Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Eddie Van Halen

Posted in:

Illinois
YouTube

* I was just on the phone with a friend and we were talking about Eddie Van Halen’s untimely death. All of a sudden, I remembered exactly when I heard Van Halen’s first hit song for the very first time. I was riding in my buddy Art Tryon’s car and we were leaving his trailer park when it came on the radio. We were both just completely blown away by their out of this world cover of the Kinks classic. RIP, Eddie. You meant a lot to so many of us…

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:15 pm

Comments

I remember being blown away by Eruption and You Really Got Me. Remember Camaros, Trans Am’s and other cool cars of that era, blasting out VH. It was an earth-shaking entry into fame and now out with EVH’s passing. RIP to a legend.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:24 pm
This one stings. Absolute legend. He changed the game.

Comment by Birds on the Bat Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:26 pm
Eddie Van Halen composed the soundtrack of my youth. RIP and thanks.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:29 pm
Eddie played guitar in ways others dreamed they could, but their own imaginations couldn’t keep up with the talent Eddie had. One of a very select that the guitar and he were one.

Music is not my forte, I like what I like, I’m lucky when people expose me to music to appreciate, but no one needed to do that with Van Halen. A legend, unique, original.

Godspeed

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:38 pm
I had Van Halen I on 8 track.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:38 pm
In a decade of superior lead guitarists, Eddie held his own place. Top five in my opinion.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:41 pm
Crushed.

To this day when “Unchained” comes on the radio I become a rebellious teenager with the volume up to 10.

Google the video footage of Eddie on the David Letterman Show. It was his finest hour.

Comment by Winderweezle Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:42 pm
Saw them at the SIU Arena, circa early/mid 1980’s.

Eddie was a guitar virtuoso, rock royalty and a true original. Van Halen was always meant to be turned up . . . .loud.

Our generation lost a great one today. RIP

Comment by Chad Hays Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:42 pm
Not a favorite band, but Eddie was clearly a very good guitar player and the best thing about the band, who gave props to the very best (Jimmy Page, notably, and, of course) for how he learned techniques as he attained his own fame. interesting use of tapping, and that he held a few patents for guitar implements may be his best legacy. Rock on, Eddie.

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:48 pm
===on 8 track===

Art had an 8-track player in his car.

He was fiddling with it one day while he was taking me home, hit a patch of ice and we slammed into a fire hydrant. Oops.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:51 pm
Ok, 2020 has been a brutal year and all, but this is just cruel. RIP Eddie.

Comment by AnonymousFool Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:59 pm
Van Halen’s cover of Pretty Woman, with Eddie’s Intruder intro - a classic. He will be missed.

Comment by Res Melius Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 4:59 pm
What 47th said. Soundtrack to my HS days. He was a GREAT guitarist. One of the all time best. So smooth and natural. You could tell that he would play in a band for free just to play. We all wanted to be having his kind of fun and be carefree. Can’t help but feel that this year has killed any carefree moments we could hope for in the foreseeable future. Goodbye Eddie. RIP.

Comment by Boomerang Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 5:02 pm
I can’t express my sadness any more eloquently than previous commenters. This will go down in recent history as the worst year ever.

Comment by Cubs in '16 Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 5:04 pm
As if 2020 wasn’t bad enough. One of the Mt. Rushmore of guitarists has been lost.

Comment by Stones Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 5:09 pm
Finally, something we agree on. RIP, Eddie.

Comment by Really Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 5:24 pm
Remembering Neal Peart on drums who passed earlier this year.

Comment by eyeball Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 5:35 pm
He created the soundtrack of the 80s and beyond. A definite talent.

Thank you Eddie for sharing your talent with us during your time among us. Your music will live on and so will your memory.

Comment by FormerParatrooper Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 5:38 pm
By the late 70s Led Zeppelin were fading badly due to various tragedies and addictions. Van Halen stepped in and filled a large void. Van Halen, even Van Hagar, was the soundtrack of my youth.

Comment by Independent Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 5:45 pm
Damn, that guy could play, & a nice ‘goofy’ counter to Roth’s sexy showman… though there was only one of those & it wasn’t Roth.

Comment by LoyalVirus Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 5:57 pm
Not going to lie, this one brings a tear to my eye.

Comment by thunderspirit Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 6:02 pm
I was a kid, probably 8 or 9, going through a collection of vinyl at home. I saw the album and thought it looked cool. Lay it on the record player. Set the needle down. Running with the Devil starts playing. It was one more day where music changed my life. Some moments you never forget. RIP Eddie.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 6:27 pm
Rest in peace,Eddie.

Comment by Dotnonymous Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 6:55 pm
Had VW beetle that I put a good sound system in. Announcer came on with a new song, from a new group. You Really Got Me, Van Halen. Right hand hit the volume to max. And both hands played the drum wheel. Still do.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 7:36 pm
I was lucky enough to see the band in concert once in 1995 at Tinley Park. It’s a sad day today. We didn’t deserve Eddie’s musical talent. What a run it was for one of the all-time greats.

Comment by Dutch Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 7:55 pm
==I had Van Halen I on 8 track. ==

Same here. The plastic case was yellow. (The rest of my 8-tracks were black, but VH1 was yellow.)

Saw Van Halen play at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago in 1980. I will never forget that concert; front row of the balcony overlooking the stage from a little less than midway back. Amazing. RIP Eddie V.

Comment by Pot calling kettle Tuesday, Oct 6, 20 @ 8:44 pm
Still have ny VH 8 track tape just nothing to play it in. Great band one for the ages

Comment by theCardinal Wednesday, Oct 7, 20 @ 4:44 am