Joe Satriani vs Eddie Van Halen According to Sammy Hagar

I have wondered how Joe Satriani and Eddie Van Halen differ in their approaches with writing music. Unfortunately, I haven't had the opportunity to ask anyone who has worked with them how they are. Luckily, we have Russell Hall of Gibson.com. He conducted an interview with Sammy Hagar where I got my answer.

Gibson.com: How do Joe and Eddie Van Halen differ in their approach to the guitar and in their approach to songwriting?

Hagar: As a writer, Joe is faster. That makes him easier for me to work with, because I come up with things really fast as well. As soon as I hear a chord structure, I have a melody, instantly. And then five seconds later I'm writing lyrics. Working with Joe is great. If I say to him, "Hey, let's do something funky," next thing I know he's saying, "How about this?" It's like, bang, he's done. Whereas with Eddie, he would come back a week later and want to re-do something.

But that said, working with Eddie was great, and we wrote great songs together. The Van-Hagar stuff still holds up fantastically well, but it was a slow process. It took three years to write the "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" album. And when I tried to do the Van-Hagar reunion, in 2004, and we were trying to make a new record, Eddie could only squeeze three songs out. He's just not as prolific, and not as fast. So that's the difference between them as far as writing.

As far as playing goes, they're both phenomenal. The innovations Eddie came up with in early VAN HALEN — before I was in the band — were just so unique, he gets lots of points for that. But as just a straight-up player, who can play anything, and plays perfect every time, there's no one better than Joe.

I think the problem here is that Eddie is older. Remember Van Halen had Van Halen I and Van Halen II all written out when Greed $immons got a hold of their demos. Now they were not completely put together in their final form, but they existed in some way or another.

If you think about it, that is terribly prolific with seven full songs and three cover versions. But in Eddie's older years he has a lot more to worry about, tongue/mouth cancer, hip replacement surgery, Wolfgang, divorces, and remarrying.

Van Halen's priorities have shifted, while Joe Satriani is really dedicated to music. He is a music nerd, studying it, teaching it, and living it. He taught a lot of musicians who went onto to do great things (Kirk Hammett, Marty Friedman, Steve Vai just to name a few). I think without all the limelight and distractions, Eddie could be just as prolific to this day.