Most bands are judged by their bodies of work, but at some point, Van Halen became less known for all the great music it produced and more known for all the absurd off the stage nonsense that surrounded the group. Between trips to rehab, high profile fights with their lead singers and cancelled tours, Van Halen morphed into a walking punchline, which is a shame considering how many brilliant songs its members wrote. Lately though, all of the headlines have been for the right reasons.
Former lead singer David Lee Roth rejoined the band, and the first reunited gig met with almost absurdly good reviews. A new album has been scheduled for release in February, and an exhaustive tour will follow. It will almost definitely be sold out, and if the band is even half as good as it was at New York City’s Café Wha?, fans who have been waiting for years will not be disappointed. Given all this, no one would have blamed Eddie Van Halen for resting on his laurels, but the legendary guitar player has decided to take the positive PR one step further.
According to MSNBC, Van Halen has partnered with the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation to donate seventy-five of his personal guitars to Los Angeles schools in need. The instruments will be provided free of charge and will be used by students within music education programs.
To commemorate the event, Eddie released a statement explaining his decision and praising the power of music. Here’s an excerpt…
"Music education and families are dealing with the economic times, and I wanted to help them. If I can help a kid discover a liking, or even a passion for music in their life, then that's a wonderful thing. Music has provided a good life for me and hopefully it can help make life better for others with this donation."
Here’s to hoping Van Halen’s kind gesture will do all of that and more.
