Random Musings of A Musipoliticinemaphile

I just finished Valerie Bertinelli’s autobiography.  It was excellent.  I can relate to her as an overweight woman, and she is funny and honest and I must say, a talented writer.  An unforseen side effect of reading the book was a resurgence of my old die-hard love for Van Halen.  Specifically, Eddie Van Halen.  Man alive, I used to worship the ground that guy walked on.  Van Halen reminds me of the very best parts of high school.  I associate every song with a good memory.   I got hooked on them after For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge came out.  A guy I was crushing on LOVED VH and I started to take a listen.  To be ultra cheesy, Love Walked In.  I was smitten.  I had always liked the song, “Jump,” but “Right Now” was my ultimate feel-good anthem.  Great song, phenomenal video.   When all the problems cropped up with Eddie and his drugs and alcohol, it made me so sad.  The guy has this massive talent and he’s just throwing it all away to cater to his demons.  Now, I am not an addict, so I don’t fully understand what that’s like.  But I know a waste when I see one.  Eddie used to be this slightly-snaggle-toothed-muscular-larger-than-life-sweet-smiling-rock-god.  Now he’s small and wasted and grey and falling apart.  All the hard living made my beautiful Eddie grow old before his time.   sigh. I will always adore Van Halen, but I wish I would have seen them live with Sammy before Ed really fell apart.  I missed my chance.  I cried like an idiot when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year.   I cried because I miss the band.  There will be other music, other bands, other guitarists, but there will only ever be one Eddie Van Halen.  At the rate he’s going, I’m really scared that our one Eddie Van Halen won’t be around much longer.  :-(