisvantassel8867 2 года назад +1

    I am with ya, I always tell people who do not recognize his rhythm mastery to listen to the rhythm track under the mean street solo. Glad you posted!

  • @drumgk
    @drumgk Год назад

    This is great stuff! You have a gift of hearing ,explaining, and teaching in forensic detail the Eddie Vanhalen you have never heard!

  • @silvertear87
    @silvertear87 2 года назад +2

    Everything about Mean Street is amazing. The isolated drum track is so good, the rhythms are incredible and that bass! Imma throw this album on today

  • @Gee-no
    @Gee-no 2 года назад +11

    I always like House of Pain and Top Jimmy from 1984. Very interesting riffs / songs.

    • @ginomarchetti5153
      @ginomarchetti5153 2 года назад +3

      Agree.....and Drop Dead Legs.

    • @Lyingfigure
      @Lyingfigure Год назад +3

      @@ginomarchetti5153 : you could say the whole album
      Jump and panama are the trademarks popular songs, but the other are really van halen's real work

    • @chairmankaga2821
      @chairmankaga2821 Год назад

      Girl Gone Bad is a phenomenal song. ALL aspects are amazing from the harmonic tapping intro to the tremolo picking on that blistering lead.

  • @jables3377
    @jables3377 Год назад

    Thank you for breaking this down! I stumbled upon that awhile back and thought Eddie was doing some sort of odd time signature riff over Alex's 4/4 groove, but you made it crystal clear now!

  • @JVH5151
    @JVH5151 2 года назад

    Awesome lesson, went back to clean up what I was doing wrong and came across this video. Ed used to talk about his rhythm playing and how articulated he was in old guitar mag interviews... Truly one of the most badass interludes in the VH catalogue, which is saying a lot!...Oh, nice gear too!

  • @evowire
    @evowire 2 года назад +11

    I agree, Mike was the perfect bass player for VH. It worked because all of the right musicians were there at the right time. Ed was incredible, no doubt, but it takes a BAND to do it.

    • @daveowczarek
      @daveowczarek 7 месяцев назад +1

      The comment about how if Michael were shredding and tapping with Eddie it wouldn't have worked. I agree. But, that is essentially what happened when David Lee Roth went and made Skyscraper with Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan. That is a ferocious album, and I think it totally worked for them. But the personalities and styles are different there, even though DLR was the common thread. Steve Vai is amazing, but not the same amazing as EVH. But comparing Fair Warning (1981) to Skyscraper (1988) is an interesting thought experiment.

    • @evowire
      @evowire 6 месяцев назад

      It did work perfectly on Eat 'Em and Smile, but the very next record, Dave told Billy to just play very basic bass lines. Billy left. SkyScraper tour was Matt Bissonette on bass. Would everyone's egos allowed it that in VH ? Who knows?@@daveowczarek

  • @eugenekrabs6400
    @eugenekrabs6400 2 года назад +3

    Oh god Mean Street is such a banger, thanks for spreading the gospel Ben.

  • @beachcomber4141
    @beachcomber4141 Год назад

    That riff popped into my head out of no where a few days ago. I ALWAYS thought that opening to the video riff was so bad ass and unique. So good to see Ben highlight it!

  • @Evocati-Augusti
    @Evocati-Augusti 2 года назад

    along my way home from my Gfs house in the 80s, for 3 years the last street after a mile walk was East Street, and as soon as I turned on to the street, my mind would say.."this is home...this is East Street"...since then whenever I pass it, it still pops in my head...

  • @mariuspaulauskas1359
    @mariuspaulauskas1359 2 года назад +4

    I like that little amp which is on top of Friedman :)

  • @joestentzalienguitarist9814
    @joestentzalienguitarist9814 2 года назад +1

    So easy it hurts. All the good ones are. I thought Eddie tuned a quarter step down on all strings like Dime. You learned me something new. Sweeeeeet!!!

  • @skipneumann1
    @skipneumann1 2 года назад +1

    I stopped and listened to the track- so cool that you did a video on it

  • @MrDrew12
    @MrDrew12 2 года назад +4

    Killer riff

  • @leighmills6356
    @leighmills6356 2 года назад +3

    There’s elements of Shes the Woman been borrowed from this riff, never clicked to this before! Great lesson Ben!

    • @TheSamgopal
      @TheSamgopal Год назад

      Noticed that too! Makes sense since the iconic guitar part before the lead solo was lifted from the original 70s demo of that song. The part Eddie wrote to replace it on the last album doesn't quite match up to the original. VH were masters of reusing old material though.

  • @robtech341
    @robtech341 2 года назад

    Great video as always. Let us not forget the very last run in the solo, so cool coming out of the trem work.

  • @chikkenyo
    @chikkenyo 3 месяца назад

    I cannot WAIT to learn this riff! That is SICK! Thanks for sharing!

  • @jeremyswalley8625
    @jeremyswalley8625 2 года назад +3

    The flanger and phaser really makes a huge difference!! And a little bit of Eventide magic besides the man!!

  • @valuedhumanoid6574
    @valuedhumanoid6574 2 года назад +20

    This is proof why Eddie was the complete package. The media and noobs just focus on his lead work, which is superb, but the REAL magic is his rhythm (I actually spelled it right this time with no spell checker red squiggly line under it!) playing. That's where all the real tasty stuff is. And most guitar aficionados who know the truth about Eddie don't put him in the "shredder" genre of guitar music. Oh, he could shred with the best of them, but it's the Mean Street type riffage that cements his legacy as just a good ol' fashioned rocker.

    • @ChuckHaney
      @ChuckHaney 2 года назад +1

      Rhythm is really a strangely spelled word in English, isn't it? Five consonants, one vowel and that vowel is "y."

    • @valuedhumanoid6574
      @valuedhumanoid6574 2 года назад +1

      @@ChuckHaney Yes. I spell it differently every time I write it. Once in a while I get it right and it surprises me. And surprise is another. I always forget that "r".

  • @cirenosnor5768
    @cirenosnor5768 2 года назад

    I noticed it probably far back as the mid 80’s but never talked about it nor have heard anyone else mention it either. Great call ❤️

  • @rixvillarreal
    @rixvillarreal 2 года назад +1

    It’s an amazing thing to be able to understand these riffs. Please consider including your intro with the whole band to finish the episode.

  • @codacreator6162
    @codacreator6162 2 года назад +3

    Strange how Ed could be BOTH the most celebrated guitarist and one of the most underrated at the same time…

  • @leesbassment6393
    @leesbassment6393 2 года назад +17

    Yep, Michael is VERY underrated. Van Halen wouldn't have worked with someone like Sheehan on bass

    • @bravenstrong
      @bravenstrong 2 года назад

      Ed actually played most of the bass parts on Fair warning. Also on the Hot For Teacher intro, Ed doubled his guitar part with bass. It was pulled it out in the mix because Mike wouldn't be able to play the part live.

    • @haggbom72
      @haggbom72 2 года назад +3

      @@bravenstrong source ?

    • @bravenstrong
      @bravenstrong 2 года назад

      @@haggbom72 I have no proof about my Fair Warning statement other than my ears. However, this Sunset Sound video backs my HFT comment at around 6:25
      ruclips.net/video/5-biL02KxE4/видео.html

    • @clemclemson9259
      @clemclemson9259 2 года назад +3

      dude for gods sake hes not "underrated" JFC thats the new buzz word in the comment section

  • @richbean
    @richbean Год назад

    great pick!! just listened to this..this morning. Great job on all your videos. Thank you!

  • @shartne
    @shartne Год назад

    Great playing man. I noticed those riffs been listing to that song for every since it came out in the eighties.

  • @herbyguitar
    @herbyguitar 2 года назад +3

    Personally, I love the two guitar parts of Dance The Night Away. they're simple but sounds so good.

  • @1080kk
    @1080kk 2 года назад +6

    Man, VH is literally my favorite band, listen to them for 35 years, played tons of VH on guitar, and Mean Streets is in my top ten songs of all time to play!….
    And I never heard this riff either!😳
    Thank you Uncle Ben! You just handed my ears a new Eddie morsel to enjoy, and I thought I had all the Van Halen carved into my brain forever!
    Makes you wonder what other hidden gems are hiding in some of those classic tracks

  • @MichaelAnthonyOfficial
    @MichaelAnthonyOfficial 2 года назад

    Ben, this is OUTSTANDING! And, you are so humble! Way to go!!!!

  • @rytchbytchrockingclub3867
    @rytchbytchrockingclub3867 2 года назад

    So cool, thanks for this video! What's making this so great is that neither kick nor snare play on the "1+" starting point of the guitar riff, it's only the guitar, bass and ride cymbal. With the kick drum filling up all the "e"s and "a"s and the snare doing the backbeat as the groove's anchor, it makes all 1/16s have a similar weight and the entire thing comes at you like a freight train.

  • @FenderTeleDeluxe
    @FenderTeleDeluxe 2 года назад +3

    That lick at 8:41 later showed up on “She’s the Woman,” on the ‘A Different Kind of Truth” album.

    • @BillDerBerg
      @BillDerBerg 2 года назад

      She's the Woman is ancient it was on the Gene Simmons 1977 demos

  • @Chris-is1rd
    @Chris-is1rd 2 года назад +3

    I'm just here to say that Eddie's rhythm skills are under appreciated even though people say his rhythm skills are great on every single RUclips post when people talk about his playing /s

  • @atlantaguitar9689
    @atlantaguitar9689 2 года назад +1

    For whatever reason, people would/will learn the opening to Mean Street and then wing the rest of the song. But yea, this riff is critical to the song and is very cool. Thanks for featuring it.

  • @patrickriley195
    @patrickriley195 Год назад +1

    Another great video, tons of good info. Thank you Ben!.....and yes; I agree.

  • @sunburstshredder
    @sunburstshredder 2 года назад +3

    I agree with what you said about Michael 1000%. In the past I thought he was mediocre because he tended to play mainly on root notes, but over time, I realized that it was exactly what the song called for as you pointed out. Plus, his bass lines in "Love Walks In" are killer

    • @BenEller
      @BenEller  2 года назад

      Man, I’ve never wanted ANYTHING more out of a bass line in a VH song!

  • @ryanflannery3469
    @ryanflannery3469 2 года назад +5

    That phaser riff is impossible to play like Eddie because of the immense groove he had in his playing haha

  • @normpeters2341
    @normpeters2341 2 года назад

    Absolutely loved this video
    Love to see someone as passionate about EVH as myself King Edward lives forever. Keep up the good work I love how you break everything down and make it easy to follow

  • @flapjackson6077
    @flapjackson6077 2 года назад +1

    Dude, I really like the way you break things down. Nice balance of theory and practicality.
    Excellent analysis.
    Subscribed! 🤙

    • @BenEller
      @BenEller  2 года назад +1

      Welcome aboard!

  • @gooddognigel9992
    @gooddognigel9992 2 года назад +5

    Jeff Beck had high praise for EVH’s rhythm guitar playing.

    • @FeceLatrine
      @FeceLatrine Год назад

      You said a mouthful right there brother!

  • @JoeR203
    @JoeR203 2 года назад +7

    That riff (starting at the pull off) sounds like Sammy Hagar's "Three Lock Box".

  • @stringbender11672
    @stringbender11672 2 года назад

    Yes Indeed that particular riff is badass. Nice that you brought it into focus!!!

  • @jweider007
    @jweider007 2 года назад +2

    That riff in Mean Street was always one of my favorite.