MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

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MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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/


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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
LAglamrocker wrote: Tue Oct 22, 2024 8:07 pm You can tell Sleek had nothing to do with this…thats why it’s so entertaining
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post by Bono Nettencourt »

Ofc Tommy ToneDeaf thinks that Japanese QR was good...
veritas wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 3:37 pm Wow, late to this thread, but Sleek is pulling a Moggio here.

It's absolutely idiotic to contend Zep weren't A-listers in the 1970s.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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?
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
veritas wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 3:37 pm Wow, late to this thread, but Sleek is pulling a Moggio here.

It's absolutely idiotic to contend Zep weren't A-listers in the 1970s.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
veritas wrote: Wed May 21, 2025 3:37 pm Wow, late to this thread, but Sleek is pulling a Moggio here.

It's absolutely idiotic to contend Zep weren't A-listers in the 1970s.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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.
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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
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Re: MEAN MAN … Chris Holmes: “Eddie Van Halen smokes Randy Rhoads”, shares thoughts on what he did not like about QR

Post 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
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