Posted on 10/06/2020 1:11:56 PM PDT by BBQToadRibs
Eddie Van Halen, the all-American guitar hero who, with his namesake hard-rock band Van Halen, redefined the sound and possibilities of the electric guitar in the 1970s and ’80s, died on Tuesday at age 65. The cause was throat cancer.
“I can’t believe I’m having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning,” wrote his son, Wolfgang Van Halen via Twitter.
“He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift... I love you so much, Pop.”
(Snip - more at link)
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
After Ozzy got fired by Sabbath and started putting his own band together his two guitar finalists were Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen.
Ozzy went with Rhoads because he hit it off personally a bit more with Randy than Eddie.
Just think, if Ozzy had signed Eddie then Van Halen might never have happened.
I never saw him without a smile.
He always seemed to be having a good time, and everyone else around him seemed to be having a good time.
Another great musician went to join GOD’s orchestra. Prayers to Wolf and his mom, Valerie Bertinelli...
“Well we know it wasn’t brown M&Ms.”
In an interview several years ago Eddie said the brown M&M thing was just to see how far they could go and get away with it.
Pretty far it seems.
What I heard it was to make sure they actually read the Safety Riders.
If there were brown M&Ms, the band would be alerted to see what else was not followed in the contract.
This is terrible, so sad to hear it.
Iconic guitarist, supplied the soundtrack to many of our lives.
Just watched an interview of him, and his story of immigrating here from Holland, competing in piano at an early age, his frugal methods of improving his guitar, his family life... seemed like a great guy in addition to a rock star.
You & every other guy loved her! RIP Eddie......
That was always the song where DLR would say in concert “I forgot the f’in words!”
Wow thanks, these pics are wild, never saw them before. It looks like his mom was Asian, and I guess his dad was from Norway or something?
Was never a fan of VH. Eddie’s showcased riffs were usually too far over the top. Best riff he ever did was on “Beat It”.
However, the best VH work he ever did was “Right Now”, where Eddie played the piano. Sammy Hagar era.
Saw Van Halen in Detroit in 1981. Main floor seats. Quite a concert!
Using it as a check on the contract I think came later.
Eddie definitely said it began as a way to screw with promoters. He said they were sitting around mostly drunk one day when someone, I think he said Roth, said they should make crazy demands just for the hell of it. They threw some stuff out and the brown M&M sounded the most outlandish so they went with it.
Bands and entertainers have been pushing the envelope ever since.
LOL seen that once in 1980 at Hampton Roads. Moved to Florida, saw Diver Down and 1984 tours at Lakeland Civic Center, that arena was a cool venue and got many great metal acts like Priest, Crue, Maiden, and Ozzy. I saw their Mean Street tour when they opened for the Stones in Orlando, called Rock Superbowl XII at the Tangerine Bowl. I saw many a concert in my teens in Florida, tickets were cheap and I miss festival seating.
Eddie just did the solo on Beat It, I believe Lukather did the riff.
LOL!!!!!
Tone Loc owes EVH big props too
On a cold winter night in February of 1978, my young adult world was rocked by their debut album.
The first debut album that I listened to on release.
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