“Not many people played as melodically as Van Halen” System Of A Down drummer on why Eddie Van Halen wasn’t like other shredders in the 80s
System Of A Down drummer John Dolmayan has shared his thoughts on the unique musicality of Eddie Van Halen, emphasising that “not many people played as melodically” back in the 80s.
Discussing his early musical influences in a recent chat with Paltrocast host Darren Paltrowitz, Dolmayan explains that while his interest in drums began before he discovered Van Halen, the band pioneered a distinctive style that set them apart from their peers at the time.
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“I wanted to play drums before I knew who Van Halen was,” says the musician [via Blabbermouth]. “But Van Halen introduced a different style, ‘cause I guess you could say some of the drumming was derivative of [Led Zeppelin’s] John Bonham, but that’s really only because everybody’s drumming is derivative of John Bonham after John Bonham; you’re always gonna have a flavor of it.”
“But Van Halen did it differently,” he adds. “It was more straightforward. It was heavy.”
While the 80s were a golden era for guitar shredding — characterised by flashy solos and intricate fretwork — many musicians of the time faced criticism for prioritising technical showmanship over musicality. Van Halen, however, impressed on both the virtuosic and melodic front.
According to Dolmayan, the band’s music was “kind of like a merging of AC/DC and Led Zeppelin”, with “exceptional musicianship” — something the industry wasn’t lacking at the time, though “not many people played as melodically as Van Halen did.”
“And I feel like everybody in Van Halen had something unique and interesting to bring to the table, irrespective of how they were perceived,” says the drummer.
For many, Eddie Van Halen’s ability to combine technical mastery with melodic songwriting not only redefined rock guitar but also highlighted his genius as a composer.
Looking back on the moment his brother first revealed his talent as a songwriter, Alex Van Halen says: “We all used to bring pieces of music into the basement. And I remember when Ed brought in Runnin’ With the Devil, that chord structure and that whole deal.”
“The moment I heard that, I said, ‘Okay, Ed, you’re writing all the songs from now on because we can’t compete with that.’ [Laughs] And this had nothing to do with speed. It had nothing to do with articulation. Had nothing to do with anything other [than] it was just absolutely brilliant to my ear. It was amazing.”
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