Eruption in the Canyon

Book excerpt: A revelatory, fly-on-the-wall collection of photographs and stories documenting Eddie Van Halen at work in his famed but seldom seen 5150 studio, from the 2004 reunion with Sammy Hagar through the 2007 reunion with David Lee Roth. “When kids ask me how it feels to be a rock star, I say, ‘I’m not a rock star. I’m not in it for the fame, I’m in it because I like to play.’” Eddie Van Halen A fortuitous call from a stranger in the middle of the night led to a once-in-a-lifetime assignment. The stranger was Eddie Van Halen. The assignment, as Eddie related it, was to “capture the truth. Show people how hard I work, because that’s the truth.” Having no idea where this would lead or in what form it might be shared, Andrew Bennett spent portions of the next two years relentlessly documenting everything that occurred inside Eddie’s sanctuary: from rehearsals, recording sessions, and revealing conversations, to vicious arguments, a brotherly brawl, and a wild heist attempt in the middle of the night. Bennett memorialized every square foot of that sacred space, every piece of equipment, and every guitar—including Eddie’s beloved Frankenstrat. Featuring more than two hundred photographs, and accompanied by intimate reflections on what the author witnessed, Eruption in the Canyon presents an incomparable portrait of one of the most revered artists in history.