R.I.P. Eddie Van Halen

[L.M.]

Edward Lodewijk Van Halen (January 26, 1955 – October 6, 2020) was a Dutch-American musician, songwriter, producer, and inventor. He was the main songwriter and lead guitarist of the American rock band Van Halen, which he co-founded in 1972 with his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen, bassist Mark Stone, and singer David Lee Roth. He was well known for popularizing the tapping guitar solo technique, allowing rapid arpeggios to be played with two hands on the fretboard.

He died of throat cancer on Tuesday at age 65. He was my favorite guitarist, and he will be missed. Glad I saw him play live in '91.

[Sophia23]

Looks like you beat me to it LM! I saw them in concert that tour as well, in 1992!

I was all about Van Halen from about 84' on through my high school years. There are few VH songs that don’t flood my mind with good memories from my youth. I loved them through the Roth years - had him plastered all over my walls as a kid. May not have even been a fan of him had I not heard him with VH first. Once Dave went solo, they found themselves the most energetic lead vocalist ever with Sammy and continued their greatness. Never mattered who was on vocals, because the band revolved around Eddie - he was guitar god who made them so special.

I know longer use it, so don’t see any harm in mentioning it, but I know I used 5150 any time I needed a four digit code or pin when I was much younger. My favorite song from 5150 --

RIP, Eddie Van Halen - The world was so much better with him in it.

[CanDB]

The dude could play!!

[Spice 1]

I wasn't a big Van Halen fan at all, mainly because of the singers, but EVH inspired a ton of great metal guitarists.

[Bronco51]

I am of the age where when you were in high school, you absolutely put on Van Halen and tried to make the un-jumpable jump. Eddie's riffs truly made some of us do stupid stuff, pure energy. R.I.P. One of the best to do it.

[EddieMac]

OMG weird.. I missed this news today... but was rocking out to a little Jump and hot for teacher on the way home just now......

[Hadez]

The amount of songs and their quality with this guy playing guitar were amazing. Herd someone talking about the character in how Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn play guitar.....Eddie seemed to be multi personality in the way he could play guitar in so many ways and excel.

We live in a day and age when people can create art and so much of the world can enjoy it. Eddie was a huge part in adding music to my life.

Sad he died and I feel blessed to have been able to enjoy his talents while he was here.

[AZ Snake Fan]

How the Late Rock God Eddie Van Halen Hacked His Guitar

The legend didn't just transform the guitar forever—he even patented his game-changing innovations. Here's how he redefined rock and roll, in his own words.


By Eddie Van Halen

Oct 6, 2020

https://www.popularmechanics.com/tec...acks-a-guitar/

RIP Eddie

[EddieMac]

As you go my first ever like!

I have no idea how that shows up..,

[L.M.]

Looks like you beat me to it LM! I saw them in concert that tour as well, in 1992!

I was all about Van Halen from about 84' on through my high school years. There are few VH songs that don’t flood my mind with good memories from my youth. I loved them through the Roth years - had him plastered all over my walls as a kid. May not have even been a fan of him had I not heard him with VH first. Once Dave went solo, they found themselves the most energetic lead vocalist ever with Sammy and continued their greatness. Never mattered who was on vocals, because the band revolved around Eddie - he was guitar god who made them so special.

I know longer use it, so don’t see any harm in mentioning it, but I know I used 5150 any time I needed a four digit code or pin when I was much younger. My favorite song from 5150 --

RIP, Eddie Van Halen - The world was so much better with him in it.

Sophia23
We might be the same the age, because I really got into them in '84 too --though I liked their radio hit cover of Dancing in the Street in '82. And I was dismayed when Roth left but pleasantly surprised by 5150 which is a thoroughly excellent album! Eddie could play piano and compose music (and I think he even played drums before switching with brother Alex) --he was just a complete musician.

[L.M.]

I am of the age where when you were in high school, you absolutely put on Van Halen and tried to make the un-jumpable jump. Eddie's riffs truly made some of us do stupid stuff, pure energy. R.I.P. One of the best to do it.

I admit it.

[L.M.]

Edward Lodewijk Van Halen (January 26, 1955 – October 6, 2020) was a Dutch-American musician, songwriter, producer, and inventor. He was the main songwriter and lead guitarist of the American rock band Van Halen, which he co-founded in 1972 with his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen, bassist Mark Stone, and singer David Lee Roth. He was well known for popularizing the tapping guitar solo technique, allowing rapid arpeggios to be played with two hands on the fretboard.

He died of throat cancer on Tuesday at age 65. He was my favorite guitarist, and he will be missed. Glad I saw him play live in '91.

I just learned that his original bassist died of cancer ten days before Eddie did. Weird.

There were rumors that he was working on another album...I wonder if there's any material that can be salvaged from that? Or any other unreleased material? I'd like to see a final, posthumous record ala Led Zeppelin's Coda which was produced after they lost drummer John Bonham.

[Sophia23]

Sophia23
We might be the same the age, because I really got into them in '84 too --though I liked their radio hit cover of Dancing in the Street in '82. And I was dismayed when Roth left but pleasantly surprised by 5150 which is a thoroughly excellent album! Eddie could play piano and compose music (and I think he even played drums before switching with brother Alex) --he was just a complete musician.

Maybe, were you 10 in 84' too? I miss my youth, a time when my greatest question in life was - Did VH title OU812 as a back handed response to DLR's Eat' em and Smile... ... Yes he was.

[L.M.]

Maybe, were you 10 in 84' too? I miss my youth, a time when my greatest question in life was - Did VH title OU812 as a back handed response to DLR's Eat' em and Smile... ... Yes he was.

I had always wondered if the banter at the beginning of "Inside", the final track of 5150, referred to Eat 'em and Smile -- "What kind of crap is this?"

Nope, I turned 14 that November. I'm fairly nostalgic for some aspects of those days too, and after I saw Rock of Ages a few years ago I was really triggered to revisit all my old favorites: Def Leppard, Whitesnake, VH, etc. I wished I could have seen a bunch of those bands at the Whiskey A Go Go on Sunset Strip back in the day! I still had some pretty good times jammin' out to these records with friends. We all loved Van Halen.

[Sophia23]

I always wondered if the banter at the beginning of "Inside", the final track of 5150, referred to Eat 'em and Smile -- "What kind of crap is this?"

Nope, I turned 14 that November. I'm fairly nostalgic for some aspects of those days too, and after I saw Rock of Ages a few years ago I was really triggered to revisit all my old favorites: Def Leppard, Whitesnake, VH, etc. I wished I could have seen a bunch of those bands at the Whiskey A Go Go on Sunset Strip back in the day! I still had some pretty good times jammin' out to these records with friends. We all loved Van Halen.

The one I wanted to see so bad back in those days was the monsters of rock tour with VH, Metallica, Dokken, and I think Kingdom Come ... there were probably others in the line up I just remember thinking that would be great .... but I was just a bit too young when that tour was going ....