We lost Eddie Van Halen today. RIP
Oops, a hair late...
Sorry, I'm a guitarist and this came flooding in from all directions on the computer after I returned from a doctor appointment.
For me, EVH's genius manifested not in his guitar solos but in his rhythm comping. Most guitarists, when playing behind someone singing, strum the strings, play chord arpeggios, or do some sort of muted stabs. Maybe they throw in some fills at the end of each phrase. Then they shine in their solos. If you're not a guitarist, then here are some examples from the top of my head: "Won't Get Fooled Again," by The Who. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana. "Taxman" or "The Word" by the Beatles. "The Wind Cries Mary" by Jimi Hendrix. "Back in Black" by AC/DC. And I could go on and on and on.
But Eddie? Eddie did this wild shit in the grooves behind the vocals. And as wild as it is, it's never overdone or intrusive, always musical, always funky. Listen to "Hot for Teacher" or "Ice Cream Man" from 1st era Van Halen, or "Finish What You Started" from the Sammy Hagar era. Even if you don't play guitar, your ears will tell you this sounds very different from what other guitarists do.
And to me, that is what made Eddie special. All the two-handed tapping and speed and all that made teenagers bang their heads and all, but Eddie's incredibly deep groove is what made real musicians weep with envy.