[ad_1]
Revered rock guitarist Eddie Van Halen died at the age of 65 after a battle with cancer, his son said. Van Halen was part of Van Halen’s classical line-up alongside his brother Alex, Michael Anthony on bass and David Lee Roth on singing.
The band was extremely successful and has sold more than 80 million records worldwide.
In a statement shared on Twitter, Van Halen’s son Wolfgang said his father died on Tuesday.
He said: “I can’t believe I have to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, lost his long and hard battle with cancer this morning.
“He was the best father I could ask for. Every moment I have shared with him on and off stage was a gift.
“My heart is broken and I don’t think I will ever fully recover from this loss.”
Wolfgang, who became Van Halen’s bassist, added, “I love you so much, Pop.”
Van Halen, who struggled with alcoholism, had struggled with health problems. He was first treated for tongue cancer in 2000 and subsequent surgery removed about a third of his tongue.
He was declared cancer free in 2002. Last year it was reported that Van Halen had been privately battling throat cancer for five years.
Eddie Van Halen performing at the Forum in Inglewood, California in 2012. Photo: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
Tributes were paid to the guitarist after the news of his death.
Kiss lead guitarist Tommy Thayer said he is “very sad to hear this.”
Geezer Butler, Founding Member of Black Sabbath, said: “Just when I thought 2020 couldn’t be worse, I heard that Eddie Van Halen passed away. So shocking. One of the most down to earth and personable men I have ever met and traveled with. A true gentleman and a true genius. D.E.P. Very sad. Thoughts are with his brother Alex and his family. “
The rock group Pantera’s Twitter account tweeted that Van Halen was a “tremendous influence” on their music.
It said: “RIP Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen was a tremendous influence on both Vinnie & Dime & Pantera. Hope they’re all rocking together now! “
Van Halen was married twice. His first wife was actress actress Valerie Bertinelli. She is Wolfgang’s mother. They divorced in 2007. Van Halen married Janie Liszewski in 2009. TMZ reported that she was by his side when he died in a Santa Monica hospital.
Classic Van Halen lineup: Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony, Eddie Van Halen. Photograph: Fin Costello / Redferns
Van Halen was born in the Netherlands and raised in Pasadena, California. He was a powerful creative force for the band, as they blurred the line between hard rock and heavy metal.
Van Halen’s self-titled debut in 1978 sold more than 10 million copies in the United States alone and put the group on the path to stardom.
They followed their debut with Van Halen II, Women And Children First, Fair Warning, and Diver Down, and by the mid-1980s they were one of the most popular acts on the planet.
In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Van Halen eighth on its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
Mike McCready of Pearl Jam wrote a tribute at the time, saying, “A lot of that is in his hands – the way he holds the pick between his thumb and middle finger, which opens things up for him to play with. fingers. (When I found out he played that way, I tried it myself, but it was too weird.)
But underneath that, Eddie has a soul. It’s like Hendrix: you can touch the things he wrote, but there’s an X factor that you can’t get. “
The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. – PA
[ad_2]