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Guitar virtuoso Eddie Van Halen has died, aged 65

Updated / Wednesday, 7 Oct 2020 00:12
Eddie Van Halen on stage in Chicago in 1979
Eddie Van Halen on stage in Chicago in 1979

Eddie Van Halen, lead guitarist and co-founder of rock group Van Halen, has died following "a long and arduous battle with cancer".

The 65-year-old musician, who is often referred to as one of the all-time best guitar players, had been living with throat cancer for a number of years.

Eddie's son, Wolfgang Van Halen, who became Van Halen's bassist in 2006, confirmed the news on Twitter.

He wrote: "I can't believe I'm having to write this, but my father has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning.

Eddie and Wolfgang Van Halen on stage at Madison Square Garden in New York in 2012

"He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage has been like a gift.

"My heart is broken and I don't think I'll ever fully recover from this loss."

Eddie, who fought alcoholism, had battled with a number of health issues. He first received treatment for tongue cancer in 2000 and the subsequent surgery removed about a third of his tongue.

He was declared cancer-free in 2002. It was reported last year that Eddie had been privately battling throat cancer for five years.

Dutch-born and California-raised, Eddie and his brother Alex founded Van Halen in the early 1970s in Los Angeles. Michael Anthony joined on bass and David Lee Roth was on vocals. The hard rock band became a staple of the famed Sunset Strip before releasing their debut album Van Halen I in 1978.

The album shot to number 19 on the Billboard charts, becoming one of the most successful debuts of the decade.

Cementing their place in rock history Van Halen followed up with another tour-de-force on their second record, Van Halen II.

The group have released 12 studio albums and have had more number one hits on the mainstream US rock chart than any other artist. Their classic hits include Jump, Runnin' with the Devil, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Hot for Teacher, Why Can't This Be Love and the guitar solo instrumental Eruption.

Eddie's solo on Michael Jackson's 1983 hit Beat It is considered one of the greatest guitar solos of all time - which he did as a "favour" and was not paid for. Eddie just asked for a case of beer and for Michael to "teach him how to dance someday".

After selling 56 million albums in the US and 80 million worldwide, Van Halen took their place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in January 2007.

In 2012, Eddie was voted number one in a Guitar World magazine readers' poll for The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.

In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie eighth on their list of the 100 greatest guitar players of all time.

Pearl Jam's Mike McCready penned a tribute at the time, and said: "A lot of it is in his hands: the way he holds his pick between his thumb and middle finger, which opens things up for his finger-tapping. (When I found out he played that way, I tried it myself, but it was too weird).

"But underneath that, Eddie has soul. It's like Hendrix - you can play the things he's written, but there's an X factor that you can't get."

Eddie is credited with bringing "finger tapping" - where a player uses both their hands on the guitar neck - to a wider audience, influencing generations of hard rock and heavy metal guitarists. 

Van Halen was married twice. His first wife was the actress Valerie Bertinelli. She is Wolfgang's mother. They divorced in 2007. Van Halen married Janie Liszewski in 2009.

Paying tribute, Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler described Van Halen as "a true gent and true genius".

"Just when I thought 2020 couldn't get any worse, I hear Eddie Van Halen has passed," he tweeted.

"So shocking - One of the nicest, down to Earth men I have ever met and toured with. A true gent and true genius. RIP. So sad. Thoughts go out to his brother Alex, and his family." 

Black Sabbath gave Van Halen one of their big breaks in 1978, taking them on tour with them in Europe as a support act.

Tommy Thayer, lead guitarist for Kiss, said he is "so sad to hear this". 

The Twitter account of metal group Pantera tweeted Van Halen was a "tremendous influence" on their music. It said: "RIP Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen were a tremendous influence on both Vinnie & Dime & Pantera. Hopefully they are all rocking out together now!"



Star Wars actor Mark Hamill sent his condolences to Wolfgang, adding: "But take solace in knowing that he will be long remembered and live on forever as one of Rock's most extraordinary guitar virtuosos."

Scott Ian from heavy metal band  Anthrax shared a black and white picture of Eddie on stage with the caption: "I remember the moment I heard Eruption - 9th grade lunchroom early 1978, our long hair crew sequestered at our usual table in the corner - all seven of us crowded around my friend David Karibian's little cassette player that was cued up...

"David was smiling at us because he'd already heard it and he knew it was going to blow our f****** minds and then he hit play... 7 jaws hit the floor at the same time and life suddenly was so much more fun."

Artists and celebrities from across the world of entertainment have taken to social media to pay tribute:

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