It's a sunny afternoon in Los Angeles, summer of 2007. Godsmack guitar tech Chet Haun is enjoying a day off, sitting in an empty Sunset Bar & Grill with a couple of guys from the road crew. He's about to bite into a slice of pizza when his phone rings. "Hi Chet? This is Edward Van Halen's assistant Matt. Edward would like to know if he can speak with you." Haun's life was … [Read more...]
Eddie Van Halen News
Wolf Van Halen Video Interview: ‘5150 Is Where I’ll Be Recording For The Rest Of My Life’
Wolfgang Van Halen is making sure his father's legendary 5150 Studios will never go silent. "Where we're sitting right now, this is where I'm gonna be recording all the music I will for the rest of my life," Wolfgang told People. He was speaking from inside the studios his father built in 1983 near his home in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. "It's … [Read more...]
Wolfgang Van Halen: Holding Off New Music To Be With Ailing Dad Was ‘An Easy Decision’
Wolfgang Van Halen told SPIN magazine his decision to delay the release of his debut solo album to be with his father was an easy one to make. According to Wolfgang, the music that makes up the debut Mammoth WVH album was ready to launch as early as 2018. When Eddie’s health began to decline, however, he knew it would have to wait. Here are some excerpts from Daniel … [Read more...]
Unearthed: Eddie Van Halen Playing ‘Amsterdam’ At 5150, In 1987
Coming hot on the heels of the lost Van Halen 'dinosaur' video comes yet another unearthed gem! And this one is even better! We've all wanted to be a fly on the wall at 5150. Or a friend of Eddie Van Halen's who could get to hear amazing stuff that he's working on. Well, this video below is just that! The unknown videographer starts filming as he opens the studio … [Read more...]
‘Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love’ Voted Fifth Greatest Riff Of All Time By Total Guitar, Guitar World Readers
Eddie Van Halen's iconic riff to "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" is among the five greatest of all time, according to readers of Total Guitar & Guitar World. Readers of the publications voted "ATBL" behind Richie Blackmore's "Smoke On The Water" (Deep Purple), Angus Young's "Back In Black" (AC/DC) and Randy Rhoads' "Crazy Train" (Ozzy Osbourne) riffs. The full, 50-strong … [Read more...]
Wolfgang Van Halen On The ‘End-All Dream’ That Almost Was: Eddie Van Halen Performing On Stage With Mammoth WVH
Wolfgang and Eddie Van Halen had it all planned out. Van Halen stages the ultimate reunion tour with Mammoth WVH as the supporting act. To top it all off – Eddie Van Halen comes out for an on stage moment with his son. “The way we figured it, if I were to open for Van Halen, he would come out and play a solo for a song,” Wolfgang told The Washington Post. “That … [Read more...]
Tom Morello Discusses Life & Legacy Of Eddie Van Halen With Nuno Bettencourt & John 5
An alien. A superhero. Those were a few of the titles that came to mind when guitarists Tom Morello, Nuno Bettencourt and John 5 recently attempted to describe the other worldly skills of Eddie Van Halen. John 5 (David Lee Roth Band, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie) and Bettencourt (Extreme) recently appeared on Morello's podcast Maximum Firepower to discuss the life and legacy … [Read more...]
Guitarist Greg Howe On Why Eddie Van Halen Was Rock’s King Of Swing
Guitarist Greg Howe said when it came to creating rock and roll music that could really swing, there was nobody better than Eddie Van Halen. "For me Eddie Van Halen, honestly, was the king of swing when it comes to rock guitar players," said Howe in a recently released clip of Dweezil Zappa's podcast Runnin' With The Dweezil. "I don't know that I've heard a rock guitarist … [Read more...]
Jason Becker Recovering From Health Scare, Posts Thank You Message To Fans
Former David Lee Roth guitarist Jason Becker is back home after a hospitalization last month. He recently took to social media to update and thank his many fans for their support. “Hey everyone, I'm finally starting to feel like myself again, after many months of scary health issues, and thinking I was on my way out," Becker said. "Once again, thank you for all your prayers … [Read more...]
Wolfgang Van Halen Used His Dad’s Original Frankenstein Guitar On Two New Mammoth WVH Songs & Chances Are You’ve Already Heard Them
The image is forever ingrained in the minds of Van Halen fans around the world - Eddie Van Halen’s original red, black and white striped Frankenstein guitar. We’ve all seen and heard Eddie playing it many times over the years but there’s a good chance you’ve heard it a few more times recently; only this time it's played by Eddie’ son Wolfgang. In a new interview with Total … [Read more...]
Zakk Wylde: ‘With King Edward, Every Record Was Almost Like A Box Of Crackerjacks’
Guitarist Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society) said every Van Halen album was like a box of Cracker Jacks . He never knew what surprise Eddie Van Halen would have in store for him each time. "Every guitar player [was] waiting to see what new thing he was gonna invent and what he had in store for the next album," said Wylde during a recent interview with Eddie … [Read more...]
Def Leppard’s Rick Allen Captures Eddie Van Halen’s ‘Infectious’ Spirit With Paint
Forty three years ago this week (May 16th, 1978) Black Sabbath performed a concert at Sheffield City Hall in England. In the audience that night was the future drummer of Def Leppard Rick Allen. While Allen remembers Black Sabbath, it was the opening act Van Halen and the band's wildly innovative lead guitarist he'll never forget. "Eddie [Van Halen], in particular, it was a … [Read more...]