Top 50 Greatest Things: #6

My top 50 greatest things.

Numer 6: Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen was a guitar player from the band Van Halen. Eddie's innovative musicianship has had a meaningful effect on a lot of musicians, myself included. I remember as a kid knowing Van Halen songs just based off of their regular radio airplay, but I wasn't aware of who exactly was playing those songs until shortly after I started playing guitar. It was simply being in the car with my mother while a Van Halen song was playing and her mentioning "Oh yeah, that's Eddie Van Halen playing guitar. You should probably know who he is.". That was the start of learning about every member in every band I had ever heard while my family begged me to stop with the barrage of facts I'd projectile vomit in their direction. Above Eddie's guitar playing, he was a guy who advocated for originality and wanted people not to worry about being the most technically proficient or what have you, but to play music in a way that is authentic to yourself.

Also my favorite Van Halen record is Fair Warning.

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