Posted on 10/12/2020 8:12:18 PM PDT by DoodleBob
Legendary singer-songwriter and guitarist David Crosby has drawn the ire of VAN HALEN fans for seemingly minimizing the talents of recently deceased guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
After a Twitter follower asked Crosby for his opinion of Eddie, David replied simply: "Meh ...." His bluntness was seen as out of line by a number of other Twitter users, including TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick, who chimed in: "I appreciate @thedavidcrosby too much for this to get in the way, but a much better answer would have been: 'I know he meant a lot to so many but his sound & style just weren't my thing.'" Alex then pointed out that American singer-songwriter Patti Smith, who has never appeared to be much of a VAN HALEN fan either, still managed to post a polite note following Eddie's passing. L.A. GUNS axeman Tracii Guns concurred, firing back at Crosby: "Wrong answer as f*** and rude as f***!!! There are better ways to say you don't care for someone's music. That was very disrespectful. And yes straight out f*** you and your smug answer."
The following day, Crosby took to his Twitter to clarify his original comments. "[Jimi] Hendrix changed the world of guitar. Nobody else really," he wrote. "[L]ook I get it ..many of you loved Van Halen ....and the one time I met [him] he was nice ....and he was talented ...meh to me means I don't care that much ....and I don't ...doesn't mean he wasn't good ,he was but not for me".
The left-leaning Crosby frequently spars with fans on Twitter about politics and passionately defends his stance, saying that he disagrees with those who think artists like him should "shut up and sing." "It's not part of the deal," he told the Boston Globe three years ago.
At 79, Crosby is a two-time Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, inducted as a member of both the widely innovative folk-rock band THE BYRDS with whom he first rose to stardom and the Woodstock era-defining group CROSBY, STILLS & NASH.
Crosby played at some of rock's most culturally significant concerts, including the Monterey Pop Festival, Woodstock and the Altamont Free Concert. He is also one of rock's most prolific collaborators, recording and playing with Bob Dylan, members of the GRATEFUL DEAD, Neil Young, Jackson Browne and others.
Eddie died on Tuesday (October 6) at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, and Alex, Eddie's brother and VAN HALEN drummer.
The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
Image credit: Live From Here
Meh .... https://t.co/rncBUS0tnw
David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) October 10, 2020
Sorry ..just meant he does not move me much https://t.co/qR0LOLBnB1
David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) October 10, 2020
Hendrix changed the world of guitar. Nobody else really ...look I get it ..many of you loved Van Halen ....and the one time I met he was nice ....and he was talented ...meh to me means I dont care that much ....and I dont ...doesnt mean he wasnt good ,he was but not for me https://t.co/onttfvowU8
David Crosby (@thedavidcrosby) October 12, 2020
I appreciate @thedavidcrosby too much for this to get in the way, but a much better answer would have been: I know he meant a lot to so many but his sound & style just werent my thing. Patti Smith doesnt seem like shes ever been much of a VH fan either, still she posted this pic.twitter.com/GqKO4S5v4R
Alex Skolnick (@AlexSkolnick) October 11, 2020
Wrong answer as f*** and rude as f***k!!! There are better ways to say you dont care for someones music. That was very disrespectful. And yes straight out f*** you and your smug answer.
Tracii Luk Guns ⨁ ???? (@TraciiGuns) October 11, 2020
Agreed. That said, I've always hated @thedavidcrosby AND his mustache. #JustSayin https://t.co/FdPaMEOdCW
Dee Snider?? (@deesnider) October 11, 2020
I can’t believe Rolling Stone is still published . Who reads it ?
All the good licks from CSN were written by Steven Stills.
Ted Templeman produced that record, and the next 5 as well. It was Ted who witnessed one of VH's first shows at The Starwood Lounge in Hollywood in 1977 and convinced Warner Bros chairman to sign them on the spot. You can hear Ted's voice on the song "Unchained" (from Fair Warning), saying "Come on Dave, gimme a break!" Lead singer David Lee Roth replies "One break, coming up!", leading into the song's chorus.
Not even Neil Young? Thats bad.
....:::..
Stills and young traded some great riffs
Van Halen good but not a Clapton / Page/ Hendrix / Knopler / Santana
That's the "Brown Sound", saturated and harmonic, the benchmark guitar tone that set the standard for how rock guitar should sound. One of EVH's many contributions to the state of the art.
“Bus Stop....man those were great days of youth......love grows under my umbrellla Anyone else remember that ....”
Still sounds current to me...timeless pop classics.
David Crosby Apologizes to Neil Young, Daryl Hannah
I'm a big fan of much of Neil Young's music, but he's almost as much of an as*hole as Crosby is.
I'd say EVH eclipses all of them. Page? Studio wizard, sloppy guitar player. Hendrix set the standard for the lead role that the electric guitar would play in rock music but his body of work was not extensive. His flame burned bright and fast. He was dead 3 years after Are You Experienced was released. Clapton was musically exhausted by age 26. Everything he released thereafter was mediocre in comparison. Knopfler and Santana are accomplished virtuosos but they didn't revolutionize the instrument the way EVH did. After VH1 was released, everything was different. The bar had been raised. A new standard had been set.
Hendrix established one benchmark. EVH established the second. There's been great players, great music, but these are the two standards in rock guitar.
My personal favorite guitar jam of all time is Hendrix' January 1st 1970 live performance of 'Machine Gun' with Band of Gypsys at Fillmore East.. Beyond mind-blowing!
Can't really compare Jimi to Eddie as they were both in a league of their own; both leaving their cutting-edge mark.
Thank you.
They should do a sort of Real World Series-Total Assholes of Rock
Weird Al would be the host.
Participants:
-Neil Young
-Crosby
-Roger Waters
-Dave Mustaine
-James Hatfield
-Townshend
-Ted Nugent
-Courtney Hole Love
-Liam Gallagher
-Morissey
-Sheryl Crowe
I remember those early Hollies tunes, although the later Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress is even more to my liking. That one was after Graham Nash left.
Crosby had a tremendous voice as one of the original Byrds, but they got tired of him and booted him for being a jerk. I knew some UC Irvine coeds who knew Crosby socially, and their opinion was that he was a complete asshole. That’s basically a direct quote.
>>”[Jimi] Hendrix changed the world of guitar. Nobody else really,” he wrote
Charlie Christian
T-Bone Walker
Link Wray
But they were before crackhead Crosby’s time.
CSNY won’t even play together anymore because they don’t like the guy.
Graham Nash: ‘The truth is, none of us are speaking to David’
Let me add Les Paul to the list of people who changed the way guitar was played (model and effects and more).
>>Not sure why he was asked his opinion on the passing of the legendary EVH unless it was to provoke this exact reaction.
People don’t ask opinions on Twitter, they just serve them up without prompting.
Even a “Meh” reaction to RnR HOF nominations and winners can cause outbursts even though there are so many more worthy and accurate contenders.
Speaking of early bands, Lee Kerslake of Uriah Heep, also played with Ozzy Osborne, passed away, from prostate cancer, I believe, in Sept. So many notable musicians have left us in 2020, Lee’s passing went almost unnoticed... !
Excellent drum / guitar solo, at ~4:00:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri_9PTpOykQ
(Needs very good speakers or good headphones for best effect.)
Good musician and a great guy.
This is coming from a guy who Trump supporters are not welcome to his concerts.
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