Did Van Halen inadvertently contribute to the decline of ‘80s rock? This video delves into their groundbreaking sound, the wave of "hair metal" imitators—many of whom missed the essence, leading to commercialized, diluted versions—and the eventual rebellion led by the grunge movement. … [Read more...]
Happy Birthday, David Lee Roth!
Born to Nathan and Sybil Roth on October 10, 1954, in Bloomington, Indiana. Just a little over twenty years later, David Lee Roth would begin his reign as one of the world's most well-known rock frontmen and one of the best entertainers in the business. His life story is a tale of unusual events that eventually molded a great performer. So what made him what he is? Until the … [Read more...]
The Tequila Heist: How Thieves Stole 24,000 Bottles of Sammy Hagar’s Santo Tequila
Two truckloads of Sammy Hagar's tequila vanished last year. It shed light on a growing new crime. Trucks carrying Santo Tequila, a brand founded by former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar and Food Network host Guy Fieri, vanished last year. This is how the sophisticated highway heist was pulled off. Watch the 60-Minute segment, embedded above, and the Fox News video, … [Read more...]
A Farewell to the King, Part 2
By Chris Gill [Originally written in 2020 for Guitar World. Part 1 is here. Here is Part 2, below:] My favorite interview with Ed was a cover story for Guitar Aficionado, where he invited me to his 5150 studio to view about 40 guitars from his collection. Ed told illuminating stories about each guitar, and I quickly realized he could find the songs lurking in any … [Read more...]
A Farewell to the King
Chris Gill, who interviewed Eddie Van Halen 15 times between 1995 and 2016, offers a heartfelt tribute to one of the greatest guitarists the world has ever known. [Originally written in 2020 for Guitar World] EDWARD VAN HALEN IS GONE. The greatest guitarist of our generation left this earth on October 6, 2020, after succumbing to a long, painful battle with cancer … [Read more...]