Posted on 10/06/2020 12:43:47 PM PDT by Mmogamer
the legendary guitarist and co-founder of Van Halen -- has died after a long battle with throat cancer ... TMZ has learned.
The soundtrack of my youth! Very sad, his music permeated through my late teenage years, my stint in basic training and my first marriage.
Bought their first album when nobody knew Van Halen.
Saw them as an opening band at the 1978 Texxas Jam in Dallas at the Cotton Bowl.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9r-NxuYszg
“Eruption” (live, 13 minutes.) One of many on You Tube. Great stuff, but, even here, it’s sadly obvious just how hooked on the cigs Eddie was, and what the future would likely hold. Granted that most of his contemporaries did worse.
So many great talents lost in 2020... :-(
Rest in peace, Eddie.
“Keyboards were a new instrument for him.” >>> Wrong. He was a classically trained pianist. Also played drums and from what I understand could wing it on any instrument he picked up. I’m not surprised either.
“I have had may fill of 2020 too.”
Tell me about it. And the election isn’t even here yet. If Old man Biden makes it....far as I’m concerned life is over.
Why is everyone saying “too soon”? My husband was an excellent guitar player. Van Halen, in his words, changed his world regarding the direction he chose to play his instrument which he could as well as Eddie IMO. But he died completely unexpectedly (supposedly in perfect health) at 53. I wish my husband would have lived to the ripe old age of 65!!!
Head and neck cancer is no joke. So many times you can have a massive surgery and it will come back again even weeks after the surgery. I’m sure he tried everything available, medically, to survive for as long as he could.
I got the impression that in his final years he pretty much was done with rock music, in fact, I remember him saying that he rarely ever listened to rock music, and this was when he was in his 30s, he primarily listened to classical music.
Edward Lodewijk Van Halen. I too was weaned on his music.
I read that he believed his holding a metal guitar pick in his mouth over the years contributed to his cancer.
As my mother always used to say, Time waits for no no one.
A nice tribute from his son, Wolf.
https://twitter.com/WolfVanHalen/status/1313561314598350848
My “Too Soon” comment was aimed at the joke made “too soon” after his death was announced.
It is a common remark made when someone tries to lighten the mood after a celebrity death or any other traumatic event.
OK, yes, I had heard that about being trained on piano. But I did hear him say in an interview that he was particularly proud of Jump. And I still maintain that the guitar was HIS instrument. Keyboards were secondary.
The ultimate indignity is that the guy paid into Socialist Security his whole life and never got to collect on it.
Same with my dad. He died one month before he was to turn 65.
That sux.
True. Guitar being #1 cannot be denied.
Behind the scenes with the opening act for VH in 2004.... You won’t be disappointed!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRPV5q41m6E
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