Eddie Van Halen

Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page called him, “the first significant new kid on the block”. The All Music touted, “one of the most influential, original, and talented rock guitarists of the 20th century”.

Indeed, the Dutch-born, US childhood transplant who is Eddie Van Halen, spawned an entire generation of “new” guitar players, with the release of “Van Halen I” in 1978. Van Halen almost single-handedly influenced the 1980’s hair band, super-fast pyrotechnic guitar style.

With his musical father Jan a source of influence, Eddie and brother Alex were exposed to music at a young age, and each learned several instruments. With Eddie finally settling on guitar, and brother Alex on drums, they set out to form the group that would eventually sell millions of records, and dazzle audiences throughout the world.

Eddie has cited Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Brian May, and Allan Holdsworth as primary influences, but it was Kiss bass player, Gene Simmons, that got the band signed to Warner Brothers Records after seeing the band at a Hollywood venue.

Eddie’s Blazing Style

Armed with a single humbucker guitar, hand-painted and slapped together from parts, Van Halen relied on complex right hand finger-tapping and diving vibrato techniques to make a sound all his own. Hammerons, pulloffs, fluid picking, and an intimate knowledge of the fingerboard, made guitarists of every skill and status level stop and listen.

Although Eddie Van Halen is a serious tone-meister, famously nit-picking at amplifier tube selection, custom electronic modifications, and carefully chosen effects, Van Halen’s sound and style is more the person, than electronic tricks. This is apparent on “Spanish Fly”, an acoustic solo piece on the band’s second album, “Van Halen II”. The piece features Eddie and an acoustic guitar, with no help from amplification or electronics. The song showcased Eddie’s raw skill, and proved to budding guitarists that there is more to playing than big amps and tricked-out instruments.

Van Halen Persona

With the huge success of Van Halen, came huge excess, mostly with alcohol, and is a curse that Eddie has lived with on and off throughout his career. Although the stories on all sides are confusing and contradictory, the fact remains that something got in the way at some point, causing the eventual departure of David Lee Roth. Replaced by Sammy Hagar, complete with new sound and song stylings, Eddie and the band reinvented themselves, and attracted new audiences. With Eddie’s proficiency on keyboards, and the proven co-writing and guitar playing skills of Sammy Hagar, Eddie never missed a beat in what some thought was a bold and silly move.

Van Halen’s persona and personality got the better of him eventually, firing Hagar, hiring Extreme front man Gary Cherone, and attempting to reinvent the band yet again. But the alternative rock era was in full swing by the “Van Halen III” album release, featuring Cherone in 1998. Although the album was pure Van Halen, and Cherone a strong and competent singer, the era of Eddie Van Halen had already come to a close.

Eddie Van Halen – From 2000 to Present

EddieVan Halen and the band have taken several hiatuses in recent years, some due to Eddie’s health problems, including hip surgery, mouth cancer, and alcohol rehab, but several reunion tours have proved successful, both with returning David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar. One of Eddie’s points of pride is the addition of his bass player son, Wolfgang, who replaced long-time bassist Michael Anthony, and performed with the band for their 2007 world tour.

Whatever the future holds for Eddie Van Halen, he will remain the godfather of uber-guitarists around the globe.

By Scotty Smith
Guitarist Rock ©2008-2009