This song has been almost two years in the making. On 6 October 2020, Eddie Van Halen passed away after his battle with throat cancer. Although heartbroken at the time, Flea pitched “an emotional bassline” the following day in rehearsals, which naturally unravelled into the song ‘Eddie’. The guitar was clearly an extension of Eddie’s hands and Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) leaned into this by letting their guitar solo on this alt-rock track speak for itself, commemorating the original guitar hero. This is everything you would expect from a RHCP song with regards to John Frusciante’s signature melty guitar riffs, Flea’s nifty basslines, Chad Smith’s choppy drum work and Anthony Kiedis’ resounding vocals but this time it is peppered with a hint of Van Halen, concocting a succulent sound.
Kiedis transports us back to the 1980s and pleads with us to remember not just what Eddie Van Halen accomplished throughout his career but how he went about it, the journey he pursued and his consistent dedication to his art. Mr. Van Halen was not only a friend to RHCP but, metaphorically speaking, a kaleidoscope through which art was reflected, lighting up the music scene for decades — a geometric genius. RHCP makes reference to his love for cars: “The devil’s Camaro, parked in thе high school lot”, his Dutch heritage: “They say I’m from Amsterdam, does that make me Dutch?” and his insane ability to do hammer-ons with both hands simultaneously on the guitar: “Got hammers in both my hands, such a delicate touch”, all while paying respect to their friend through the medium of their shared love language.
‘Eddie’ is the second single from RHCP’s upcoming album Return of the Dream Canteen. This will be their thirteenth studio album, scheduled for release on 14 October 2022.
Words by Nikki Raymond
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