The world of hard rock lost one of its greatest inspirations and contributors with the tragic death of Edward Lodewijk Van Halen on Oct. 6. The world-famous guitarist blazed a formidable legacy in the musical world as a great innovator and performance artist from the early 70s to modern times.
Brothers Alex and Eddie Van Halen grew up in 1960s Los Angeles, the children of Dutch immigrants. Both of them immediately took to music, and they were tutored in drums and guitar at an early age.
The group that would become Van Halen was founded when Eddie was only seventeen, though the guitarist already had a wealth of experience in musical performances throughout his teenage years. The band’s unique glam-metal sound and over-the-top antics defined the genre and distinguished them from similar rock acts in the hyper-competitive L.A. music scene. Van Halen tapped into the spirit of teen rebellion like no other at the time. But crediting the band’s success to adolescent angst does them a massive disservice—Van Halen’s music is masterfully conceived and executed with an energy all their own.
The band eventually drew the attention of KISS frontman Gene Simmons, who would finance the band’s eponymous first album “Van Halen” in 1978. The release saw immediate success and catapulted the band to the forefront of the hard rock scene.
Songs such as “Runnin with the Devil,” “Ain’t Talkin ’bout Love” and “You Really Got Me” saw both massive commercial and critical success, while Eddie Van Halen’s masterpiece of a guitar solo “Eruption” cemented his reputation as a modern rock virtuoso. The band would go on to release “1984” and “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge” to name but a few acclaimed albums, with the latter earning the band a Grammy.
And while Van Halen thrived both commercially and in the public eye, the inner workings of the band were far more tumultuous. After lead-singer David Lee Roth left to pursue a successful solo career, Van Halen would cycle through several vocalists. The most notorious among them was larger-than-life personality Sammy Hagar, who would stay with the band through the release of “Balance” and “5150” among others.
In many ways, Eddie’s personal life mirrored the chaos of the band. His marriage to Valerie Bertinelli eventually ended in divorce, and he wed his second wife Janie Liszewski. Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie’s son from his marriage to Bertinelli, would go on to become an influential musician in his own right. He has worked with several prominent hard rock/metal acts and even filled in as the bassist for Van Halen on occasion.
Eddie Van Halen’s legacy and impact on modern music cannot be overstated. While the band shaped the hard/glam rock scene nearly forty years ago, Eddie Van Halen’s reach goes far beyond the commercial music industry.
Listening to the guitarist’s electric tapping and fast-paced vibrato is a casual reminder of Eddie’s genius and Van Halen’s trailblazing sound. The virtuoso’s proclivity for tremolo and two-handed tapping influenced glam rockers for decades to come. His rhythmic innovation is seen in the work of artists from Motley Crue to John Mayer.
EVH is truly a titan of rock ‘n’ roll, and he will remain an inspiration for generations of musicians to come. Rest in Peace.
