Another tough loss in the year 2020 to deal with. Eddie was a game-changer in a lot of our worlds as fans of guitars and fans of his band Van Halen.
I never played guitar but I sure as hell did a lot of air banding to all those iconic EVH riffs from the very first time I sauntered home in the snow after a trip from the record store back in January 81. I had firmly gripped under my arm a copy of “Women and Children First” and dropped the needle on my crappy stereo.
My stereo never sounded so good as EVH’s playing just knocked me into next week with that style of his.
I never heard that tone the ‘brown sound’ as they called it. What can I possibly add other than to say…
Thanks for the music, Eddie! You will be missed!
Yup, the pic posted below will be what I’m getting into this evening…
Half Arsed Rock Reviews 
I remember the rumors at the start of the year but I was hoping he beat it… it sucks…it really does. He developed his own style.
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Thanks for checking in Max. As fans we were always hoping he would beat it. The music he created will live on Forever.
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Yes it will. I feel really bad for his son.
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Wolfie comes across as the real deal.
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This has been a devastating day. I’m blasting Hear About It Later in Tokyo right now. His presence is massive.
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Eddie is brilliant on that live album. Mainstreet is phenomenal.
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So is Mean Street! 😉
Yes he is, and I think Dave overshadowed Eddie just because he was BACK. But listen to Eddie on that thing! As good as ever!
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Ugh I’m tired. Thanks for spellchecking…
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All good man, I only mean it to tease 🙂
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Sad news for sure. Had a love/hate relationship w VH. I guess the issue was I saw them on their first tour in 1978 opening for Black Sabbath, and they were never as good as they were on that first tour. Here’s the stub. RIP Eddie.
https://thestubcollection.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/black-sabbath-and-van-halen-1151978/
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Thanks for sharing Jeff!
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Of course. Bums me out how many musicians we grew up with are disappearing. Makes you value every day.
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Yeah, exactly Father Time is catching up with our heroes!
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Very well written. My first experience of Van Halen was in the service when a marine buddy blasted some Van Halen. I was hooked from the get go. At the moment, I feel a little bad about calling him a sell out in 1986. Rest in peace Eddie.
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All good Sir. VH shifted gears in 86 but dig deep into that album and EVH is stellar. Thanks for the kind words!
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I’ll listen to that album again in memory.
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I’m blasting my 5150 amp with my Charvel guitar loud. RIP
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That’s awesome Pete! Wake up the kids the right way! It’s 5150 time!
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It still feels like a chunk has been taken out of me, Deke. Making a crappy stereo sound great. That is the perfect compliment.
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Thanks Kev. Lot’s of great tributes here at WordPress tonight. To think what I consider the best drummer and guitarist ever to grace this earth pass away in the space of 9 months is unimaginable yet it happened.
2020 can go away…
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Hell yes.
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Tough tough loss Deke….I still remember listening to women and children first at your place. I recall thinking that there’s no way one guy is playing ALL THAT GUITAR. I put tape all over my shitty music city guitar shortly after that, to try and make it look like eddies. We had a lot of good times listening to VH together, just trying to figure out what the hell Eddie was doing.
Peart/ Van Halen….2020 has been one massive kick in the nuts buddy.
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Yeah our music heroes are falling to Father Time Muk!
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I have all those vinyls as well. They need to release them all in vinyl.
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Agreed John. I hope at some point they do!
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Man oh man. I am still mourning this to be honest. I’ve been watching everything available on YouTube and listening to podcasts on the band I didn’t even know existed. This has winded me for the time being and I’m actually surprised how much this has fucked me up. Great read though Deke.
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