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It is my sincere desire to provide readers of this site with the best unbiased information available, and a forum where it can be discussed openly, as our Founders intended. But it is not easy nor inexpensive to do so, especially when those who wish to prevent us from making the truth known, attack us without mercy on all fronts on a daily basis. So each time you visit the site, I would ask that you consider the value that you receive and have received from The Burning Platform and the community of which you are a vital part. I can't do it all alone, and I need your help and support to keep it alive. Please consider contributing an amount commensurate to the value that you receive from this site and community, or even by becoming a sustaining supporter through periodic contributions. [Burning Platform LLC - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal
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How sad.
Since it is law that we all post a “…I saw them” story, I will go first.
1982? Orange Bowl, Orlando, FL. opening for the Rolling Stones.
Better than the main act. They tore it up in their prime.
Just phenomenal.
One of the all-time greats. Those Orlando shows were in 81. I went to the first one (Bill Wyman’s birthday). Saw them open for Sabbath in 78. And saw them in the Capital Center in DC in 81. Not many people will be truly immortal. He is one of them. Not many clips from that 1981 Fair Warning tour, which is probably their best tour.
I know there are lots of great guitarists. Tons of them but, imo, Eddie was the greatest of them all. He had an an amazing mix of melody, style, onstage presence, technical prowess, the rocker look etc. etc. etc.
Truly amazing guitarist.
Here is a guy who makes it look easy.
17 year old Jacob Deraps…
Sorry its from the VanHagar years….but still Eddie
Eddie Van Halen is prime. But I couldn’t stand Sammy Hagar and completely stopped following the band after the exit of David Lee Roth. I hate seeing replacements in bands of key people.
1984 was the second album I ever bought.
Saw them at Mile High Stadium 1988 they were the headliner for monsters of rock
My second album was 1984 also. My first was Back in Black.
From a bit earlier
And earlier still
Actually, this was the US Festival in 1983 (should have gone to that…wasn’t that far away at the time).
You have to love Eddie Van Halen’s goofy smile.
I was there and they were late to get on stage and then drunk David Lee Roth could barely perform.
1985 St Louis with ZZ Top as opening act. I was a ZZ Top fan but those Van Halen guys were pretty good too.
Saw ’em open for Black Sabbath, September 29th, 1978 in Seattle.
I was 13……
And because there IS a theme on this site…even if it isn’t Friday
That’s one of my favorite Van Halen videos that appeared on MTV.
It was announced on the radio a bit ago. For a minute I was afraid they were going to say he died of Convid.
I saw them at the Fox theater in Atlanta in I think it was either 1979 or 1980.
Total bummed out here. When someone asks what do I like(music), my first response is always VH. Here is a little tune that I think fits, ironically without Eddie.
Thanks Eddie, thanks for all the good times.
Not unexpected. He was in terrible health due to chronic alcoholism going back to his mid teens. Had all kinds of orthopedic troubles too. Never saw them but my band way back when got a bootleg copy of their demos and for about 6 weeks we played Runnin’ with the Devil like it was our own song. Had some splainin’ to do after their first album came out though.
Funny thing was in LA from about 1975-77 their shows were so rowdy and often violent that they got mislabeled by local media as punk rock.
Here’s those demos. They’re on YouTube now, but back in the day they were pure gold.
In my opinion, Van Halen had the #1 front man and the #1 guitarist of all time.
Not very Christlike, but I still tune in occasionally.
I’m not as bummed about this as I once would have been. Great respect for the man. Made me want to play guitar and then made me realize I suck at it.
When I was in 9th grade there was a new kid with relative that was upper level at MTV. He told us 2 things I will never forget.
1. At the end of the 1984 tour Van Halen would be breaking up.
2. Rob Halford is gay.
We didn’t believe either of them.
RIP Eddie, I hope you find peace.
Very sad. I was hoping Eddie and Sammy would patch things up … if even just for the heck of it. Sure goes to show you … how short life can be. Makes me WANT to get along with ALL others. Even that Mormon dude (on this site) that likes to rile people up.
Never saw him play in person, but what stood out, besides his talent, was that Eddie was always smiling in their music videos.
RIP.
Awesome,did not till did a long scroll thru articles realize the recognition of Ed and good taste of folks on this site!I saw em in the beginning,they backed Sabbath in their till reunions last tour with the Ozz,awesome show and then saw em about a year later Cape Cod Coliseum as main act when VH2 came out,Cape Cod during the summer with all the women and Van Halens best song in my opinion,Beautiful Girls,I Love Em/I Need Em!
One of the Best Urban Myths is Van Halen Legendary….and clever as hell:
Rock band Van Halen had one of the most oddly specific requests of all: a bowl of M&M candies, with all the brown ones removed. For years, it was seen as complete folly — the band was making a ridiculous demand of concert organizers simply because they could get away with it.
But the seemingly ludicrous request was actually a shrewd business move. (We were reminded of it while reading Ian Parker’s excellent profile of New York Times food critic Pete Wells in the New Yorker; he mentions the Van Halen M&M episode in passing.)
The band’s concert rider indeed had a clause saying there could be no brown M&Ms in the backstage area, or the promoter would forfeit the entire show at full price.
van halen rider
Part of a rider from Van Halen’s 1982 world tour. via thesmokinggun.com
As lead singer David Lee Roth explained in a 2012 interview, the bowl of M&Ms was an indicator of whether the concert promoter had actually read the band’s complicated contract.
I;m dating myself with this but Fair Warning released in 1981 was by far Van Halen’s best album..
The guitar work is amazing! My favourite VH album by far and in my top 10 for all time…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGzdtJINK-E
Yup
So sad to hear this. Eddie Van Halen was a genius guitar player. Many artists have credited him for his own influence in their own work.
And kudos to Paul Schaffer, a very talented musician in his own right
Great guitarist….douchebag of a human being . I never read or saw an interview that he didn’t come across as an arrogant twit .
First concert I ever went to at the Garden State Art Center; Balance tour: Summer of 1995
Album wasn’t the best but this was a pretty good tune with eerie application to today’s circumstances:
You will have to excuse Jeff Daniels from Dumb and Dumber.
Those two fuckers fought (Eddie and David) and denied us of more great music! RIP!