Bonus footage of Eddie Van Halen’s August 1996 visit with Jason Becker has been released!
An amazing meeting took place on August 31st of ’96. Eddie spent the day with Jason, who had by then been diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Eddie came to Jason’s house to give love and support—as well as a guitar—to his friend and to film an ALS awareness promotional video. During that time, Eddie told stories, talked about his creative process, and played amazing music through a small practice amp. It seemed as if the footage released in December of 2020 was all the footage that existed, until now.
Jason’s personal assistant and longtime friend Stephen Correa has released an additional five minutes of video and you can watch it below. Some of the riffs you’ll hear Eddie play for Jason had never been heard before but eventually would appear in future songs. See if you can pick them out! This video comes from the Norman’s Rare Guitars YouTube channel:
More On Eddie’s Visit & Jason’s Guitar From Norman’s Rare Guitars
The guitar that Van Halen gave to Jason that day was one of his very own. It was the 69th Peavey Wolfgang ever made, with the serial number 91000069. It had been given to Van Halen as a contract fulfillment guitar, which he personally inspected and kept for himself until the day he gave it to Jason. Eddie signed the instrument with a touching message: Jason, we will play guitar together in the future. Love, from heart to your soul. Eddie Van Halen. VH ’96.
Jason truly wants this special guitar to be seen, heard, and played, and that’s why it’s being put up for auction on December 14, 2023, so that the legacy of these two brilliant musicians can continue to reach new audiences. And as important as it is to get the guitar out into the world, for Jason it’s equally important that the story of Eddie’s kindness and generosity be known.
“When I was finishing up my Triumphant Hearts record,” says Jason, “I told him this guitar hung next to me in my studio, giving me good vibes throughout the writing and recording process. That
made him happy. He was incredibly kind to me and my family. Not only was he my biggest influence, he had such a huge heart. He honestly saved my life. We will always deeply love and appreciate him.”
The December 14 auction, titled Iconic Items from the 20th Century, is being held by Guernsey’s, who previously facilitated the sale of three guitars that Jason played. This current guitar is a one-of- a-kind piece of history for anyone who appreciates the genius of Jason Becker and Edward Van Halen.
Please see the link below for how to bid on this one-of-a-kind instrument and to donate to Jason’s special needs trust.