How Many Here Got to Meet Eddie?

[DFVH5150]

My only two chances were in 1998 and 2015.

'98 was the VH3 record signing in New York but back then I had never driven out of state yet. I don't think I was even allowed to just yet per my parents, and I thought NYC was like 10 hours away from Pittsburgh or something for some stupid reason. My then-girlfriend and I were going through some shit during that time, so a big road trip wasn't in the cards then anyways. And that's who I would've brought. Of course later that summer I got the green-light from my parents so I went to see VH in Saratoga Springs, NY and Charlotte, NC because my friends lived there. And oddly enough I think I actually went to fuckin' New York City for the first time lol when visiting my brother who just moved to New Jersey. Or maybe that was '99?

Anyways, everyone who went go to meet him and the rest of the band. I figured I would get the chance some other day.

'15 was, of course, the Smithsonian. Four short fuckin' hours away to D.C.! Had no idea there was even a remote chance or even anything within the vicinity of a remote chance that he was going to do a meet-and-greet. Thought that was an impossiblity so I didn't even give it more than passing thought. In any case, just like the above, was the only other time in my life I was going through a major break-up--this time a divorce--which I was trying to prevent. I was inbetween jobs trying to salvage he marriage and driving to meet Eddie wasn't the best idea. But again, I had no idea I would've gotten to meet him, and in which case I would've said "fuck her, I'm going" had I known.

After the event, of course, I learned that he not only met, but took pictures with, hugged, and I believe exchanged phone numbers and became besties with literally (utilizing the correct usage of the word) everyone who went.

So there were at least a lot of reasons why I didn't. Got to meet Sammy, Gary twice, and "almost" Dave. Hopefully I'll get to meet Wolfie at least.

Who here actually got to meet him?

[Raldo]

Not me unfortunately.

[Jedi McFly]

I so regret not going to the Smithsonian event. I briefly considered it. So the closest I ever got were some brief interactions from stage.

Looking forward to hearing some stories about meeting Eddie.

[Dave King]

I got to meet Ed in 1998 in PIttsburgh through Meet and Greet Thanks to Brad Starks from the Van Halen mailing list. We were rushed through pretty fast with a quick picture. I got to shake his hand. I also met him in 2004 during Sound Check (sorta) through the paid deluxe packages they had. At the end of Sound Check Eddie stopped to talk to fans. I asked him if he brought Wolfgang and he said not Valeria just took him back home. After about 5 minutes of talking to fans he looked flustered and in a hurry to go and had a handful of picks he wanted to give out. He looked like he didn't know what to do and I was right next time and told him I would pass them out for him. So he gave me about 20 picks and then pointed his finger right at me and said "You better give these out and not keep them". Sorta in the same tone as "if he speaks to me like that again he better be wearing a cup" LOL. BTW I did pass all out and kept 2 for myself. I also did the sound checks in 2012 and 2015 but he didn't stop to talk to any of us

[DFVH5150]

I so regret not going to the Smithsonian event. I briefly considered it. So the closest I ever got were some brief interactions from stage.

Looking forward to hearing some stories about meeting Eddie.

Live pretty close, too?

Yeah they obviously didn't mention a possibility of meeting him before the event, it just kind of (super-surprisingly) happened.

[Greenpaw]

Doesn't really count as "meeting" Ed, but at a 2004 tour package thing, we watched Ed al and Mike rehearse and then Ed stayed on the stage after they were done playing.

He was talking to our group, answering questions, really down to earth & bullshitting with the group and then out of nowhere, he handed me a plastic cup full of picks to take one and pass on to the group. "I was like sure man, no problem" (inside I'm thinking H O L Y - F U C K Eddie Van Fucking Halen just handed me a cup of his guitar picks I was caught off guard big time, was NOT expecting that )

oh yea, then after that barely soaked in...... got to be row 1 on Ed's side for the show. Never forget it.

RIP Ed =vh=

[DFVH5150]

I got to meet Ed in 1998 in PIttsburgh through Meet and Greet Thanks to Brad Starks from the Van Halen mailing list. We were rushed through pretty fast with a quick picture. I got to shake his hand. I also met him in 2004 during Sound Check (sorta) through the paid deluxe packages they had. At the end of Sound Check Eddie stopped to talk to fans. I asked him if he brought Wolfgang and he said not Valeria just took him back home. After about 5 minutes of talking to fans he looked flustered and in a hurry to go and had a handful of picks he wanted to give out. He looked like he didn't know what to do and I was right next time and told him I would pass them out for him. So he gave me about 20 picks and then pointed his finger right at me and said "You better give these out and not keep them". Sorta in the same tone as "if he speaks to me like that again he better be wearing a cup" LOL. BTW I did pass all out and kept 2 for myself. I also did the sound checks in 2012 and 2015 but he didn't stop to talk to any of us

Damn I was on the VHML but didn't hear about that!

[DFVH5150]

Doesn't really count as "meeting" Ed, but at a 2004 tour package thing, we watched Ed al and Mike rehearse and then Ed stayed on the stage after they were done playing.

He was talking to our group, answering questions jsut down to earth bullshitting and then he handed me a plastic cup full of picks to take one and pass on to the group. "I was like sure man, no problem" (inside I'm thinking H O L Y - F U C K Eddie Van Fucking Halen just handed me a cup of his guitar picks I was caught off guard big time, was NOT expecting that )

oh yea, then after that barely soaked in...... got to be row 1 on Ed's side for the show. Never forget it.

RIP Ed =vh=

Hey, that counts!

[Jedi McFly]

Live pretty close, too?

Yeah they obviously didn't mention a possibility of meeting him before the event, it just kind of (super-surprisingly) happened.

Nah, I'm in South Florida so it would've been a plane ride. But I didn't have kids then and could've pretty easily swung it. If there was any indication of meeting Eddie there I absolutely would've, but like you said - that wasn't advertised prior to the event.

[rchop84]

Never meet your heroes

[wombattt]

Met the whole band in 1979...after an in-store appearance at the local Peaches record shop...I’ve told it before.

[sickman]

Did the meet and greet thing in 1998 so got to shake his hand and have a pic with him. In 04 in Atlantic City after soundcheck he sat on the edge of the stage and shot the shit with us. That's about it.

[Jedi McFly]

Never meet your heroes

I've been fortunate enough to meet quite a few and only had one negative experience - Huey Lewis.

[Finster]

I met the band in 1998 at the Virgin Mega Store in Times Square NYC...shook all their hands and got cd’s signed...good times!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jaybird]

Not really but damned if we didn't try...

84 tour in Peoria. My first VH show. We're walking into the Civic Center and I look to my left. There's Michael Anthony walking towards the service entrance. I quickly ran over, said hi and shook his hand. Very cool guy.

A buddy of mine we were with worked for a hotel chain and got a tip that VH was staying in one of the local hotels. So we zip over there after the show. Of course, we're shuttled out quickly and told the band wasn't there. Turns out that was true because later on we found out they had bolted out of town immediately, then stopped at a crappy truck stop on I-74 just north of Galesburg (where we were from) to eat. Some guys we knew were in there and got to meet the band. Still irks me to this day that we were that close and missed them.