Eruption by Van Halen completely reset the trajectory of rock guitar when the band unleashed it as part of their self-titled debut album in 1978. The song s influence is immeasurable, and a new violin cover of Eddie Van Halen s signature solo is further evidence of the late legend s genius as a musician.
The commonalities found within heavy music and classical music are profound and persistent, whether rock and metal musicians are playing neoclassical styled music or using classical s cerebral nature to define their arrangements rather than their note selections. Eddie Van Halen is often regarded as such a unique entity, that his name is worth mentioning in the same breath as history s greatest composers, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.
By Andrew Magnotta @AndrewMagnotta
A mural celebrating the life s work of
Eddie Van Halen is set to be unveiled in Hollywood next Tuesday, January 26, on what would have been the guitarist s 66th birthday.
Artist
Robert Vargas was tasked with painting the Van Halen portrait on a wall outside the Hollywood Guitar Center. We re really excited about doing that on that day and really giving it to the world, Vargas said in a recent interview. This will be the premiere Eddie Van Halen mural in the States, really, but especially here in Hollywood where they made their bones.
In its early days, Van Halen made a name for itself in the club scene on the Sunset Strip before eventually catching the attention of Warner Bros. records. Vargas also noted that scenes from Van Halen s Panama music video were shot right in front of the store.
The tributes continue to roll out for Eddie Van Halen and some in the Los Angeles area have been able to see artist Robert Vargas new mural at the Hollywood Guitar Center as a work in progress. Among those who ve stopped by is fellow guitar god Zakk Wylde, as can be seen in the postings below.
Those not in the Los Angeles area can get an idea of what s going up in honor of Eddie Van Halen courtesy of a video report from KXFM 104.7 host Leeza London as seen below.
Vargas has been working on the mural for the past week with the official unveiling set to take place at the Guitar Center in Hollywood on Jan. 26, which is also Eddie Van Halen s birthday.