In a new interview with Finland’s Kaaos TV, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser was asked if he ever got a chance to meet Eddie Van Halen over the course of his three-decade touring career. He responded (see video below): “It’s my biggest frustration — when a legend dies and I didn’t have a chance to meet him.
“I’m from Brazil, of course, as you all know,” he continued. “In 1983, VAN HALEN came to Brazil for the first time, on the ‘Diver Down’ tour. They played in São Paulo, my city. I was young. My mom didn’t let me go to the show. I was very pissed off. [Chuckles] A lot of my friends did go to the show, and they had a great experience. But I had a chance to see VAN HALEN on the VMAs, on the MTV Awards, in 1992, where they opened the ceremony. They played ‘Poundcake’, that song with that tool, the power tool. They did the soundcheck, and they did the opening live to the whole world. And that was fantastic, because it was my only opportunity to see and to feel and to be in the same room [as] Edward Van Halen.”
Reflecting on Eddie‘s passing, Andreas said: “It’s something that was so shocking. We all knew he was very sick and going through a very difficult period of time in his life, and fighting against cancer. And all the abuse, of course, during all those years and stuff.”
Kisser also talked about Eddie‘s influence on his own career, saying: “I realized that VAN HALEN was so much a part of my life that I didn’t realize so much. When something like that happens, you start to remember everything that you did and the influence of VAN HALEN and ‘Eruption’. And the way [Eddie] dressed. My dream was to have the same pants Van Halen had. I was a pain in the ass to my mother, to try to find the same type of elements, to build those pants and stuff. And everything — all the legend about what he did with the pickups and [how he] tried to boil the strings and all those ‘fake news’ [laughs] that all guitar players wanted to do. ‘Cause everyone wants to be Van Halen.
“I remember when I decided to be a musician, [I] talked to my family, I talked to my mom,” he added. “She said, ‘Great. But you have to be the best. Whatever you do, you have to be the best.’ I said, ‘How come I’m gonna be the best if Edward Van Halen is already there?’ [Laughs] ‘This is an impossible task.’ But I realized there’s no such thing to be the best. Of course, I have my best, you have your best, and I’m sure I am the best guitar player for some people. That’s fine.
“The inspiration and the motivation to be a Van Halen is what every guitar player has. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing.”
Eddie died on Tuesday (October 6) at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California. His wife, Janie, was by his side, along with his son, Wolfgang, and Alex, Eddie‘s brother and VAN HALEN drummer.
The iconic VAN HALEN axeman passed away from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
