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Eddie Van Halen, virtuoso guitarist, one of the greatest exponents of the instrument in the history of rock’n’roll, died this Tuesday, October 6, at the age of 65, a victim of cancer. The news was confirmed by the son, via twitter.
“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 she could have. All the moments I shared with him, on and off stage, were a privilege. My heart is broken and I believe that I will never recover from this loss, “wrote Wolfgang Van Halen, who has played bass in his father’s band since 2007, the year the group held the long-claimed meeting with the singer. original, David Lee. Roth.
– Wolf Van Halen (@WolfVanHalen) October 6, 2020
“Eruption”, the second track from Van Halen’s debut album, self-titled album, released in 1978, remains the greatest symbol of the guitarist’s technique today: less than two minutes of explosive style, with distorted edges, which shaped much of the rock’n’roll made in the 80s, built on excess, heir to the glamor of the 70s, but putting all the confidence and ambition in the amps (plus hairdos and spandex), flashing the keys and the synthesizers as long as possible. In 2012 he was hailed by Guitar World magazine as the best guitarist in history, out of a list of 100 names. To this day, and it should continue, Eddie Van Halen is associated with tapping, the technique that is based on playing the guitar strings with your fingers on the neck of the instrument, throughout the entire diapason, without using the reed.
[Van Halen e “Eruption”, numa versão ao vivo:]
Although Van Halen has always said that he was not the inventor of the tapping -even pointed to Steve Hackett, historical guitarists of Genesis, as the creator of the technique, but also invoked the hours to see Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, as a source of inspiration- it was he who popularized it and pushed it to limits that still today they remain a benchmark. An unconditional fan of many other guitarists of the 60s and 70s, from Hendrix to Eric Clapton, Van Halen managed to assimilate influences and create a style that was the foundation stone on which all the work of the band he formed with his brother was based, drummer Alex Van. Halen, in 1972.
The group would sell millions of records worldwide, assuming it was one of the most popular rock bands made between the 80s and 90s. In fact, fame and glory caught up with him so quickly that a few years later Eddie’s debut album Van Halen signed one of the most famous guitar lines in pop: that of “Beat It”, a song included in the album. Suspense novelby Michael Jackson, published in 1982.
[“Beat It”, de Michael Jackson, ao vivo em 1984, com Eddie Van halen na guitarra:]
Eddie Van Halen was born on January 26, 1955 in Amsterdam, Holland. He would emigrate to the United States in 1962, settling in Pasadena, California, with his family. His father, Jan Van Halen, was the first reference, albeit starting from a totally different universe: Jan had a classical training and played clarinet, saxophone and piano – instrument, which, in fact, marked Eddie’s preference for many years. Rock’n’roll ended up taking care of the two brothers. Alex devoted himself to drums, Eddie chose the guitar not to be left behind, as he confessed in different interviews.
After his first album in 1978, Van Halen became one of the biggest names in American rock. They sold more than 80 million records and for years they signed hits that became classics: “Ain’t Talkin ‘About Love”, “Dance The Night Away”, “Jump”, “Panama”, “Hot for Teacher”, ” Runnin “With the devil” or “I can’t stop loving you.”
[“Jump”:]
In 1985, David Lee Roth left the group. In addition to Eddie Van Halen’s guitar, David Lee Roth, as charismatic frontman and leader, was the other half that ensured the success of the band. The separation occurred following all the rules of rock’n’roll: incompatible egos, parallel careers, drugs and extra-musical stardom. With the entrance of Sammy Hagar to occupy that free place, they managed, despite everything, to maintain popularity and productivity.
In the middle of the following decade, with the departure of Agar (who would return a couple of years already in the XXI century) and with that rock stuck to a time that was no longer friends with broadcasting, television or the sale of records ( the concerts have always been the benchmark of the group’s journey, with a loyal legion of followers), the activity of Van Halen slowed down, the media coverage even more and the entry of Gary Charone (who until then was in Extreme by Nuno Bettencourt ) for the vocalist position was not a notable change.
[“Can’t Stop Lovin’ You”, com a voz de Sammy Hagar:]
They took a hiatus between 1999 and 2003, they experienced the brief comeback of Sammy Hagar, but only in 2007 would the Van Halens star in what was closer to a full-body comeback. They even recorded a new album of originals, A different kind of truth, 14 years after the previous one, Van Halen III, 1998.
Eddie Van Halen, paradigm of the stereotype of a rock’n’roll made of excesses, has long struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. The stunts he insisted on doing on stage for years brought him motor problems, he even had to undergo surgery to replace his hip. In 2000 he was forced to have part of his tongue removed due to a tumor. And in 2019 it was made public that the musician had been fighting throat cancer for five years.
Among millions of fans around the world and many others who always saw Van Halen as the greatest example of a way to write, perform and live rock’n’roll with too much fat, the man who founded the band, apart from all the ratings. , the praise or the critic, gained a rare place: the one of virtuoso given to the composition of songs in its totality; the technician who helped manufacturers develop guitars, amps and effects processors, but who, after all, just wanted to go back to the rehearsal room, sign records, play live, and be part of a band. And very few did it in the same way that Eddie Van Halen did. At this level of instrumental excellence with equal success, he was probably the only one.
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