Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes recently made controversial statements about Eddie Van Halen’s battle with cancer and subsequent death. He shared his perspective in an interview with Rock Interview Series.
Holmes discussed Van Halen’s cancer diagnosis and criticized the legendary guitarist’s decision to continue smoking after his treatment.
“We when Ed got his cancer, he didn’t have throat cancer. He had cancer in his tongue. Had half some of his tongue cut out. If he would have quit smoking then, he’d be alive today,” Holmes said.
He elaborated on the severity of Van Halen’s condition and treatment.
“You know, cuz he kept he they cut they did they got rid of his cancer but cut out had cut like a third of his tongue. He didn’t have to. He almost had to learn to to uh talk again. But anyway, he kept smoking. Dumb. Dumb,” he continued.
Holmes also shared what motivated him to quit smoking himself.
“You know how you know I quit smoking? I was at the NAMM show probably 14 years ago and I seen this guy walking by with a bottle of oxygen and this the tube come up to his. I go, ‘Hey, who’s that?’ And somebody goes, ‘I think that’s the drummer for Steely Dan.’ And I looked at him and he had the bottle with a tank with the wheels behind him, you know, a little tank. And I’m like, and I looked at I go, ‘Man, if smoking does that to you, it’s not worth it, you know,'” he explained.
Holmes’ comments shed light on Van Halen’s complex and prolonged battle with multiple forms of cancer that ultimately claimed his life.
Orlando Health reported that the longtime Van Halen guitarist had battled a litany of cancers, namely tongue, throat and ultimately lung cancer, which ended his life. The progression of his disease was more extensive than Holmes initially described. The cancer eventually spread beyond his tongue to other areas.
The situation became critical in late 2017 when Van Halen received devastating news. Prevention revealed that he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and doctors gave him just six weeks to live. This diagnosis came years after his initial tongue cancer treatment that Holmes referenced in his interview.
Despite the grim prognosis, Van Halen sought alternative treatment options abroad. Prevention noted that he traveled to Germany for treatment, which reportedly extended his life by about three more years beyond the initial six-week estimate. This additional time allowed him to continue performing and spending precious moments with his family.
The Oral Cancer Foundation documented that Van Halen was a heavy drinker and chain smoker, factors that significantly contributed to his cancer risk. His struggle with tobacco addiction, which Holmes criticized in his recent comments, remained a constant throughout his battle with the disease.
These comments add to ongoing discussions about Van Halen’s health struggles before his death in October 2020.
