Eddie Van Halen's son criticises sale of his father's guitars

Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang has criticised a recent auction of three of his late father's guitars, which fetched $422,050 (£313,000).

Wolfgang Van Halen on stage with his father Eddie. Getty Images

Wolfgang said the sellers were "taking advantage of my father's passing", and he had "nothing to do with" the sale.

"I don't EVER plan on selling any of my father's iconic guitars," he said.

Julien's Auctions said two of the guitars were submitted for sale weeks before Eddie Van Halen, co-founder of rock band Van Halen, died in October.

The revered 65-year-old guitarist had been receiving treatment for throat cancer.

Wolfgang Van Halen added that one of the guitars sold had been a gift, adding: "It WASN'T for charity. They're just taking advantage of my father's passing. What a surprise."

He also suggested the only place they could "possibly belong in is a museum".

Eddie Van Halen is considered one of the greatest guitartists of all time. Getty Images

Julien's Auctions said the instruments in the sale were a custom-designed 2004 "stage-played" guitar, a "customised and played" guitar and a "music video guitar" that was used for the 1984 single Hot For Teacher.

The latter was a non-playing prop that was used by a child actor who played a young Eddie Van Halen, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

Darren Julien, president and chief executive of the auction house, said: "We, along with Eddie Van Halen's millions of fans, are mourning his family's and rock music's tremendous loss, and are honoured to keep his music legacy alive with the offerings of his memorabilia and instruments.

"We've auctioned many of Eddie Van Halen's iconic guitars in the past years and this year was no exception with these two guitars which were consigned to our Icons & Idols Trilogy: Rock and Roll sale weeks before we learned the sad news of his passing."

        Tributes paid to 'Mozart of rock' Eddie Van Halen.

        'He scared the hell out of a million guitarists'

Van Halen were best known for their song Jump, which hit the top of the US charts in 1984. Their other hits included Why Can't This Be Love and When It's Love.

Wolfgang, who became Van Halen's bassist in 2006, paid tribute to his father when he died. "Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage was a gift," he wrote.

Kiss singer Gene Simmons remembered the musician as a "Guitar God", while Queen guitarist Brian May remembered how "those truly magical fingers opened a door to a new kind of playing".

First published on bbc.com December 4, 2020.