Hair metal here. I am old enough now that I just don't care what people think. I like what I like. Van Halen is about as classy as I get.
Can't argue with you - IMHO, some of the cheesiest hair metal also produced some of
the best guitar riffs. Dokken (George Lynch), Ratt (Robin Crosby and Warren DeMartini),
and others constantly find their way into my CD/MP3 player. Some of the eight finger
tapping stuff by Steve Lynch (Autograph) and Jeff Watson (Night Ranger) is phenomenal.
Then again, EVH's 'Eruption' is the marker for all finger tapping solos.
AJ - as a fellow guitarist, I can appreciate SRV's version of 'Little Wing'. Texas Flood and
Couldn't Stand The Weather are two of my favorite albums. There's a local San Diego
guy named Stevie Salas (he did all of George Carlin's guitar riffs in the Bill and Ted
movies) who has done some awesome Jimi covers as well.
Ian