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Eddie Van Halen is a classically trained pianist who originally started out playing the drums while his brother Alex, picked up the guitar. It was only later when his brother heard him play a solo that he decided to switch to electric guitar and by age 14, he knew every solo by Eric Clapton by heart. When his brother Alex was going out to meet girls and party Eddie would stay at home with a six-pack of beer and practice his guitar all night, often still sitting in the same place that he had been in when his brother left.

It was David Lee Roth who suggested renaming the band Van Halen instead of Rat Salade (after a song by Black Sabbeth). And so Van Halen released their debut album in February of 1978 and it was instantly acclaimed as groundbreaking.

Eddie is credited with many innovations that have influenced many of today’s guitarists, one being “brown sound” which was created using a stock 100-watt Marshall amp, a few effects, and a “Frankenstein” guitar. Dubbed the Frankenstein guitar because he made it himself, using a cheap body and an unfinished maple neck and fingerboard. He’s also recognized for his inventive two-handed tapping technique (to which he credits Jimmy Page’s guitar solo in “Heartbreaker”). He also used unique tuning variations that allowed him to create sounds with his guitar that were previously unthinkable in a hard rock band. He also helped develop and master the Vibrato Bar, or more commonly known Whammy Bar, which is what gives him the shrieks and wails that his playing is so synonymous with.

He also created a device which attaches to the rear of the guitar and allows the player to play the guitar similar to playing a piano by having the face of the guitar upward.

He was also able to master the art of the Cross-over hit/collaboration to attract a whole new audience. He played memorable parts on numerous tracks on Michael Jackson’s Thriller and was the one who pushed for Van Halen’s more “Synth Sound” and mainstream friendly songs like Panama and Jump.

Van Halen is currently without a singer and is considered “inactive” but Eddie Van Halen will forever be considered an innovator and master of hard rock guitar.

Date of Birth: Jan 26, 1955

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