A band of brothers: Van Halen during the OU812/Monsters of Rock era.
How I’ll always remember Edward.
One memory often triggers another, so, while writing about my experiences with Metallica over a crucial decade in their career for this issue, I kept flashing back on my sole encounter with Van Halen—the man and the band. It was during 1988’s Monsters of Rock, and I was on assignment for the tour’s two-day stand in Akron’s Rubber Bowl, a decrepit concrete pit turned convection oven by the summer heat, to interview all the guitarists on the tour: Kingdom Come’s Danny Stag, Dokken’s George Lynch, Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield of Metallica, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs of Scorpions, and, of course, Edward.
For the first day I was there, Van Halen’s publicist kept nudging me aside. Nonetheless, I enjoyed their headlining set, save for the perplexing choice of a Sammy Hagar ballad about burying the placenta from the birth of one of his children under a tree. (If you know what that song is called, please let me know so I can more purposefully continue to avoid it.) Edward was especially brilliant, of course.
I was literally and anxiously sweating it out as Van Halen’s second-night performance neared, when the publicist finally ushered me back into the band’s dressing room, in the distressed bowels of the Rubber Bowl. Their green room was actually a casbah created within the area’s grim concrete walls. There were hanging tapestries, plush furniture, floor lamps, and other homey appointments, all cooled by giant fans at its edges. But the most impressive sight was Edward, Sammy Hagar, and Michael Anthony plugged into a vertical-standing road case packed with practice amps, jamming out some blues. Alex had a practice pad atop the case, and pounded so hard he cut through the astonishing web of sound. They tossed me a few nods, and I sat on the couch next to a table with a bowl of M&M’s on it—I did not check the colors—and watched them wail on for a good 10 minutes. Edward, plugged into what I think was a Fender Champ, still sounded every bit like himself. I thought, “Well, even if I don’t get to ask a single question, this is worth the trip.”
But they did unplug, and suddenly I felt like I was in the middle of a cartoon—or maybe an episode of The Monkees. They all raced toward me and piled onto the arms and back of the couch. I was surprised and surrounded. They answered my questions, but Eddie kept playing his unplugged 6-string, and nearly every reply came with a silly joke or a pun that left them in stitches. They all talked at the same time, sometimes completing each other’s sentences—always answering me but spinning off into all kinds of wild digressions. At one point, Sammy did a decidedly un-PC Ray Charles impersonation that put Edward, Alex, and Michael on the floor. And when I asked a guitar-centric question, Edward slid off the back of the couch and landed next to me to reply.
“But they did unplug, and suddenly I felt like I was in the middle of a cartoon—or maybe an episode of The Monkees.”
It was hilarious—almost sketch comedy. But it was also beautiful, because it was obvious that at this point they were deeply connected by friendship and the joy of still discovering what this line up of the band, which had released OU812 a month earlier, could do. There was a tangible, open-hearted purity to them—at least about this music they were making and the experience of making it—and it wasn’t drugs, because Edward had recently been through rehab and not even beer was allowed in their green room. They were, in June 1988, truly a band of brothers.
Somehow, amidst all the crosstalk and antics, I managed to get all my questions answered, and spent a few more minutes hanging out with them, enjoying a cold cola and avoiding the near-100-degree outside temperature, as they bantered with each other and prepped for the stage. Then it was time for the publicist to reappear and throw my butt out, and for them to hustle theirs into the spotlights.
There were more troubles to come for Edward—struggles with addictions, divorce, and cancers—and a lot more music to be made, until he died, too young, in 2020 at age 65. But because of that day, I always think of him as happy-go-lucky, practically exploding with positivity and elation. And I’m very glad for that. Seeing somebody at their best and happiest is always a gift, and when it’s somebody like Edward Van Halen, it’s a treasure.
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The new partnership will span across Gibson Brands including Gibson and Epiphone guitars.
Gibson, the iconic American instrument brand, has announced an official brand partnership with Kirk Hammett of Metallica, one of the most iconic rock guitarists today. The new partnership will span across Gibson Brands including Gibson and Epiphone guitars.
"It's a really great and exciting time for me to be joining forces with Gibson," says Kirk Hammett. "I look forward to achieving great things together in the future."
"It's an honor to welcome the icon, the ripper, Kirk Hammett back to the Gibson family," says Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands. "Kirk has been carrying the flag for hard rock and heavy metal for decades, and his Gibson guitars have been there with him from the very beginning. From his first Gibson, his 1979 Flying V to 'Greeny' and everything in between, Gibson guitars have been an integral part of Kirk's sound. All of us at Gibson are looking forward to this collaboration and are grateful that Kirk has trusted us to begin a new partnership."
Gibson Welcomes Kirk Hammett To The Gibson Family
Born in San Francisco in November 1962, Kirk Hammett quickly found himself obsessed with watching monster movies and reading books and comics. Transitioning through his teenage years meant taking up guitar and teaching himself how to play by ear for hours on end. In 1979, Kirk Hammett named and founded the metal band Exodus.
After recording a three-song demo in 1982, Hammett was called out to New York to audition for Metallica, and by the time Kill 'Em All was released in July of 1983, he was officially part of the Metallica plan for world domination. Adding his style and passion into the mix helped define and shape the sound of Metallica as they grew into the band they are now, and Hammett's solos and signature licks have inspired a legion of musicians young and old.
From Hammett's early sonic experiences with a guitar out of a Montgomery Ward store catalog special, progressing to hitting Hendrix vibes with a '78 Fender Stratocaster, then moving on professionally to Gibson Flying Vs and Les Pauls, and customized ESP's. It goes without saying that Kirk Hammett is a guitar geek and has an affinity for anything with six strings including his 1985 Jackson Randy Rhoads Flying V or a frequently played Gibson 59 Les Paul Standard that once belonged to the immortal genius of both Peter Green and Gary Moore - affectionately known and celebrated worldwide as "Greeny." Now as Metallica celebrates their 40th Anniversary in 2021, Kirk Hammett is ready to let those strings shine once again.
For more information:
Gibson
Metallica’s graphic artist Pushead designed a spider graphic specifically for this new instrument.
North Hollywood, CA (January 11, 2021) -- In 1991, Kirk Hammett of Metallica came to ESP with a request for a new custom guitar using a single cutaway design, but with the features of his KH-2 signature model. Metallica’s graphic artist Pushead designed a spider graphic specifically for this new instrument, which was dubbed the KH-3. Kirk played this guitar throughout the ’90s on tours supporting Metallica’s legendary Black Album. After spending a number of years on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Kirk’s original KH-3 was returned to ESP as a reference point to create the new Kirk Hammett KH-3 Spider 30th Anniversary Edition.
"I really like the feel of the single cutaway shape, and thought it would be great to add a locking trem and my usual EMG pickups," says Hammett. "Not to mention also having the perfect area to plaster the killer Pushead graphic that was drawn specifically for this guitar back in the day!"
The 30th Anniversary KH-3 Spider is a reissue of the original KH-3 model with some upgrades. Like the original, this reissue features neck-thru-body construction at 24.75” scale, with an alder body and three-piece maple neck. This extra thin U-shaped neck has a Macassar ebony fingerboard with 24 extra-jumbo frets, and features both spider-shaped inlays and Kirk’s skull-and-bones inlays. It also features the special scrawled logo along with Kirk’s signature on the headstock, and includes a Floyd Rose 1000 bridge. The new KH-3 30th Anniversary Edition adds a set of Kirk’s signature EMG Bonebreaker pickups, and a scalloped fingerboard from frets 17 to 24.
Like Kirk’s original custom guitar, the KH-3 30th Anniversary Edition is available in Black finish, and has the very identifiable green and yellow spider-and-skull graphic that was originally created by artist Pushead. Both LTD and handcrafted ESP versions of the 30th Anniversary KH-3 will be made available in 2021, with the LTD version expected to be available in February 2021 at ESP dealers worldwide.
The KH-3 announcement comes as ESP Guitars launches a multi-day streaming video event to debut their new guitars and basses. On January 11, 12, and 13, the “ESP Presents 2021” event will be viewable on the ESP web site at www.espguitars.com. Additionally, on January 14, the company is hosting a similar event for the Takamine brand called “Takamine Showcase 2021”, viewable on the US Takamine site at www.esptakamine.com. ESP distributes Takamine in the United States.
Matt Masciandaro, president and CEO of The ESP Guitar Company, says, "ESP Presents and Takamine Showcase 2021 are not merely substitutes for a consumer/trade show that some may miss, but a platform that will provide the viewer even greater insight into the products and the artists that play them. Musicians who watch these streaming videos will get a complete picture of our companies and the instruments we make. This is the most extensive virtual product launch we’ve planned to date, and we look forward to bringing it to everyone who wants to know more about what ESP and Takamine have planned for 2021.”
Both events include dozens of demos of new and current guitars and basses in their respective product lines, as well as interviews with influential ESP and Takamine artist endorsees. “ESP Presents 2021” is divided into three sections. On Monday January 11, the focus is on the company’s acclaimed Signature Series instruments, and features a multitude of product demos and interviews with artists including George Lynch, Alex Skolnick (Testament), Reba Meyers (Code Orange), Josh Middleton (Sylosis/Architects), Mike Schleibaum (Darkest Hour), and others. On Tuesday January 12, the theme is the company’s ESP Original, ESP USA, and E-II Series instruments, featuring demos of these respected higher-end instruments. Wednesday January 13 will focus on the company’s popular LTD Series guitars and basses, with multiple hours of product demos and artist interviews.
The “Takamine Showcase 2021” video streaming event on Thursday January 14 is a broad overview of Takamine’s entire product offering, with guitar demos, complete clinics, and artist interviews. This multi-hour event will cover representative models from nearly all of the renowned acoustic-electric guitar maker’s instruments from its affordable G Series through its high-end, handcrafted Pro Series.
All four days of events are open to the public and free to view. They are scheduled to air via streaming video at 10AM, 2PM, and 6PM Pacific Standard Time to allow convenient viewing times for a global audience. Musicians will be able to watch the events on the front page of espguitars.com and esptakamine.com.
Detailed information and specifications on the 30th Anniversary Edition KH-3, along with all of ESP’s “New for 2021” guitar and bass collection, is available at the ESP web site at espguitars.com.
Watch the company's video demo:
For more information:
ESP Guitars