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Eddie Van Halen R.I.P.


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RIP.  One of my earliest memories after we moved to the suburbs of Chicago was meeting up with my buddy Ziggy who stole his brothers boom box so we could ride around on our bikes cranking Dance the Night Away.   The Northbrook Sports Complex was where many an hour were spent wondering how he made that guitar make such musical noise.   Actually, 40+ years later I’m still wondering.  

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49 minutes ago, Biz Prof said:

Best tribute I can muster.  This track, alone, made me put my trumpet back in its case and set me on a course in which playing guitar would be my #1 lifetime hobby, favorite leisure pursuit, and for a few years in my 20s, my income. 

 

 

 

All I got is the analysis of this song on my podcast. Of course I spoke reverently of him, but I'm sure not nearly enough.

 

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He may have caused permanent damage to my right ear when I saw him live in `93 but he is hands down my favourite guitarist of all time. I made a couple of paintings based on him. Here's one from 2005 (230 x 260 cm, charcoal and tie dye on canvas). Rest in peace, Eddie!

eddie(230x260)3.0.jpg

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I didn't get the impact some of you felt when you heard the first VH album for the first time. My first VH album was Women And Children First. But yes, I did like that album and followed the band's works. And I tried some of their songs, tried tapping too. Well, I can't deny, he had an impact on my playing. R.I.P. EVH

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My formative early teen years (12-15?) centered around rock and roll and Van Halen was one of those monsters played on what were then rock music stations are now classic rock stations.  They/he defined what rock and roll was supposed to be: loud, fast, guitars, fun, heavy.

And the Cradle Will Rock was most likely the first thing I heard, though all the hits- You Really Got Me, Feel Your Love Tonight, Ain't Talking Bout Love, Ice Cream Man were all mushed together from friends borrowed records and tapes.  Always thought the album cover, front and back, of Women and Children First was the coolest rock and roll thing.

 

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Van Halen was a major part of my Life from 1977 till 1984 and beyond.

Saw them the first time opening up for Black Sabbath and they just blew them off the stage.  Saw them at least 7 more times over the years.  RIP!

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I’m devastated.  Saw them in 1980, twice in 1981, in 1982, 1984...  saw them with Sammy in 1986, then in 2008.

The second time on the Fair Warning tour was in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on the last regular show of their North American tour...  We were in the first row of the balcony, right above Eddie’s side of the stage...  During his solo, I’m hanging over the rail, cheering and pointing at him...  He stops and points back at me.  It was like being blessed by the Pope.
 

He was The Greatest of All Time.  Thanks, Eddie, for a HUGE part of the soundtrack of my life.
 

 

 

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EVH is blasting loud in the shop tonight.   

My brother never knew how often I would sneak in and play a bootlegged Van Halen tape that he had gotten ahold of, once I figured out how to work his stereo ( I was about 7).  EVH was the inspiration for one of the first guitars I ever built. 

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Knowing any words I could come up with will fall short, I’ll just share Keith Urban’s. 
 

There are lots of great guitar players in the world, but very VERY few true innovators. Players who seem to have arrived from a far distant planet , and who bring a completely new color to the rainbow. Eddie Van Halen was this and so much more. Even without the finger tapping, you had a player with extraordinary touch, tone, and a rhythmic pocket and bounce that floated like Ali in the ring. He was a master of complex solos that spoke to non musicians...THAT IS HARD TO DO. The reason was the exquisite melody in his heart, and the joy in his soul of playing FOR people - and it came through like a ray of sun we ALL felt.”

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I heard on KLOS this morning and listened to VH all day long....,I was a guitar player when EVH came up...I cannot stree how impactful it was to hear him...his tone was different and crazy good, chops better than anyone else, his entire SOUND was HUGE...,and his rhythm playing was every bit as good as his lead playing...,he had humor in his playing, emotion and damn the dude could SWING like no other player amongst his peers. Great sense of melody on top of it all. The entire package.  He just blew everyone away...,n9 one knew how he did it..,@ true guitar innovator and revolutionary..,all with swagger, humor, and a pop sensibility that made everyone like his band. Listen to those who followed and tried to imitate him...,some killer technicians but no swing....

The GOAT. 

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Can't say that I didn't see this coming, but it doesn't make it hurt any less. I've never known anyone to play with such a reckless, wild abandon. There was such joy in his playing, you could damn near hear him smiling. 

RIP Ed.

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EVH was a big influence on me early on...  I remember the first time I heard "Ice Cream Man" and I was floored!  His sense of hard-rock style and swagger set the stage for the 80's and beyond.  While I think there have been players that technically surpassed him, no one else had that tone and style that only Eddie could bring.  His sense of melody and timing were sublime, and he will go down along with Hendrix as the biggest rock guitar innovators ever.  RIP EVH...  we'll miss you! 😢

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Looking through Twitter and Instagram this afternoon, seems there was one thing most of the world still all agreed on, and that was Eddie Van Halen. It’s hard not getting choked up seeing how many different kinds of musicians and just people loved the guy. 

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