The Story of My Photo With Van Halen & The Years Leading Up To It
Reflecting on the Passing of Edward Van Halen
Yesterday, October 6, 2023, was the third anniversary of the death of Edward Van Halen. As I reflect back on my enjoyment of this unprecedented creative genius and music he created and the miraculous moment of meeting him face to face…
…I'm a teen boy in my room in 1978. I'm already subverting norms by listening to the album Rock Station 98 KZEW instead of pop-rock on Z-97 here in North Texas. I had heard the off-the-beaten-path songs of Styx, Boston, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Cars, and many others because I was listening to album rock but I had yet to discover a strange but interestingly named band with a crazy blond-haired lead singer and the awesome sound of Edward Van Halen’s talent. I was just beginning to appreciate the longer version of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody in those mid to late 70s because Top-40 only played the short radio-play version.
My mom permitted me to buy that awesome scam that allowed you to buy one record and get the next one for a penny. The records arrived C.O.D. (Cash On Delivery). I don't even remember the other album that came with the self-titled Van Halen album. Their first album.
The debut album changed everything for guitar players and wannabes worldwide. To be precise, the guitar solo that changed the landscape of Rock-n-Roll music forever. Everyone was looking one way and the next day they were looking at Edward Van Halen.
I put the needle on the vinyl and whammo! It was like getting smacked between the eyes. It was an explosion. Volcanic. It was indeed an ..."Eruption". When the sound erupted from my speakers, I was jolted ...maybe it was fear. As the explosion's debris skyrocketed high into my normal soundscape, I was stunned to discover it landed perfectly on and lit up pleasure zones in my ears that I didn't even know existed in the sonic spectrum.
That eruption came into the stage of my mind as a stomping, strutting, charging rhino, that cranking crunch, the revving up had already made me think how could he top this? How is he making that sound? Oh, that sound! The hammer-ons and fretboard finger sliding sounded like his tips were dipped in hot butter. The smooth sounds sliding rapidly over the frets at that pitch and boom was pure elation to me.
3 years later I drove with my high school friend Jimmy Pelton with a ticket I bought from another friend Glenn Bagwill for $10 to Van Halen’s Fair Warning tour at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. I was standing on the side Eddie Van Halen occupied on stage. It was September 10, 1981. It was three and a half months after I graduated high school.
The arena went dark and people started cheering. Then I heard what sounded like a giant door hinge wailing. It was so loud it drowned out the voices. The lights exploded and the mighty Van Halen thundered onto the stage. David Lee Roth leaped off the drum set yelling like Tarzan. Roth, Eddie, and Michael Anthony formed a three-man phalanx, Roth at the front. Eddie and Michael Anthony at his left and right. The drop-D crunch-punch of "Unchained" made me wonder if the concussion might crumble the pillars of the arena. It might blow out the doors and ravage downtown Dallas like a herd of T-Rex. Roth was already being called the “Clown Prince of Rock-n-Roll” for his antics and his hilarious sense of humor. He was reveling in his reputation and wearing a huge cartoonish foam cowboy hat. He had his hand in front like he was holding the reins of a galloping stallion.
When the three-man phalanx got to the front edge of the stage, Roth swept off the huge hat and flung it like a frisbee. It went sailing far out over the crowd. Eddie and Michael split off to their places at the opposite edges and pandemonium ensued. I was standing on the fourth row, awestruck.
My first real rock-n-roll concert ...ever.
It was also the only time I ever heard one of Eddie's most beautiful guitar openings live. "Hear About It Later". That opening guitar riff to this day brings me such a sweet joy it’s hard to describe.
Jimmy Pelton and I experienced history in the making.
3 years later in July of 1984…
Michael Jackson sold out Texas Stadium for one night. 60 thousand people. I saw Van Halen twice that same weekend. My friend Tex was with me one night. They were touring after releasing their biggest album ever at that point, 1984. They played three sold-out shows at Reunion Arena, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They rocked more people than Michael Jackson that weekend. That same weekend it was my birthday and I graduated from technical school. Not that I was a pothead, I never was, but it was the last time I puffed on a doobie cig.
I have seen Van Halen in all versions, Roth, Hagar, and even Gary Cherone. Roth was by far the best version. But Hagar’s contribution was great as well. When Roth vacated the lead vocal spot what vocalist wouldn’t rush at the chance to fill those shoes and ride that mammoth known as Van Halen?
But on March 24, 1995, on the Balance tour, one of the coolest things that could happen to anyone happened to me. I met Van Halen in the Sammy Hagar rendition, Michael Anthony, Alex Van Halen, and Eddie backstage because of a crazy and lucky turn of events. Tex's brother worked for Atlantic Records and he had at least gotten us close because we met the up-and-coming band Collective Soul, but we had to negotiate the last mile because we had no passes to meet Van Halen.
When we left from meeting Collective Soul, Cindy Skull, a DJ at the station Eagle 97 was standing at the elevator that led to the Van Halen’s backstage. We struck up a conversation with her. She was frustrated with two of her co-workers whom she was holding the backstage passes for. She gave us the backstage passes after two of her radio colleagues lagged in returning. She peeled off the stickers and slapped the passes on our chests after we begged a little.
When we got downstairs we did not have the proper pass to meet the band. So we tagged along with some friends of Tex’s who just happened to show up and had the proper pass.
Then a band manager stood in the hallway to get everyone's attention. "Van Halen does not do autographs," he said. We all groaned. Then he said, "They do pictures!" And we shouted with our heavy metal signs in the air. Then he said, "Don't shake hands with them!" We all groaned again.
What seemed like an hour later it was finally our turn to walk into the room where Van Halen was waiting. When I walked in Eddie Van Halen walked straight up to me and held out his hand as if to say “Screw that band manager, we shake hands.” I shook Eddie Van Halen's hand. He even talked to me. I cannot remember a thing he said because I was in shock. I do remember how down-to-earth he seemed. Just a regular dude who seemed to appreciate his fortune in life. Then I met Michael, Alex and Sammy. It's all a blur now so I’m glad I have the photo. The band manager took our addresses down and to my surprise, the photo arrived a few months later.
I vaguely remember being corralled for the photo because I was in a daze. The guitar legend put his hand on my shoulder, I’m 6’1” so he graciously stood up on his tiptoes to be seen in the camera. Micheal Anthony and Alex are to my right and that's Eddie’s hand on my right shoulder using it to steady himself as he looks over my left shoulder.
RIP Eddie Van Halen. I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed his incredible talent even if I had never met him. Thank you for bringing your soul to the stage and blowing us all away.