“The only lick of Eddie’s I’d ever want to do is Valerie Bertinelli”.

Only came across this today, and while I don't know if he said it, it does kinda sound like him.

[Edited 4/1/24 0:56am]

It sounds apocryphal to me. In other words, it sounds like something somemade made up and attributed to Prince specifically because he had a reputation as a womanizer. I could be wrong, but until I see a source I don't believe it.

In all of my decades of being a diehard fan of P and VH, I don't ever recall (or reading) P saying that. The only time I've ever read him talk about VH was around the time of "Chaos And Disorder". He said that he heard that it only took VH 7 days to complte their first album. And he wanted that same energy for "Chaos And Disorder".

I don't think Prince ever said that. Would be weird for him to trash a fellow musician.

MsNia said:

MsNia said:

I don't think Prince ever said that. Would be weird for him to trash a fellow musician.

Sly and the Family Stone, Joni Mitchell, Santana, Miles Davis and James Brown were also named as artists Prince and his band have drawn from. But, after being compared to Led Zeppelin during the playback, Prince wasn’t altogether taken with the likeness: “Jimmy Page was cool, but he couldn't keep a sequence without John Bonham behind him.”

I suspect the above quote is more of a criticism than insult??

Would have to see a direct source, not that he wouldn't, but I thought I remember him having respect for Alex Van Halen and vice versa, would be weird if he did his brother like this.

Michael Bland told a story some time ago how they met before a show and were cool with each other (Eddie complimenting Prince's outfit and just being cool with each other having small talk.)

Doesn't sound 100% legit, but it's funny regardless.

Prince had no problem giving credit where credit was due, but also while doing it, sometimes give a little shade where needed.

I don't think he'd ever throw shade at EVH . . . the two artists were "in different lanes" so to speak.

MsNia said:

I don't think Prince ever said that. Would be weird for him to trash a fellow musician.

I guess you haven't read Neal Karlen's book, which details Prince's thoughts, and feelings about Miles Davis.

What Did Prince and Eddie...crock.com)

Nothing about the alleged comment here. Just a comparison of clothes and a prefernce for Eddie's front man according to Michael Bland

The one person who'd be privy to such a comment would be Peggy McCreary at Sunset Sound, who engineered primarily for Prince and Van Halen (and she had a crush on Eddie).

It doesn't sound like Prince wording but then again, Valerie is the same type as Mayte.

PJMcGee said:

PJMcGee said:

Yeah Eddie didn't play with a lick of feeling, not that I've heard. I hear him & sometimes think, that's a lot of notes.

To each their own of course, but the early Van Halen records are amazing, and he really made his mark on the instrument, changed how people play it, and had a profound and lasting impact on rock guitar ever since. Eddie was one of a kind, and music isn't a competitive sport - Prince did his thing, Eddie did his thing, both valid and different. If Prince ever really did throw shade at EVH it says more about Prince than it does about Eddie. I love Prince but he would have struggled to play EVH stuff, it just wasn't in his toolkit and that's fine.

rap said:

MsNia said:

I don't think Prince ever said that. Would be weird for him to trash a fellow musician.

I guess you haven't read Neal Karlen's book, which details Prince's thoughts, and feelings about Miles Davis.

I have read it but I haven't memorized it. Feel free to quote it, if you want.

I know Prince could be a little shady at times, had a weird competitiveness against other musicians that was probably born out of his own personal demons. But still, we'd need a source on the EVH comment - if you have one.

MsNia said:

Need a source for this -- as you know.

TheTruth123 said:

Need a source for this -- as you know.

I saw it posted on Quora but have no idea where it originated.

PJMcGee said:

rockford said:

PJMcGee said:

Yeah Eddie didn't play with a lick of feeling, not that I've heard. I hear him & sometimes think, that's a lot of notes.

Usually when non-musicians talk about “feeling” in relation to guitar players they’re actually talking about all the stupid and unnecessary faves they make while soloing. Eddie played with a great deal of “soul” and “feeling”. He was 110% more that his licks. Jimi Hendrix changed everything about rock guitar. Eddie did the same. After Eddie everything changed again. Just because you didn’t notice doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. As a real musician I can tell you that Eddie’s influence was just as large as Hendrix. It’s a fact. That doesn’t mean you have to like what Eddie did, but every serious guitar player lost their minds when Van Halen 1 came out.

Totally agree.

Fellow musician here, Eddie changed the game for all of us, he was incredible.

I think there's a tendency for folk who aren't into rock to just assume it's all mindless shredding but of course it isn't, not in the case of Van Halen.

I think to a large extent, pitching one person's art against another person's art is a losing proposition. Enjoy both!

Prince had his thing, Eddie had his. Don't be too dismissive of the EVH thing though, it's not soulless at all - yes it is more technical to play, yes it is more of a heavy riffing, rock guitar thing and fundamentally not the same thing that Prince did. Still awesome though, I would never dismiss it.

MsNia said:

MsNia said:

I think to a large extent, pitching one person's art against another person's art is a losing proposition. Enjoy both!

Prince had his thing, Eddie had his. Don't be too dismissive of the EVH thing though, it's not soulless at all - yes it is more technical to play, yes it is more of a heavy riffing, rock guitar thing and fundamentally not the same thing that Prince did. Still awesome though, I would never dismiss it.

If anyone has any doubt that Eddie was able to do his think and still have feeling and a vibe that is more than soulless - the solos to "Ice Cream Man", "Girl Gone Bad", "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love", etc. to me are proof that Eddie had feeling


To me there is no point in pitting other guitarists styles against each other. And you can have feeling while still playing fast or doing various aux guitar techniques such as tapping