Impossible to overstate the loss today of Eddie Van Halen. A day we hoped would never come. It was so hard to know what was really going on with EVH the last few years. So many conflicting messages. Sadly turns out he was as sick as was rumored. I learned of the news while live on air doing my SiriusXM show and stayed on an extra hour till 5P ET on 106. I will once again stay on an extra hour live tomorrow 2-5P ET on Volume. Many guests will no doubt join. Sebastian Bach and Mike McCready have already said they will call in. Many fan calls as well. It’s been a hell of a day to say the least. Incredibly tragic. I only interviewed Eddie once and met him once. But I will always know I grew up with VH and saw many shows, so I will cherish that for sure. Join me on the radio this week as we celebrate him with you the fans. Eddie Van Halen was needless to say a guitar icon, but also a brilliant songwriter, musician and innovator of music. I’m grateful to be able to say I saw his magic on stage many times and his music has been a part of every one of my radio shows since I started back in 1983. I got the first Van Halen album when it first came out and I’ll never forget the impact it had on me. RIP Eddie and condolences to his fans, friends and family.
PS: The VH Trunk Top 20 is replaying now till Mid on 106 Volume. More soon.
25 Responses
I never met EVH, and yet I still feel like I lost another family member. I’m sure alot of people are feeling that way, whether they ever met him or not, that’s how great EVH was, and will always be.
First came Hendrix, then came Van Halen…
50 years later, Jimi Hendrix is still influencing guitar players/musicians, 50 years from now, Eddie Van Halen will still be influencing guitar players/musicians as well. RIP EVH, cheers!
Agreed, as does one Randall Rhoads. Two guitar legends from California.
I saw Eddie & Company on 10/16/80 in Des Moines IA.
I called sick at work to make it happen(shame)
I walked around happily half deaf for a couple of days after.
How they pulled off that tour without collapsing IDK!
Night after night
A TEN MILLION dollar sound system in 1980 dollars, yet only charged 9 bucks a ticket.
Ahhh the 80’s
R.I.P. EVF
Here’s a local news flashback to that time
https://youtu.be/PvaA7AsW6mI
Wow, Becki,
You saw them in their prime, lucky you. Thank you for sharing that throwback clip, as well.
D
Van Halen’s Invasion ‘80 was the first concert I went to; to this day still the best concert I’ve attended!
Poundcake! Play it, Edward! Van Halen kicking ass in Fresno!! ~ Live! Right Here, Right Now!! The king’s legendary legacy will live on forever! Cheers EVH!! 🙂
Oh man, Eddie’s solo on “Pleasure Dome” is just so absolutely ridiculous, it’s just that f–king great!!! – Right into Al’s awesome drum solo! BTW, did I mention that I LOVE this DVD? 😉
“316,” CHILLS!!! GREATEST EVH SOLO EVER!!! (IMO) ☆☆☆☆☆ I love the way Eddie f–cks around with Sammy on “Cabo Wabo!” Great stuff!! 🙂
I love the solos from I’ll Wait and So This Is Love.
As far as guitar players go, in my opinion, EVH will always be standing on “Top Of The World!” 😉
I notice people and media outlets are making note of, and even blaming Ed’s smoking and drinking, as a reason for his cancer and death. Saying things like, “His long and hard years of partying took it’s toll. How can people make that asinine assumption?
Neal Peart died of brain cancer. What did he do to cause it? Was it all the reading he did? Is that what smart people get?
Frank Zappa dies of Colon Cancer. He was pretty much a vegan and didn’t drink or do drugs. What made him get cancer? Had to be something, right?
My mother and lots of other people smoke and drink and live well into their 80’s and 90’s, being relatively healthy and cancer free. What’s the deal with that? Did they make a deal with Satan? There are people who are specimens of perfect health and die of brain aneurysms and heart attacks are young ages and no one knows why.
Yes, Eddie wasn’t doing himself any favors with the smoking and addiction problems, but pointing at those things as why he got cancer, and blaming him for it is pretty myopic and judgmental. For all we know he could have gotten it even if he lived a clean lifestyle. Keith Richards walks the earth to this day, so obviously there isn’t some automatic result from one’s lifestyle and their fate, now is there?
…and Ozzy. I think it is a combination of genetics, lifestyle and luck.
Well, like I just said, as far as Keith Richards goes, he must have a pair of iron lungs! – and Ozzy is just an exceptional freak of nature!
Been going through some old papers, cleaning out and listening to some Van Halen.
I really don’t have anyhing to add that hasn’t been said by Eddie Trunk and others . Good thing there are many formats to appreciate what he left behind.