Eddie Van Halen Played the Greatest G Chord Ever

[@premierguitar]

Subscribe to hear the full episode: bitly.com/DweezilVHPod

[@paulchristman4918]

I was 17 years old. I bought Fair warning. Put it on my turntable and heard the intro to Mean Street. I spent the next hour lifting the needle and playing just that part over and over. At that point, I wasn't even ready to hear the rest of the album. To this day (41 years later) my wife and kids know it is my favorite all time song from any genre of music. Mean Street for me is simply the most develishly deep badass song that I have had the pleasure to experience. Thanks for the interview.

[@bonzology322]

the 2 note G smoked my ass the first time i heard it and every time since, also the backing guitar part during the solo destroys!!!!!

[@willip66]

That G chord was the guitar sound I was always after.... the distortion is perfect and hearing it now still makes my hairs stand on end....

[@glennman0922]

Omg! This exact thing happened to me in a car but it was when I heard Nuno for the first time. I was working in Detroit and borrowed a coworkers 1986 gold Chrysler Lazer to go to the corner store and he had Extreme pornografitti in his CD player. The first note I ever heard Nuno play was the beginning of Lil Jack Horny. I just pulled over and sat there in amazement listening to him playing. Mind you, I was born in ‘69 and had grown up on Van Halen and had been a guitar player most of my life but I had never heard anything like Nuno and from that day until today (I’m 51) Nuno is and always will be my guitar hero.

[@leebridenstine2806]

Yeah, Dirty Movies has one of the best grooves ever, Eddie's playing on this song is my fave, and my god that tone..

[@5000rgb]

Eddie doesn't get enough recognition for his rhythm playing. Nuno is right, EVH was funky! I wouldn't think of many of their songs as funk songs but VH's songs have a pocket and groove and syncopation and swing that is amazing. Hats off to Michael Anthony and Alex, they were an integral part of the sound.

[@ibnsina9486]

**listens to Rick Beato once**

[@jelleleeuwis4353]

Mike Anthony's vocals were an instrumental part of van Halen. Songs like running with the devil, panama and unchained just don't sound right without him

[@PolyQuasi]

I think most of the hard rock guitarists had some element of funkiness in their playing up to that time, and Ed was the last and best of the bunch. Listen to Pat Travers/ Thrall Go For What You know, Beck/Hammer Live, even guys like Rick Derringer or the early Aerosmith... That's what was lost on all the 80s shredders. They all concentrated on the speed and flash and missed everything else. You could say the say about Bonham and drums, as well, and how so few learned their groove lessons properly.

[@BenDover-uy9zg]

His chord playing had a kind of intelligence, all to itself. Funky,,but a classical twist. Sound like no other!

[@o-REDBEARD-o]

EVH the king of swing.

[@michaeleaster1815]

3:25 I knew it would be the opening to Mean Street as soon as I saw the title. It is truly wicked cool...

[@JakeTerch]

I thought it’d be the first chord of Somebody Get Me A Doctor.

[@BEERFEST07]

@@JakeTerch I was expecting the G chord after the Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love intro.

[@dennisperin2989]

You almost have to try & disconnect from today’s guitarist or musician & remember there wasn’t a “ A Tapping Hendrix like role model for him yet” he stayed up hrs & hrs coming up with these sounds, truly inspiring. I think of Edward as the “ Tesla “ of guitar playing, always experimenting, always pushing the boundries of physics & Musical notation

[@johnsanford1956]

I will always remember Mean Streets playing on the factory installed stereo in my 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme ....Diesel. Me and my friends....driving somewhere...anywhere.

[@brownsfan7753]

This show is incredible!! Nothing better than geeking out on Van Halen!!

[@christowing3816]

Dirty movies is hands down the best song and Nuno Bettencourt I'm from Boston and I remember listening to WAAF and hearing your band extreme come on the radio and seeing you guys play the club's was awesome

[@Billywagner22]

I received my 1st speeding ticket while Meantreets was playing on my cassette player while driving my Nissan Stanza. Great memories.

[@donDonau]

Mean Street G is killer but Ain't talkin bout love G is from another planet. .

[@wgb01001]

This is great - I’ve been saying the same thing for years! That G chord is everything.

[@EddieReischl]

Fair Warning, well, we can't say we weren't warned. I just love how Van Halen was willing to have these extended intros (outros too). It sets up the song so good when everything finally comes crashing in. The great rock bands understood dynamics, and that has been largely lost now. I'm also happy to report that after the guitar suffered a grand mal seizure during the guitar solo for "Sinner's Swing", it is now at home and resting comfortably.

[@jimmyjennings4089]

Ive always felt that to from the first time i heard eddie do it.

[@rmartin7558]

I love Nuno's passion.

[@beerdrinker8514]

Dirty movies is my favourite song! Not only is it funky and dirty, it’s super melodic too.

[@JIMJAMSC]

It is IMPOSSIBLE for a guitarist to answer any question in 10 words or less about a EVH song.

[@patrickellerin111]

Especially Nuno!!! He loves himself some Nuno!!!

[@brianolson_music]

Damn . You just put into words what I’ve been trying to say for 35 ish years. So perfectly and eloquently said nuno on eddies pure nasty good funk. God I still can’t even say it. You were really fucking close though man . Thank you.... it took me therefor a minute. Ahhhhh. We’re so lucky we have it still to listen to , but still so sad we can’t hear more

[@kojam1]

Holy! I've ALWAYS said the same! I've never heard ANYBODY who has been able to hit that sweet G chord. OMG! I didn't know VH before Fair Warning. I was awoken to Meanstreet blasting out of my stereo. I'll NEVER forget how it messed me, and I was totally disoriented because I couldn't for me the life of me figure out what the hell I was listen to! 😱🤔😳🥺I was in grade 8. I honestly thought aliens were trying to talk to me through the stereo! For a split moment I was scared. When the main riff started I was awake enough to realize that it was a song. Man! Will NEVER forget that feeling of total confusion. THANK U EDDIE! MISSING YOU BIG TIME!!! 😭

[@ColMayne]

Dude, I was 9 and my brother bought it brand new. I wasn't even old enough to know how to say " WTF amI listening to?!"

[@jfo3000]

Michael Anthony was grooving' like Jaco in Mean Streets too. Serious pocket-groove from MA.

[@joecrowaz]

EEEAAASY NOW...

[@flappospammo]

The solo on Push comes to shove is seminal

[@MrVanalen]

Eddie just swinging!

[@johncrawford7570]

The g sounds like a just like a full g all six strings just like ain't talken bout love cowboy chord that's the way I've always played it just sounds right but without fretting the b string

[@VangeliRock]

The Mean Streets riff is arguably the best rock riff ever.

[@ligamentpull1]

Totally agree, it's full of feel, groove, and power!

[@xaptronic]

How can you argue any such thing? It's totally subjective to your tastes.

[@nicolasespinasse]

Greatest G chord ever, right. A small tip I try for 35 years. I saw a footage of Eddie playing this on stage once, and just after hitting this infamous G chord, he raises his two thumbs up in the air. So, trying not to focus on this chord is maybe the best way to keep it "instincty" and somehow brutal, while focusing on thumbs up and back to play the following part!

[@Marceloriighiii]

I love to hear this intro, the best podcast !!

[@fungo44]

love it dweezil

[@jamesgomez753]

Dude, it's totally funky. Of course you're right, Nuno. Eddie had a lot of funky qualities in his playing

[@lynyrddeville]

I have fouind that hitting that open G chord to be a skill a whole lot of guitar players do not have. This is one of EVH's under appreciated great skills. He gets maximum value out of hitting and ringing his chords. Personally, a lot of times I will fan the fingers of my picking hand as well as my pick across a chord like that to give it extra "KERRANG" And it sounds great where appropriate. It may be the only skill I personally have on the instrument and maybe thats what drew me to this particular post. But Ill surely give consideration to EVH here as hitting the greatest G chord ever but there is some stiff competition from AC/DC as a band, and I will also throw into ther mix one of my personal favourites and in my opinion very underrated due to the iconic status of his two band mates, the brilliant guitarist Alex Lifeson. He can ring out his chordal playing all night, and I think that is awesome!

[@JRP3music]

Fair Warning is my favorite!

[@imannonymous7707]

ya i love van halen....and i was there from the beginning...but im never gonna be able to play like that

[@RileyMerlino]

I agree with Nuno! Dirty Movies is such an underrated Van Halen song. It’s a tossup between that and Unchained for me. Fair Warning will always be my favorite Van Halen album

[@maximummatt73]

Can't wait til he starts talking about Sunday Afternoon

[@silverpairaducks]

I always have driven my shitbox sports cars at 120mph blasting VH. I broke the speedo cable on my dad's truck in his. Vh came on and I wanted to she how fast "black truck" could go...115 then 0

[@nickm.9474]

OMG THE G CHORD!! So true. Just want to hit it and I always anticipate hitting it and I just always kind off don’t ever nail it. Hahaha.

[@WhiskeyShred]

I was a kid, at my friends house and he put on Mean Street I think I must have replayed that intro and riff a hundred times in a row, until my friend AND his parents got pissed off... wasn’t my fault I felt possessed!!

[@97warlock]

I just listened to Meanstreet yesterday , probably my 40th time since new .... And I kept thinking, This has to be THE toughest ballsiest Van Halen song , if u listen to the drum beat, how the snare hit has a slight stagger to it with the kicks , it works PERFECT for that Eddie riff, Perfect. and yes that G is the Fattest meanest G Ive ever heard, You Feel it when he hits that note ha

[@Theo80126]

I preferred WBCN, but you grew up in Hudson.

[@crisscriss6049]

Nice guy's i really appreciate but nobody can be Eddie because there's was only Edward Van Halen and there's no one be another Eddie just like no more Mozart, no more Thomas Edison, and no more others because they will born only once, thanks for the tribute to the God Edward Van Halen R. I. P. EDDIE because you leave in our hearts and soul with the music you make it because nobody can't make the guitar sound like you did it 🎸🎸🎸🎶

[@chrishawkins2267]

I’m with you on EVH and his timeless legacy, but my personal taste shifts more toward Beethoven and Tesla over Mozart and Edison - not trying to argue or anything, just adding my two cents. Also, I think Randy should be in the conversation. 🤘🤘

[@grilledspaghetti]

I thought this was going to be hat G5 that opens Everybody Wants Some.

[@97warlock]

One Foot Out the Door .....Shortest song for DLR & most Killer lead work!! Wish the lead section had gone further , Honestly I can get bored with the tapping leads ...... But when Eddie lets loose & is in the pocket on a song like this one, its just pure awesome.

[@Rnrf5150]

One foot out the door is my fav on fair warning along with hear about it later.

[@MobiusBandwidth]

that song SLAYS. the whole album does though, so dark, the guitar playing, holy shit. before you even get to the solos, the riffs can't be beat.

[@benstern997]

There’s a tear in my eye for what happened to our beloved WAAF

[@powerkor]

Runnin with the Cheezil

[@mindeloman]

I'm open for correction and input but i personally don't think i've ever heard ANYONE play the main riff to Runnin' With the Devil correctly. Some get damn close but there always seems to be some little touch missing. I know he tuned down to Eb but he was always fiddling with the B string to which i heard him appropriately call it the B-itch string. I think he fined tuned that B string for whatever song he was playing. Even Paul Gilbert commented on how clean he plays those triads. It makes me wonder if he had little fine tunings for others songs. Idk - open to thoughts and ideas......perspectives. I've been playing 31 years and still have A LOT to learn.

[@97warlock]

wheres the rest of this Fair warning Video ????????

[@trismahaffay2813]

Simply bad ass!

[@chrissmart9761]

I wonder whaaaaat the first drop-d song was though? Fat-bottoomed Girls by Queen?

[@craigandrade_]

Yesssirr

[@ricardoneves5094]

Nuno means Gonçalo Pereira (as the other portuguese guitar master wizards :)

[@jeffhucle6436]

funk metal fusion

[@nathanjohnson7578]

What's the song in the opening?

[@soofitnsexy]

cmonnnnnnn

[@Cliffdrane]

I think he means the advertisement, that’s what I’m here to find out

[@soofitnsexy]

@@Cliffdrane ohhhhhhh lol my bad!!!!

[@nathanjohnson7578]

@@Cliffdrane I found out it is just a very good original song that the makers of the pedal wrote to advertise their product.

[@Cliffdrane]

@@nathanjohnson7578 thanks Nathan!

[@seanking2871]

Just watch the Mean Street/ Dancing Machine mashup which shows how funky and tight VH were/are. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKSQgq16hd57btE

[@xjbomb4463]

Ok Nino we know your a fan.Lets not get carried away because extreme isn't all that at all .

[@johnfletcher948]

DIRTY MOVIES RULES ALL KIDS!!!!!

[@DMSProduktions]

I didn't think Bettencourt was a 'Portuguese' surname!

[@NitroModelsAndComics]

I am a Portuguese guitar player. But.... I am ..

[@eddieisgreat5150]

Its mean street not streets, just saying lol for some reason it kinda bugged me.

[@jeremyrafuse5330]

The cool guy at parties

[@eddieisgreat5150]

@@jeremyrafuse5330 lets party all night, all night long!!

[@bryanmannoia8410]

Dweezil is awesome but I will not watch content with commercials. thanks anyway. what am I paying premium for?!

[@MobiusBandwidth]

dude, skip ahead a little.

[@gustavbertilsson9896]

I've only heard the hits and I'm shameful to say that I'm a guitarplayer that's never really listen to Eddie van Halen. Can anyone point me in a direction?

[@whiskybravo4648]

I’d start chronologically, I think it’ll give you a better idea of how Eddie progressed from album to album. Van Halen I and II are a great start.

[@johndoderino2609]

I'd say go straight to the album these guys are talking about; Fair Warning

[@gustavbertilsson9896]

Thanks!

[@AbirZenith]

My personal picks would be Im the One, Mean Street, Dirty Movies, Sunday Afternoon in the Park, Amsterdam, and the Cradle will rock, On Fire, Little Guitars, everybody wants some, feelin, Jamies crying, atomic punk, Ice cream man, Baluchitherium

[@jasonprice9707]

He sounds dark web

[@pattyboy1233]

Naa.... Last G chord in Bach cello suite.... Well at least most heard..... VH is a close 2nd though

[@williamroark]

He’s TOTALLY CORRECT!!! (It’s Chilli Peppers “FUNK”)..... I get ya It IS and HAS BEEN my favorite VanHalen song he got MARRIED, Valerie extinguished Eddies ‘MEANESS’ (TELL ME I’M WRONG!!!! 😆 )

[@carloslozada470]

Go back to don johnson Dweezil

[@soofitnsexy]

omg!!! memories

[@cornfilledscreamer614]

Drop D? Bwahahaha! Sincerely, T. Iommi In all seriousness, I laughed when I saw the title to this thread. I noticed Eddie's "G" in "Ain't Talking 'Bout Love". I've thought for years that he based his entire tone around that chord. And in ATBL as well as Mean Streets - he's only hitting the 3rd & 4th strings open. 2 strings. That's it. But holy mother of f__k if those 2 strings didn't have the perfect sound!

[@aujax1]

whats with those awful sunglasses? 😂

[@jordanbyates]

Pay for a podcast? 😂😂😂😂😂

[@bobmilin]

The first minute is a complete waste you stole a minute of my life Zappa.