In A Few Months It Will Be 3 Years Since We Lost Eddie Van Halen

In A Few Months, It Will Be 3 Years Since We Lost Eddie Van Halen to Cancer. October 6th, 2020. The first thing I remember is a Twitter message from Wolfgang: "He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage was a gift. My heart is broken, and I don't think I'll ever recover from this loss. I love you so much, Pop." Personally, my own heart sank. I felt as if a lifelong friend had passed. We now live vicariously through Wolfgang watching him carry the Van Halen Family legacy. Wolfgang is doing all of us proud. Wolfgang did this incredible video as a tribute to his Father. From his debut release, the song was called, "Distance," which included home movies of the Van Halen Family.

The first time heard of Van Halen was at a friend's house. The first song, "Eruption," and I asked my friend, "Are you sure the record isn't on the wrong speed? There's no way a guitarist could be this fast." They had the whole package: guitar, drums, bass, and one flamboyant lead singer. Years later in my radio career, I got to meet them all. On the VH Balance tour, I got the one-on-one meeting with Eddie Van Halen and to see all the awesome guitars. The gold 'Lil guitar, the red-white-stripe guitar. And got to very lightly shake his hand.

Thanks again for being a wonderful soundtrack to my life and radio career.  R.I.P. Ed and Thank You.
~screamin scott

A lot of details go into it becoming an epic moment in time. Factors go into determining how great the event is going to be. Let's start with the concert announcement. All the greatest, Most Epic Moments in Live Music started on the radio. Some of the great ones were way before social media was a thing. Radio would be the first clue when the radio personality would tease coming up at 10 am a major concert announcement. Waiting all morning even guessing at who might be coming to town. My concert memories always had that, "it will be something to tell your grandkids someday.

Concert announcements by looking in the local newspaper. Pine Knob would post in early Spring the concerts for the upcoming season. There was always word of mouth about a concert coming to town or a friend who worked at a local record store.

The next step in the process was who was going to go with you to the show. Would it be an epic night with close friends or a concert with your best girl? Choose carefully as one wrong choice had major ramifications. Next was the transportation to and back from the show. Yes, I said back from the show. How many have ever been left at a show to find their own way home?

The last is to enjoy the show. Favorite beverage, or extracurricular activity to say it lightly. Remember you want to remember the show. What was nice is that some on this list have no cell phone documentation. Don't be that person that goes Facebook live with distorted audio and you singing in the background.

Some of you attended some on this list of the Most Epic Moments in Live Music

Woodstock - 1969 the culture music event of the decade and arguably to this day the single most profound event in the history of music. If you stayed to the end the performance from Jimi Hendrix was a show stopper. Jimi got paid, $18,000 for his set.

Organizers said Queen was the best performer of the show. Queen had something to prove that they were still at the top of their game. Tragically Freddy Mercury would pass a few years after this performance. Still one of the most epic live performances ever.

Doesn't matter how many times I watch this I still get chills. Prince does a solo that melts the hearts of everyone in the audience. Imagine if you had the lucky chance to sit and watch an all-star lineup with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Steve Winwood. A Tribute to the late George Harrison.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performing "Born To Run" from Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London '75. To promote Bruce Springsteen's 3rd album, "Born to Run,"  they sent Bruce to London. Critics point to this show as the show that took Bruce to worldwide success.

On January 30th, 1969 The Beatles went right to the top. Top of the building and put on a historic 45 min concert which would be their last ever. But what a concert.

"This is the biggest backyard party in Van Halen history!," - David Lee Roth

1.5 million dollars to headline the show. May 29th became, "Van Halen Memorial Day."

Van Halen burned through 24 songs on their set list, featuring new tunes from the Diver Down album and a healthy portion of Van Halen's favorites.