Classic Rock
Brian May recalls the first time he saw Eddie Van Halen playing
Queen guitarist Brian May recalled in an interview with BBC Radio 1 the first time he ever saw Eddie Van Halen playing. The musician said that it was when the American band was Black Sabbath’s opening band.
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Brian May recalls the first time he saw Eddie Van Halen playing:
“There hadn’t been anything so shocking since Jimi Hendrix. I saw Van Halen support Black Sabbath – Tony Iommi was a very good friend, even by that time – and the pair of us watched Eddie Van Halen do his stuff, and we shook our heads and kind of went, ‘Whoa!’ [Chuckles]”
“And it was just glorious, almost too glorious to take in, to see this guy romping around a guitar like a kitten, you know, just running and taking it to places undreamed of. I love his playing – I always will.”
About Eddie Van Halen’s death, Queen guitarist said:
“Completely gutted to hear the sad news. This wonderful man was way too young to be taken. What a talent – what a legacy – probably the most original and dazzling rock guitarist in History.
“I think of him as a boy – an innocent prodigy – always full of joy, always modest – and those truly magical fingers opened a door to a new kind of playing. I treasure the moments we shared. His passing leaves a giant hole in my heart. RIP Ed Van Halen.”
