Vale Eddie Van Halen

[Wet Willie]

Very few musicians actually change rock music forever - Eddie did... The sounds and guitar tones he created, rebooted rock music from Van Halen's first single "You Really Got Me" - has there ever been a better cover version of a song?  Kiss' Gene Simmons discovered Van Halen and produced their demo to score their first record contract.  Eddie went on to play the solo on Michael Jackson's "Beat It" (in two takes) and was uncredited on Nicolette Larsen's debut album (much to David Lee Roth's annoyance).  Eddie had been suffering from throat cancer for ten years.