Charles Stylianou reflects on the life and career of Eddie Van Halen on behalf of KCL as the world still reflects on the loss of such a brilliant and influential musician.
We still struggle to believe that the virtuoso guitarist Eddie Van Halen, has died of cancer at age 65. It’s with a heavy heart his son Wolfgang, who became the band’s bassist when it reunited in 2007, announced the news on Twitter on Tuesday.
— Wolf Van Halen (@WolfVanHalen) October 6, 2020
“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,” he wrote.
“He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift.”
He added:
“My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.”
“I love you so much, Pop.”
Van Halen was born in Amsterdam in 1955 and raised in Pasadena, California idolising Eric Clapton, pioneered his own dynamic style. He was mostly modeled by a generation of guitarists, playing with both hands on the guitar 's neck.
"I'm doing whatever I want," he said in a 1978 Guitar Player interview.
"I just don't worry too much about it ... It's just pretty spontaneous."
The artist was an autodidact and classically trained pianist who could play most instruments but was unable to read music. After the group met while attending Pasadena City College, he formed the band together with his brother Alex, bassist Michael Anthony, and singer David Lee Roth in 1974.
Before breaking onto the rock scene in 1978 with their self-titled debut album, the band cut their teeth performing in West Hollywood clubs. Eventually, it sold over 10 million copies as part of a hard rock surge that swept disco off the top of the charts.
"Van Halen Concert - Jumping to 'Jump'" by Anirudh Koul is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
The band turned into one of the 20 best-selling artists of all time and released multi-platinum albums in five consecutive years:
Van Halen II (1979)
Women and Children First (1980)
Fair Warning (1981)
Diver Down (1982)
Their biggest hit album was Diver Down (1982) and included the hits Jump, Panama and Hot for Teacher. Apart from that, the guitarist applied the signature riff to Michael Jackson’s smash 1982 hit ‘Beat It.’
Twenty fifteen has been a tremendous year for Van Halen, as Rolling Stone rated him, behind Chuck Berry and Duane Allman, the eighth best guitar player of all time.
Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready commented on Van Halen’s playing for Rolling Stone. He described:
“He sounded like it came from another planet; was glorious, like hearing Mozart for the first time.”
What a Long Great Trip It’s Been.. pic.twitter.com/M5pmkVi7hW
— David Lee Roth (@DavidLeeRoth) October 7, 2020
With a brief post on Twitter and a black-and-white photo of the pair together, Roth paid-tribute artist said:
"What a wonderful long trip it has been."
Over the decades-long tenure of the band, Van Halen fought various health problems. In 1999, he underwent hip replacement whereas a partial cancer removal of his tongue followed in 2000. Drug abuse and alcoholism problems led him to divorce from TV star Valerie Bertinelli in 2007. In parallel, he started a rehab stay, and reunited with Van Halen on bass with Wolfgang.
"Eddie Van Halen" by Alan Light is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Tribute-paid artists expressed their grief with beautiful messages.
"My heart is broken. Eddie was not only a guitar god, but a truly beautiful soul"
Gene Simmons said.
Paul Stanley, Simmons' Kiss bandmate said that:
“he was a trailblazer and someone who really gave his music everything. A decent spirit, too.”
Despite everything, the most heart-touching message was heard by Lenny Kravitz who stated:
“Heaven will be electric tonight”
John Mayer also described Van Halen as:
"an incredibly good musician and composer. One of the motivating factors of my need to pick up a guitar was to look up to him as a young child. I was so blown away watching his instrument exercise such power and speech.”
Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe compared Van Halen’s playing to that of Mozart’s. She said:
"You changed our world."
Lastly, Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler claimed that Van Halen was:
"one of the nicest, down to earth men I've ever met and toured with. A perfect gentleman and a true genius.”
Cancer has been a reason for all of us to remember Eddie’s beautiful personality. We sincerely wish his family well. May Eddie rest in peace.
Bibliography
Horton, A., 2020. Eddie Van Halen dies of cancer aged 65. The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/oct/06/eddie-van-halen-dead-age-65.