The elegant Eddie Van Halen typically falls away when it comes to discussing rock ‘n’ roll antics.
In fact, he once declared, “If you want to be a rock star or just be famous, then run down the street naked, you’ll make the news or something. But if you want music to be your livelihood, then play, play, play, and play! And eventually, you’ll get to where you want to be.” When it came to his guitar, he spared no effort, even if it meant resorting to unconventional methods.
What’s truly astonishing is that this story isn’t a myth; it’s a real event. Eddie Van Halen found himself jamming with the rap metal band Limp Bizkit one day.
Why? Simply because such things happen in Hollywood.
They decided to play together at Bizkit’s frontman Fred Durst’s house, again, just another day in Hollywood.
To Van Halen’s dismay, things took an unexpected turn as substances were introduced into the mix among the young members of Limp Bizkit. This wasn’t Van Halen’s scene, so he decided to make a swift exit.
The following day, he attempted to contact Durst to retrieve his guitars and equipment left behind. However, all he heard was an answering machine. Repeated attempts yielded the same result over the course of 24 hours, leaving Van Halen increasingly frustrated.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Van Halen was willing to take drastic action to reclaim his cherished instruments.
As Andrew Bennett, the author of “Eruption in the Canyon: 212 Days & Nights with the Genius of Eddie Van Halen,” recounted: “Eddie once acquired an assault vehicle from a military auction, complete with a mounted machine gun. It wasn’t exactly street-legal. Eddie drove this assault vehicle through Los Angeles, into Beverly Hills, and parked it running on the front lawn of the house where Limp Bizkit was rehearsing.”
The absurdity continued: “He emerged shirtless, sporting a Samurai bun atop his head, jeans secured with a length of rope, and combat boots held together with duct tape. In his hand, he held a gun.”
Unsurprisingly, his guitars and equipment were promptly returned after this spectacle. Though it’s a shame he didn’t extend his musical instrument siege further into the world of rap metal.
For Eddie, this was his version of “Taken.” He held his sacred guitars in high regard. “A guitar is a very personal extension of the person playing it. You have to be emotionally and spiritually connected to your instrument. I’m very rough with my instruments, but not always.” He reserved his toughness for those who mishandled them.
