A brand-new mini-documentary on the creation of Edward Van Halen’s iconic Frankenstein guitar has been released and it’s a must-see!
The video, produced by Simon Alkin and posted on his YouTube channel Icons Remembered, is narrated by Edward himself, telling his own story of the path that led him to create Frankenstein between 1967 and 1977.
Alkin said, “Edward Van Halen received his first guitar, a $40 Teisco Del Rey, in 1967 at age 12. Over the next 10 years he would go on a journey, learning more and more about what he wanted and needed from a guitar. After working his way through Les Pauls, Stratocasters and Destroyers, the culmination of that search for the perfect instrument was the creation of something all his own – the immortal Frankenstein guitar.
“In doing this, I’ve had a lot of assistance from Chris Gill [Eruption: Conversations with Eddie Van Halen],” added Alkin. “[Chris was] an absolute authority on this subject, helped me fact-check and research, and granted me some previously unheard audio. Also from Steve Rosen, who kindly allowed me to use audio from his interviews with Eddie to help tell the story. I’m proud of how it’s turned out, and feel it’s the most accurate and quality look at this important aspect of Ed’s life that’s been done on-screen.”
Watch EDDIE VAN HALEN MINI-DOCUMENTARY: The Early Guitars In His Own Words | The Journey to Frankenstein
Be sure to subscribe to Alkin’s YouTube channel. He’s released a series of shorts on Ed’s early years, and hopes to have more out before the end of the year!