10/08/2021
Already, one year ago?
Edward Lodewijk Van Halen (January 26, 1955 – October 6, 2020)
He was the main songwriter and founder—with brother and drummer Alex Van Halen, bassist Mark Stone, and singer David Lee Roth—of the American rock band Van Halen. In 2012, he was voted number one in a Guitar World magazine reader's poll for "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". In 1972, with his brother Alex on drums, Eddie Van Halen formed the band that would become Van Halen. By 1974, it had the lineup that would make it one of the biggest groups in rock history: the two Dutch-born brothers, plus bassist Michael Anthony and singer David Lee Roth. Throughout the late 1970s and early '80s, Van Halen became increasingly successful. Early hits such as 1979's "Dance the Night Away" eventually gave way to the bestselling 1984 — the band's sixth album — which spawned the chart-topping "Jump," as well as flamboyant hits like "Panama" and "Hot for Teacher." But 1984's success only intensified tensions between the Van Halen brothers and David Lee Roth, who left the band in 1985 for a solo career that capitalized on his cheerful, outsize persona. The remaining members of Van Halen regrouped around former Montrose frontman Sammy Hagar, who helped the group top the charts with its next four albums: 5150 (1986), OU812 (1988), For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991) and Balance (1995) .Long known for his reclusiveness, Eddie Van Halen battled an assortment of health issues in recent decades, including hip-replacement surgery in 1999, a bout with tongue cancer in the early 2000s, a history of drug and alcohol abuse that led him to enter a rehabilitation facility in 2007 and surgery for diverticulitis in 2012. Eddie Van Halen remained extremely close with family. In addition to a lifelong working relationship with his brother, Alex, he tirelessly championed his son, Wolf, who joined Van Halen as bassist after the departure of Michael Anthony in 2006. He was married twice, to Valerie Bertinelli from 1981 to 2007, then Janie Liszewski from 2009 until his death .Van Halen was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. He died on October 6, 2020 from cancer at age 65.
