Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready: Eddie Van Halen ‘Was Like Mozart for Guitar’

Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen on Twitter, following news of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist’s death on Tuesday.

“Can’t believe Eddie Van Halen died,” he wrote, next to a photo of himself with Van Halen. “I saw them on the VH2, Women and Children First, Fair Warning, and Diver Down tours. Also when they came back with [David Lee Roth]. I started playing guitar about a year after Van Halen I came out. It sounded like Eddie was from another planet and the energy from Van Halen was undeniable. Amazing songs too. ‘Romeo Delight,’ ‘On Fire,’ ‘Unchained,’ ‘Mean Street,’ ‘DOA,’ ‘Light Up the Sky,’ ‘Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love,’ ‘Eruption,’ ‘Atomic Punk,’ ‘Everybody Wants Some,’ on and on I can go…”

McCready added, “Tim Dijulio and I would skip school and wait in line all day for Van Halen back in the day. Eddie was like Mozart for guitar. Changed everything and he played with Soul. RIP EVH.”

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— Pearl Jam (@PearlJam) October 6, 2020

Van Halen died at age 65 from a prolonged battle with throat cancer. His son, Wolfgang Van Halen, announced the news on Twitter, writing, “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 fully recover from this loss.”