Steve Stevens Reflects on Eddie Van Halen’s Impact: “I Was Affected as Much as Anybody Hearing That First Van Halen Record”
When Eddie Van Halen exploded onto the scene with Van Halen’s self-titled debut in 1978, the guitar world shifted overnight. His tone, speed, and sheer inventiveness rewrote the rules of rock guitar, sending a shockwave through every player in Los Angeles and beyond. One of those players was Billy Idol’s longtime guitarist and solo artist, Steve Stevens, who recently reflected on that era and the overwhelming influence of Eddie’s genius.
“I was affected as much as anybody hearing that first Van Halen record,” Stevens said. “I think the other guitar players in LA went, ‘Oh, my God, I’ve got to compete with that.’”
But unlike many of his peers who felt pressure to chase Eddie’s groundbreaking tapping techniques and lightning-fast runs, Stevens made a different choice — to stay true to his own voice.
“For me, it wasn’t about competing,” he explained. “Eddie was doing something completely unique — something that belonged to him. I knew I couldn’t out-Eddie Eddie Van Halen, so I focused on what made me different.”
Stevens’ approach paid off. Known for his distinctive blend of flamenco-inspired phrasing, layered textures, and experimental effects, he carved out a signature sound that stood apart from the tidal wave of “Eddie imitators” that dominated the early ’80s.
“The thing about Eddie was that he didn’t sound like anyone before him,” Stevens continued. “That was the real lesson — not to copy him, but to find your own thing. He showed us all that there’s still room for innovation in rock guitar.”
Even decades later, Stevens still speaks of Eddie with deep admiration — not just for his technical brilliance, but for his spirit and sense of fun.
“Eddie’s playing had joy in it,” Stevens said. “He made the guitar sing, laugh, and scream all at once. You could hear how much he loved it, and that’s something you can’t fake.”
While the two guitarists came from different musical worlds — Eddie in hard rock and Stevens in glam and new wave — both shared a dedication to pushing boundaries. And for Stevens, Eddie’s legacy remains a reminder of why authenticity always outlasts imitation.
“If you’re really listening to what Eddie did,” Stevens concluded, “you realize he was just being himself. That’s what I took away from him — to be fearless about who you are as a musician.”
