Publisher Description

Arriving in California as a young boy in the early 1960s, Edward Van Halen and his brother Alex were ripe for the coming musical revolution. The sons of a Dutch, saxophone-playing father, the brothers discovered the Beatles, Cream and others.

From the moment their hugely influential 1978 debut landed, Van Halen set a high bar for the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, creating an entirely new style of post-'60s hard rock and becoming the quintessential Californian band of the 1980s. But there was also an undercurrent of tragedy to their story, as Eddie's struggles played out in public, from his difficult relationship with the band's original singer, Dave Lee Roth, to substance abuse, divorce and his long-running battle with cancer.


With unique insights, Paul Brannigan's Eruption reaches beyond the headlines to explore the cultural and social contexts that shaped this iconic guitarist, while also turning up the dial on a life lived at volume eleven.


'Brannigan goes deep here ... An affectionate and unflinching portrait of metal guitar's Mount Everest.' - Mojo

Author Biography

Paul Brannigan debuted on the Sunday Times bestseller list with his first book, 2011's This Is A Call: The Life and Times of Dave Grohl. Co-author, alongside Ian Winwood, of the acclaimed two volume Metallica biography Birth School Metallica Death (2013) / Into The Black (2014), Brannigan is a former editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock, and a contributor to MOJO and Classic Rock. He lives in London.

Review

'The game changing guitar legend gets the biography he deserves ... Diligently researched, perceptive and well-written.' - 8/10, Classic Rock

'Brannigan goes deep here ... An affectionate and unflinching portrait of metal guitar's Mount Everest.' - Mojo

Promotional

A searching, affectionate and in-depth look at the life and legends of the late, great guitar god.

Long Description

A searching, affectionate and in-depth look at the life and legends of the late, great guitar god. Arriving in California as a young boy in the early 1960s, Edward Van Halen and his brother Alex were ripe for the coming musical revolution. The sons of a Dutch, saxophone-playing father, the brothers discovered the Beatles, Cream and others. From the moment their hugely influential 1978 debut landed, Van Halen set a high bar for the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, creating an entirely new style of post-'60s hard rock and becoming the quintessential Californian band of the 1980s. But there was also an undercurrent of tragedy to their story, as Eddie's struggles played out in public, from his difficult relationship with the band's original singer, Dave Lee Roth, to substance abuse, divorce and his long-running battle with cancer. With unique insights, Paul Brannigan's Eruption reaches beyond the headlines to explore the cultural and social contexts that shaped this iconic guitarist, while also turning up the dial on a life lived at volume eleven. 'Brannigan goes deep here ... An affectionate and unflinching portrait of metal guitar's Mount Everest.' - Mojo

Review Text

'The game changing guitar legend gets the biography he deserves ... Diligently researched, perceptive and well-written.' - 8/10, Classic Rock 'Brannigan goes deep here ... An affectionate and unflinching portrait of metal guitar's Mount Everest.' - Mojo

Promotional "Headline"

A searching, affectionate and in-depth look at the life and legends of the late, great guitar god.

Details