How Eddie Van Halen got his first interview

June 4, 2010 48 Comments

Jas Obrecht got hired in 1978 to write for Guitar Player magazine. For his first assignment, he was sent to a huge music festival at the Oakland Coliseum Stadium, known as Bill Graham’s “Day On The Green,” to interview Canadian musician Pat Travers. But as rock musicians sometimes do, Travers sent him away without an interview. So Obrecht stayed backstage and played basketball – with Eddie Van Halen.

Sure, many people have interviewed Eddie Van Halen — but Obrecht was the first.

Jas tells the story below.

This video is from The Washtenaw Voice article, Writin’ and Rockin’ - The Jas Obrecht Experience.

1978 Day On The Green lineup: Aerosmith, Foreigner, Pat Travers, Van Halen, AC/DC. date: July 23, 1978. Attendance: 57,512. Photos from Van Halen’s blistering set:

Filed Under: Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen

Aftershock

I’ve always loved this story — it was great listening to it in his own words.

Thank you, Pat Travers! Without you, we very likely would not have some of the greatest interviews Eddie ever did through those early years.
Scott

Let me be first with all of these. Dave was best. That’s fine and all but I want new music. Brown sound, Wolfie, 5150, Sammy, I wish I were there, new music sucks, blah, blah, blah. Rinse and repeat.

Cool interview.
Joe

Cool story, I’ve never heard that one. I didn’t know Jas was a Detroit boy too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjUq_Z3b1Y4&feature=related Bluesbro

I was at that show (I know, I am old). I remember EVERYONE buzzing about that guitar player. I was too far away to see the DLR antics, but I sure as hell heard that beautiful guitar.
MA=VH

Great story. He does a pretty good Eddie impersonation too.
That basketball game would have been pretty funny to watch considering the vertical limitations of those involved. Not exactly Manut Bol against David Robinson but I guess a game is a game and Ed apparently whipped him.

MA=VH
http://heavymellowmusic.com johnny beane

Right at 0:08 you can see a guitar magazine from japan with VH on the cover, the photo is from the same shoot at the photo that was used for the 1986 Rolling Stone cover.

Never seen that magazine b4.

I talked to Jas on the phone once many years ago when he called the guitar shop i used to work at – Subway Guitars in Berkeley.

I think my aunts husband is related to Jas too.
Andrew

Aerosmith, AC/DC, Pat Travers, Foreigner and VAN HALEN what a line-up 1978. Van Halens first album and Aerosmith’s Rocks album.
http://none Dirty Duck

I guess pat was snortin’whiskey and drinkin’cocaine…
The Booger Man

I have that exact May 1993 Guitar Player Mag where this story is told.

I bought it at Guitar Center on Sunset back when it was new and then drove to the Raddison in Santa Monica and read it. It was a cool read.

Do you still have that pack of Marlboros? Except it’s 29 years later now! Instead of a dozen! hahahaha
ringostore

What about that guy behind the equipment with the moustache? He must have a story too! I’m going to call him Festus.
MICAL VEE

Man o man,i was lucky enough to catch THE MIGHTY VAN HALEN on the 1980 women and children first tour,but i hate that i missed the first two tours!!! And the rockers that lived out in california were so lucky to have shows like the day on the green…AC/DC and then VAN HALEN in 1978!!!! Where’s a time machine when you need one!!!!!!
vnhalen8

How ironic Eddie begging to get interviewed and now a days his tougher to find then Bin laden!
http://wax.fm Rob Lambert

Right on MA=VH. I thought the same thing, his Ed impression was hilarious … spot on!
Tommy Boy

Those photos are fuckin’ fantastic.
http://www.vhnd.com Pat G.

That must have been a hell of a show back in ’78. A great story. Would have been really cool to hear the specifics on what they talked about from the interviewer himself. Someone said Ed is harder to locate than Bin Laden, these days. Very true and funny as well. I am starting to lose hope we will ever get anything new from our favorite band……..Hurry up, boys. We need you guys to ROCK AND ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember the Prom Queen

This ain’t news for those in the know! However, it’s nice to reminisce!
=VH=OZ

there’s nothing better in my day when I there’s a little bit of Van Halen!!! This stuff is awesome. Loyal fans of Van Halen from overseas never knew this sort of stuff existed!! EVERYBODY WANTS SOME…VAN HALEN!!!
Robert

I remember that concert very well — The Day On The Green — because it was on my 15th birthday on July 23, 1978. The reason I remember it is because my father wouldn’t fuckin’ let me go!!!! It was 90 minutes away (I live in Sacramento) and my dad didn’t trust my older friends at the time. I can’t say that I blame him for that, but I do still blame him for causing me to miss one of the most legendary concerts on the West Coast. I would have walked there if he had let me get a concert ticket. Grrrr!

What Jas says about writing is true. I make my living as a writer, and for nearly 10 years I free-lanced. As a result, I wrote about Van Halen for The Inside magazine and met them a few times. That was a dream come true. I’ve also met other household name musicians through my writing. If you learn to write well and edit well (which is just as important as writing, if not more important), it unlocks doors you would have never guessed existed.

But to be the first to interview Ed, man! I’ve heard Jas’ story before, but never straight from him. That was a cool video.
Scott

Agreed. Festus’ story must be told.
ExpConsciousness

Excellent audio bootleg exists of this show VH and I believe video of the AC/DC set.
http://james5313@sbcglobal.net james

So Eddie was a jock too!! Ha the things you find out about people. Who wouda thought!!
freddiegirl

I’d read this story somewhere before but it was nice to hear it! Loved his Eddie impression; can just picture that perfectly; love the pics too!
phillster

This was a Wonderful treat.
Thank-You VHND for staying “ahead of the curve” compared to all the other so-called =VH= websites.
Stuff like this IS what keeps me coming back here.
Keith

Loved his voice impression of Eddie talking … LOL
chris.omeara

Excellent tale- I always loved Jas’s writing in Guitar Player magazine. Ed’s guitar playin’ ain’t bad either..;)
http://www.merchnow.com blindbubbacheeks

That was one of the best videos I’ve ever seen. Amazing to hear the story in his own words and the great Ed impersonation.
Old School Halen

VERY COOL. I would give a million bucks to be in Jas Obrecht’s shoes in 1978. Can you imagine being pissed off because some dickhead named Pat Travers is fucking a couple groupies and blows you off for an interview…..and then playing a pickup basketball game with some “unknown pimply-faced kid named Eddie Van Halen”!! Not to mention backstage at the infamous 1978 Day on the Green that would go down in rock history lore. Jesus…..talk about being at the right place and the right time. Awesome story, Jan!
VH Dude

I love hearing insights like this. History being told first-hand.

Now that Hendrix and many others are gone, unreleased music finally surfaces, lost photos are published, and great stories are finally told. I hate to say this but I feel like that’s the best we can hope for sometimes.

I’m an optimistic guy, so forgive me for sounding so down on the subject. I love Eddie and all things Van Halen. And true, he owes us nothing. We’ve got some incredible albums and tons of video footage to enjoy forever. But our hero is still alive and making music. Hope we get to hear some of it soon. I’d also be thrilled to hear and to see some of the unreleased audio & video footage that no doubt exists. I don’t mind that Ed sells guitars, gear, shirts, and shoes. Sell us a boxset too! We’ll buy it.

My first concert was VH on the 1984 tour, so I’m thankful that I was able to see the mighty Van Halen with Dave. But I’ve always been envious of anyone that’s seen them on prior tours! You witnessed history.
non-stop talker

Oh. My. God.
Karl

“No-one wants to interview me…”

Lol!
http://none Ilivewithfools!!!

Robert and Bluesbro-very cool stories.I envy both of you.
Noodles

Man. I love this! Jas is a helluva wonderfull man + one of the best interviewists ever. + he does a spot-on impersonation of Young Ed.

I remember reading that first interview (Ace Frehley is on the cover… the interview w/ Ed was in the back) in the backseat of my pal’s car. It turned me from a decent drummer into a wannabe guitarist @ 14 yrs old ! And, the 1979 Guitar Player Jas talks about w/ Ed on cover really took me there…

God Bless Jas Obrecht. One of the best.

Thanks for sharing this here, VHND.
vnhalen8

If I could only been witness to ONE VH show in my life. I would have traded the 40+ times I’ve seen them since ’80 for a front row ticket to the US Festival!! The Diver Down was no doubt the VH peak live…no doubt about it!

Great stories Jas! We fans just want to hear any and everything about our rock heroes! I really wish Ed would have allowed VH to be recorded live (more)during the hey day… it’s shame!
vnhalen8

Sorry for the poor grammer above:)
Mark

That was cool.
Thomas

In high school I played guitar and had the 1979 Guitar Player issue with Ed on the cover. I read it too many times to count. I now have the cover framed and on my wall. People ask me why and then I have to explain that the issue was Ed’s first GP cover interview and the interview inside was one of the greatest ever and helped cement his status as a guitar legend. I think GP should do a reprint on this one.
Metal Marc

Most excellent! Thanks for posting this. The Eddie impersonation is hilarious!

Jas, thanks for everything you’ve done. You are an outstanding writer and have done some of my favorite pieces throughout the years.

Pat, thanks for not talking to Jas. Women and blow vs. an interview? Great choice!
fishpatty

way cool..
Johnnyh

What history!! Great to hear the story first hand. VERY VERY COOL!!!
daniel

I first read this story on “Van Halen 101″. That’s such a great book. Many stories like this. He also talks about when eddie called him up at 3 in the morning to tell him that he just bought a keyboard and wanted to play a piece he wrote on it. Still groggy, he turned on e recorder as it is SOP for a phone “interview” but never really listened carefully. After years had past and 1984 comes out. He listens to the record and hears something familiar. So he goes to the archives and digs up the phone recording and realizes EVH played him “jump” over the phone years before it was released. Great book for any EVH fan!
Pete

This was really cool.
http://none Dirty Duck

Daniel:

Van Halen 101…..

How old is that book man? You dont mean :The Van Halen Encylopedia do you?

I’ve never heard of that perticular book…
Gonna google it….
http://www.bellapop.com Bran Halen

I could listen to those old stories all day long!
daniel

Dirty Duck…no it’s a different book. It mainly deals with interviews from guitarists and music people who have met EVH in particular. Great read. I had to special order it at barnes and noble few years back. I’m sure u can google it and find it.
KTC5150

Great Video… I would LOVE to get a hold of that picture of Ed w/ Jas….I should d/l & freeze it & photoshop it just for that pic!!!
The Booger Man

So where’s the mustache?
http://www.jasobrecht.com Jas Obrecht

You can see the pics of Eddie and me — there are two of them — on my blog about Eddie’s early years with Van Halen at http://jasobrecht.com/eddie-van-halen-the-david-lee-roth-era/. The photographer is Jon Sievert.
DJ Bee

I was at that show on july 23rd.I took bart from SF. I had never heard Van Halen. When the announced Van Halen i remember saying to my friend “Van Who”? Wow – the power of the performance and hearing eruption for the first time- i was blown away-They were so loud!
They stole the show – the speed and power was just amazing- i remember the echo through the upper decks of the coloseum.
I will always remember that performance- i couldnt wait to buy the album. It had a great influnce on my high school days. I was a sophmore. The big day on the green concerts were filled with people laying around on the grass . smoking pot and drinking warm wiskey. oh man the hang overs still hurt. those were the days man – Kids today have NO idea what they missed. when the concerts started to seat people – i stopped going. i hated that. Im old now but because of eddie i play the guitar myself. im glad to see Eddie got it back together again.