Eddie Van Halen guest performed on 2 songs for LL Cool J's new album, Authentic. Piers Morgan interviewed the two last night on CNN. Check out the YouTube video:
Really good interview. Lots of story telling. Lots of laughing. Some highlights...
- LL Cool J and Eddie Van Halen talk about how they met.
- Eddie wasn't paid for his collaboration with Michael Jackson, "Beat It" that ended up going to #1 on the charts, even though he was already an international superstar guitar player. He actually did it completely off the radar and didn't tell anyone from the Van Halen camp that he'd be guesting on Jackson's album at the time. It's great hearing Eddie talk about how he actually re-wrote the instrumental section of the song by added some chord changes. Michael Jackson's response? "I like when you play the fast high parts"!
- LL Cool J tells the story about turning the tables on a burglar who broke into his house... by kicking the guy's ass.
- Eddie talks about his son Wolfgang's current role in the band Van Halen, and his musical development beginning on a drum kit at just 8 years old.
- Eddie says how he feels about being called "The Greatest Guitar Player In The World"
- LL Cool J defends the song he did with Brad Paisley, "Accidental Racist", which has been castigated.