Howard Stern’s recent tribute to Eddie Van Halen is proof that Eddie continues to influence younger generations.
Check out this video posted to YouTube a day after the news of Eddie’s October 6th death. In it Howard Stern Show writer/producer Steve Nowicki (who, according to Stern’s website, is 28 years old) earns his Eddie stripes by offering us a glimpse of his impressive Eddie-inspired guitar collection while performing some impressive renditions of Eddie riffs and instrumentals.
“Eddie changed the way that people physically play the guitar,” said Nowicki, who said he created his very own versions of Eddie’s classic Frankenstrat guitar.
“These are actually ones that I built. I wanted to go through the same process that Eddie [did],” said Nowicki. “I did the paint job on it. I bought the 61071 neck plate and the reflectors on the back of it and all that.”
Nowicki played some classic EVH riffs and instrumentals while explaining in detail the genius of Eddie’s guitar playing and guitar innovation.
Stern also paid tribute to Eddie and shared a memory of seeing Eddie and the band in concert in 1986.
“When Eddie started playing and you watch him you couldn’t take your eyes off him,” said Stern. “That guitar, it’s like it’s part of his body. His hands are moving and I’m sitting there going, ‘Jesus Christ! This is it!‘ He is so relaxed with that guitar. It is so a part of his life. It is so a part of him.”
“Where does all that talent go and will we every see another one like him? I don’t think so. I mean the guy was so innovative,” added Stern.
It was also during this tribute that Stern read the message from Sammy Hagar confirming he had made peace with Eddie back in early 2020.
“We both agreed not to tell anyone because of all the rumors it would stir up about a reunion, etc. And we both knew that wasn’t gonna happen,” wrote Hagar. “But he also didn’t want to know about his health. He stopped responding to me about a month ago and I figured it wasn’t good. I reached out one more time last week and when he didn’t respond I figured it was a matter of time but it came way too soon.”
Watch the entire video of both Stern and Nowicki’s tribute to Eddie Van Halen below: