To get me to spend money on a CD it takes more than just a guitar player.  Some of my faves are Judas Priest, WASP, Megadeath.  The all time best may be old school but nobody plays a better guitar than Frank Marino w/ Mahogany Rush. He played lots of covers that payed homage to some of the originators of rock. Not exactly what has come to be known now as heavy metal but for great music with intelligent lyrics no body beats Blue Oyster Cult. I saw one of the last shows they were allowed to do before the FDA outlawed their lasers. They still play over 100 dates a year and everyone still sounds good. I will be going to the Heaven and Hell show in a few months cuz Sabbath still rocks n Ronnie James Dio isn't quite what he used to be, but then no one has piped like RJD. I still mourn the implosion of GNR, they could have been one of the greatest bands of all time. I guess I just don't fit into what has come to be known as heavy metal is today. I have seen all of the best of the "pioneers" except Jimi and it takes a lot to get me excited anymore. I just sayin' . . .

Cool but I think Pantera is a different band from a different time then those listed (exept megadeath)...I'm guessing your over 35 right?   Pantera is without a doubt WAY harder then Judas Priest, WASP, Blue Oyster Clut, Rush and Dio...Totally different sound....Music to my ears! I'm not sayin'....I'm just sayin'....

and whats wrong with being over 35??

I'm just saying that Pantera etc. is kind of a one trick pony. God am I dating myself with that reference?  For a band to stand out from the rest they need songs that vary in speed and sound. They need intelligent lyrics about a variety of things and voices that can be understood. Fast fingers are not enough to keep people listening 10 years after the last CD is released. Please don't hate me cuz I'm old, its bad enough going to concerts where the band is always fat and balding.

just bustin chops, i like almost all music but still prefer older hard stuff, megadeath, pantera, suicidal tendancies, old metallica, into the new stuff, black label society, slipknot, lamb of god, static-x etc

Never expected this to happen, and I won't believe they will make all 50 shows before Eddie implodes but 3/4 of one of the greatest bands in the world has announced they are going back out on the road.  No I'm not talking Iron Maiden here, I'm talking VAN HALEN!!! However in a move that shows how smart Michael Anthony is and how petty Eddie is they will tour with Eddie's son on bass guitar. 20 years too late tho as Dave's voice is shot and the only question that really remains is how motivated is one of the most underated drummers in all of rock and how sober is his ego maniac brother?

Never expected this to happen, and I won't believe they will make all 50 shows before Eddie implodes but 3/4 of one of the greatest bands in the world has announced they are going back out on the road.  No I'm not talking Iron Maiden here, I'm talking VAN HALEN!!! However in a move that shows how smart Michael Anthony is and how petty Eddie is they will tour with Eddie's son on bass guitar. 20 years too late tho as Dave's voice is shot and the only question that really remains is how motivated is one of the most underated drummers in all of rock and how sober is his ego maniac brother?

Each individual band memeber of Van Halen is sevrely underated. Even if they all got back together, it will never be as good as it once was again.