The first time I heard that shredding guitar was back in 1978 when disco was ending and rock was still dead but for a few hangers on. I was a radio jock at the time playing college radio music that consisted of deep cuts and one hit wonders. A new single came in from some group named Van Halen and I put it on. Runnin With The Devil.. The guitar was phenomenal. The singer was phenomenal. The backing vocals were spot on. I was a fan.
Eddie Van Halen died yesterday after defying his lifestyle's inevitable end for years. The loss is devastating to us old rockers. While Van Halen survived 3 different lead singers (amazing) Eddie remained the reason they never faded away. That guitar whether it was Runnin With The Devil or Panama or Hot For Teacher or And the Cradle Will Rock or even the shredding he did for Beat It was never disappointing. The videos with Eddie's goofy grin, such a contrast to the preening schmoe David Lee Roth.
I am gonna miss that talent but we always have the songs. The songs! We have the songs!
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