Eddie Van Halen was already a legend by the early 1980s, known for revolutionizing rock guitar with his groundbreaking tapping technique and genre-defining solos. However, according to Yngwie Malmsteen, another guitar virtuoso who rose to fame in that era, Eddie wasn’t quite as confident when it came to sharing the spotlight with him.
Malmsteen, the Swedish shredder renowned for his classically inspired, ultra-fast playing, made his U.S. debut in Guitar Player magazine’s February 1983 issue. His profile skyrocketed shortly after, especially as he played with Steeler and Graham Bonnett’s Alcatrazz — turning down an offer from UFO in the process.
By then, Van Halen had already released five albums, beginning with their game-changing debut in 1978 featuring “Eruption.” But just as Eddie’s innovative style had redefined rock guitar, Malmsteen brought a new level of technicality and flair to the scene. His neoclassical speed and precision captivated audiences and created a buzz that, as Malmsteen claims, made Eddie nervous.
“I never said a bad word about him, because I think he was amazing,” Malmsteen said in a recent Classic Rock interview. “But I used to know a guy who worked at a grocery store where Eddie shopped, and he’d ask Eddie, ‘What do you think about Yngwie Malmsteen, the new Swedish kid?’ And Eddie would respond, ‘I don’t know what that is.’”
Despite this alleged indifference, Malmsteen insists Van Halen was actually paying close attention — according to none other than David Lee Roth. “Dave Roth told me Eddie would have his ghetto blaster playing my stuff all day long,” Malmsteen claims.
While Roth’s statement might be taken with a grain of salt, given his flamboyant reputation, Malmsteen insists that Eddie’s discomfort around him was real — and firsthand.
Recalling a particular moment from the 1986 Grammy Awards, Malmsteen said, “I was nominated for a Grammy, and I went to the show in a tuxedo. I saw Eddie there, waved to get his attention — and he literally ran away from me!”
That wasn’t the only encounter that didn’t happen.
“I was supposed to play a concert festival in Holland where Van Halen was headlining,” Malmsteen continued. “I thought, ‘Great, I finally get to meet Eddie and give him my concerto.’ But they pulled out. The story was that Alex Van Halen broke his finger.”
However, Malmsteen believes there was more to it. “I heard the promoter got a call from Eddie himself, who said, ‘If Yngwie Malmsteen is playing, I’m not. I will never play on the same stage as him.’”
To Malmsteen, this was baffling. “He obviously felt threatened. Which is crazy to me. You’re Eddie Van Halen! Nobody could threaten you!”
Ironically, Van Halen’s early influence played a significant role in Malmsteen’s own approach to music. He first heard Van Halen’s debut album when his drummer brought it to the studio.
“It was like a bomb had dropped. It was so good,” Malmsteen said. “But it wasn’t the ‘Eruption’ solo that blew me away. It was the raw attitude — recording live in the studio. That inspired me. From then on, I decided to record everything live.”
In a 2021 interview with Guitar World, Malmsteen elaborated further: “It was the ‘Turn your fucking shit up and go for it’ attitude that hit me. The impact Eddie had on me — and all of us — was unbelievable. It’s just crazy.”
Today, Eddie Van Halen’s legacy lives on through his son Wolfgang, who recently used his father’s iconic Frankenstein guitar on his single “The End.” Sammy Hagar, who fronted Van Halen during the late ’80s and early ’90s, has also kept the guitarist’s memory alive. In fact, Hagar said he wrote his latest song with Eddie in a dream and believes their collaboration helped Eddie grow as a songwriter.
Despite the stories of avoidance and rivalry, the mutual influence and respect between two of the greatest guitarists of their time remains part of rock history — complex, competitive, and unforgettable.
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