Ritchie Blackmore recently shared his thoughts about the late Eddie Van Halen during a live stream on Instagram. He discussed how the guitar legend’s sensitive nature contributed to his struggles with alcohol.
The Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist reflected on Van Halen’s humble personality and revolutionary guitar techniques. He also addressed the challenges that ultimately led to his downfall.
“Very humble, almost too humble. He would often come backstage at our shows and go, ‘Well, you don’t want to talk to me, because I’m nobody,’ and I could never understand why he would say that,” Blackmore said. “He always used to underestimate himself. Of course, he basically reinvented the guitar with his hammer-on technique. I never took to it, but it was amazing how he got all that.”
Blackmore then explained his perspective on what led to Van Halen’s struggles with alcohol and the music industry.
“But, unfortunately for Eddie, he was too sensitive. And of course, the business brought him down. He started drinking because he needed to drink to socialize. He was very sensitive, and I can relate to that,” he continued. “He was [also] a great keyboard player. His parents, they were all musicians.”
The guitarist concluded by praising Van Halen’s musical legacy and impact on other musicians.
“He was a born musician, and he stirred up a lot of guitar players when he started playing that fast tapping technique. I think a lot of guitar players were dreading, ‘Who the hell is this!?’ Which was kind of funny, since, when you talk to him, he’s so sensitive and humble,” Blackmore said. “Great guitar player, will be missed.”
Blackmore’s observations about Van Halen’s sensitivity and drinking problems align with well-documented struggles that plagued the guitar virtuoso throughout his career.
Bousbous reported that Eddie Van Halen began drinking at a young age on his father’s advice to cope with performance anxiety. This escalated into alcoholism and repeated rehab stays. This early introduction to alcohol as a coping mechanism would become a defining struggle throughout his life and career.
The guitarist’s battle with stage fright was particularly severe and persistent. Recovery Ranch PA noted that his extreme stage fright had been present since Van Halen’s rise to fame in 1978. It initially drove him to alcohol and later to Klonopin dependency after a 2006 onstage fall. The medication dependency was followed by debilitating antidepressant side effects that left him catatonic for a year.
Van Halen’s struggles with addiction were cyclical and persistent throughout his career. Bousbous documented that he tried to overcome his addiction multiple times and was in and out of rehab facilities over the years. He was driven by a desperate need to avoid alcohol but often failed to maintain sobriety.
The guitarist’s addiction issues extended beyond alcohol to include various substances, highlighting the complexity of his struggles. Recovery Ranch PA emphasized that Eddie Van Halen’s struggle with addiction provides valuable insight into the problem of substance abuse, particularly among high-profile musicians facing intense pressure and performance anxiety.
