[Taken from Rock the Nation: Montrose, Gamma and Ronnie Redefined by Martin Popoff]
http://www.martinpopoff.com/html/rock-the-nation-montrose.html

“I don’t know why Eddie didn’t mention the fact in interviews that Ronnie [Montrose] was a huge influence on them,” continues [Tal] Morris, “but the fact remains. They shared the same producer for the record, etc., and you can hear it. And I’m of the mind, specifically, that Eddie Van Halen isn’t telling the truth when he talks about his tapping technique. I really feel that he knew Ronnie Montrose was the guitarist on ‘Frankenstein,’ and when he was young and heard that record, when he heard the synthesizer part, which is basically that tapping sound, he didn’t know that it wasn’t guitar, and he assumed it was Ronnie, and he tried to mimic it. And in doing so, came up with this technique. I really honestly feel that, but I can’t prove it. He professed that he made it up based on things that he wanted to hear that he wasn’t able to do with his left hand, so he came up with a way of dong it. But when you listen to ‘Frankenstein,’ and that synthesizer solo, and you listen to ‘Eruption,’ the similarities are just astounding.”

…well…you know…I don’t know what to say…

Eddie never claimed that he ” invented tapping”…

… and so far I’ve never heard anything about Ed’s main musical influences related to Montrose…

I remember Dave Clark Five, Eric Clapton…

Ed says he figured it out in 72/73 when he saw Jimmy Page play “Heartbreaker” at the forum. I’d read this in interviews multiple times. He explains it in detail during the smithsonian clinic, which can be found on You Tube. Ed however is known for not giving credit. Yes, we all know Clapton, but rarely does he mention Blackmore. They played many Purple and Rainbow songs during the club days. His only mention I ever heard was this quote.”I rarely listen to music, if I do, it’s Clapton, and sometimes Purple and Sabbath.”

As Eddie explained here…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=famH05Lxme0

Greg Renoff’s book Van Halen Rising describes very well how Eddie came to tapping. Now I need to reread that book!

Keep in mind that the Montrose book was published several years ago, and I have no idea when the Tal interview was conducted. Presumably after Ronnie’s death, but I’m not sure.

drjazz: Ed says he figured it out in 72/73 when he saw Jimmy Page play “Heartbreaker” at the forum. I’d read this in interviews multiple times. He explains it in detail during the smithsonian clinic, which can be found on You Tube. Ed however is known for not giving credit. Yes, we all know Clapton, but rarely does he mention Blackmore. They played many Purple and Rainbow songs during the club days. His only mention I ever heard was this quote.”I rarely listen to music, if I do, it’s Clapton, and sometimes Purple and Sabbath.”

Just because VH used to cover a few Purple songs doesn’t mean Ed was influenced by Blackmore. They were a popular band with a few popular songs which is probably why they covered them. VH also covered a few KISS sing’s too and we all know Ed didn’t think that much of Ace.

Blackmore was doing very similar things 5 years before. Listen to burn. Very vh sounding. And yes it does mean Eddie was influenced, because he had to learn Blackmore solos to play in clubs. I also hear some Joe Perry in him, by the way he phrases during songs. EVH is arguably one of the greatest guitar players who ever lived, but he didn’t spring from Clapton alone, there are others.

ron: Keep in mind that the Montrose book was published several years ago, and I have no idea when the Tal interview was conducted.Presumably after Ronnie’s death, but I’m not sure.

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Having now finished the book, I see that the Tal interview was conducted on June 16, 2016.