I never quite took to Van Halen. Oh, I didn't hate them, and I certainly didn't mind hearing them. God knows they were on at parties and on the radio when I was coming up. Then there was MTV. Something about the songs never put the band up in my top favorite spots.

I always had enormous respect for Eddie Van Halen. He was a virtuoso player who revolutionized rock guitar. Millions wanted to play just like him. Guitarists who became pros, and ones who never played outside their bedrooms. A true Guitar Hero; a God of the electric axe.

That first album came out when I was in high school. I was neck deep in my Zappa obsession at the time. Van Halen were a new band, and they were coming to town. The headliners were Black Sabbath, with Van Halen opening up. The buzz about Van Halen was incredible. Kids loved Sabbath, but most thought Van Halen was going to blow them off the stage. I didn't attend the show, but everyone I talked to said that, yes, Van Halen blew Black Sabbath off the fucking stage.

Van Halen was the ultimate party band. Their music reminds me of carefree days of youth. Hot beaches, cold beer, laughing, air guitarists, and one hell of a lot of fun.

Despite never having owned a piece of Van Halen music, never put them on a turntable or cassette deck, never spinning a compact disc of theirs on one of my players, I am deeply and profoundly sad about the loss of Eddie. He was an iconic part of the culture and a indelible presence of my young adulthood. If there really is a rock and roll heaven, like that stupid old song goes, they just got the best guitar player they have ever known.

Written by Mark Sieber

No comments

The author does not allow comments to this entry