For Eddie Van Halen, music runs through his very veins. A singer-songwriter and producer, Van Halen is widely recognized for his guitar-playing skills. He is, in fact, seen as one of the best guitarists of his generation. Eddie recorded enormous success with his band Van Halen which also includes his brother, Alex Van Halen.
Though their activity has waned in recent years, the band has set a legacy that would live on for generations to come. Here are the things you’ve always wanted to know about the Van Halen backbone, Eddie Van Halen.
Eddie Van Halen Biography
When we said that music runs through Eddie Van Halen’s veins, we were not mincing words. The guitarist who is, in fact, a multi-instrumentalist got his artistic genes passed on to him by his father Jan Van Halen who played various instruments including the saxophone, piano, and the clarinet.
Eddie was born Edward Lodewijk Van Halen on the 26th of January 1955 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His mother is Eugenia Van Halen (née van Beers).
Van Halen’s father had named him after the German composer, Ludwig Van Beethoven. Together with his older brother Alex Arthur Van Halen, Eddie began playing the piano when they were just kids. In 1962, Eddie’s family emigrated to the United States where they settled in northern California. In California, the brothers continued to hone their craft. They soon began playing the drums and guitar. Eddie then picked a special interest in the electric guitar.
The brothers formed their first music group, The Broken Combs when they were in elementary school. Eddie made up his mind to become a professional musician after his first performance with the group.
In 1972 when the brothers were in their teens, they formed what would become Van Halen originally called Genesis. The name was changed to “Mammoth” and later Van Halen after David Lee Roth suggested that the name of the Dutch-American brothers sounded cool.
The band played for a few years without much success but a turning point for them came in 1976 when Rodney Bingenheimer, a supporter of the band invited Gene Simmons of KISS to a Van Halen show. Simmons was immediately impressed and offered to finance the band’s demo tape.
A year later, the band attracted the attention of record producer Ted Templeman who successfully convinced Warner Bros. Records to sign them to a record deal. Van Halen released their debut album in February 1978 and quickly became a force to reckon with.
Eddie Van Halen Net Worth
Eddie Van Halen’s primary source of wealth has no doubt been the success of his band, Van Halen. Over the years, the band has seen many faces come and go as their lead singer but the Halen brothers have remained loyal to their group.
Eddie quickly became known for his highly energetic performance which involved him jumping high into the air while playing the guitar. The band has sold over 80 million records worldwide with two of its albums selling 10 million each. Thanks to their eclectic performances, the band has been very successful on the road, recording some of the highest-grossing tours from a rock band. Eddie’s net worth is $100 million.
His Wife – Janie Liszewski
Eddie Van Halen has twice been married and his current wife is Janie Liszewski whom he married in 2009. Liszewski became his publicist in 2007 and on October 6, 2008, Van Halen proposed to her. Their wedding took place on the 27th of June 2009 at Van Halen’s estate in Studio City.
Van Halen’s ex-wife, actress Valerie Bertinelli who divorced him in 2007 attended the wedding. Their son, Wolfgang Van Halen served as Eddie’s best man while Alex Van Halen, Eddie’s brother officiated the ceremony.
Eddie’s wife Janie Liszewski is an actress and stunt woman. She is a Pennsylvania native and was born in 1970, making her 15 years younger than Eddie Van Halen. She made her acting debut in Princess Warrior in 1986 and would go on to act in movies such as From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), The Third Society (1992), as well as TV shows such as Profiler in 1998 and CSI: Miami in 2003.
Eddie’s wife has created stunts used in films such as Spider-Man 2, Impostor, The Wedding Planner, and more. She has been more successful in stunting than in acting. Liszewski appeared in Enrique Iglesias’ video for his song, “Be With You”.
Other Facts To Know
1. Eddie Van Halen, just like his own father, named his son after a composer – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His son is now the bassist of the band and the youngest band member.
2. Despite being an incredibly talented instrumentalist, Eddie has never learned to read music.
3. He has at least three patents to his name including; US 4656917, US 7183475, and D388117.
4. Eddie is credited with popularizing the two-tapping guitar technique.
5. At different points in his life, Eddie Van Halen has had to deal with alcoholic problems. Both his father and grandfather were alcoholics.
