Eddie Van Halen dies aged 65

Guitar legend Eddie Van Halen has died at the age of 65 after a long battle with throat cancer.

The news was confirmed this evening (October 6) by his family, with his wife Janie, son Wolfgang and brother Alex by his side when he died at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica. He had been receiving treatment, including bouts of chemotherapy, for a number of years.

His son Wolfgang tweeted: ‘He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift. ‘My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss. I love you so much, Pop.’

Founder of the legendary rock band Van Halen, he, along with his brother Alex on drums, bassist Michael Anthony and singer David Lee Roth, achieved huge international success. Their single ‘Jump’ became one of the most iconic singles of all time, with the album it featured on 1984 selling around 10 million copies in the US alone.

He also famously played lead guitar on Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’.