Eddie Van Halen, rock guitar god, dead of throat cancer at 65

[CyberB0b]

Though he was a heavy smoker for years, he believes he developed throat cancer from a metal guitar pick he used to frequently hold in his mouth more than 20 years ago.

Interesting take. I wonder where he got that idea from.

 

[nobody]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10...-on-michael-jackson-beat-it-for-free/12738886

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Shady time, brother man...

Sure is Brother.

 

[rags]

And his manager at the time told him, Edward at least take a half a point or even a point in royalties for doing the solo in Beat It. Ed declined and was adamant he do it for free.

How many stars would play for free on a record? Deep admiration for that.

 

[iceberg]

I was there.

you looked familiar.

who am i kidding. i was hammered. everyone looked familiar.

 

[CouchCoach]

I stopped to fill the car up when returning from a day trip with my wife and 6 year old son and left the door open and the radio playing KZEW FM and as I stood there, it came on. The full version of "You Really Got Me" with that lead in and it was the first time I was hearing it. I came back to the driver's seat and just sat there taking in a cover of one of my favorite songs of my Rocker bands, The Kinks. My son asked "Dad, who is that". I replied "I don't know son but I am going to find out".

That day I discovered one of the greatest rock bands of all time and that was the day my son decided he wanted to learn to play the guitar and has played it ever since. He's had many Rock Guitar Heroes since that day, sitting in the back seat of our car, but no one ever approached Eddie's pedestal. And many is the day he's started a sentence with "hey Dad, you remember that time we stopped for gas on the way home and "Eruption" started playing and you just sat there with your mouth hanging open?" My wife would always laugh because she said many times she'd never seen a piece of music shut me up or a bigger smile when that progressed into "You Really Got Me".

When I think of Eddie, I cannot separate him from that ever present cigarette either in his mouth or perched on the end of his guitar. Maybe that pick contributed to his cancer but I don't think so because I've heard both Roth and Hagar complain about the ever present smoke when they were around him. And I think it would have been better for Eddie to have used this to hammer home the dangers of smoking than trying to excuse it with a metal pick in his mouth.

This adds a little more oomph to Weezer's Van Weezer album coming out and they did a fine job with the first tribute track, "The End of the Game".

 

[triplets_93]

This is quintessential Van Halen for me...

From 1981

 

[triplets_93]

 

[CouchCoach]

Spent yesterday afternoon on the patio listening to early VH and appreciating Eddie's playing but even more than that how close to perfection that band was.

Alex has always been an underappreciated drummer and his ability to play off his brother was remarkable, they made a hell of a duet. Michael Anthony was a good bass player but even a better backing vocalist and an intricate part of the VH sound and Diamond Dave was front man perfection with his personality showing in his vocals and endless energy driving each song.

Eddie's gone but he got to do what he wanted to do and was meant to do so that makes me happy. Almost as happy as he looked playing his guitars.

 

[triplets_93]

This helps me to chill

 

[Runwildboys]

Been listening to nothing but VH since yesterday morning, on Sirius/XM's Van Halen Tribute channel. At least I knew there'd be some great music to listen to during my workout for a change.

 

[triplets_93]

I found this piece with Gene Simmons, who discovered Van Halen to be touching.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

They played a couple VH tunes pregame/halftime of tonight's game which was cool. Here is a couple favorite pics.

 

[triplets_93]

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Just wanted to share these pics and memorials that are pretty cool
The top part of the pic is where he carved his name in the cement before he became famous.
The bottom pic is the house he grew up in located on Los Lunas in Pasadena, this is where he spent all his time practicing and building/experimenting on those early guitars, aka frankestrat/bumblebee and the shark.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

Here's Eruption in numerous different styles.

 

[lukin2006]

Today's generation has no clue what great music is...

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Going to be selfish of me but...

I hope he has a ton of unreleased music from him and they eventually release it.

I really wish they would have done some more music to put out. I understand they did not keep Gary because that one did not do so well.
I understand they thought of Brining Dave back but that last CD was really just a remaster of demo stuff for the most part.

Eddie was too talented not to do more music. I was even hoping at one point he would do a Instrumental type deal like a Joe Satriani Or do an cd with a bunch of guest singers on it.

But I would love to hear a bunch or recordings he probably made while in his studio, even if it was just him noodling around.

 

[Runwildboys]

Going to be selfish of me but...

I hope he has a ton of unreleased music from him and they eventually release it.

I really wish they would have done some more music to put out. I understand they did not keep Gary because that one did not do so well.
I understand they thought of Brining Dave back but that last CD was really just a remaster of demo stuff for the most part.

Eddie was too talented not to do more music. I was even hoping at one point he would do a Instrumental type deal like a Joe Satriani Or do an cd with a bunch of guest singers on it.

But I would love to hear a bunch or recordings he probably made while in his studio, even if it was just him noodling around.

It would have been interesting to see him do that "guest" album, like Santana does so much of.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Going to be selfish of me but...

I hope he has a ton of unreleased music from him and they eventually release it.

I really wish they would have done some more music to put out. I understand they did not keep Gary because that one did not do so well.
I understand they thought of Brining Dave back but that last CD was really just a remaster of demo stuff for the most part.

Eddie was too talented not to do more music. I was even hoping at one point he would do a Instrumental type deal like a Joe Satriani Or do an cd with a bunch of guest singers on it.

But I would love to hear a bunch or recordings he probably made while in his studio, even if it was just him noodling around.

I have already a couple of articles that alluded to something like the family going through the "vault" at 5150 and possibly releasing stuff in the future. From what I have read/heard he had quite a bit of material in the vault, some was just him noodling and other was more complete songs. I am not only interested in audio but video as well, there just isn't a lot of live video from them circa inception until 1984 especially those first 2-3 years. I remember him saying at one time he had enough material in the vault to make a dozen solo albums.