Eddie Van Halen Pictures, Biography, Profile, Facts, Discography, Filmography, more.

One of the best-known guitarists of the 80s and 90s, Edward Van Halen was spawned in the ancient, Roman Empire-founded city of Nijmegen in Holland, but was primarily brought up in the rather-less-ancient L.A. suburb of Pasadena, where his family chose to emigrate in 1962.

Both he and his brother Alex Van Halen received training in classical piano as children, but it was ultimately rock music that won their interest, with Eddie deciding to channel his musical energies through the drums and Alex switching to the guitar. As it turned out, Alex - who practiced on his brother's kit while Eddie was out delivering papers to pay for it - developed faster as a drummer, motivating Eddie to turn his efforts to the guitar instead. Throughout high school and afterwards the brothers worked together in a series of groups, eventually forming Mammoth in the early 1970s. It was during this period that they came in contact with David Lee Roth, the vocalist for a band from which they occasionally rented a P.A.; deciding they would be better off with a full-time singer (Eddie having been filling this role with little enthusiasm), and impressed with Roth's skills, they lured him into their ranks. Not long afterward, bassist Michael Anthony was culled from another local band, cementing a line-up that would endure for the next ten years. Upon discovering that the name 'Mammoth' was already taken, the four changed their name to Van Halen (apparently at Roth's suggestion) in 1974.

After spending the next year building up an audience on the local club circuit, Van Halen caught the attention of blood-spurting Kiss bassist Gene Simmons; impressed with the talent of Eddie and bandmates, he offered his services to produce a demo tape. That same year, a minion of the souless behemoth Warner Brothers also took an interest in the foursome, and within two shakes of a goat's tail a record deal was arranged. In 1978 their eponymous debut was released, strongly impacting the heavy metal scene and establishing Eddie as a guitar hero to countless uninspired teens. Five more albums with the Roth-fronted line-up followed over the next six years: Van Halen II (1979), Women and Children First (1980), Fair Warning (1981), Diver Down (1982), and the hugely successful 1984. By this time, however, relations between Van Halen and his vocalist had thoroughly disintegrated; the following year Roth moved on to a solo career, and a new frontman for the band - former Montrose vocalist and solo performer Sammy Hagar - was chosen.

With Hagar at the helm, Van Halen climbed even higher up the arena rock ladder, their new material appealing to a broader, pop audience. Hagar's tenure endured slightly longer than Roth's, yet only resulted in five albums (5150 (1986), OU812 (1988), For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991), Balance (1995), plus a 1993 live album). The defining moment for this period of the band was the shameful, career-boosting sell-out of their song Right Now to the Pepsi corporation, a move that seriously damaged their credibility with many of their older fans. By 1996 the guitarist once again found himself at odds with his vocalist, and Hagar departed amongst rumors of David Lee Roth returning to the microphone stand. Roth did in fact add his voice to two new songs for a 'Greatest Hits' collection, but the idea of a full-time reunion quickly went south, ending in a public exchange of insults through the music press. In the wake of this non-reunion, a third vocalist was picked: Gary Cherone, lately of the band Extreme. With this line-up (the least popular to date), Van Halen managed only to produce the 1998 effort Van Halen III. Following Cherone's quick exit, the Roth reunion rumors re-surfaced, but once again to no outcome.

During the peak years of his celebrity, Edward Van Halen dutifully pursued the expected lifestyle, turning himself into a first-class alcoholic along the way. After his marriage to actress Valerie Bertinelli in 1980, and particularly after the birth of his son a year later, the guitarist began the struggle to get control of his addicition, but not soon enough to avoid serious health consequences. One of the more dramatic consequences was a degenerative condition that required the replacement of his right hip in 1999. By 2000 he was faced with an even more serious procedure involving the removal of a cancerous tumor from his tongue. It was subsequently reported in 2002 that he was free from the cancer, but the impact upon his health continued to create an obstacle to his musical activity, putting his band out of commission for several years. In 2004 Van Halen finally resumued active duty, going out on the road once again with vocalist Sammy Hagar.

Eddie Van Halen Trivia / Timeline:

Met David Lee Roth while they both attended Pasadena Community College in the 1970s.

Has been working on new material in his home studio since being declared cancer-free (he was treated for throat cancer in 2000/2001), but has no idea what he's going to do with it for now. Van Halen split with its label, Warner Brothers, in 2001, and is currently without a recording contract. [June 2002]

Parents moved to Pasadena from the Netherlands when he and brother Alex were young. His father was Dutch, his mother Indonesian.

His father, Jan van Halen, was an accomplished sax and clarinet musician in his own right. He appeared on clarinet on "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)" on the "Diver Down" album (released on April 14th, 1982).

Son Wolfgang born March 16, 1991.

Quotations by Eddie Van Halen:

"Yeah, but I don't think it was because of us. There was a lot of cocaine on the console-and it wasn't necessarily the band's. That was a problem. And we weren't allowed any input on the mix."

"I really don't feel like I've done s**t yet." When asked by Rolling Stone magazine to describe his greatest accomplishment as a guitarist (2003).

"Music is for people. The word 'pop' is simply short for popular. It means that people like it. I'm just a normal jerk who happens to make music. As long as my brain and fingers work, I'm cool."

"It's always a Catch-22 situation. They hate you if you're the same, and they hate you if you're different."

"There's a plaque on our wall that says we've sold over 65 million albums, and I don't feel I've accomplished anything. I feel like I'm just getting started."

Van Halen Discography:

Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs:

1978 Van Halen Warner

1979 Van Halen II Warner

1980 Women and Children First Warner

1981 Fair Warning Warner

1982 Diver Down Warner

1984 1984 Warner

1986 5150 Warner

1988 OU812 Warner

1991 For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge Warner

1995 Balance Warner

1998 Van Halen III Warner

Live and Compilation Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs:

1993 Live: Right Here, Right Now Warner

1996 The Best of Van Halen, Vol. 1 Warner

1999 Van Halen Box: 1986-1993 WEA

2000 Van Halen Box: 1978-1984 Wea

Van Halen Singles & Van Halen CDs (Singles):

1990 Feels So Warner

1991 Pound Cake Warner

1991 Top of the World Warner

1992 Right Now Warner

1994 Jump (Live) European

1995 Can't Stop Lovin' You Warner

1995 Not Enough Warner

Van Halen Discography - Van Halen Videos & Van Halen DVDs:

1989 Live Without a Net Warner

1993 Live: Right Here, Right Now Warner

1996 Video Hits, Vol. 1 Warner

2003 Van Halen Story: The Early Years Passport

1980s Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - David Lee Roth:

1985 Crazy from the Heat Warner

1986 Sonrisa Salvaje Warner

1986 Eat 'Em & Smile Warner

1988 Skyscraper Warner

1990s/00s Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - David Lee Roth:

1991 A Little Ain't Enough Warner

1994 Your Filthy Little Mouth Reprise

1997 Best of David Lee Roth Rhino

1998 DLR Band Wawazat

2003 Diamond Dave Magna Carta

Solo Van Halen Singles & Van Halen CDs (Singles) - David Lee Roth:

1987 Just Like Paradise Warner

1991 Sensible Shoes Warner

1991 A Little Ain't Enough

1991 Sensible Shoes

1998 Slam Dunk Wawazat

Van Halen Videos & Van Halen DVDs - David Lee Roth:

1986 Videos Warner Reprise

Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Eddie Van Halen Appearances:

Thomas Dolby Astronauts & Heretics (1992) Guitar

Thomas Dolby Best of Thomas Dolby:... (1995) Guitar

David Garfield & Friends Tribute to Jeff (1997) Guitar, Choir, Chorus

Sammy Hagar I Never Said Goodbye (1987) Bass, Vocals (bckgr), Producer

Sammy Hagar Unboxed (1994) Producer

Michael Jackson Thriller (1982) Guitar, Soloist

Michael Jackson HIStory: Past, Present and Future, (1995) Guitar

Michael Jackson Greatest Hits: HIStory, Vol. 1 (2001) Guitar

Brian May & Friends Star Fleet Project (1983) Guitar

Private Life Private Life Producer

Original Soundtrack Wild Life (1984) Producer, Performer, Score

Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Michael Anthony Appearances:

Sammy Hagar and the Wabo's Live -- Hallelujah (2003) Bass, Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)

1970s Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Sammy Hagar:

1976 Nine on a Ten Scale One Way

1977 Sammy Hagar One Way

1977 Sammy Hagar Two Capitol

1977 Musical Chairs One Way

1979 Street Machine Beat Goes On

1979 Danger Zone One Way

1980s Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Sammy Hagar:

1980 Centre Hole Capitol

1981 Standing Hampton Geffen

1982 Rematch & More Capitol

1982 Red Alert! Dial Nine Capitol

1983 Three Lock Box Geffen

1984 VOA Geffen

1987 I Never Said Goodbye Geffen

1990s/00s Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Sammy Hagar:

1997 Marching to Mars MCA

1999 Red Voodoo MCA

2000 Ten 13 Beyond

2002 Not 4 Sale 33rd Street

Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Sammy Hagar Live:

1978 All Night Long One Way

1980 Loud & Clear BGO

1983 Live 1980 One Way

1984 Through the Fire David Geffen

1989 Live - Very Live in Concert Capitol

1992 Red Hot EMI-Capitol

2003 Live -- Hallelujah Silverline

2003 Greatest Hits Live EMI-Capitol

1980s Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Sammy Hagar Compilations:

1982 Rematch Capitol

1983 Collection EMI

1987 Looking Back Geffen

1989 The Best of Sammy Hagar Warner

1990s/00s Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Sammy Hagar Compilations:

1992 The Best of Sammy Hagar Alliance

1992 Crusin' and Boozin' EMI-Capitol

1994 Unboxed Geffen

1995 Turn Up the Music EMI-Capitol

1998 Anthology BGO

1999 Best of Sammy Hagar EMI-Capitol

2002 Classic Masters Capitol

Solo Van Halen Videos & Van Halen DVDs - Sammy Hagar:

2001 Cabo Wabo Birthday Bash Tour Image

2003 Long Road to Cabo Sanctuary

Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Sammy Hagar Appearances:

Alice Cooper Fistful of Alice (1997) Guitar

Nick Gravenites & Animal... Kill My Brain (1999) Guitar, Vocals (bckgr)

Mark & Brian You Had to Be There! (1997) Performer

Meat Loaf Welcome to the Neighborhood (1995) Guitar, Vocals, Producer

Montrose Montrose (1973) Vocals

Montrose Paper Money (1974) Vocals

Montrose Very Best of Montrose (2000) Vocals

Roy Rogers Pleasure & Pain (1998)

Jeff Watson Lone Ranger (1992) Vocals

Hank Williams, Jr. Lone Wolf (1990) Guitar

Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Gary Cherone:

2002 Exit Elvis Spitfire

Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Gary Cherone (Extreme):

Extreme Extreme (1989) Vocals, Vocals (bckgr), Design, Logo Design

Extreme Extreme II: Pornograffitti (1990) Vocals, Vocals (bckgr)

Extreme III Sides to Every Story (1992) Vocals, Art Direction, Design, Concept

Extreme There Is No God (1994) Composer

Extreme Waiting for the Punchline (1995)

Extreme Accidental Collision of Atoms: The (1998) Composer

Solo Van Halen Albums & Van Halen CDs - Gary Cherone Appearances:

Nuno Schizophonic (1997)

Danger Danger Screw It! (1992) Vocals (bckgr)

Sammy Hagar and the Wabo's Live -- Hallelujah (2003) Vocals

Van Halen Van Halen III (1998) Vocals

Eddie Van Halen Filmography:

As Composer:

Ready to Rumble (2000/I) (song)

Detroit Rock City (1999) (song "Runnin' With the Devil")

Big Daddy (1999) (song "Jump")

Varsity Blues (1999) (uncredited) SLC Punk! (1998) (song "Hot For Teacher")

Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) (song) (uncredited) ... aka Lethal 4 (USA: promotional abbreviation)

Private Parts (1997) (song "Jamie's Cryin'") ... aka Howard Stern's Private Parts

Twister (1996) (songs "Humans Being", "Respect the Wind")

"Sydney" (1990)

TV Series (theme) (1990)

Van Halen Live Without a Net (1986) (V)

Better Off Dead... (1985) (song "Everybody Wants Some") (uncredited)

... aka Better Off Dead (USA)

The Wild Life (1984)

The Seduction of Gina (1984) (TV) ... aka Another High Roller

As Actor: