Eddie VH did influence a couple of generations of guitar players. Did he have innovations? Yes. As did Hendrix, Beck,Clapton,Page,Blackmore before him.
Randy Rhoades would have been a Monster and kicked Eddies ass had he lived!
Zak Wylde is there also.....As for dexterity over tasteful playing I'll leave it up to the Good Rats who said, "He played so fast we let him go...He ran away with all our songs..now he's in school where he belongs..but he couldn't play tasty, oh no."
Put on Jeff Beck's "Cause We've Ended As Lovers" no lyrics needed to feel that song.........