In Memoriam
Eddie Van Halen
January 26, 1955 – October 6, 2020 · aged 65
Hard Rock · Heavy Metal
Edward Lodewijk Van Halen was the smiling, revolutionary virtuoso who completely rewrote the vocabulary of the electric guitar. Born in the Netherlands in 1955 and raised in California, Eddie didn't just play his instrument; he reconstructed it. He popularized the 'two-handed tapping' technique, unleashing a blindingly fast, fluid torrent of notes on the instrumental masterpiece 'Eruption' that left other guitarists completely baffled. With his band Van Halen, he combined this jaw-dropping technical wizardry with an undeniable pop sensibility, creating colossal arena-rock anthems like 'Jump' and 'Panama.' He even provided the iconic, blistering guitar solo on Michael Jackson's 'Beat It.' Beyond his playing, he was a relentless tinkerer, patenting his own guitar designs and modifying amps to achieve his signature 'Brown Sound.' After a long, quiet battle with throat cancer, Eddie passed away on October 6, 2020, at the age of 65. He remains the most influential rock guitarist since Jimi Hendrix.
Milestones
Eruption, Jump, Panama
Also remembered in 2020
- Bill Withers (1938–2020)
- Kenny Rogers (1938–2020)
- Little Richard (1932–2020)
- Neil Peart (1952–2020)