While it would take pages upon pages to pay homage to all of the great guitarists of the past, there is one that possessed a unique ability to stand out amongst his contemporaries: Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen’s name is synonymous with ingenuity.

As the story goes, Eddie Van Halen was able to gain recognition as one of the greatest guitarists of all time with his ability to use the tapping technique to create pieces of music. In an attempt to hide this method from his contemporaries, Eddie often turned his back to the crowd. While guitarists  have made tremendous strides in mastering their craft, there are just certain individuals that deserve notoriety amongst their peers. Eddie Van Halen is one of those individuals. 

Mick Mars of Motley Crue recently made headlines with a stark claim regarding this very topic: “No one can ever duplicate Eddie Van Halen.” While this is deemed common sense to any musically inclined person, it is important to note the nuances Mars attributed to Eddie that separates him from his “competitors.” Mars contends that Eddie possessed a uniqueness that places him in a category of his own. In an interview with Blabbermouth, promoting the upcoming 2024 Best of All Worlds Tour, Mars noted that others “can mimic it, but can’t copy it” when discussing Eddie’s ability.