Being in Eddie Van Halen’s orbit had both life- and sound-changing perks for Steve Stevens.
The Billy Idol guitarist met Van Halen in 1987, shortly after the touring cycle for Whiplash Smile ended and he went on leave from Idol for nearly two decades, working on other projects. Stevens had signed a solo deal with Warner Bros. Records, and A&R rep Ted Templeman invited him to play a NAMM Show gig with Van Halen, along with Tim Bogert on bass.
“It was right after [Van Halen’s] dad had passed away,” Stevens remembers, “and I didn’t know that Valerie [Bertinelli, Van Halen’s wife], was trying to get Ed to sober up a little bit. We were going to have a rehearsal at Ed’s house, so I go over in a limousine and brought a couple of bottles of Cristal. Valerie answered and looked at me and was like, ‘Oh, no…’ and took the bottles.
Article continues belowWe were going to rehearse at Ed’s house, so I show up in a limo with a couple bottles of Cristal. Valerie answered the door and was like, ‘Oh no…’ and took the bottles.”
— Steve Stevens
“We hung out and it was great. We had both become aficionados of the classic Marshall Plexis, although he knew a hell of a lot more about them than I did; he really knew all the inner workings and everything.
“And I didn’t play like him. Although I appreciated all the records and the Van Halen stuff, I was completely different stylistically, and also as a person. I grew up in Manhattan, and he was Pasadena. We complemented each other.”
Stevens and Van Halen spent more time together after Stevens played on Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil’s 1993 solo album, Exposed — another Templeman-brokered deal — and became part of Neil’s touring band.
“Ted asked me to do the Vince Neil record and said he was guaranteed as the opening act for Van Halen’s summer tour,” Stevens says. “That was really what enticed me to do it. What a great opportunity.
“Ed and I hung out a lot. I had produced a couple tracks for Steve Lukather, who was Eddie’s best friend at the time; Steve would come out on the road to hang out with Ed, and the three of us were trouble,” he says with a laugh.
“I had my old Marshalls out with me, which were not reliable, and my Charvel guitar by that time was falling apart. Ed said, ‘Why don’t you play through my rig at the next gig? If you like it I’ll arrange for Ernie Ball Music Man and Peavey Electronics to get you some stuff.’
It was super generous, and I did like it. If it was good enough for Ed it was good enough for me. He kinda knew what he was doing, right?”
— Steve Stevens
“It was super generous, and I did like it and switched to using 5150s at that point; they had a bit more saturated sound. And I played the Music Man guitars as well. If it was good enough for Ed it was good enough for me. He kinda knew what he was doing, right?”
Stevens continued using the 5150 rig when he began playing with Idol again during the mid-2000s, though he used Friedman amplifiers on the road last year. The Music Man electric — which he also played on the 1994 soundtrack for the film Speed — does get the occasional airing, however.
“When I guest with Sammy Hagar I’ll bring that guitar out. I’ve done ‘Poundcake’ with Sammy; that’s the guitar you use for that song.”
