An Eddie Van Halen Story
Here’s an interesting story about meeting Eddie Van Halen, sent by VHND reader, Edward B. Fohrman, M.D. We hope you enjoy it.
It’s been almost ten years since my encounter with Eddie, but I remember it like it was yesterday…
I was “moonlighting” in an 8 bed ER in “the valley” while still a resident at UCLA. It started out a quiet, but steady night. The nurse handed me the chart for the next patient I needed to see. I looked at the name and saw that it read “Edward Van Halen”!!! I looked back at the nurse and she nodded and smiled…”Yeah, it’s him.”
Living in Los Angeles, I wasn’t much for being star struck, but Eddie was someone who I really had trouble hiding my excitement about. I was a keyboard player in high school in the late 80’s. Keyboards weren’t exactly the coolest instrument around, but when 1984 came out that all changed for me. I played by ear and learned every part. Eddie’s new exploration into synthesizers made me far more excited to be the keyboardist in my band…the solo in “Jump” and “I’ll Wait” were my favorites…
So, I walked into the room and met my patient while maintaining all sense of professionalism I could muster, trying not to give away the fact that I was treating one of my childhood heroes. Due to the strict rules (HIPAA), I can’t say what he was treated for, other than the fact that he needed to be treated for a minor injury.
I remember ordering a million dollar work-up including a CT scan just to be sure everything was okay…I was sure my medical career would be quite short if I ended up discharging Edward Van Halen only to read some crazy headline about how I missed a diagnosis and he ended up dead or something!!! Eddie was walking with a cane after having hip surgery. I asked him what happened…his answer was classic - “Thirty years of Rock ‘n’ Roll, man.”
While awaiting the official report from the radiologist, Eddie asked if I had a smoke. I laughed and said, “You know those things will kill you.” At this point I couldn’t hold back any longer. I mentioned that I was a huge fan and that back in high school my band played a ton of Van Halen tunes. I said that I had just bought a Fender strat and mentioned that I was from Chicago originally and was on a blues guitar kick playing a lot of Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
He said that he had tweaked a guitar that was being mass produced by Peavey - the first model of the “Wolfgang,” and he said that if I gave him my contact info he would make sure to get me one.
I’m thinking to myself…yeah right - another L.A. moment - “I’ll have my people call your people”…and I’ll likely never hear from him again. One can only hope, so I gave him my info and discharged him with follow-up instructions.
After I was done with Eddie, I was suturing up a patient’s hand laceration. Eddie, on his way out of the ER, entered the room, all smiles, and reiterated his thanks and stated he’d call me when he had the guitar, and then he was gone. My new patient’s jaw dropped and he sat there frozen. I just smiled and said,”Yeah, it’s him”.
My shift ended and I met my girlfriend for breakfast. She was a celebrity make-up artist at the time and had done a lot of MTV and VH-1 shows, including “Behind The Music” and Lenny Kravitz’s “Fly away” video. Ironically, she was on her way to meet Lenny and brought me with. When I mentioned my story of meeting Eddie Van Halen, Lenny was very positive about things…he said that if Eddie said that he was going to get me a guitar, then he probably would. But I was still skeptical.
Needless to say, about a week later I got a call on my cell phone. The voice on the phone asked, “Eddie?”
“Yes?,” I said.
“Hey, it’s the other Eddie, and I got that guitar I told you about.”
WHOA!!!
We made plans for him to swing by my house, which at the time was a little apartment I was renting on 3rd and Robertson. I hung up with him and started calling everyone I could. No one would believe this if I didn’t have a witness!!! Luckily my girlfriend (now my wife) came over and as she was walking in, she smiled and said, “He’s here… just drove up in his custom Porsche blasting some music.” She said it was Tori Amos’s “Jaurez,” off her To Venus and Back album.”
He soon arrived, walking in with his cane in one hand and a guitar case in the other. As he opened the case I laid my eyes on a gorgeous sunburst Wolfgang with pull pin for dropped D tuning and the works. The neck was amazing. It played so easily, like nothing I’d ever really felt. I sat there as Eddie basically gave a guitar clinic for me and my girlfriend. I kept peeking at her in the corner of my eye as if to say, “This is surreal! I can’t fucking believe this is happening right now!!!”
I hopped on the keyboards and we jammed together, trading off between Eddie on guitar and me on keys, then switching to Eddie on keys and me on guitar, but most of the first hour was spent watching Eddie do his thing. He took a few requests too. It was simply incredible.
I had friends who returned my call while Eddie was there, asking if I could just put the phone down and leave it so they could listen in.
He ended up hanging out for almost two hours. I only took ONE picture of him the entire time…I was too embarrassed to ask him to autograph the guitar or even get in the picture with him. But then I thought…I’m never going to sell this guitar to anyone, so who cares? The experience itself and my memory of those two hours is worth more than any autographed guitar, anyway. Plus, I still play the guitar frequently…I figured Eddie would have preferred that instead of me putting it in some vacuum-sealed case for display.
At the end of the evening, I invited him to dinner, as I was meeting some friends out, which he declined. He never asked me for anything. He just made good on his promise. We actually hugged it out before he took off…I was pinching myself and giddy as hell. I thanked him for the gift…it’s priceless.
Edward B. Fohrman M.D.
Department of Anesthesiology
Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago
P.S. I’m so glad to share my story with the Van Halen News Desk’s readers. Ed is such an amazing talent, who was a man of his word and expressed tremendous gratitude and generosity. And, he was really just a cool dude! I feel so fortunate to have met him and for the time he spent jamming with me.
By the way, I’m currently working at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, but in my spare time I play in a local band…we’re playing this weekend and for the first time I am NOT playing the keyboards…I’m the guitar player!!! Rock ON!!!
Filed under: Eddie Van Halen
Leave a comment
trackback • RSS 2.0
January 28th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Great story!
January 28th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Two of my favorite things in life Eddie and a Porsche, both in the same story! And a great story it is!
January 28th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Hi Ed! That is an awesome story! Mr. Van Halen sounds like a really nice guy - I’m really glad for you - one nice guy doing another nice guy a favor! I’ll bet that guitar will be passed down through generations to come! You never hear about the kindness that stars and celebrities do - it always seems like only the bad and the crude things get published. I’m glad you shared this. Rock on, dude!
January 28th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
Great Story!
Having seen it in the flesh, I can vouch it is a beautiful looking guitar.
Maybe next time I am in town you may actually let me play the thing
January 28th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Nice story man. Just shows how people can caught up on the negative aspects of someones personality. We all have good and bad points, but this just shows Eddie really is that guy smiling from the ‘Jump’ video. Thanks for sharing this dude.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Cool story, where are you playing at? I live in Chicago and would love to check your band out.
January 29th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Amazing experience, thanks for sharing!
January 29th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Wow!! You truly are lucky man. Thats a great fuckin story. Thanks for sharing.
January 29th, 2009 at 1:52 am
Nice story kinda goes a long way to restoring my faith that Eddie is A good guy just misunderfstood .
January 29th, 2009 at 2:49 am
Amazing story! Very very cool
January 29th, 2009 at 5:33 am
hey- this is good stuff, looks like 95 at the end of the van hagar era.
say i am sooo happy ed is sober again we should all thank his wife and son and brother and dave for putting him back on his feet. now for some more music ed! we know you have it in you! make sam and joe jealous!!
ha. ha.
January 29th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Eddie, I loved this sotry and can’t believe you never shared it with me before. Not only are you an amazing key board player (my favorite from HS is Angry Young Man-Billy Joel), you are an amazing story teller. Loved it, you rock.
January 29th, 2009 at 6:32 am
Man-
All I can say is-LUCKY! I’m jealous-lol. Great story, and beautiful Wolfie, BTW!
January 29th, 2009 at 7:21 am
What a great story! Consider yourself a lucky man. I’ll never forget you playing “Jump” on the keyboard in Boca.
January 29th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Wow! That is a great story!!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Great story!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:31 am
I’m a baseball fan and a Van Halen fan. I remember when I met Johnny Bench (my favorite player) in 1998 and had my picture taken with him by my father. I thought I was on Cloud 9. But, the only thing better would have been to have Johnny actually sit down and show me his crouch, how he used to throw out runners from first to second, how he called games with particular pitchers, etc.
Eddie sitting in your apartment playing the guitar has got to be an awesome feeling… I’m in shock after reading this, really!!!! You must be really good at what you do because he showed enough appreciation to bring you a such a gem of rock and roll history… straight from his heart.
Stories like this just make me feel good… that rocks!
January 29th, 2009 at 9:18 am
That is an unreal story Eddie! You are so descriptive that I felt like I was with you the whole way. Hopefully I will make it to Chi-town this summer for Blues Fest.
January 29th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Awesome story, as I always say, no one cares enough about him as a person. Sometimes people only want to hear and remember all the political drama in the band.
Every time I have met him, he is nice, somewhat shy, listens to what you are saying, even makes you know when he doesn’t hear or understand what you are saying and seems very real, genuine-no rock star attitude. He talks about normal stuff and treats you like a bud. He talks very quietly almost as if he is whispering to you and that your conversation is meant to be heard between friends. I could go on further because every time I was got a chance to talk to him remains a special memory to me and I can recall all the details as if they were yesterday. Thanks for sharing your story.
January 29th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Amazing story!
Thanks for sharing.
January 29th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Amazing story!
January 29th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Sorry, I’m not impressed at all. Ed gave me a guitar also back about 10 years ago. I saw him at a gas station in Studio City and he asked me for the time. After I told him it was about 10 PM, he asked for my name and contact info, and the next day he brought me a new Peavey guitar as a thank you for giving him the time of day. Later, I found out that Ed had given away more than 250 guitars in and around LA in the course of a month to get free publicity for the new line of guitars.
Okay, seriously, dude, you are one lucky cat! To have him personally deliver a new guitar to you at your place is a story that’s hard to top. In fact, I’d say it’s impossible to top. Awesome tale! Man, if only I had gone to med school…
January 29th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Great story. If I have that kind of luck EVH will be driving through PA and his car will need service, I’d like a black wolfgang please.
January 29th, 2009 at 11:06 am
I am really glad you shared this. This made my month! I often think about what it would be like to meet Eddie and just talk to him for a few minutes - but to have almost 2 hours and in your home! This is why I only read the positive stories about him. I want to always remember him this way. After all, he is the very reason I picked up a six string.
January 29th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond and embrace my story and I really agree with so much of what you all said! Eddie isn’t perfect, but he obviously has a really good heart!!! I admit Stolz had me going to be the first spoiler on the blog ’til I read further
For anyone who is interested, my band already played the Beat Kitchen when I wrote the article, but we have another gig coming up THursday March 19th, 2009 at an awesome venue in evanston called SPACE (www.evanstonspace.com) I play rhythm guitar (and some keys) for the MITCH LAVIN ACCIDENT. You can see a description of our band on the SPACE site. Hope you guys can make it. Should be a fun night of Rock ‘n’ Roll!!! Disclaimer: We will not be rocking the joint like Van Halen rocked the viper room and the whiskey in the 70’s!!!
January 29th, 2009 at 11:21 am
An interesting story. Maybe if Michael Anthony went to medical school Eddie would treat him with warmth and respect too!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
A great story! I can only imagine what it was like hang out with Eddie for a couple of hours!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
That’s funny Scottso!
January 29th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
cool story eddy bumbed a cigarette off my frinds dad after a show once
January 29th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I got no doubt ED was a very generous, humble and likeable person. But this was 10 years ago, and we all know alot has happened since to ‘modify’ his demeanor.
However, that is a wonderful story and awesome experience and thankyou for sharing it with us, the millions of VH and Ed fans who only wish he was still like the guy you described, and of course still making music and not just guitar products.
The greatest rock guitarist of all time.
January 29th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
gah!!! That is the coolest thing ever!!!!!!
January 29th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Very cool experience. The average person reading this must think you’re nuts for only taking one picture, but I had the same thing happen to me when I met Paul Gilbert. I don’t know how to explain it, but for some reason it just seems in-appropriate to ask for a picture when you’re sort of hanging out…
January 29th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
“Yeah, it’s him”.
Great story!! Sometimes, specially when he is sober :), Eddie can be a great guy.
We need this Eddie Van Halen again, today!!
Thanks for sharing, man!!
January 29th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Killer story! Thanks for sharing.
January 29th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Great story. Ed really is a humble human being. I’d always wished I’d have the opportunity to meet the man. Saw him and the band back at MSG in Nov. ‘07. So, who knows, maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to run into him as did you.
~petesasauce~
January 29th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Can you believe that? That’s awesome! The greatest guitar player who ever lived is humble and considerate. I wish I was more surprised but that is the person he exudes. Whether he’s playing guitar or just hanging out. I wish more celebrities would be as gracious. But then again that’s impossible as there is only one Eddie Van Halen! I needed to hear this story today, thanks Dr.Forhman for sharing your story. Now if Len will just produce an Underworld 4 and having Eddie shredding as a lycan HA! God Bless Edward Van Halen!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Surreal says it best.
Of all the people I would like to meet Eddie is #1.
Great story!
January 29th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Awesome story. I know that Ed’s a really good guy. Thanks for sharing
January 29th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Great story!! I can just imagine in 150 years your Great, Great, Grand Child pulls the old Wolfie out of the case, and tells this to their kids. Very cool. Make sure you keep a copy of the photo with the guitar in the case! This Wolfgang is definitely going to be a family heirloom.
January 29th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
That was the most amazing thing I have ever read. WOW!!!
January 30th, 2009 at 6:08 am
This is a fun story and the kinda stuff all us guitar geeks dream about. Very well told as well. I love Eddie as a guitar hero for the ages but he’s got a long way to go to prove to me he has a big heart. The way he treated Michael is shameful and a powertrip no matter how you slice it. Very very cold hearted and childlike. I know it’s all “rock and roll” but Eddie seems like a spoiled rich kid to me,(my sandbox!). I root for him always and he always seems to let me down. C’mon Eddie! Prove to us your not just some washed up drunk and put out some new f%&king music. Times a wastin, lets get on the stick and quit worrying about endorsement deals and new evh shoes……It’s about the music!!!! Connect with your fans again dude, engage!!!!!! Im not paying $100 again to see you rehash eruption for the 1 zillionth time. p.s. If you come to my house and give me some evh picks and a pair size 13 EVH shoes all is forgiven.
January 30th, 2009 at 7:05 am
Lucky man! Great story, Eddie!
Thanks a lot for sharing!
The “30 years of Rock’n'Roll” stuff is epic!
January 30th, 2009 at 9:02 am
I would have broke-down and cried like a 13 year-old tennage girl! We nee more stories like this up on this web-site!
January 30th, 2009 at 9:48 am
LUCKY DOG!!!!! AWESOME BRO…..HELL I JUST WANNA MEET JEFF lol
January 30th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Thanks for sharing this story. Eddie is a good guy, I know a lot of people have talked a lot of trash about him over the years but I always dismiss it. I had some good times riding around in his old buick back in the early 70’s with the “B.F.H.” under the seat. Anything good that ever happened for him he not only earned it through hard work but he deserved it, IMHO.
January 30th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
That story hit the spot! It reminded me of the good ole days of VH. We still love you Eddie….Hang in there!
January 30th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Great story!
I believe that’s the Eddie’s natural attitude to anyone as I have been visualizing since long time ago.
Come to Japan again to kick ass!
January 30th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Fantastic story. I have met Eddie twice and interviewed him once for about 40 minutes. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. To be able to actually have the opportunity to tell someone what a great impact their talent has had on your life is a very liberating experience — and it sounds like you had an opportunity like no other. Thanks for sharing — I love hearing stories like this.
For the record, in my meetings with Ed, he was extremely down to earth, warm and friendly. The exact type of guy that would do exactly what Ed described in this story. I think it’s especially cool that you guys jammed together. That would be like shooting hoops with Michael Jordan or something. Awesome!
January 31st, 2009 at 2:58 pm
What a fantastic story, ditto to everything said before me. Smart move about the lack of autograph. Rock on!
GM
February 1st, 2009 at 10:01 am
Absolutely Amazing! You are a very lucky man! That would truly be a dream come true for me. As a former Police Officer I have been on Security details that allowed me to meet and talk with several celebrities, musicians and even two Presidents. But I don’t know of anything that could be much cooler than hanging out with Eddie Van Halen! I have been to see him play live but never got to meet him. In my opinion, he is the greatest guitar player ever!
February 2nd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
All jobs have their perks but that’s to cool. What an icon… Great Story & Great for You.
ROCK ON!!!!!
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:09 pm
GREAT STORY!!!! I know that Ed is still that genuine of a person even to this day. Treasure that guitar forever. Best of luck to you and your band. Rock on!!!
February 3rd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
That’s a verycool story dude,I wish I had a real star struck
story to tell good as you .Dam!
February 4th, 2009 at 11:05 am
What a great story. For years I held the (mostly mistaken) belief that the problems in VH stemmed from the fact that, while they were all great musicians, they were quite dysfunctional as human beings. After reading Everybody Wants Some: The VH Story, I realized that management played a pretty big role in a lot of the drama that went on. Now, these guys aren’t perfect, we’re all flawed to some degree, but this story shows Eddie as someone who’s generous and true to his word. And it doesn’t get much better than that. Thanks for sharing!
February 8th, 2009 at 7:12 am
Dude you are one lucky man!!Love the story, its nice to hear about the great side of Ed instead of all this neg stuff on youtube and other forums. Did any of Eds talent rub off on ya that night? ‘-) Long live Ed his health his family and his hands! He is the King!!
February 8th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
This guy used to be great !!! Now he’s become a salesman….It’s a shame…I though musician’s made music ? Eddie hasn’t done that in a decade…..
February 13th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Awesome! I really like how this shows Eddie (both of them) to be a real person, just like the rest of us. I’d have possibly shit myself, BTW, if EVH dropped by, pulled out a Wolfgang and basically made my century!
February 13th, 2009 at 5:52 am
Hey Jimmy, Eddie’s tone and his guitars are all part of the technical marvel of the VH sound. He was always at the center of what he allowed into his signal and honed it to a razor edge. Why shouldn’t he be in the “hardware” side of the biz? He already dominated the music side of it for 20 years.
February 14th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Awesome story. A once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Rock on, Van Halen !!!!!
September 8th, 2009 at 6:57 am
Hallo sir ..I happen to read your story after it has been published …I guess a little bit too late maybe …but being a huge evh-guitar fan myself ..this is really the nicest story I have ever heard/read on mr Van Halen …a very very nice person !
Bless him !
Greetz from Amsterdam - Holland.