Eddie Van Halen. The greatest! Defined a genre! Mastered it! Probably responsible for inspiring more to learn the guitar than any other human alive. Absolutely! Guitar histrionics that could peel the skin off your face, but at the same time he could take it all down to beautiful levels and make his guitar and your soul cry! Prodigy! Musical genius! Rock star! Rock God!
Van Halen were discovered by Gene Simmons and in 1978 as a kid, this is where my interest was piqued! If Gene likes them, they must be good!
They were better than good! Van Halen were phenomenal and to this day the first album ranks as one of the greatest, if not the greatest Hard Rock/Metal albums of all time! A bonafide classic brimming with attitude, finess, style, substance and the guitar of Eddie Van Halen!
Rock N Roll will miss you EVH!
John Raptis
Rue Morgue Records Director
From the opening notes of Eruption, a little known guitarist named Edward Van Halen would unwittingly go on to inspire a legion of future guitarists and musicians. By 1978, the world had already proclaimed guitar gods of Page, Hendrix and Clapton. No one anticipated that an up and coming guitar virtuoso from Pasadena California would challenge the gods, and take his own position amongst them so early on in his career. Edward Van Halen was an innovator. His playing was exciting. His riffs were catchy and his solos were musical tuition for many. He experimented, mastered his craft and enhanced his abilities, even putting down his trusty axe to expand Van Halen’s sound with keyboards. It has been said that music is the greatest communication tool we have. It has the power to bring people together, from all over the world, from different races and cultures. This is true. But it’s greatest power is that it will live on forever. Musicians, bands and artists may leave us, but their legacy will remain for future generations to enjoy, appreciate and be inspired by. Rest in peace Edward Van Halen. 29 Bones owes you a debt of gratitude. For we are the inspired.
29 Bones
Such a sad day. My childhood/youth (like many others) was intertwined with Van Halen in so many ways that it feels like losing a family member.
It all started with my big brother Pete playing cricket in our driveway when we were kids while I was in my bedroom practicing my classical guitar.
Pete knocked on my window and said “if you wanna play guitar, you need to listen to this guy” and he passed me a cassette with the first Van Halen album on it. Life as I knew it was never the same.
R.I.P Eddie.
Tim Henwood
Palace Of The King
There are distinct eras in rock and many ways to define them. We’re not going to list them all but we will list two. They’re simply pre Van Halen and post Van Halen. Very few people can lay claim to changing the landscape of any art form especially music but Edward Van Halen can. Again there are so many things to talk about. His playing style, his tone, his songwriting, his innovations with his guitar and equipment, we could go on and on. If you have played in any sort of rock band post 1978 and deny the influence he had on what you do, in any shape or form, put bluntly, you’re a fucking liar. Rock music especially rock guitar would be very, very different and nowhere near what it is without him. Safe travels to the next life to the undisputed king of guitar.
Fight the Sun
Every time I’ve put my right hand on the fret board, every time I’ve fast picked my way up the neck, every flurry of hammer ons, crazy bends etc etc all come from Eddie Van Halen. I wasn’t around for the Roth era of Van Halen, I came in during the Van Hagar years. I remember hearing Why Can’t This Be Love on the radio as a young boy on a road trip with my family. It was a defining moment of my childhood, along with hearing Angus for the first time. When I started playing guitar I’d play VH I and Woman and Children First and Fair Warning ( my favourite VH albums) over and over trying to learn every note and usually stumbling my way through it. Eddie laid down the road, we were just lucky to travel along it, albeit many miles behind. Farewell to the king of guitar.
Adrian – Fight The Sun
Marty:
THE best player of his era and a rare innovator of any era. Arguably the last virtuoso rock guitarist that was also 100% rockstar.
Ron:
I remember the room I was in when I heard the opening of Runnin’ with the devil. You don’t forget these things. Everything that came before this was set on fire. Then Eruption…
“How the hell does he do that? ” we thought. We never heard anything like it. This was the future we were hearing. Every guitar player was then scrambling to learn his technique . He pointed the way forward. I was lucky enough to see Van Halen live 1984 in Detroit. He blew our minds. R.I.P Eddie
Josh:
Eddie was as much to me as he was to millions of guitarists and music lovers worldwide. A God. An Alien. A beautiful being sent to define rock guitar in his time. For a kid of 13 learning guitar (in 1983!) Eddie was everything. He surrounded me, as he did everyone who loved his playing and general persona, in warmth, genius chops/songwriting, inspiration, purpose and drive. And lightning. He divined pure heaven through that axe and fired it at us. And we just begged for more. So deeply moved today. Fly on beautiful angel.
Ross:
I first got into Van Halen when I was 14 years old after watching the Jump clip. The next day I went out & bought the 1984 cassette. I was blown away. I didn’t think a better album could exist until a friend of mine gave me a cassette of Van Halen 1. After that I was hooked. I went out & bought everything they had released at that point. Eddie was a true innovator. From building his own guitars & pedals to developing a technical style of playing that was way ahead of its time yet had undeniable feel & soul. Rest easy, Edward. Thanks for all the great music.
Riff Raiders
It’s weird writing this. I don’t post on FB like this but I’d like to touch on the passing of my inspiration & hero Eddie Van Halen, which is super hard to accept.
It’s funny how someone I didn’t know and never met could have such an impact me as it has on millions in the guitar community around the world for generations.
First hearing VH was an instant connection which never stopped. When I started playing in the early 90’s the times were so so different, no internet, no streaming, no selfies, YouTube, FB likes, NO BULLSHIT. Nothing was taken for granted and everything was appreciated. I can tell you where I bought every VH album, what I was wearing and what I was doing on that day…it was fucken amazing.
I was so happy, Van Halen made me happy.
In my early teens I spent my savings on anything VH & guitar magazines which I bought 2 of so I could keep one and use the other for posters and decorating my school books and folders etc. I read & studied them back to back, I still have them…
Stripes everywhere, everything EVH.
I came from the school of EVH. I’d record all of the CD’s on to tape and listen to 2 albums a day on my Walkman/Diskman no compromise, everyday. I didn’t care to make the football or soccer team or pick up chicks. I had my guitar, magazines and the music. No guitar classes, Eddie was my teacher and therapist. I’d learn the songs either on tab and by ear and not have any musical theory boundaries. It was the best.
I hate seeing the new portraits of Ed with the fallen guitar legends Rhodes, Hendrix, Dime etc in heaven, I hate it. Ed was still so influential on guitar playing and guitar gear without releasing any music…he never stopped, we needed him here.
Your playing, innovation, attitude, style and that smile…Thank you Ed.
Anth Nekich
Warbirds
EVH opened a door way for Guitarists and musicians to find tones and to create beyond boundaries known in a musical world. He gave us a sense of freedom something we will carry in our journey as a band. The world has lost an incredible man of talent and spirit. May his music live on, continue to inspire generation after generation that’s what timeless legends are made of.
Karly Jewell
Eddie was a freak of nature. Quite possibly the last guitar innovator. He never stopped creating and his style was one of the most unique. I remember learning a lot of licks from him in high school and I loved his blend of rhythmn and lead in his playing, from a guitar standpoint it was the next evolution from Jimi Hendrix. Thank you Eddie for the inspiration and some of the best damn party music ever.
Jakam Kourasanis
I came to hear Van Halen via a compilation album called Heavy. Their version of You Really Got Me was on it. Now, I was a fan of the original Kinks version but this version knocked me for six. All these guitar licks had my jaw on the floor. So I sought out more and the first album I found was the debut. As with a million others, Eruption knocked the stuffing out of me. How the hell did he make those sounds. Fan for life. Always mind bogglingly good. Not much more I can say except Vale
Have immersed myself in the classic Van Halen era (VH1, VH2, Women & Children, Fair Warning). I kinda stop there although I do dig Diver Down.
No interest in Van Hagar and what came after. Can say that I haven’t even heard some of those albums.
The classic era, I grew up on so it is very much entrenched in my DNA and childhood.
For me, I became interested in VH when as a maniacal KISS fan in the 70’s Gene Simmons would mention this new band he had done demos for. (Seek out those Gene Simmons VH demos – they are GREAT!!!!)
And then in 1978 my cousin moved to Australia from the USA with a slab of records that accompanied him. (VH, Nugent, Cheap Trick, Boston, Blue Oyster Cult, Aerosmith) All the brilliant US Hard Rock bands at the time I cut my teeth on!
The first Van Halen album from about 1978 till about 1985, I called the greatest album of all time. I am sure that people who knew me at the time can vouch for my words here.
Although I was a drummer at the time, I still knew what amazing guitar and songs were all about and Van Halen 1 had it in spades. It is almost the perfect Hard Rock album of all time. A bonafide classic that still shreds to this day. It still sounds fresh, vibrant, alive and blistering in finesse, looseness and fucking pizzaz!
Come on, Ain’t Talkin Bout Love is easily one of the greatest riffs and songs of all time. We used to rehearse to that back in the 80’s when I was playing in bands and the such. I can still see myself playing it and feeling every boom, crash and bang of the drums during that track.
I find it hard to listen to music of artist’s that have just died. It took me nearly 10 years to listen to Pantera again after Dimebag’s demise, but Van Halen classic Van Halen – man, I don’t think I have ever stopped listening to is since that fateful day in 1978.
I never saw Van Halen live. (No interest in Gary Cherone fronted bands no matter who it is!!!!) But man, I wish I had the chance to have photographed Eddie in his prime.
RIP Eddie Van Halen. No one better! And no one have I ever written 2 tributes for in as many days!
John Raptis
RUE MORGUE RECORDS
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