Tributes have been pouring in for Eddie Van Halen since the electric guitar great passed away on October 6 at age 65. But one artist who apparently has a different take on the legacy of EVH is David Crosby – and fans and peers aren’t happy.
On October 10, a fan tweeted at the Crosby, Stills & Nash singer and guitarist, writing, “I know you’re not into metal David, but what’s your opinion on Eddie Van Halen?”
To which Crosby replied simply, “Meh…”
Meh .... https://t.co/rncBUS0tnwOctober 10, 2020
This, not surprisingly, raised the ire of plenty of other Twitter-ites, among them Testament’s Alex Skolnick, L.A. Guns guitarist Tracii Guns and Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider.
“I appreciate @thedavidcrosby too much for this to get in the way, but a much better answer would have been: 'I know he meant a lot to so many but his sound & style just weren't my thing,'" wrote Skolnick, who also pointed out that punk poetess Patti Smith, who hardly traveled in the same circles as Van Halen, posted an emotional tribute to the guitarist.
Wrong answer as fuck and rude as fuck!!! There are better ways to say you don’t care for someone’s music. That was very disrespectful. And yes straight out fuck you and your smug answer.October 11, 2020
Wrote Guns: “Wrong answer as fuck and rude as fuck!!! There are better ways to say you don't care for someone's music. That was very disrespectful. And yes straight out fuck you and your smug answer."
Following the outpouring, Crosby took to Twitter to clarify his statement… and didn’t do himself any favors with his critics.
“Hendrix changed the world of guitar,” he wrote. “Nobody else really. Look I get it: many of you loved Van Halen… and the one time I met he was nice… and he was talented.”
“[M]eh to me means I don’t care that much… and I don’t. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t good, he was but not for me.”
Which, of course, led to even more reaction in the Twitter-sphere.
David, there was two electric guitar game changers. The first was Hendrix, the second was Eddie Van Halen. Just because you weren’t tuned into it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It totally fucking happened. For millions upon millions of us. 🤷🏻♂️October 12, 2020
FU-Tone, home of the EVH D-Tuna, tweeted: "I never get involved in negative shit online. Today I will make an exception. Fuck off @thedavidcrosby."
And wrote guitarist Pete Thorn: “David, there were two electric guitar game changers. The first was Hendrix, the second was Eddie Van Halen.
“Just because you weren’t tuned into it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It totally fucking happened. For millions upon millions of us.”
Amen, Pete. Amen.
“You really can’t completely replicate what she does, which is a beautiful thing. She took it to her grave”: Sue Foley has spent 25 years researching the unsung female pioneers of guitar – these are the most important players she discovered
“I remember sitting with Gene and him saying, ‘You need to start growing your hair again.’ That was the discussion!” The moment Tommy Thayer knew he would be officially joining Kiss
