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Eddie Van Halen R.I.P.

kip595
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Man...what a legend. RIP and rock on, good sir! 馃檨
 
Archer
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Not my favourite band certainly, but I can't escape the memories of being in the games room in college, playing pool between classes and hearing tracks from 1984 over and over again. This is partly because of the music, and partly because one of the other guys that hung out there made himself into a version of David Lee Roth...he looked a lot like him in fact...

RIP Eddie...
 
JwRosenthal
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I was 6 when their first album came out, my sister was 13- she got a copy of it right when it came out and going from Donna Summers to that in 1978 blew my mind. They became a staple of my formative years all the way through the 90's. Despite my musical tastes evolving as I matured, I still can't help but turn up the radio when Hot for Teacher comes on.
 
Marsimaxam
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A rock legend.

I met him once in the early 1980s at a wrap party for the show "One Day at A Time" 100th episode. He was with his wife at the time, Valerie Bertinelli, and a mutual friend of ours introduced us to one another. Eddie was nothing like I had expected, he was extremely down to earth, very easy to talk to, and did not have a star ego. At first, we talked about his life and then he directed the conversation to my interests and we chatted for about 20 minutes... no, we didn't talk about watches. He had his demons but when I met him he truly was a great guy.

Too young and my thoughts reach out to his family.
 
JwRosenthal
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89-0 89-0
RIP. The soundtrack of my youth in Palos Verdes:

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Los Angeles for me - I remember seeing that album cover larger than life on the side of Tower Records on Sunset when I was in middle school. RIP to Tower records as well.
 
BlackTalon
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Sad. VH was a large part of my life's sound track in high school and college.
 
Walrus
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Not my type of music but I appreciate such talent whenever it arrives. I had a lot of friends who played his music, and still do, frequently. Definitely sad news to hear on the way home
 
mydeafcat
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Like @Archer, Van Halen was never a favourite band of mine. But as a player, I must give credit where it鈥檚 due, and they were a really great band. Pop metal legends. (Well, until Sammy Hagar joined, imo). Every schlocky hair-farmer metal band from the 80鈥檚 owes Eddie鈥檚 estate a handsome sum in borrowed and outright stolen ideas.

I was 15 when their first record landed, and as I was first, erm, experimenting with illicit smokables at the time, that LP made a huge impact. Running With The Devil Is a hell of a way to begin your debut; few songs are as heavy - with killer harmonies, to boot! - to this day. Then came Eruption, which to guitarists is what a Rush concert is to air drummers.

I鈥檒l likely not forgive the band鈥檚 slagging The Clash at the US Festival way back when, but as their most gifted member and writer, EvH gets a pass. He slayed. RIP.
Edited:
 
Buck2466
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Saddened! That first album. It literally kicked disco to the curb. IMO, Eddie was the 2nd most influential guitarist ever, behind Hendrix. He influenced a whole generation. He changed the guitar, both by his playing and his tinkering with the guitar itself. He had a patent for the tremolo bar that he developed out of frustration of his guitar getting out of tune. He had a huge influence on me as a young man and I never even learned to play. He was my first major musical idol. As I matured, I moved on to other guitarist, but always held him in great reverence. I'm going to go and revisit some old VH and probably appreciate them just a little bit more. Every guitarist alive today owes him a debt of gratitude! RIP EVH!
 
W
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A friend owns a guitar store in Seattle and a few years ago decided to paint it in the classic VH paint scheme. Apparently he had enough connections in the industry that he was able to get permission and Eddie was so impressed he helped cover the cost! He called it WallHalen, it was a landmark in the area but sadly closed this year.....2020 has really been a bummer.

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pascs
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A big part of my music life in the 80's and very sad news., RIP.

I turned 18 in 1984 and many songs from Van Halen's 1984 album were played at my 18th birthday, shared the night with my friends at a night club in town. Great night and great music.
 
dukerules
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My first favorite band. 1984 was the first album I ever bought. Very sad. RIP, EVH.
 
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