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[FH]

EDDIE VAN HALEN: Hammered At NAMM? - Jan. 20, 2003

Eddie Van Halen made an appearance at NAMM 2003 in Anaheim, California on Saturday morning, Jan. 18 and looked either "feeble" or "healthy", depending on the source, as he greeted the hundreds of fans waiting to ask him questions and take pictures with him.

The following are two separate accounts of Van Halen's appearance at NAMM, as posted on the unofficial VAN HALEN message board, VHForums.com:

"lovemachine97" writes: "I got to NAMM day 2 (for me) at 12:30. Eddie was scheduled to appear and perform at 1:30 and sign autographs 2:30 to 4pm. He showed up and walked RIGHT directly in front of me and looked bad. He was dressed like a bum and looked feeble as he walked. He went upstairs where no one is really allowed and sat where we could sort of see him for about an hour. A Peavey employee looked annoyed and said that he always wants to talk business at the wrong times. He waved a bit, and [CREED's] Mark Tremonti and [DREAM THEATER's] John Pretucci went upstairs and took pictures with him.

"He finally came down and did his performance an hour late. Someone who was in there said he seemed lost and not quite sure what he was doing. He talked a bit, played guitar (just noodling), and that was it. No one really knew his purpose. He went back upstairs and sat in the same spot. Every once in a while he would lean over and talk, but he said weird things, would whisper, then his hat fell. He got mad and screamed saying he needed it, and pleaded and got it back when someone threw it up to him.

"At 4:00pm, after I'd been in line for 3.5 hours, others for 4 or 5, we get the word he is not signing. This is AFTER we chanted his name and he leaned over, giving us the 'hush' sign and whispered 'Stick around a while, ok?'. So we did for nothing. There were probably 700 or so people there for him and that was it. The crowd dispersed, and I stuck around. Some others did too.

"Finally he came downstairs to leave about 4:30. This is where it gets sad. He looked lost. He kept repeating, very slurred, 'I'll take care of everyone next time, next time. Tell everyone I'll take care of them next time, next time.' He had a small entourage around him of security, yet he was walking right by me again. He was soft-spoken, but very slurred. He stopped for about one autograph and one picture and then said to everyone else again what I wrote above. He kind of stumbled then walked past me.

"You know how bums can just [reek] of old alcohol. I got a huge wiff of that as he past. It took me about 5 seconds to say aloud, 'He's fucking hammered!' The guy next to me said, 'Yeah, he [reeks] of booze.'

"It hit me. He was hammered. Flat out fucking drunk.

"A lot of people were pissed and booed him. Conversations everywhere about how he was done. People talking about burning their VH CDs.

"I hate to make this report, but its so true. I am 24 and have waited 10 years for this, and I waited in line 3.5 hours while he jacked off upstairs and then told us to stick around, then he decided to not sign or meet anyone at all. I don't think they LET him. I think he was too drunk and they didn't want to embarrass him. Honest to god. I felt so stunned and sad. My ears were ringing and my shoulders slumped."

"mfgtr" writes: "O.K. guys here's what happened. I was in the booth with Edward. Ed arrived late because of overcrowding around the booth and they had to ensure security. I was 4th of only 8 people to be allowed in who were not connected to Peavey. Ed walked in, greeted the crowd, mentioned the people responsible for his Peavey gear then said quote. 'I've had a lot of personal problems in the past 3 years, but I'm happy and healthy physically, mentally, and spiritually. I see the light at the end of my tunnel and it's not an oncoming train so I've got some shit coming out next year that's gonna blow you away.' He was talking of Peavey gear not music ... sorry. He said he already had a patent on one device of his coming out but he has to wait to make sure it works and won't break. As for new music, he said he has some film music coming out as well as a T.V. sitcom score coming out. Then someone in the crowd said 'Eddie, everyone loves you,' to which he replied, 'I love you, too, and that's why I haven't put anything out in a while.. Ya know, people at the gas station keep tellin' me, 'How come you're not doin' stuff anymore... Ya know, just because I haven't put anything out doesn't mean I'm not doing anything.' He said for the past 4 years he has been playing mostly piano and cello and that the guitar felt like a 2x4. As for the future of VAN HALEN, he said, 'I'm not going to put my name on something that isn't going to last, my shit lasts after I'm dead and gone which isn't gonna be for a long time.' He then took his Wolfgang guitar and banged it hard against a mike stand. It stayed in tune and Edward said, 'I don't sell you guys shit that breaks,' and it was clear that he was talking not just about his gear but about VAN HALEN's music as well. The room was a little tense. It was hard to believe it was really Edward after so long. But he joked around a lot to ease the tension, even going so far as to say that he would sing next for VH. 'I'm gonna sing, I've got some new moves I've been working on.' He then proceeded to do a series of pelvic thrusts and hip shakes. It was hysterical. He looked good and once he had relaxed became the ed we all know ... Then he played guitar and spoke some more."


Blabbermouth

[Zahzoo]

No wonder the performance here has been bad all day... I guess we'll be seeing this stuff as fact all over the mainstream pressin the next couple of days...

[Fabulous Shadow aka VHL]

too bad the shitty one is the one that came from this site... I think I'll believe the 2nd one...

[Brett]

That explains the server being hammered to death today.

[Sweet William]

It also explains why I'm getting freakin' SWAMPED with e-mails from people who are all over Project A.F.U.: Walk Against Alcoholism and want to join the cause.