Text by Dawoud Kringle
On Tuesday, October 6th, 2020, Edward Lodewijk “Eddie” Van Halen died of cancer at the age of 65.
In 1978, I was listening to the radio, and the DJ of the local rock station announced that he was going to play something from the debut album of a band named Van Halen. Then Eruption came on. As Van Halen’s jaw dropping display of chops smashed through the speakers and seared itself into my ears, I stared at the radio, unable to believe what I was hearing.