I am a guitarist.

Exceedingly few people ever innovate to the point that the instrument itself is changed permanently.

This Dutch kid from California did so.

As with players like Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, James Burton, Wes Montgomery, and Jimi Hendrix before him, NOBODY COULD MAKE A GUITAR SOUND LIKE THIS BEFORE EDDIE VAN HALEN.

And after - *everybody* tried.

I think one of my favorite videos is of the brothers van Halen interviewed in their native Dutch language. So interesting that these cosmopolitan guys became quintessentially Californian - and legendarily American.

Man, since so many people are vibing on the van Halen family history, you gotta hear the brothers' epic recording with their father, clarinetist Jan van Halen. And the story behind it is even sweeter.

When Van Halen hit it big in 1979, the first thing they did was buy their dad a boat - and allowed him to retire.

In 1982, they included him on the record Diver Down - and gave their musical inspiration platinum record status. #PAMFAM https://twitter.com/ericgarland/status/1313575776869113859

THIS WAS 1978. ASK ANY GUITARIST OF THE ERA:

NOBODY. SOUNDED. LIKE. THIS. BEFORE. And it still sounds just as fresh *42 years later.* https://twitter.com/bubbaprog/status/1313575456977948672