VAN HALEN: New Book To Focus On Band's History And Influence

After two years of research, and a lifetime of being a VAN HALEN fan, author Abel Sanchez has completed a brand new VAN HALEN book. Entitled "Van Halen 101", it is currently being published by Author House and slated for release in September 2005.

"Van Halen 101" is a comprehensive guide to the amazing history, music, impact and influence of the mighty VAN HALEN. From the birth of the Van Halen brothers all the way up to the recent 2004 tour, it's all here. The book includes a foreword by Brian May of QUEEN, as well as a tribute to Edward Van Halen by over 100 of the world's greatest musicians! From Allan Holdsworth and Steve Vai to James Hetfield and Zakk Wylde, over 100 of the baddest musicians on the planet came forward to personally share their thoughts, memories and stories about EVH. There's plenty of commentary on VAN HALEN, the band, too. In fact, here are a few excerpts of the commentary you will find inside this book:

"Without a doubt, Eddie Van Halen is the greatest guitar player who has ever lived." — Zakk Wylde

"I always thought Edward was great. He's a fantastic guitar player." — Allan Holdsworth

"What a wonderful musician...absolutely the pinnacle of guitar playing in our lifetime." — Brian May

"Eddie Van Halen is certainly one of the top innovative virtuosos in history." — Ted Nugent

"I think Eddie Van Halen is the Godfather of shred guitar. He is 'the one.'" — Mark Tremonti

As the icing on the cake, the book comes complete with "an absolutely phenomenal" cover shot provided by none other than legendary rock n' roll photographer Neil Zlozower. Guitar World magazine's Alan Paul recently stated after receiving an advanced copy, "I liked what I read a lot. This book is a labor of love and all true VH fans will love it."

"Van Halen 101" not only covers and discusses Edward Van Halen and the band in great detail, it also features and gives major respect to many different players, including Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Allan Holdsworth and Randy Rhoads. In fact, there is even a chapter dedicated to the late, great Randy Rhoads where the author brought in none other than Kevin DuBrow, frontman for Randy's original band, QUIET RIOT. Kevin discusses everything from how he and Randy met and formed QUIET RIOT to what it was like to play the same club scene as VAN HALEN during the mid-to-late 1970s and witness their growth as a band. The book includes a detailed album-by-album discography, as well as an "FAQ" section, which focuses on and breaks down everything from the elements that make Edward Van Halen a great guitarist and the story of the Frankenstrat to the story of Edward's legendary collaboration with Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson on "Beat It" and the story of "Eruption". There's even a chapter dedicated to "tapping," which explains the history of tapping and includes fresh commentary from such legendary players such as Steve Hackett and Harvey "The Snake" Mandel.

Stay tuned for details in the very near future as to the price of this book, along with precisely where you can order it for the lowest price available.

All questions concerning this project can be sent directly to the author at: [email protected].