Jesus And Mary Chain guitarist William Reid made headlines after sharing his controversial opinion on Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing, as reported by Stereogum.
Reid’s remarks focused on his belief that technical speed-driven guitar playing — the style Van Halen became famous for — was damaging to rock music. He argued that simpler, more melodic approaches were far superior.
“I think guitar players should never learn scales. I think the worst guitar players in the world — like Eddie Van Halen. I can’t stand Eddie Van Halen’s guitar playing. I think he ruined rock guitar all through the ’80s and ’90s ’cause so many people copied him,” Reid said.
Reid went on to contrast Van Halen’s style with that of Joy Division bassist Peter Hook, arguing that melody holds far more value than technical speed.
“And I just couldn’t get any of that playin’ as fast as you f*ckin’ can and crammin’ as many notes in one second as you could. And I listen to Peter Hook’s bass riffs, and I think that’s a thousand times better than anything Eddie Van Halen could ever conjure up,” he continued.
Reid’s comments quickly drew criticism from Van Halen fans. One fan pushed back, saying: “Eddie Frankensteined his guitar. Others followed. Eddie was tapping before Randy Rhodes, those 2 dawned a new era of electric guitar playing. Others followed. Eddie’s fingers were faster and more precise than anyone else. Nobody followed. Dude is just jealous.” Another simply remarked: “I think someone is just looking for attention.”
Reid’s remarks are not entirely surprising when viewed against the backdrop of his long-held musical philosophy and the sonic identity he helped build with the Jesus and Mary Chain. His criticism of Van Halen reflects a deeper, decades-old divide between two fundamentally different schools of rock guitar.
Wikipedia noted that the early sound of the Jesus and Mary Chain was defined by Reid’s extremely distorted and feedback-laden hollowbody guitar work. It was often built around a Shin-ei fuzz pedal rather than technical lead playing. This approach placed texture, noise, and atmosphere at the center of the band’s identity — a stark contrast to the precision and speed that made Eddie Van Halen a guitar icon.
Life of the Record reported that Reid himself has recalled periods where his guitar playing consisted almost entirely of barre chords. This reinforces that his style was always rooted in minimalism and feel rather than virtuosity. For Reid, the value of a guitar part lies in its emotional impact, not its technical complexity — a philosophy that puts him at direct odds with the Van Halen school of thought.
Ultimate Classic Rock reported that both Jim and William Reid made these remarks in a May 2026 interview. The brothers jointly argued that Van Halen had “ruined rock guitar” by inspiring a generation of players to prioritize flash over feeling. The comment underscores that this is not simply a passing remark, but a view the Reid brothers appear to share as a core part of their musical outlook.
The contrast between the two artists’ approaches could hardly be more pronounced. Eddie Van Halen built his legacy on speed, tapping techniques, and solo-driven hard rock showmanship. The Jesus and Mary Chain built theirs on noise-pop contrast — melodic songwriting buried beneath walls of distortion and feedback. These are two visions of what rock guitar can and should be, and William Reid has made clear which side he stands on.
