Eddie Van Halen Memorial Being Planned + a Street May Be Named After Guitarist
An Eddie Van Halen memorial in the legendary guitarist's hometown of Pasadena, Calif., could include a street named after the rocker.
After all, the city is where Van Halen formed in 1974 when Eddie and his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen first got their start on the way to becoming one of the world's leading rock powerhouses. It's also where the Van Halen siblings grew up after being born in Amsterdam.
That's why Pasadena has officially put it on record that a memorial is in the works after the Van Halen guitarist died earlier this month at the age of 65. The basic outline for the EVH tribute emerged in a report to the town's mayor and city council on Monday (Oct. 26).
"Given the band's connection to Pasadena and the hometown pride expressed by its residents, several requests have been made to name a street, alley or other monument in his honor," writes Steve Mermell, Pasadena's city manager.
As reported by Guitar World, the city's Eddie Van Halen memorial could end up taking the shape of a public moment at Pasadena Convention Center and Civic Auditorium in addition to a street getting the musician's name.
The request notes that the Van Halen family "emigrated from the Netherlands to Pasadena in 1962 and settled in a house on Las Lunas Street. The two Van Halen children, Eddie and Alex, attended Hamilton Elementary School where they performed for the first time in a student band called the Broken Combs."
It continues, "By the early 1970s, the Van Halen boys attended Pasadena City College where, in a scoring and arranging class, they met future Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth. Together, with Arcadia resident Michael Anthony, they formed the group Van Halen and began playing local venues from backyard parties to the Civic Auditorium."
Talk about taking it back to where it all started. Next time you're in Pasadena, maybe you'll be able to cruise down Eddie Van Halen Street.
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