DESCRIPTION:
Another unreleased track from the soundtrack to the 1984 movie The Wild Life, composed and performed by Eddie Van Halen. The guitar tone is reminiscent of other VH tracks from the 80s featuring a semi-dirty (or some might argue semi-clean) tone that allowed Ed to play more interesting chord structures than he could have with a full out high gain tone. The tone reminds of me songs like Little Guitars (from Diver Down), Top Jimmy (from 1984), and Best of Both Worlds (from 5150).

The song is named Ripley after the Ripley stereo guitar that Eddie used to record the song (the guitar was designed by Steve Ripley). What made the guitar unique was the fact that each pole on the guitar pickup could be panned differently in the stereo spectrum and had it's own volume control. To utilize the stereo effect, the guitar had to be played in two different amps. Because of Eddie's involvement with the Ripley guitar and his endorsement with Kramer guitars, he helped bring them together, and Kramer started producing a Ripley Stereo guitar (the RSG-1) and bass (the RSB-5) in 1985.