[crazytrain513]

I saw this poll posted by Gibson on Facebook just now...so I thought I'd post it up here to see what the more educated have to say about it.

So what's it gonna be folks? Who rocks out the hardest? Who's tracks still make you sweat to this day? All three of these guys had three very different approaches to similar styles of music. Who did it the best?

1) Eddie Van Halen
2) Dimebag Darrell OR
3) Randy Rhoads

??

Don't forget to vote! This should be interesting.

[LeoPaul422]

crazytrain513, on 13 November 2012 - 09:06 PM, said:

I saw this poll posted by Gibson on Facebook just now...so I thought I'd post it up here to see what the more educated have to say about it.

So what's it gonna be folks? Who rocks out the hardest? Who's tracks still make you sweat to this day? All three of these guys had three very different approaches to similar styles of music. Who did it the best?

1) Eddie Van Halen
2) Dimebag Darrell OR
3) Randy Rhoads

??

Don't forget to vote! This should be interesting.

EVH is one of the all time best.

[dem00n]

That dem00n kid is a hell of a player, should look him up. He use to go by the name Jimmy Page, played in a small local band called Led Zeppelin. They did a few world tours.


Just sayin...

[kaleb]

I can't choose. I love them all too much.

EVH--Fretboard genius who changed the face of the Earth.

Randy- A one-of-a-kind neo-classical pioneer

Dimebag- The fastest gun in Texas. Influences from EVH, Rhoads, Frehley, Schenker, Satch, Hammet, Slayer, and many country players made him a monster.

[crazytrain513]

kaleb, on 13 November 2012 - 09:29 PM, said:

I can't choose. I love them all too much.

EVH--Fretboard genius who changed the face of the Earth.

Randy- A one-of-a-kind neo-classical pioneer

Dimebag- The fastest gun in Texas. Influences from EVH, Rhoads, Frehley, Schenker, Satch, Hammet, Slayer, and many country players made him a monster.

Not to mention how:

EVH: Thought Randy copied him, saw Randy as a threat

Randy - Saw EVH as a challenge, said he avoided double-tapping simply to differ from Eddie and reverted to double/triple hammer-ons that some may regard as requiring even more "talent"

Dimebag - Looked up to both of them, yet was probably the fastest, yet tonally insane of them both.

Decisions, decisions...

[Riffster]

Randy for me, because of his style of playing and the songs themselves.

I like Eddie but never cared much for the songwriting in Van Halen, when I listen to them is to listen to Eddie.

I grew up with Thrash Metal but never got into Pantera, I never got into that groove thing.

[crazytrain513]

I think my username gives away my vote...

[EVOL!]

All are legends, but I voted Randy because I love his playing more than the other two.

[BTD]

It's probably an unfair decision criteria, but Eddie did it for so much longer than Randy & Dimebag, that I have to go with him. Again not really fair due to the circumstances, but the longevity and the time to reinvent and make an impression on over 30 years of music gets my vote.

[kaleb]

In my opinion, EVH hasn't been so hot in over 20 years. In fact, gimmie the first four VH albums and we're done. I still don't care for the Hagar-era too much. I don't think Sammy caused it to be so "BLAH", as he is a great singer and made/makes awesome music solo, with Montrose, and with Chickenfoot, but I don't care for it. The era had a couple good tunes, but nowhere near as mind-blowing as "Mean Street" or "Somebody Get Me A Doctor".

Randy did a lot for two albums. In that respect, he beat Hendrix. Dime had a great career. He brought metal guitar to a new level.

I think a better contest would be Eddie, Randy, and Michael Schenker. Dime would belong more with Zakk and Hammett. (or other shred-masters of his era).

[stein]

Not really into Pantera, so I have no opnion or care.

I was a huge EVH fan, and he was THE guitarist to emulate when I was a kid. I was into blues as well, but I actually thought blues was dead, and I was studying history. I was so young back when I was a kid.

I don't think Eddie has changed, WE have changed. He still plays the same as he did, it just doesn't have the same impact in todays world.

Here's the irony: most kinda go "meh" for Ed now, cause it don't seem all that great or hard or whatever. But how many of us STUDIED the man? How long did it take to learn to play the stuff he plays? It was impressive back then, THEN we all HAD to learn how to play it. We aren't all that impressed now, but if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have learned it.

Today, I'm gonna go with Randy. I'm even more impressed now than I was then, and I WAS impressed. What impresses me the most is the beauty he was able to put into those 2 records, while at the same time, keeping it hard. I don't know if anyone else has been able to do that.

Next week, I might change my mind.

[kaleb]

stein, on 13 November 2012 - 11:49 PM, said:

Not really into Pantera, so I have no opnion or care.

I was a huge EVH fan, and he was THE guitarist to emulate when I was a kid. I was into blues as well, but I actually thought blues was dead, and I was studying history. I was so young back when I was a kid.

I don't think Eddie has changed, WE have changed. He still plays the same as he did, it just doesn't have the same impact in todays world.

Here's the irony: most kinda go "meh" for Ed now, cause it don't seem all that great or hard or whatever. But how many of us STUDIED the man? How long did it take to learn to play the stuff he plays? It was impressive back then, THEN we all HAD to learn how to play it. We aren't all that impressed now, but if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have learned it.

Today, I'm gonna go with Randy. I'm even more impressed now than I was then, and I WAS impressed. What impresses me the most is the beauty he was able to put into those 2 records, while at the same time, keeping it hard. I don't know if anyone else has been able to do that.

Next week, I might change my mind.

Eddie's still Eddie, but it's just not "there" anymore. It's the same thing with Ace Frehley: he's not what he was back in the 70s. He's still awesome, and I will go see him whenever I can, but he's kinda sloppy (even for him) now. Stale is a strong word to use, but years of partying, boozing, and snorting cocaine will do that to a player. Eddie lived the same life.

I would go see Van Halen in a heartbeat if DLR wasn't such a has-been. Let's face it, he needs to go.

As a final note, Eddie sounded terrible on the last Hagar tour, but he's made great improvements. He's still da man!

[Izzy]

I vote for Dimebag becuase he made me go, "wow." I liked Metallica and GnR and thought they were pretty heavy. I was 13, ok, shut up.
...but when I heard Dimebag I realized there was "a new level." There was no pretence with Dimebag. The fat ugly dude didn't give a poop about being cute onstage or looking "cool." Randy and EVH are great stage performers, Dimebag just clocks in and does his job in a t and shorts.

EVH will always have that place in my heart because he made the solo for Beat It.

RR is not my cup, though I am glad Ozzy had him.

[RS1976]

EVH = Zazz Blammymatazz in real life.

Dime was awesome.

Randy had taste, chops, and loved Leo Brouwer.

Randy all the way.

[FirstMeasure]

I saw this on Facebook and thought it was an odd combo to compare. I guess I prefer Randy, his playing spoke to me more so than Eddie's. And I love Dimebag's riffs and leads, but Pantera wasn't my thing.

Why not compare Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and Stevie ray? Makes as much sense.

[Elmer]

Dimebag of course....the other 2 are puppies, greenies, smurfs, nubcakes

[btoth76]

Randy Rhoads - is W. A. Mozart of rock.
Eddie Van Halen - is A. Salieri.
Dimebag Darrell - A. L. Webber.
(In every respect).
.

Cheers... Bence

[Bongoscot]

I dont even get the comparison.

[crazytrain513]

Yes, I was surprised to see this comparison by Gibson themselves, too....

I think the idea was to compare three "heavy metal gods", which is easy for someone less "educated" than everyone here, who doesn't take into account that Randy's roots were classical, Eddie was a groundbreaker, & Dime was just a metal monster.

I agree with the the person above who said Michael Schenker wouldve been a better option than Dime -- seems like most of us never really got into Dime's scene much anyways, though clearly no one's short on respect for him either.

[btoth76]

crazytrain513, on 14 November 2012 - 06:04 AM, said:

Yes, I was surprised to see this comparison by Gibson themselves, too....

I think the idea was to compare three "heavy metal gods", which is easy for someone less "educated" than everyone here, who doesn't take into account that Randy's roots were classical, Eddie was a groundbreaker, & Dime was just a metal monster.

I agree with the the person above who said Michael Schenker wouldve been a better option than Dime -- seems like most of us never really got into Dime's scene much anyways, though clearly no one's short on respect for him either.

The proper line-up for comparison would have been: Rhoads, Van Halen, Cavazo (Lynch, Lee) - these men were the idols of the same times. I think Rhoads is clearly the winner - since He stood the test of the times - probably the only one who is still appreciated as much as when He was alive (if not more). Van Halen - technical innovator for sure, but playing guitar is not purely about technics. Without taste, feel, and ability to compose, it's acrobacy (Malmsteen for example). Dime (God bless Him) wasn't any better than any other thrash-shredder around.

As for adding Schenker...again...different generation, different genre of music. Schenker is in the league with hard-rock-era Gary Moore, Frank Marino - maybe.

Anyways these polls only good for one thing: to make mad dogs out of people biting each other's throat. They make no sense.

Cheers... Bence