Ace Frehley says that he might have been an influence on Eddie Van Halen‘s pioneering tapping technique.
Tapping, a technique where the guitarist uses both hands to hammer onto the fretboard, creating rapid and fluid runs of notes, became synonymous with Eddie Van Halen‘s signature sound. However, Frehley suggests that he may have unwittingly sparked Van Halen‘s interest in this innovative approach.
During a recent interview with Chris Shiflett from FOO FIGHTERS on Premier Guitar’s Shred With Shifty, Frehley was questioned about whether he believed legendary VAN HALEN guitarist had borrowed the technique from the original Space Man. He openly expressed his viewpoint during the conversation.
“Before VAN HALEN became famous, Gene [Simmons] discovered them. But all I can tell you is when I was doing my guitar solo at Madison Square Garden before they became famous, Eddie was down in the pit watching every f**king move I made.”
Ace acknowledged a distinction in the manner he tapped compared to how Eddie employed the technique.
“I did it with the pick, I didn’t go with my finger. Eddie probably got some ideas from me, just like I got ideas from other guitar players. But he perfected it. There’s no way I could play some of the solos that he pulled off.”
Nonetheless, during a 2015 interview at the What It Means to Be American event hosted at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, Van Halen clarified that his inspiration to tap came from witnessing LED ZEPPELIN‘s Jimmy Page perform live at the LA Forum. Van Halen even provided a demonstration during the interview. You can see that video below.
