Buzz Osborne Quotes

If you really stop to think about it, the last really big guitar hero was Eddie Van Halen, and that was back in the '80s - early '80s, you know what I mean? That's a long time ago.

I've been playing for aeons now, but way, way back, I remember Eddie Van Halen came out, and I loved his playing. He was amazing. But then everyone started copying his guitars with Floyds, and I didn't.

I've never really heard anybody imitating anything of mine the way they do with Edward Van Halen's stuff.

My heroes were Eddie Van Halen - especially after Van Halen I, II, III, and IV - Randy Rhoads, Ace Frehley and dudes like that. My brother played drums and we jammed in the garage and started writing our own stuff.

Van Halen was a huge influence on me, and 'Eruption' was the song that really leaped off that first Van Halen album.

I probably spent more time as a kid playing air guitar to Jimmy Page than any other guitar player.

My first influences for playing were Johnny Ramone and Jimmy Page, the same as everybody else. Joe Perry. The guys in Alice Cooper's band, whatever their names were. Mick Ronson from David Bowie. You know who really influenced me to write songs? Iron Maiden.

Jimi Hendrix is one of the main influences on why I wanted to play guitar. He really shook me. I think it was his whole style - the look and what he did with the guitar.

Spitfire asked me if I had a problem talking about Van Halen or Extreme. I really don't. There are people who are just going to want to know what it was like to play with Eddie.

You can never deny the immense talent, rock credibility and iconic historical contribution that Van Halen made.

I was more influenced by players like Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen than by the guys in southern rock bands.

I think guitar-wise, Eric Clapton was a big influence on me. I got to spend time around him. He's kind of strange, mysterious, serious and he always has played such hot guitar.

I love Aerosmith. I love Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, anything from that era, Led Zeppelin. So my guitar style is very much like Slash or Jimmy Page. I love playing that kind of music. It's where my heart's at.

Richard Lloyd of Television is one of my favorite guitarists. His mentor was Jimi Hendrix when he was just 14. Jimi was always pounding everything he knew into that kid.

I can't deny that Eric Clapton's and Eddie Van Halen's lead stuff has influenced a stack of people, but for me, it's the rhythm thing that's way more impressive and important to a band.

In my opinion, Slash is probably one of the last of the iconic guitar players carrying the torch of what it's really all about.

I loved Van Halen; I loved everything we did.

I do remember being a kid and hearing Van Halen. My dad was always playing Van Halen in the car.

I know in my heart of hearts that Ritchie Blackmore is one of the great guitar players of all time. He's a fabulous technician, and he's got incredible skills, and he was a great showman.

When I started, all I wanted to do was play like Chuck (Berry)

I listen to crazy, robust rock music where they sing their faces off, and soul music, which can be similar.

It's not every day you get to create a band like the Sex Pistols, and what it changed, on a musical level. I love that we've done something that was important.

It's hard to say this about a guy like Eddie Van Halen, one of the greatest guitar players who ever lived, but he's really limited to a style and they're locked into it.

I think a lot of modern day guitarists start off playing like Eddie van Halen, and they don't take the time to learn the basics.

I used to play quite a good lead guitar, R&B style. Clapton and BB King are heroes.