New Ed Pic 3/14/2013

90 sec sample from VHND

I dont care what anyone thinks I am just glad Eddie is still around to make his mark in the music world

After hearing the 90 sec. preview, I must say that I like it. My only beef is that the guitar sounds too buried in the mix.

LL COOL J ‏@llcoolj 2h The @eddievanhalen solo on We’re the Greatest is a masterpiece !!! My favorite part of the song. 4/30

… not very impressed… let’s wait and see…

http://wzlx.cbslocal.com/2013/03/28/ll-cool-j-on-eddie-van-halen-i-have-worked-with-one-of-the-greatest-guitarists-that-ever-lived/
A few weeks back, hip-hop legend LL Cool J unexpectedly posted a photo to his Facebook page that showed him sitting in the control room of a studio… next to Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen hasn’t guested on too many albums in recent years, so this came as something of a shock.

Radio.com sat down LL, who talked about working with the guitar legend, who is one of many guests on his upcoming album, Authentic: ”Working with Eddie was just amazing. I just really wanted to work with the best, work with people that I respect, people that I look up to, people that impress me, people that I believe are truly super talented… and even more talented than myself. I feel like Eddie falls in that category. Now Eddie Van Halen has officially done a hip-hop record. And I have officially worked with one of the greatest guitarists that ever lived.”

The song is called “We’re The Greatest,” but the famously un-humble MC was quick to point out that the lyrics may not (necessarily) be self-referential. “It’s speaking about all of us. It’s not necessarily about me and Eddie per se. It’s about people that kinda get tossed aside, forgotten about, kicked down, and then they make a comeback in life and they regain that ground that they had lost, and then some. So that’s why it opens up like (he raps the lyrics) ‘Knock knock, who’s there, the one, remember me? I’m looking kinda different these days. Don’t you agree? You’re boy’s doing it big this year. Didn’t you see? The hell with the Devil, there’s no sympathy.’ I think it’s a cool song. It’s LL and Eddie Van Halen together. I am in no way trying to put myself on the level of Van Halen or say that… I don’t want Van Halen fans to get the wrong impression like I don’t respect their legacy or who they are. I do. I just wanted to do something with Eddie that I think is cool. And, I think we accomplished something great. I hope they dig it.”

Authentic comes out April 30, and also features guest contributions from other great guitarists, including Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine and country picker/singer Brad Paisley. To read more about those songs, go to Radio.com.
The rest of the article http://news.radio.com/2013/03/28/interview-ll-cool-j-breaks-down-his-authentic-collabs-from-van-halen-to-paisley/

http://guitarinternational.com/2013/04/02/eddie-van-halen-featured-on-ll-cools-authentic-album/

Eddie Van Halen Featured on LL Cool J Authentic Album
By: Staff

Music legends, Eddie Van Halen and LL COOL J, have teamed up for two songs on LL’s upcoming new album, Authentic, set to release on April 30th. The rock icon joined the legendary rapper in the studio and kicked the volume up to create two genre defying songs on LL’s powerful new album.

The first track, “We’re The Greatest”, can best be described as a thunderous rock/rap anthem which includes symbolic lyrics, frenetic, over the top guitar licks played with reckless abandon and solid drum beats.

The song was co-written and co-produced by LL COOL J and Eddie Van Halen at Henson Studios in Hollywood California and features Travis Barker of Blink 182 on drums.

Prolific in their respective genres, LL COOL J and Eddie Van Halen are synonymous with the word legendary, LL COOL J as a pioneer of Hip-Hop who has evolved his scope of work across all fields of entertainment and Eddie Van Halen a guitar virtuoso, songwriter, producer and keyboardist/pianist.

Both have been cited as masters of their crafts and the similarities don’t end there. They individually [Eddie with his band Van Halen] have won Grammy’s, garnered multi-platinum albums, have topped the Billboard charts, and earned MTV Music Awards as well as many other accolades throughout their careers.

When asked why he choose to reach out to the iconic guitarist, LL COOL J replied, “This Album was born out of my true love for music and I knew Eddie shared that same vision for authentic music. I approached this song with the upmost respect for Eddie and his fans, and became friends with him through the process. I was humbled to watch a genius at work and collaborate with such a legendary and visionary artist as Eddie Van Halen, and to bring our two worlds together, was an exciting opportunity. I am thrilled he was up for the ride.”

Eddie Van Halen didn’t know what to think initially of LL COOL J’S invitation, but once he met the legendary rapper they instantly hit it off and he not only enthusiastically agreed to collaborate on “We’re The Greatest,” which also features Travis Barker, but to also play a solo on the track “Not Leaving You Tonight” which features Fitz and the Tantrums.

“The thought of me playing guitar to hip hop was definitely left of center, but I was intrigued and I agreed to meet and listen to what he had. I was not only inspired by the songs I heard, but LL’s enthusiasm, his down to earth personality, the freedom he gave me to co-create and his willingness to, for the very first time, sing the chorus on “We’re The Greatest”. It was like a breath of fresh air that I needed as an artist and an individual.”

Eddie commented further by saying, “the diversity of the songs on this album and the other artists he has collaborated with is outstanding, appealing to multiple genres of music and maybe even creating a few of our own. I feel blessed to not only have had the opportunity to work with LL but also to call him a great friend.”

This is not the first time the guitarist has teamed up with an artist outside of his genre. In 1984 his guitar solo on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” has been praised for adding “the greatest guitar solo”, aiding “Beat It” into becoming one of the biggest selling singles of all time.

To preview songs and pre-order your copy of Authentic, please visit Amazon.com and iTunes.

Please contact your favorite local rock radio station and request “We’re The Greatest”.

For more about Eddie Van Halen go to http://www.van-halen.com and http://www.evhgear.com and for more about LL COOL J, go to http://www.llcoolj.com.