I boil the strings so they stretch. Eddie Van Halen More Quotes by Eddie Van Halen More Quotes From Eddie Van Halen Actually, if I could deliberately sit down and write a pop hit, all my songs would be pop hits! Let's put it this way. I play what I like to hear. And sometimes I like to hear something poppy, and sometimes I don't. Eddie Van Halen play writing song For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge' took a year to record; that's why the playing on it might sound somewhat labored. 'Balance,' on the other hand, was written and recorded in only four months, so the whole process was quicker and more immediate. Eddie Van Halen balance hands years I'll be making music 'til the day I die. I've done all kinds of stuff, and more is coming. Eddie Van Halen kind done stuff I'll always leave the same set of strings on my guitars when I'm recording. If I break one I'll just replace it instead of putting on a whole new set of strings. Eddie Van Halen strings guitar break Nirvana was huge, but it didn't appeal to everyone. Eddie Van Halen appeals huge You've only got 12 notes and however you mix them up is your thing. Eddie Van Halen notes When I was growing up and listening to bands like the Dave Clark Five, the groove was what initially got me going. I really like that funky, heavy groove. Eddie Van Halen growing-up band listening Before the operation on my left hand I wasn't able to stretch my fingers open all the way. I've never had very big hands, but I could do the splits with them. Eventually I couldn't any more. I had a twisted tendon in my little finger that prevented me from being able to stretch. Eddie Van Halen left-hand splits hands Holdsworth is so damned good that I can't cop anything. I can't understand what he's doing. I've got to do this [does two-hand tapping], whereas he'll do it with one hand. Eddie Van Halen doe two hands I can't read music. Instead, I'd do stuff inside the piano, do harmonics and all kinds of crazy things. They used to put me in these annual piano contests down at Long Beach City College, and two years in a row, I won first prize - out of like 5,000 kids! The judges were like, 'Very interesting interpretation!' I thought I was playing it right. Eddie Van Halen me music crazy long