This year just won’t let up on the crappy news will it? However, in 2020’s defense, Eddie had been in poor health for some time given his years of hard drinking and drugs which was mandatory when Van Halen ruled the world. Still doesn’t make the pain any easier, he was such well-loved musician.
Van Halen really came to my attention around 1981 with their appearance on the syndicated show Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert. Quite a lineup that episode too, Adam Ant and Van Halen videos with a David Lee Roth interview. I might of heard earlier material when WLS played “harder” stuff at night but the cover of “Pretty Woman” put them permanently into my brain thanks to WDBR and a classmate who liked to play “And the Cradle Will Rock” at recess. When we moved to Houston KLOL introduced me to the larger catalog. Despite leaning more toward New Wave stuff, Van Halen didn’t bother me until 1984, which got played ad nauseum for 18 months. My brother had it on vinyl.
I regained some respect for Eddie when Sammy Hagar replaced David. I thought, he doesn’t feel threatened to have another skilled guitar player in the band and maybe the songwriting will improve, be less juvenile (my teen self would’ve used the word “burnout” instead). I had to admit 5150 demonstrated that the personnel change was a good thing unlike INXS getting somebody who sounded too similar to Michael Hutchence.
Half-way through Marquette, I got the opportunity to see Van Halen live at the (now gone) Bradley Center for the OU812 tour. Again, not my go-to genre but I wanted to grow old and say to my descendants, “I saw Van Halen once and they tore the roof off!” Eddie’s guitar playing didn’t disappoint. He was also a generous performer because he let Sammy perform a couple solo hits. The only one I remember was “Eagles Fly.”
Then the Nineties happened. The hits were fewer, tastes changed and Van Halen’s audience aged and got saddled with adult responsibilities. At least Paul and Helen played “When Love Walks In” at their reception when they were introduced as newlyweds. A few years later, Sammy bailed and the replacement dude from Extreme just didn’t connect. Later, Michael Anthony left to join Sammy in Chickenfoot.
Yet Eddie remained a guitar/musical hero to many artists across genres, years and continents. Weezer imitated their logo. Billy Corgan interviewed Eddie for Guitar magazine with such worship. Nerf Herder has a song literally called “Van Halen” which details a person’s love of their albums. The Bird & The Bee did a whole cover album of the band’s hits. Van Halen was one of the few acts to get a video game featuring their stuff. So they thankfully didn’t disappear completely, preventing the reunion tours to reek of desperation…hey Generation Jones and X, remember us? Regardless of the fame, Eddie was somebody who just loved to perform and you could see it in his face.
Thanks Eddie. For everything. Your music. Your contributions. The inspiration you gave to my favorite artists. And especially your trademark smile. The Eighties wouldn’t have been the same without you. I also hope that if there’s an afterlife, you’re a better air hockey player than Hendrix, I’ve heard Ben Franklin needs to be taken down a peg.