6 Years Ago Today, Music Lost One of the Most Electrifying and Influential Guitarists in the History of Rock

On this day (October 6) in 2020, Eddie Van Halen died of a stroke at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. He was 65 years old. He was the lead guitarist and songwriter in one of the biggest bands of the 1980s. More importantly, his technicality and technique changed the way generations of players approached the guitar.

The Van Halen family moved from the Netherlands to Pasadena, California when Eddie and his older brother Alex were still children. Both siblings took classical piano lessons, which helped give them the foundation they needed to branch out into other forms of music. Then, they left classical music behind and started their journey to rock stardom. Eddie took up the guitar, and Alex began playing drums. Soon, they formed their first band.

During an interview, the Van Halen brothers recalled forming the Broken Combs with three other young musicians. They played at Hamilton Elementary School during lunch and an assembly. These early gigs let them know that they wanted to pursue a music career. Eddie was 17 when they formed Mammoth in 1972. Two years later, David Lee Roth became their lead singer, and Mammoth became Van Halen.

The Rise of Van Halen

According to Biography, KISS bassist Gene Simmons discovered Van Halen while they were playing at a local club. He helped them record their first demos in 1977. A year later, they inked a deal with Warner Bros. Records and released their self-titled debut album. Six months later, it was certified Platinum.

The band’s albums always sold and charted well. However, none of their early releases was as big as 1984. It was eventually certified Diamond by the RIAA. The album also produced “Jump,” the band’s only No. 1 single on the Hot 100. Interestingly, the song featured Eddie Van Halen on keyboards. 1984 was also their last album with David Lee Roth until A Different Kind of Truth in 2012.

The band replaced Roth with Sammy Hagar and released four consecutive No. 1 albums, all of which received multiple Platinum certifications.

Eddie Van Halen Defined a Generation

Eddie Van Halen’s guitar work and the unique vocals of David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar helped Van Halen become one of the biggest rock bands in the world for nearly two decades. Moreover, their guitar-driven sound helped usher in a new generation of rock music. More specifically, their flashy stage apparel and hard-partying attitude helped lay the foundation for the glam metal of the 1980s.

[RELATED: 3 Van Halen Songs That Took the 1980s Rock World by Storm]

Eddie Van Halen didn’t just play guitar. He modified his guitars in the pursuit of the perfect tone. At the band’s height, he plugged directly into his amplifier during concerts, bypassing the need for pedals or other effects. Van Halen never claimed to have invented the tapping technique that marked his unique style. He did, however, popularize the technique. A perfect example of this is the instrumental track “Eruption” from the band’s self-titled debut record.

Featured Image by Ross Marino/Getty

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