Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, and Lenny Kravitz are leading the tributes to rock legend Eddie Van Halen following his death from throat cancer.
Eddie Van Halen passed away on Tuesday, aged 65, and his celebrity friends and fans were quick to salute his memory on social media.
Sixx was among the first to comment on the tragic loss, tweeting: “Crushed. So fucking crushed. RIP Eddie Van Halen. You changed our world. You were the Mozart of rock guitar. Travel safe rockstar.”
“I just found out that my guitar hero Eddie had passed away. I have fond memories of the tours we did together! He’s up there shredding!!!! RIP my friend,” added Sixx’s Motley Crue bandmate Neil.
“Legendary guitar and musical innovator Edward Van Halen. 1955-2020. Heaven will be electric tonight,” posted Kravitz, while KISS’ Gene Simmons wrote: “My heart is broken. Eddie was not only a Guitar God, but a genuinely beautiful soul. Rest in peace, Eddie!”
“Blessed to have known him just a little. Trust me, with a man of his genius, it was enough. Sparks flew when he played.” Smashing Pumpkins star Billy Corgan posted, as Billy Idol shared: “Rest in peace guitar legend Eddie Van Halen… We will miss you. #fuckcancer”.
Keith Urban shared a long post, noting Van Halen’s death: “hit me hard. There are lots of great guitar players in the world but VERY few true innovators.”
Star Wars icon Mark Hamill had a special message for Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang.
“So sorry for your tragic loss @WolfVanHalen, but take solace in knowing that he will be long remembered and live on forever as one of Rock’s most extraordinary guitar virtuosos,” Hamill tweeted, before offering condolences to Wolfgang’s mother and Eddie’s ex-wife, actress Valerie Bertinelli, and “the entire Van Halen family”.
Bertinelli, who was married to Eddie from 1981 to 2007, has yet to directly comment on the guitar great’s death, but she did repost Wolfgang’s tribute to his father, which confirmed his passing, on her social media pages, and added a string of broken heart emojis.
Meanwhile, Eddie’s former Van Halen bandmate Sammy Hagar offered up a photo of himself and the late guitarist on Instagram and added the caption: “Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family.”
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