|
||||
| Hello, Guest | Login | Join Us |
Van Halen
Early Life :
If there is one sure solution to perfection, then it is practice. Born to a John Van Halen and Eugenia, in Netherlands, his family moved to California in 1962. Eddie wasn’t a guitar player since his childhood as is the case with other greats. He took up Piano as a child and was no doubt a prodigy. He won several competitions as a child and along with his brother Alex; he took up professional learning of Piano. Edward never found Piano really engaging and hence took up a drum kit and began practicing. Alex had taken guitar by then. It is said that when Edward would leave home delivering newspapers to pay for his drum kit Alex would practice on it. Unknown to the brother, Alex had gone miles ahead in his skill with the drums. The truth was out in the open when Eddie heard Alex’s performance of the “The Sufaris’ drum solo” in the song “Wipe Out”. Eddie was visibly irritated and sought childhood revenge. Thanks to Alex, Eddie decided to return the favor with a guitar. He took up practicing electric guitar and was so obsessed with it that he spent several nights sitting at one place and trying notes. There are citations when Eddie himself stated that he would often walk around at home with the guitar strapped on and unplugged, practicing. He had several influences, the most notable of them being Eric Clapton (it is said he could play almost all the solos of Eric Clapton’s in the band Cream) and he has acknowledged Brian May and Allan Holdsworth’s influence as well.
Mammoth-Van Halen:
Van Halen’s band was originally called as “Mammoth” and was formed in 1974 in Pasedena, California.The band consisted of Eddie Van Halen on guitar and vocals, his brother, Alex on drums, and bassist Mark Stone. It was from David Lee Roth that they rented a P.A system for $50 a night. For more than one reason, Eddie decided to have Roth into the band, as Roth had already auditioned for them but failed. Soon, Michael Anthony replaced Mark Stone on bass. They opted to change the name of the band, reportedly due to another band operating with the same name - Roth is normally attributed with suggesting the name 'Van Halen'. 1997 was a major berakthrough year for them as Gene Simmons saw one of Van Halen's shows and subsequently financed their first demo tape, flying the band to Electric Ladyland studios in New York to record "House of Pain" and "Runnin' With the Devil". The same year he was offered a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. Later that year, they recorded their first album, "Van Halen", which was released on February 10, 1978.
Though Van Halen went on to achieve great success, releasing a total of 6 albums: Van Halen (1978), Van Halen II (1979), Women and Children First (1980), Fair Warning (1981), Diver Down (1982), and MCMLXXXIV (1984) as with most bands they had trouble working together as Eddie has personality conflicts with Roth and he once even considered joining Kiss as a replacement for Ace Frehley, who was suffering from severe substance abuse problems. Due to Simmons persuasion Eddie returned to Van Halen, and shortly afterwards the band released the album 1984; which yielded the band's first #1 pop hit, "Jump". David Lee Roth left Van Halen on April 1, 1985, citing personal differences with Eddie.
Sammy Hagar the former Montrose singer joined the band and a few things changed for good. Eddie also started playing keyboard regularly ("Dreams" and "Love Walks In"). The change in sound prompted many fans, both positively and negatively, to refer to the band as "Van Hagar." This was a very successful time for Van Halen - eclipsing the success of the Roth years commercially.All four studio albums produced during this period reached #1 on the Billboard pop music charts. However, tensions within the band again rose, and Hagar departed in 1996. More reunions and breakups followed. Roth reunited and released Greatest Hits in 1996.Two new songs were recorded for the album, with the single "Me Wise Magic" reaching #1 on the mainstream rock chart. Soon they broke again only to be joined by Gary Cherone. With him Van Halen III was released and received poorly. He departed amicably. Then the band took a long slumber.
The Comeback:
It was in 2004, Van Halen came back with Hagar. A greatest hits package, The Best Of Both Worlds, was released to coincide with the band's reunion tour. Being a multi talented personality is not good always and Eddie would vouch for it. All bass parts on the new material on the album were played by Eddie Van Halen rather than Michael Anthony; this again brought in differences. Their's was a long tour but as per Rolling Stone it was not commercially successful. Again Eddie had differences with Hagar, culminating in Eddie violently smashing his guitar before leaving the stage on the last date of the tour. The responses to the tour were mixed, while some enjoyed it, some criticised it for poor musicianship and drunken behaviour on stage.
By the February of 2007 the band officially announced that Roth would rejoin Van Halen for their summer tour. But again the idea went in abeyance. After a tortorous few months which also included Eddie's visit to rehab, the news was confirmed that in the late 2007 they would tour North America.
Personal Life:
In his life Van Halen had his own set of personal problems to deal with. In 1999, it was a hip replacement surgery while in 2005 it was a divorce. During the late 1990s he was twice treated for tongue and mouth cancer. He reasons that his cancer was not due to smoking and hence hasn't given it up yet. Eddie also revealed that he stopped the cancer via an illegal method (the nature of which he declined to specify) in conjunction with a pharmaceutical lab with which he's affiliated in New York state. He said a portion of his tongue was removed and experimented on, and then the technique was performed on him. He said he has lost one third of his tongue, though his speech sounds virtually unaffected.Through all his problems he has come back only stronger. In 2007 he even entered rehab, possibly for alcohol abuse.
Van Halen emerged from rehab and appeared publicly as an honorary official during the April 21, 2007 NASCAR event at Phoenix International Raceway, looking much more fit and healthy than he had been in recent years beforehand, with a look similar to that of his from Van Halen's Balance era. He also unveiled a new EVH Fender Stratocaster guitar before the ceremony.
If there is one sure solution to perfection, then it is practice. Born to a John Van Halen and Eugenia, in Netherlands, his family moved to California in 1962. Eddie wasn’t a guitar player since his childhood as is the case with other greats. He took up Piano as a child and was no doubt a prodigy. He won several competitions as a child and along with his brother Alex; he took up professional learning of Piano. Edward never found Piano really engaging and hence took up a drum kit and began practicing. Alex had taken guitar by then. It is said that when Edward would leave home delivering newspapers to pay for his drum kit Alex would practice on it. Unknown to the brother, Alex had gone miles ahead in his skill with the drums. The truth was out in the open when Eddie heard Alex’s performance of the “The Sufaris’ drum solo” in the song “Wipe Out”. Eddie was visibly irritated and sought childhood revenge. Thanks to Alex, Eddie decided to return the favor with a guitar. He took up practicing electric guitar and was so obsessed with it that he spent several nights sitting at one place and trying notes. There are citations when Eddie himself stated that he would often walk around at home with the guitar strapped on and unplugged, practicing. He had several influences, the most notable of them being Eric Clapton (it is said he could play almost all the solos of Eric Clapton’s in the band Cream) and he has acknowledged Brian May and Allan Holdsworth’s influence as well.
Mammoth-Van Halen:
Van Halen’s band was originally called as “Mammoth” and was formed in 1974 in Pasedena, California.The band consisted of Eddie Van Halen on guitar and vocals, his brother, Alex on drums, and bassist Mark Stone. It was from David Lee Roth that they rented a P.A system for $50 a night. For more than one reason, Eddie decided to have Roth into the band, as Roth had already auditioned for them but failed. Soon, Michael Anthony replaced Mark Stone on bass. They opted to change the name of the band, reportedly due to another band operating with the same name - Roth is normally attributed with suggesting the name 'Van Halen'. 1997 was a major berakthrough year for them as Gene Simmons saw one of Van Halen's shows and subsequently financed their first demo tape, flying the band to Electric Ladyland studios in New York to record "House of Pain" and "Runnin' With the Devil". The same year he was offered a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. Later that year, they recorded their first album, "Van Halen", which was released on February 10, 1978.
Though Van Halen went on to achieve great success, releasing a total of 6 albums: Van Halen (1978), Van Halen II (1979), Women and Children First (1980), Fair Warning (1981), Diver Down (1982), and MCMLXXXIV (1984) as with most bands they had trouble working together as Eddie has personality conflicts with Roth and he once even considered joining Kiss as a replacement for Ace Frehley, who was suffering from severe substance abuse problems. Due to Simmons persuasion Eddie returned to Van Halen, and shortly afterwards the band released the album 1984; which yielded the band's first #1 pop hit, "Jump". David Lee Roth left Van Halen on April 1, 1985, citing personal differences with Eddie.
Sammy Hagar the former Montrose singer joined the band and a few things changed for good. Eddie also started playing keyboard regularly ("Dreams" and "Love Walks In"). The change in sound prompted many fans, both positively and negatively, to refer to the band as "Van Hagar." This was a very successful time for Van Halen - eclipsing the success of the Roth years commercially.All four studio albums produced during this period reached #1 on the Billboard pop music charts. However, tensions within the band again rose, and Hagar departed in 1996. More reunions and breakups followed. Roth reunited and released Greatest Hits in 1996.Two new songs were recorded for the album, with the single "Me Wise Magic" reaching #1 on the mainstream rock chart. Soon they broke again only to be joined by Gary Cherone. With him Van Halen III was released and received poorly. He departed amicably. Then the band took a long slumber.
The Comeback:
It was in 2004, Van Halen came back with Hagar. A greatest hits package, The Best Of Both Worlds, was released to coincide with the band's reunion tour. Being a multi talented personality is not good always and Eddie would vouch for it. All bass parts on the new material on the album were played by Eddie Van Halen rather than Michael Anthony; this again brought in differences. Their's was a long tour but as per Rolling Stone it was not commercially successful. Again Eddie had differences with Hagar, culminating in Eddie violently smashing his guitar before leaving the stage on the last date of the tour. The responses to the tour were mixed, while some enjoyed it, some criticised it for poor musicianship and drunken behaviour on stage.
By the February of 2007 the band officially announced that Roth would rejoin Van Halen for their summer tour. But again the idea went in abeyance. After a tortorous few months which also included Eddie's visit to rehab, the news was confirmed that in the late 2007 they would tour North America.
Personal Life:
In his life Van Halen had his own set of personal problems to deal with. In 1999, it was a hip replacement surgery while in 2005 it was a divorce. During the late 1990s he was twice treated for tongue and mouth cancer. He reasons that his cancer was not due to smoking and hence hasn't given it up yet. Eddie also revealed that he stopped the cancer via an illegal method (the nature of which he declined to specify) in conjunction with a pharmaceutical lab with which he's affiliated in New York state. He said a portion of his tongue was removed and experimented on, and then the technique was performed on him. He said he has lost one third of his tongue, though his speech sounds virtually unaffected.Through all his problems he has come back only stronger. In 2007 he even entered rehab, possibly for alcohol abuse.
Van Halen emerged from rehab and appeared publicly as an honorary official during the April 21, 2007 NASCAR event at Phoenix International Raceway, looking much more fit and healthy than he had been in recent years beforehand, with a look similar to that of his from Van Halen's Balance era. He also unveiled a new EVH Fender Stratocaster guitar before the ceremony.
