I met Eddie Van Halen today!!!

[UncleKG]

Chalk this up under the "sh*t I never thought would happen in my life."

He looked really good, believe it or not. His hair's short and a light brown on top (kind of like what he looked like in the early 90's), but his Van Dyke (goatee and mustache) has some gray in it.

Now, the teeth. It looks like our guy has had a lot of work done (dentures? Caps? Not sure, but they're very straight and very white).

Wolfie was with him, looking like a typical 16 year old (a little chunky and some acne), and Eddie had the brunette with him (his girlfriend/publicist).

He was standing at the back of the room in the media center at Phoenix Raceway. I brought an old poster of him (the one with him grinning, leaning to his left, playing his old guitar, wearing the coveralls with the animal print on them). He was cool when I approached him, and asked if I wanted it signed to someone. I just said for him to sign his name, and while he was signing, I blabbered something about "Fair Warning" being my first big concert and how I had seen him eight or nine times since then.

Then I thanked him and said it was a pleasure to meet him. He just grinned, and I got out of the way.

He seemed in very good spirits, and looked a lot better than I expected.

He was there to show off a custom Fender that's being given to the race winner. It's painted with the Phoenix Raceway logo, and looked really good. They also had one of the 300 replica "Frankenstrats" they're selling (aren't they like $30,000 apiece?), and I have to say, they look authentic. The wear marks, the cigarette burns, the way the wires are all tangled where the pickup's been removed, the quarter under the bridge, etc. I got to see it up close, and it really looks like Eddie's guitar.

Eddie didn't speak during the press conference or answer questions afterwards, but he grinned and mugged for the camera the entire time, and again, seemed in good spirits.

As a huge Van Halen fan from way back, it was definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

Look for some professional pics to hit the internet (I didn't have a camera with me) today, and he will be on stage, greeting all the drivers before the NASCAR race tomorrow night on FOX, if you want to see him. He also took a ride around the track in a Petty Driving Experience car with Kurt Busch driving, so that footage could make the broadcast, too.

Oh, and did I mention that I met EDDIE F*CKIN' VAN HALEN!!!????

[ironmountain]

That's pretty cool. I really do hope he's cleaned up his act, for his kid's sake and for a last gasp at Van Halen.

Good for you though.

[montyollie]

I'm so jealous you got to meet your idol!!!

I am a Canadian who drove to Texas to meet my idol, Survivor's Jimi Jamison... and he was RAINED OUT. I never even got to get his autograph! I'm still nursing that heartbreak.

Oh I exaggerate slightly... I had already driven to New Orleans on an unrelated trip. But I drove four hours in either direction out of my way, all for naught.

Good for you, meeting Eddie! I love Eddie too. You won't catch me bashing him on this site. I think he's the greatest guitarist who ever lived, for sure.

[Kenny]

You won't catch me bashing him on this site.

Very well said.....and congrats to KG. Sounds like you conducted yourself very well!!

[UncleKG]

Here's some footage taken about 15 minutes after I met him. I was wondering why they had an EVH amp in the media center, since they didn't bring it out during the press conference. Apparently, it was a prop for this piece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCfAEAlWo-8

[UncleKG]

My last post on this, I promise:

A little more detail on the press conference:

They had the replica of Eddie's guitar sitting on a stand in front of the stage before the press conference. You could walk up and take a good look, but touching wasn't allowed. Like I said, it looks like the real thing (as you can tell from the pic). The Phoenix guitar was covered by a sheet, and was sitting behind the table on stage.

During the press conference, Ed didn't make any formal comments. The track president spoke first and said he (the prez.) is a guitar player, how thrilled he was to have Eddie there, a true rock legend, etc., etc. The prez. asked how many in the room were guitar players (a few people raised their hands, including Ed, who said "I am!," which got a good laugh), then he asked how many in the room were Van Halen fans, which got some hoots and a lot of applause. Then the Fender rep. spoke and reminded everyone that Fender is headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ. He talked about how, in addition to the Phoenix logo'd guitar, they had one of the replica "Frankenstrats" (the guy actually said, "Frakenstein"), and that it would be on display in a restaurant at the track all weekend.

Then they unveiled the Phoenix guitar and Eddie mugged for the cameras. After about a minute, one of the photogs asked if they could have Eddie hold the Frankenstrat replica. When they handed it to Ed, he said something like, "Now, HERE'S the real thing!" and mugged again. That was about it. As Ed stood to leave, a reporter asked him something. I couldn't hear Ed's reply, but he ducked out fairly quickly, so I think it was probably a "I'm not really talking about anything today" kind of response. They took him out the side door into Victory Lane, which is where they filmed the FOX piece that's linked on this board:

They walked Ed and his group through the garage, and took them into one of the Petty Enterprises (car) haulers, and I assume he spoke to Richard Petty (who is always at the track). Then he went out to pit road and did the Richard Petty Driving Experience (it's a company that allows you to ride in a real stock car at different tracks on the NASCAR circuit), with Kurt Busch driving him around for a couple of laps. They showed Eddie climbing out the car on the closed circuit feed in the media center, and showed him posing for pics with Kurt, Wolfie and Eddie's girl afterwards.

Hopefully, this gives you a little more of a "you were there" feel, and offers a little more proof I'm not full of sh*t (at least not about meeting Eddie, that is).