Randy or Eddie?

undoubtedly, hell being a successful musician must be one of the hardest things in the world. 

HughesJB4 wrote: ^Randy was actually basically about to leave Ozzy's band just before he died, but he never got to make up his mind since he was killed before he could. He told Ozzy personally that he just didn't like the fame and the rock and roll lifestyle and wanted to get totally into classical guitar.

yeah I can see that, still though that kind of musical chemistry is very rare and you don't just walk away, but if anyone would I guess it'd be Randy

well he and Ozzy surely would've stayed together for a nice long run - we know they liked each other and loved working together - beyond that the sky was the limit for Randy; solo work, classical recordings, who knows.  It truly was an immeasurable loss, on a par with SRV and even Hendrix.

I´ve voted for Eddy just because he´s been one of the biggest

Randy and Eddie were both from LA. The were rivals while young with Quiet Riot and early versions of VH being the hot bands. Early on, Eddie practiced his butt off as much as anyone and was a classic guitar nerd, merging Holdsworth and Clapton into what became the sound of a decade. But fame and alcohol changed him. He actually did try a few new things with the TransTrem and keys in the mid-80's but really most of his playing was established by Van Halen I. At the point there was no question he was way beyond Randy, whose tapping was directly lifted from Eddie at first.

Edited by Negoba - February 17 2009 at 14:08

Eddie.  Although I think his head is bloated beyond belief thanks to himself and the media.  And I don't care for 1984 or anything after it.   But those first 4 albums are fantastic fun due in part to Mr. Roth, but Eddie's wild guitar playing was certainly a big plus too.  Plenty of people have copped his fat tone, and licks.  

Both are big influences on my playing and both are guitar gods to me.
EVH had the better guitar tone, easily, since I found Randy's tone to be quite sterile and sometimes buzzy in the case of the Tribute album.
But I can't choose both.

It's Randy, easily.
Not just as a guitar player, but as a human being, he was a gift to the world and when he left us, we lost someone truly special.
His solos on Mr Crowley are some of the best solo ever written in the history of rock guitar and in general, I've always like his soloing more than EVH's.

I think if Randy were alive today, he would have progressed considerably further than EVH on the guitar.
Look at how much he progressed in the space of one year from Blizzard of Ozz to Diary Of a Madman.
His riffs were more complicated, his solos more elaborate at times and his compositions more out there.

Just to throw another name out there, how's about the Motor City Madman, "Uncle" Ted Nugent.  He was doing some pretty cool stuff on his guitar before Randy and Eddie were even playing.

cacho wrote: ^if you don't vote, then don't post Seriously now, is it me, or you ommitted the great Purple and the Man in Black for it's neo-classical guitar style !

well OK, Blackmore too, I guess maybe.. but Rhoads was an accomplished classical player before he did rock, and that authenticity is in the songs

^if you don't vote, then don't post

Seriously now, is it me, or you ommitted the great Purple and the Man in Black for it's neo-classical guitar style !