From 1978, when the first Van Halen album caught the public imagination, Eddie Van Halen has been at the forefront of electric guitar playing. Since then he has had vast influence on rock in general, and metal in particular. Even pop fans have come to know his sound, through his famous solo on Michael Jackson's Beat It. And all this from a man who started off intending to be a drummer. Van Halen: Fretmaster looks at Eddie Van Halen's musical life and legacy, from high school in Pasadena, California, to the present day. It begins with a biographical account of Eddie Van Halen, the tradition he came from and his importance for a generation of musicians. It moves on to a detailed account of his most significant recorded work, both with his band and as a guest artist, with comments from younger artists who are happy to acknowledge the debt they owe to the guitarist. Wherever possible Van Halen's own comments provide further elucidation. The second half of the book includes a detailed analysis of Van Halen's techniques, for those who want to unlock the secrets of how to play "just like Eddie", followed by full transcriptions of six tracks, preceded in each case by specific notes on how to bring the music to life. The original recordings of the showcased tracks will be included on the CD that comes with the book. The last section details the guitars, pedals and amplifiers set-ups that Eddie Van Halen has used on stage and on record over the years.