Duran Duran, Rick Springfield and More Honor Eddie Van Halen

Musicians Mourn Rock Icon Eddie Van Halen

Like all of you, I am still in shock that Eddie Van Halen, guitarist and co-founder of legendary rock band Van Halen, died today at 65. Can’t believe it.

I wrote up how Eddie’s ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli and former band mate Sammy Hagar reacted to the news, and I wanted to see what other bands and musicians of the ‘80s were saying about Eddie.

Bands Tweet Out Their Condolences

Duran Duran tweeted that they were “very sad to hear the news about Eddie Van Halen” and that “their thoughts are with his family.”

Andy Taylor, formerly of Duran Duran’s tweet about Eddie started off with “No no no,” mirroring our disbelief. He ended it with “Just devastated.”

Rick Springfield tweeted several times about Eddie Van Halen. First he replied to Sammy Hagar’s tweet with a broken heart emoji. (Rick and Sammy are partners in Beach Bar Rum, Rick also famously had a hit with Sammy’s “I’ve Done Everything For You.”)

Springfield then followed it up with a photo of Eddie playing: “Rest in peace, Eddie, a true innovator. Love to your family. Godspeed.”

Another tweet from Springfield addressed how Eddie changed music, adding “That band upstairs is getting pretty damn amazing.”

Michael Des Barres told about meeting Eddie years ago in L.A. “From that moment on I enjoyed his unique brilliance. I am so sad to see him go. Rock in Peace.”

Curt Smith (Tears For Fears) shared how seeing Van Halen perform with Black Sabbath encouraged him to buy their “debut album & played it non stop for weeks.”

Daryl Hall simply stated: “The greatest guitar player ever.”

Gene Simmons tweeted that his “heart is broken” and “Eddie was not only a Guitar God, but a genuinely beautiful soul.” (Simmons has stated in the past that he discovered Van Halen.)

While his KISS bandmate Paul Stanley said “Oh NO! Speechless” and also described Eddie as a beautiful soul.

Billy Idol, Tony Iommi, Flea, Brian Wilson, Lenny Kravitz, Official Dio, Nikki Sixx, Sebastian Bach, Boy George, Thomas Dolby, Cat Stevens, David Coverdale have also tweeted their condolences.