Atomic Punk
by Shawn Patterson
When Van Halen was released in 1978, a then 21 year-old Edward Van Halen was poised to forever change the history of the electric guitar. His blistering "brown sound," explosive solos and ground-breaking techniques were all played with an effortless vibe. Ed's mind-boggling approach to the guitar (and the concepts he would continue to create) redefined what modern rock would sound like for decades to come. Music store employees across the globe were forced to endure the immeasurable number of guitarists doing their best attempts to nail Edward's trademark solo, "Eruption." Early on, some guitarists could imitate the moves but none could match his feel, tone and originality.
In this classic Eddie lick, we present just one of the many elements that made his early work so legendary. This solo is loosely based on the phrygian scale, one of many sounds that Van Halen would occasionally fire off, stamping it with his own unique spin.
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