I was about 12 or 13 years old the first time I heard a Van Halen song. My jaw dropped as I listened to the blistering guitar intro (aka "Eruption") that eventually transitioned into an amped-up version of the Kink's "You Really Got Me". Before long, the whole neighborhood was talking about this new guitar phenomenon who called himself Edward Van Halen.
An interesting thing that I remember from early on was that everyone referred to him as "Edward" instead of the more casual "Ed" or "Eddie". It was as if everyone had already recognized his greatness and anything less than Edward would be disrespectful. But before long, we became more familiar with the music and the band. So, by the time the next album came out, we felt like we had a close personal friend and it now seemed appropriate to call him Eddie.
As the years went by, Eddie continued to cement his place in rock history as one of the greatest guitar players ever. His sound, technique and innovation quickly elevated him to the status of Rock God. Aspiring axe-slingers everywhere were in total awe....
They say that the great ones, no matter what their talent happens to be, make the hard things look easy. And that certainly applies to Eddie. He would play these crazy chord progressions and insane solos while making quirky faces, jumping around and having fun with the audience.
In sync with his unique sound, Eddie also had his trademark guitars. Early on, Eddie attempted to combine the classic sound of a Gibson with the physical characteristics of a Fender Stratocaster. The end result was the "Frankenstrat". It served Van Halen well through the years and arguably became his most notable guitar. It now rests comfortably in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.
David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar were the two prominent singers during the Van Halen years. The musical direction was notably different with the two front men. So naturally, there's always been an ongoing debate on which version of Van Halen was better. But one thing that everyone could always agree on was that Eddie was always equally great.
A friend asked me earlier today about which Van Halen song was my all-time favorite. I really couldn't tell you. There were so many great songs, how do you pick just one? I don't know if I could even pick a favorite album. But I'll pick two from the top of my head....
I have always loved "Van Halen II." It brings back great memories for me from a time when I was just discovering what rock and roll was all about. On a somewhat related note, I had a boyhood crush on Linda Ronstadt. So, I thought is was pretty cool to hear Van Halen cover her popular song "You're No Good" on this album. And to tie it all together, "Beautiful Girls" is also on this one.
My second personal favorite is probably "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge". It had a unique sound for the "Sammy Era" in my opinion. And how can you not love the jab at the censors in the album title? "Poundcake" and "Top of the World" are two of my favorites off of this album.
And I have to mention "Ice Cream Man". When you can write a song about Push-Ups and Dixie Cups and make it sound cool, you're a special kind of special. That song was so bad ass that it turned Good Humor men into Clint Eastwood overnight!
The tremendous catalog of Van Halen music is truly a gift that keeps on giving. As great songs tend to do, they take us back to those special places in our lives. They have the magical ability to awaken slumbering memories all the back to our childhood.
I've never met Eddie Van Halen personally and sadly never will. But I would like to thank him for sharing his gift with all of us for so many years. Although it might sound cliche, Eddie Van Halen will never be forgotten. He left an eternal mark on the music world. And we are all lucky to have been around for the ride...
kw
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