B E A T

Dutch born Eddie van Halen relocated with his brother Alex and family to the U.S. in 1962. The grew up in Pasedena, California and showed an early aptitude for musi (Alex as a drummer and Edward as a guitarist). While still at high school, he formed the band originally known as Mammoth but subsequently re-christened Van Halen with singer David Lee Roth and bassist Mike Anthony. The band became a popular local attraction through a combination of loud and energetic heavy metal and Roth’s very tight trousers! Due to the inability to attract a record deal, they began promoting own gigs; using every possible attention-grabbing trick like parachuting into stadiums to upstage the headlining band. By 1977, the group were attracting audiences of 3000, Warner Bros. A&R man Ted Templeman saw them playing the Hollywood club and signed them immediately. Their first album, VAN HALEN, was released in 1978. It achieved major U.S. chart success, and showcased Eddie’s stunning guitar virtuosity. Using specially ‘Hot-Rodded’ guitars, He played at lightning speed and deployed advanced techniques like two-handed tapping. Eddie displayed his extraordinary playing skills not only with his band, but on the famous solo he contribute to Micheal Jackson’s best selling single, BEAT IT (1982).
At the end of 1985, following triumph with LP ‘1984’ (which include the smash single JUMP), Roth left to pursue solo ambitions, scoring considerable success. Van Halen reconstituted with veteran metal merchant Sammy Hagar and went on to record the biigest album of their career, muli-platinum selling ‘5150’. The disc also spawned the hit single, WHY CAN”T THIS BE LOVE’. The band took two years off before returning with 1988 set OU812, which topped the U.S. album chart. Van Halen returned to the road in September of the same year for a two month American tour. Next Van Halen CD, FOR UNLAWFUL CARNAL KNOWLEDGE (1991) debuted at No.1 on the Billboard album chart. Suprisingly, the collection did not overwhelm the critics, although single cuts TOP OF THE WORLD and THE DREAM IS OVER saw the unit in prime form. However, after further success with live set, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW (1993) and studio-recorded BALANCE (1995), Sammy Hagar quit the group; replacement vocalist Gary Cherone appeared on VAN HALEN 3 (1998) but soon left afterwards; there have been persistan rumors that original singer David Lee Roth would rejoin the band.
Edward Van Halen’s health has recently given some cause for concern; he had ahip replacement operation 1996, and in 200-2001 he underwent successful treatment for cancer having a third of his tongue removed. He has since re-assured his fans about his condition, and seems to give us many more years of powerful and innovative guitar playing.