5 Years Without Eddie Van Halen
Hard to believe, but this week marks five years since Eddie Van Halen left this world and honestly, it still feels like someone ripped the soul out of rock ‘n’ roll with a whammy bar.
You might be asking: “Why should I still care?”
Here’s why: Because Eddie Van Halen didn’t just play guitar—he reprogrammed the damn thing.
Before Eddie showed up in the late ‘70s, guitar gods were doing fine. Clapton had the blues. Page had the mystique. Hendrix had the chaos. But then this smiling Dutch-Malay kid from Pasadena plugged in and said, “hold my beer.”
Eddie Van Halen was a one-man guitar revolution. Tapping, dive bombs, harmonics, two-handed wizardry and it was like hearing an alien speak fluent Les Paul. He made guitars cry, scream, laugh and do things they weren’t supposed to do. He built his own Frankenstrat in his garage and blew the doors off arenas for four decades.
And the best part? He did it all with joy. No tortured artist routine. Eddie smiled while he shredded, like he knew something the rest of us didn’t.
So yeah, you should care. Because the guy changed rock music forever, influenced millions of players and never once acted like he had something to prove.
Here’s 7 of His Greatest Songs — Certified Riff Gold:
1. “Eruption”
This wasn’t just a song—it was a declaration of war. One minute, 42 seconds of jaw-dropping, amp-melting wizardry that redefined what a solo could be.
2. “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love”
That intro riff? Pure dirt. Pure attitude. Still punches you in the face 45 years later.
3. “Panama”
Muscle car rock at its finest. That riff rips, the solo screams and Eddie somehow made revving engines musical.
4. “Hot for Teacher”
That intro? Like a machine gun on roller skates. He basically taunts other guitarists with how easy he makes it sound.
5. “Unchained”
A riff so nasty, it might need a lawyer. Mean, groovy and heavy as hell.
6. “Jump”
Synths? In Van Halen? Eddie made it work and still slid a smoking guitar solo right in the middle.
7. “Dance the Night Away”
One of the slickest and happiest rock songs ever. It shows Eddie could feel it and not just shred it.
