I never listened to them, outside of the hits. I have always felt sorry for Eddie in the sense that he was apparently like the Neil Armstrong of rock guitarists, regarded by the public as one of the greatest guitarists ever, when the greatest guitarists ever knew better. There was an article in the late-lamented "Musician" magazine that featured Van Halen, the Dixie Dregs' (and currently Deep Purples') Steve Morse, and amazing British fingerstyle guitarist Albert Lee (session superstar, and toured with Emmylou Harris for years) on the cover. They were at some sort of convention/multi-star celebration, and played a concert together when it ended. According to the article, whenever big brash overcranked rock was being played, all three of them played with amazing intensity and confidence. When the music shifted to any other style, while Morse and Lee continued to crank out one amazing musical layer/lick after another, Van Halen would actually turn his back to the crowd and stop playing. The writer implied he was just totally lost; had the slightest clue what was going on musically. Later when members of the guitar community were asked about the performance, they would go on and on about Morse and Lee; when pressed to comment on Van Halen, they would say things like "he's a great guy!"
When we used to try to set up guys with our cousins, the running joke was that they would ask "Is she good looking?" (more effective if you imagine it said with a thick southern accent), and we would inevitably answer "She's a really good dancer" since the girls, unfortunately for them, looked sort of like female versions of me.
Eddie Van Halen is the real good dancer of rock and roll.
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