VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth made an appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards Sunday night (September 12) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. During a pre-show interview with US Weekly, Roth touched upon last year’s death of his VAN HALEN bandmate, legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen, saying: My guitar player passed away, Eddie Van Halen. He’s either in heaven raisin’ hell. Or he’s in hell, consequently in heaven. Read into that as you wish. And he would have me say it just like that. And I carry on that spirit deliberately.”
He later added: “And you know what? I just spoke to Alex Van Halen. We’re about to celebrate our 50th year or ragging on each other. [Laughs]”
In March 2020, Roth postponed the final six shows of his Las Vegas residency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Roth performed as the opening act for the February/March 2020 North American leg of KISS‘s “End Of The Road” farewell tour.
Eddie passed away last October at the age of 65. His death was announced by his son Wolfgang.
Roth, who performed with VAN HALEN for the last time in 2015, tweeted shortly after Eddie‘s death: “What a long great trip it’s been.”
VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
What’s the story behind the string around former Van Halen singer David Lee Roth’s neck? He says it’s not as sentimental as some have guessed. #VMAs pic.twitter.com/V0G72jjQka
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) September 12, 2021
