Page 1 of 1
MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 10:53 am
by MetalSludgeCEO
MEAN MAN …
Ex-W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads” on guitar, shares thoughts on what he did not like about Quiet Riot
#chrisholmes #randyrhoads #eddievanhalen #vanhalen #rhoads #wasp #lovemachine #polkadots #schlitzbeer #themetalvoice #meanman #quietriot #eruption #ozzyosbourne #metalsludge
https://metalsludge.tv/mean-man-ex-w-a- ... uiet-riot/
$ludge
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:12 pm
by Tyketto Meniketti
Pretty obvious that Rhodes' Quiet Riot work was not nearly as impactful as early Van Halen.
Then things got real interesting with his work with Ozzy. His life was cut too short to truly compare with Van Halen. For all Eddie's greatness, his fascination with synths mid to late career, plus his flat out ceasing production after Balance, is equally perplexing as that early QR stuff was unremarkable.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:26 pm
by Wiseacre
They were both great players and had totally different styles. I was always WAY more into EVH and honestly hated Randy’s tone.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:35 pm
by dmbrocker
Apples to oranges, Chris. They were both great, and for completely different reasons. And as good as Randy was, QR was definitely more a Proffer thing designed for the early days of MTV, but on the other hand I do dig "It's Not So Funny" from Randy-era QR.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:48 pm
by Neil Diamond Dave
To be fair, Chris did have a really good friendship with Eddie. I believe he loaned Eddie a few guitars back in the day, if I remember that story correctly.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 8:12 pm
by Ryan81
Neil Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:48 pm
To be fair, Chris did have a really good friendship with Eddie. I believe he loaned Eddie a few guitars back in the day, if I remember that story correctly.
Isn't the Women And Children First guitar one he borrowed from Chris and then fucked it up with a saw? I think he called it the "Shark" or something.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 8:38 pm
by Tommy2Tone84
Ryan81 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 8:12 pm
Neil Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:48 pm
To be fair, Chris did have a really good friendship with Eddie. I believe he loaned Eddie a few guitars back in the day, if I remember that story correctly.
Isn't the Women And Children First guitar one he borrowed from Chris and then fucked it up with a saw? I think he called it the "Shark" or something.
No. He and Chris each bought Ibanez Destroyers on the same day in 1975. They were some of the first to arrive from Japan. Shortly after, Eddie painted his white and made a couple of minor mods before he mangled it into the shark guitar.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 8:55 pm
by HueyRamone
I like Chris' guitar playing, but not sure how smart it is to diss a guy who was leagues better than you . Multiple times.
Would have been smarter to just say "Man, what great guitarists there were back then. But for me Ed was #1"
But not sure he's all that smart.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2025 9:59 pm
by Tommy2Tone84
Chris and his band were lame. Randy blew him away. WASP sucked
The only thing VH had by 1978 that QR didn’t was Ted Templeman. That Kevin, Randy, Drew and Rudy lineup was better than most of what came out of Hollywood and the scene in the 1980s. QR needed a Roy Thomas Baker, a Glyn Johns or even Mick Robson himself and they would’ve been on their way to super stardom by the very early 1980s.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 12:22 am
by Bono Nettencourt
Ofc Tommy ToneDeaf thinks that Japanese QR was good...
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 2:05 am
by Wiseacre
Tommy2Tone84 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 9:59 pm
Chris and his band were lame. Randy blew him away. WASP sucked
The only thing VH had by 1978 that QR didn’t was Ted Templeman. That Kevin, Randy, Drew and Rudy lineup was better than most of what came out of Hollywood and the scene in the 1980s. QR needed a Roy Thomas Baker, a Glyn Johns or even Mick Robson himself and they would’ve been on their way to super stardom by the very early 1980s.
I applaud your perfect record for never ever posting anything but completely retarded takes on music. Bravo
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 4:38 am
by keyofgee
EVN. innovative. unbridled early on a like opening a box of straws that went everywhere. A Van Gogh style, colors everywhere and didn't stay in the lines that were acceptable at the time. Eruption set the bar.
Randy Rhoads. (Ozzy Albums only) innovative. tasteful and mature. Michelangelo style of playing. Every stroke thought out and went over and over to perfection (or as best as he was allowed). His work with Ozzy set the bar for all classical/metal combos or at least was a template.
Chris Holmes. A raw buzzsaw. A hold my beer I got this kind of guy. That style fit WASP perfectly.
All three players were perfect for the yard each of them were playing in and not sure they would have worked as well if in each others shoes.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 5:06 am
by Black Stuff
keyofgee wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 4:38 am
EVN. innovative. unbridled early on a like opening a box of straws that went everywhere. A Van Gogh style, colors everywhere and didn't stay in the lines that were acceptable at the time. Eruption set the bar.
Randy Rhoads. (Ozzy Albums only) innovative. tasteful and mature. Michelangelo style of playing. Every stroke thought out and went over and over to perfection (or as best as he was allowed). His work with Ozzy set the bar for all classical/metal combos or at least was a template.
Chris Holmes. A raw buzzsaw. A hold my beer I got this kind of guy. That style fit WASP perfectly.
All three players were perfect for the yard each of them were playing in and not sure they would have worked as well if in each others shoes.
1000% agree. Like ice cream, chocolate or vanilla?
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 9:39 am
by FreddyFender
Nothing wrong with Chris' statements - through the passing of time, all the little details get blurred.
50 years on, you think of QR and VH just as two heavy metal bands from southern California. But Chris was there when it was happening, and it sounds like for the people who were there it was more of a bitter rivalry between two bands that couldn't be more different. Kind of sheds some light on why Ed made those shitty remarks about Randy, too.
I'd rather hear how it actually was than some Netflix-friendly revisionist history.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 1:24 pm
by Bono Nettencourt
Eddie was always hugely insecure. He tried to lie and deny that "he didn’t really listen to other people's music other than Eric Clapton", but that was a bald-faced lie. He was deathly afraid of Yngwie, apparently.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 1:29 pm
by Wiseacre
Neil Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:48 pm
To be fair, Chris did have a really good friendship with Eddie.
He's still not wrong.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 1:39 pm
by Bono Nettencourt
Neil Diamond Dave wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 3:48 pm
To be fair, Chris did have a really good friendship with Eddie.
Well ofc, they both had pretty strong livers.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 4:18 pm
by Tommy
Tommy2Tone84 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 9:59 pm
Chris and his band were lame. Randy blew him away. WASP sucked
The only thing VH had by 1978 that QR didn’t was Ted Templeman. That Kevin, Randy, Drew and Rudy lineup was better than most of what came out of Hollywood and the scene in the 1980s. QR needed a Roy Thomas Baker, a Glyn Johns or even Mick Robson himself and they would’ve been on their way to super stardom by the very early 1980s.
Can you change your handle so people don't confuse us? Thank you in advance.
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 5:49 pm
by Wiseacre
Tommy wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 4:18 pm
Tommy2Tone84 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 9:59 pm
Chris and his band were lame. Randy blew him away. WASP sucked
The only thing VH had by 1978 that QR didn’t was Ted Templeman. That Kevin, Randy, Drew and Rudy lineup was better than most of what came out of Hollywood and the scene in the 1980s. QR needed a Roy Thomas Baker, a Glyn Johns or even Mick Robson himself and they would’ve been on their way to super stardom by the very early 1980s.
Can you change your handle so people don't confuse us? Thank you in advance.
Just avoid sounding like a moron and no one will confuse you with Tommy2ExtraChromosomes
Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2025 7:13 pm
by Tommy2Tone84
Wiseacre wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 2:05 am
Tommy2Tone84 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 08, 2025 9:59 pm
Chris and his band were lame. Randy blew him away. WASP sucked
The only thing VH had by 1978 that QR didn’t was Ted Templeman. That Kevin, Randy, Drew and Rudy lineup was better than most of what came out of Hollywood and the scene in the 1980s. QR needed a Roy Thomas Baker, a Glyn Johns or even Mick Robson himself and they would’ve been on their way to super stardom by the very early 1980s.
I applaud your perfect record for never ever posting anything but completely retarded takes on music. Bravo
The feeling is mutual
WASP sucked. Always did, always will. Blackie is less original than Bret Michaels
Ted Templeman made Roth, the weak link of the original lineup, take vocal lessons and whipped his ass into shape.
Given the music Randy had already started writing at the end of his time on QR that later ended up on Blizzard and DOAM, along with Rudy’s hiring, all they needed was a Ted Templeman type to help get them signed to a major and kick their asses (Kevin’s) into shape in the studio.
You probably think She’s The Woman is a lost hit