Gene Simmons, Flea Lead Eddie Van Halen Tributes
The rock guitarist has died...
*KISS* legend *Gene Simmons* leads the tributes to *Eddie Van Halen*.
The rock guitar maestro passed away yesterday - October 6th - from throat cancer, leaving behind him a stunning arsenal of tunes.
A continual innovator and stylist, his work ranged from MTV hits to seminal rock cuts via a starring role on Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'.
Gene Simmons led the tributes, with the KISS legend speaking to BBC Breakfast News:
"Force them to sit down and stop texting and tweeting and introduce them to the wonder of Eddie Van Halen"
On #BBCBreakfast Kiss singer Gene Simmons urges fans to introduce young people to the rock band Van Halen.https://t.co/hdeRxwV8L4 pic.twitter.com/VyM7NZLBlc
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) October 7, 2020
Flea also paid his respects:
Oh man, bless his beautiful creative heart. I love you Eddie Van Halen, an LA boy, a true rocker. I hope you jam with Jimi tonight. Break through to the other side my brother. https://t.co/XpcTlPJq9A
— Flea (@flea333) October 6, 2020
One moving tribute came from Eddie Van Halen's son:
pic.twitter.com/kQqDV7pulR
— Wolf Van Halen (@WolfVanHalen) October 6, 2020
Here's a few more tributes...
Eddie Van Halen. Ah man..even if hair bands weren’t your scene, who had the power to turn your shitty Ford Escort into a Ferrari under you more than Eddie? Nobody. No matter what else you were into, the first time you heard those opening riffs of Mean Street, Unchained, ATBL..
— Edward Norton (@EdwardNorton) October 7, 2020
View this post on Instagram
Eddie Van Halen was a guitar superhero. A true virtuoso. A stunningly good musician and composer. Looking up to him as a young kid was one of the driving forces in my needing to pick up a guitar. I was so blown away watching him exert such control and expression over his instrument. Learning to play the guitar taught me so many things, but still absolutely nothing about how to play like Eddie Van Halen. And for that reason, I never stopped watching him in adolescent awe and wonder, and I promise you I never will. So very sad to learn of his passing. My love to his family, his bandmates, his friends and his crew. EVH FOREVER
A post shared by John Mayer (@johnmayer) on
Oct 6, 2020 at 1:12pm PDT
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