Smashing Pumpkins Star On Watching Eddie Van Halen: “It Was Like A Religious Experience”

Eddie Van Halen and Billy Corgan

In a new radio interview aired on October 23rd, the American rock band The Smashing Pumpkins guitarist/singer Billy Corgan recalled his first watching the Van Halen legend Eddie Van Halen, who died from cancer on October 6th at the age of 65.

During the interview, the 53-year-old musician was asked if he ever met with Eddie Van Halen. Replying to the question, the successful musician said that he was lucky to watch Van Halen live around 1997 or 1998. He also talked about the greatness of Eddie Van Halen and said that he was the supreme.

When he was asked about Eddie Van Halen, Billy said:

“Oh my God, I mean, for American guitar players he was the supreme thing! He’s the one who pushed us to be better than we probably would have been. And I was lucky because around 1997 or 1998, there was a guitar magazine in America.

“I went to them and I said, ‘I’d really like to interview Eddie Van Halen.’ And they said, ‘Why do you want to interview Eddie Van Halen?’ I said, ‘Because I’d really like to introduce him to a generation of alternative guitar players.’

“To me, he really is an alternative guitar player – I know he gets kind of lumped in the other way. And so, they allowed me to basically have a four-hour interview with Eddie at his studio.”

The Smashing Pumpkins man also touched that how was like watching Eddie Van Halen live on stage.

“I got to sit two feet away from Eddie and watch him play, and I’m telling you – it was like a religious experience! I mean, the man was so gifted, so kind.”

Listen the entire interview below.

Click here for the source.

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