Angus Young Doesn't Rate Himself As A Guitarist

AC/DC frontman prefers Eddie Van Halen   01-Sep-11

Yes you read that headline correctly, Angus Young has stated in an article he has written for a book about Eddie Van Halen, that he does not rate himself as a guitarist, but thinks Van Halen has similarities to Hendrix.

Here's the words from the man himself:

“AC/DC played on a bill with Van Halen back in 1978 or 1979. I didn’t know much about Van Halen then except that I remember seeing film clips of them, especially the one of Eddie playing the solo piece Eruption – and I was very impressed.

“I didn’t meet Eddie until years later when there was a Monsters of Rock open-air festival in England. I was shocked to hear he liked my playing, because I’ve never rated myself as a guitarist.”

“When Eddie came along he spawned so many imitators,” says Young. “Like Hendrix, suddenly you started to see people wanting to buy the same guitars he played, and also play his licks. He turned the rule book upside down in terms of his approach.

“When Jimi Hendrix came along it was like, ‘Where did this guy come from?’ I think it was the same feeling with Eddie. When Eddie appeared on the scene every guitarist I ran into said, ‘You’ve gotta hear this guy!’”

Somewhere in the world, probably in Los Angeles, Eddie Van Halen has a pretty huge grin right now.

The book (simply titled 'Eddie Van Halen', by Neil Zlozower, will be released on October 12th. Angus Young is not the only star to have paid homage to EVH in the coffee-table-book, other contibuters include Joe Perry, Jimmy Page, Tom Morello and Zakk Wylde.

(Image courtesy of Creative Commons, Author - Matt Becker/matt@melodicrockconcerts.com)

Rich Beech
@sonicamped