Ultimate Rhoads

Does anyone know what Randy´s first impression was when he heard Eddie´s "Eruption"?

He said, "This sucks! I can do MUCH better!"

Nah, I'm kidding. I don't know his exact reaction about it, but I'm sure he liked it. He was a fan of EVH.

Interesting question about Randy reacting to "Eruption".

Arguably, the spirit of "Eruption" can be heard in the spotlight solo in some places. Randy even admits it in some interviews.

Additionally, it always seemed obvious to me that "Dee" was Randy's response to Ed's "Spanish Fly" from VHII. This is plausible since VHII was released March 23, 1979 and Blizzard was recorded about a year later.

Although it is well known that some of "Dee" was floating around in Randy's QR solo for a while, I always thought that hearing "Spanish Fly" might have given Randy an idea of how to be able to differentiate himself from Ed while still staking out his sytlistic territory. And IMHO, he accomplished that.

I have always imagined Randy quietly thinking that "Dee" would enable him to take on Ed directly, but on his own musical terms. Ed was monsterously popular and critically adored after VHII. All of it well-earned and justified.

What balls one would need to challenge Edward the King. It is even more fantastic since Randy was unknown by the world at that time. If even a fraction of this is true, it really speaks to RR's confidence in his own abilities.

I always enjoy listening to those two tracks back to back. It says plenty about two pioneering players/composers. Each one is incredibly unique while coming from the same "proving-grounds" of 70's LA.

Please, girls, no debating who is better, no bashing, etc. Just put the two tracks on repeat today for a half hour and enjoy how they really do complement each other.

I am so thankful for those two unadorned, majestic, intoxicatingly pure pieces and try to take them as they were intended by Ed and Randy.

If I never heard another piece by either one of these guys, "Dee", "Spanish Fly", "Eruption", " The DOAM Tour Band Jam", and "The Spotlight Solo" would keep me satisfied for years to come.

Definitive and great work.

Perhaps Kelly Garni has some memories about this?

stress2stress2 wrote:Interesting question about Randy reacting to "Eruption".

Arguably, the spirit of "Eruption" can be heard in the spotlight solo in some places. Randy even admits it in some interviews.

Additionally, it always seemed obvious to me that "Dee" was Randy's response to Ed's "Spanish Fly" from VHII. This is plausible since VHII was released March 23, 1979 and Blizzard was recorded about a year later.

Although it is well known that some of "Dee" was floating around in Randy's QR solo for a while, I always thought that hearing "Spanish Fly" might have given Randy an idea of how to be able to differentiate himself from Ed while still staking out his sytlistic territory. And IMHO, he accomplished that.

I have always imagined Randy quietly thinking that "Dee" would enable him to take on Ed directly, but on his own musical terms. Ed was monsterously popular and critically adored after VHII. All of it well-earned and justified.

What balls one would need to challenge Edward the King. It is even more fantastic since Randy was unknown by the world at that time. If even a fraction of this is true, it really speaks to RR's confidence in his own abilities.

I always enjoy listening to those two tracks back to back. It says plenty about two pioneering players/composers. Each one is incredibly unique while coming from the same "proving-grounds" of 70's LA.

Please, girls, no debating who is better, no bashing, etc. Just put the two tracks on repeat today for a half hour and enjoy how they really do complement each other.

I am so thankful for those two unadorned, majestic, intoxicatingly pure pieces and try to take them as they were intended by Ed and Randy.

If I never heard another piece by either one of these guys, "Dee", "Spanish Fly", "Eruption", " The DOAM Tour Band Jam", and "The Spotlight Solo" would keep me satisfied for years to come.

Definitive and great work.

yea I agree with you on that. When I bought blizzard when it came out and VHII in 79 even then being in 9th grade I thought that Dee was the echo or response for Spanish Fly. I agree you can't compare because Randy took it into different direction including technique wise.

About Eruption someone said they walked into a lesson and heard him playing it. Can't remember now the source if it was mentioned at a memorial or if it was an interview? I can say a source told me they heard Randy playing most of the VH1 album and it is on cassette tape recorded hopefully it will make Peter's documentary. I think just what he said in the seminar is his response. It was great but a lot of flash he would say.

I much prefer dee to eruption. More soul in it . Ha ha

We weren't comparing Dee to Eruption. Those aren't even similar.

We were comparing Dee to Spanish Fly, and Eruption to Randy's guitar solo/Band Jam.

the person that heard him playing it in a lesson probably mistook it for the part in randys spotlight solo all my friends heard the spotlight solo and was like thats eruption i had to play each one back to back for them to notice the differences

TheMrAxeman wrote:the person that heard him playing it in a lesson probably mistook it for the part in randys spotlight solo all my friends heard the spotlight solo and was like thats eruption i had to play each one back to back for them to notice the differences

that's a good call but, there is a cassette tape of him playing most of VH I album that exists. Was supposed to come out in the documentary. If it still does, who knows??

TAB wrote:

TheMrAxeman wrote:there is a cassette tape of him playing most of VH I album that exists. Was supposed to come out in the documentary. If it still does, who knows??

That would be amazing to hear....

yes it's up to Peter to release I guess.

Yo,
It's funny that Randy didn't do the Iron man intro that he probably taught... How many times? Think about that. ..

I've got an mp3 of a QR show where Kevin comments in between songs that Van Halen are in the audience that night...

tekker wrote:Does anyone know what Randy´s first impression was when he heard Eddie´s "Eruption"?

Probably like any other rock guitarplayer on earth: